Online Etymology Dictionary
The online etymology dictionary (etymonline) is the internet's go-to source for quick and reliable accounts of the origin and history of English words, phrases, and idioms.
Overview
Added
March 18, 2026
Subject & domain
language-arts · vocabulary-word-study
Grade range
Grade 9 (Freshman)–Grade 12 (Senior)
Page kind
Article
Introduction
Online Etymology Dictionary Overview
- Purpose: Provides historical explanations of word meanings and pronunciations, tracing their evolution over the past 600 to 2,000 years.
- Founder: Created by Douglas Harper in 2001.
- Domain History: The "etymonline" domain was established in 2003.
- Editorial Staff: Talia Felix has served as associate editor since 2021.
- Mission: To connect language with history, address common linguistic inquiries, and facilitate serendipitous discovery.
- Resources: The site maintains a list of print sources and a user's manual.
- Last Updated: April 7, 2025.
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