This is a map of the wheel-ruts of modern English. Etymologies are not definitions; they are explanations of what words meant and how they sounded 600 or 2,000 years ago.
The Online Etymology Dictionary was created in 2001 by Douglas Harper, who continues it; the etymonline domain name dates from 2003. Talia Felix, an independent researcher, has been associate editor since 2021.
Etymonline aims to weave together words and the past, answer common questions, and sow seeds of serendipity. Print sources used in this compilation are listed here. The user's manual is here.
[updated April 7, 2025]