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CONCISE DICTIONARY OF
ENGLISH
ETYMOLOGY
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Oxford Concise Dictionary of
English
Etymology
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Oxford Concise Dictionary of
English
Etymology
Edited by
TF. HOAD
Oaford New Yark
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
BENE CIP) HOE
CURIE, SEK FCN) WET CHoad, T. FD
ESHER, 2000
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hisC: Oxfod Concise Dictionary of Enelish Etymology
ISBN 7-31080-003-5
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Introduction
Tris dictionary is based upon the Oxford Dictionary of English
Exymology (1968). compiled by C. T. Onions with the assistance of
G. W. 8. Friedrichsen and R. W. Burchfield. It was the lata Dr
Friedrichsen whe first produced a draft for a concise version of that
dictionary, and the present editor took over the work in 1977 In
general. the book remains faithful to Dr Friedrichsen’s plan, although
& good many changes of detail and of a broader kind have been made,
for which the present editor is alone accmuntable
The Intention is that each entry should give a concise statement
of the route by which its headword entered the English language,
together with, where appropriate, a brief account of its develapraent
in English.
In each cave. the headword is followed by a figure in Roman
numerals indicating the century in which the word is first recorded in
English, or if definitions are provided Lhese are followed by figures in
Roman numerals indicating the centuries i which the various senses
are first evidenced. In the case of words ot senses recorded from the
Old English period (¢.700-c.1100), however, these are labelled simply
“OE.” (or at most ‘late OE."), vinve the nature of the surviving materials
usually makes any closer dating impracticable
Definitions have not been provided for wards whose senses have
undergone ne major change in English, and whose meanings are likely
fo be readily ascertainable hy most readers. The same practice has
been adopted m the case of many technical and scientific words, whose
senses thay be quickly discovered by recourse to a smatl English dic.
tionary. No attempt has been made to record all the modern senses of
words for which detinitions are provided, since these are frequently
of secondary importance in tracing the etymology and history of the
words in question,
A good many early spellings of words have been included, usually
after the relevant Roman numeral denoting the century of first
eccurrence. Such spellings have in particular been included
where they help to elucidste the origin and development of particular
wards.
This dictlonary distinguishes three principal kinds of process in the
evolution of words:
{1) The normal development of a word within a given language,
according to the regular processes of change in that language. Thus,
English guuse is explained as the normal development of the word
“sans In the preiretary Germanic language ftom which English is
siti INTRODUCTION
descended, and Gmc. *sans- is in turn the normal development of an
earlier Indo-European *ghans-.
(Q) The adoption of a word from ane language into some other laa.
guage. Thus, Eng. brave is explained as an adoption (‘borrowing’) of
French brave, which in turn is an adoption of Italian bravo.
@) The formation of a word on some existing word or element by
means of a derivational device, or by compounding. Thus, Eng. allevi-
ute is explained az having been formed on the past participial stem
(alleviat-) of the late Latin verb alieviére. by means of the derivational
suffix -ale, while ailevidre is in turn formed on the Latin adjective
Jevis by means of the derivational prefix al. The Eng. compound
nightmare was formed by the combining of night and Middle English
mare incubus’.
‘The symbols used. for brevity, to denote these thres processes are
listed below. I1 is, of course. not always possible to reduce the account
of the origins and development of words to a simple formula, and
where necessary further explanation has been given.
A large number of related and derivative farms has been included,
at the ends of the various main entries, although st would be impossible
In a dictionary of this size to offer anything like a comprehensive
treatment of such forms. In the explanation of derivatives, etc., ‘So
.." normally implies that the source-Janguage(s) of the derivative and
of the headword of the entry are the same; the language(s) are not
usvally named again, nor are the specific forms from which the related
or derivative words in English descend usually cited. ‘Hence . . °
implies that the derivative is formed on the English headword, or @
previously cited English derivative.
No one could compile an adequate etymological dictionary of
English on the basis of his or her individual knowledge alone, and
the present dictionary 1s heavily dependent on the work of the editors
of many other dictionaries in a wide range of languages. and on
that of the authors of a large number of scholarly books and arricles.
A humber of individuals have. furthermore. been generous in
answering questions and giving advice. Grateful acknowledge
ment is here made to the following, for assistance of various kinds:
Professor L. V. Berman, the late Professor A. J. Bliss, Professor
T. Burrow, Dr D. H. Evans, Professor 7. Light, Professor W. B.
Lockwood, and the late Professor Sir Ralph Tumer. Apology is
offered to anyone who should have appeared in the hist bul 1s nut
named bere.
Particular thanks are due to three people. Dr R. W. Burchfield. CBE,
and Professor E. G, Stanley have been constant sources of advice and
support. And Sir Edward Playfair has been of exceptional assistance
in supplying information and answering enguiries. princtpally (but by
