English word origin

Etymology of terp

Clipping of interpreter.

4 source sectionsBrief source recordWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 4 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗

noun

An interpreter (person who translates). · An interpreter (program that parses and executes another program).

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Clipping of interpreter.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "clipping",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "interpreter"
      },
      "expansion": "Clipping of interpreter"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "interpreter",
      "interpreter#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "An interpreter (person who translates).",
        "An interpreter (program that parses and executes another program)."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "slang"
      ],
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}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗

noun

Any of various essential oils containing monoterpene alcohols which are added to a henna mix to darken the color.

verb

To add such an essential oil to (a henna mix).

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Clipping of terpene.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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    {
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      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "terpene"
      },
      "expansion": "Clipping of terpene"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "terpene",
      "terpene#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "Any of various essential oils containing monoterpene alcohols which are added to a henna mix to darken the color."
      ],
      "tags": [],
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      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 153002
    },
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      "glosses": [
        "To add such an essential oil to (a henna mix)."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "transitive"
      ],
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Source etymology 3

Original entry ↗

noun

Dance.

verb

To dance.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Clipping of Terpsichore, the goddess of dance and the dramatic chorus in Greek mythology.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "clipping",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "Terpsichore"
      },
      "expansion": "Clipping of Terpsichore"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
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      "Terpsichore",
      "Terpsichore#English"
    ],
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      "goddess",
      "goddess"
    ],
    [
      "dance",
      "dance"
    ],
    [
      "dramatic",
      "dramatic"
    ],
    [
      "chorus",
      "chorus"
    ],
    [
      "Greek",
      "Greek"
    ],
    [
      "mythology",
      "mythology"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "Dance."
      ],
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        "dated",
        "slang",
        "uncountable"
      ],
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    },
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      "glosses": [
        "To dance."
      ],
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Source etymology 4

Original entry ↗

noun

An artificial dwelling mound found on the North European Plain, created to provide safe ground during storm surges, high tides and sea or river flooding.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Dutch terp (“terp”). See also thorp and thorpe.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Borrowed-form mentionterpnl · terp

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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    {
      "name": "bor",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "nl",
        "3": "terp",
        "t": "terp"
      },
      "expansion": "Dutch terp (“terp”)"
    }
  ],
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    ],
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    ],
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    ],
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    ],
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    ]
  ],
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  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
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      "pos": "noun",
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        "An artificial dwelling mound found on the North European Plain, created to provide safe ground during storm surges, high tides and sea or river flooding."
      ],
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}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for terp →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-dGVycA