英语词源字典 - 在线词源网站

alphabetical (adj.)[alphabetical 词源字典]: 1560s, from alphabet + -ical. Related: Alphabetically.[alphabetical etymology, alphabetical origin, 英语词源]
alphabetize (v.): 1866, from alphabet + -ize. Related: Alphabetized; alphabetizing.
alphanumeric (adj.): 1912, contracted from alphabet + numeric (see numerical).
Alphonso: masc. proper name, from Spanish Alfonso, from a Germanic source (compare Old High German Adalfuns, from adal "noble;" see atheling + funs "ready"). The Alphonsine tables are named for Alphonso the Wise, 13c. king of Castile.
Alpine (adj.): "of the Alps," early 15c., from Latin Alpinus; see Alp. Earlier was Alpish (1590s).
Alps: see Alp.
already (adv.): c. 1300, compound of all + ready (adj.); literally "fully ready." Compare Norwegian, Danish allerede "already." Colloquial use in U.S. as a terminal emphatic (as in enough, already!) is attested from 1903, translating Yiddish shoyn, which is used in same sense. The pattern also is attested in Pennsylvania German and in South African.
alright: frequent spelling of all right, attested from 1893.
There are no such forms as all-right, or allright, or alright, though even the last, if seldom allowed by the compositors to appear in print, is often seen ... in MS. [Fowler]
Alsace: region between France and Germany (disputed by them 18c.-19c.), Medieval Latin Alsatia, from Old High German *Ali-sazzo "inhabitant of the other (bank of the Rhine)," from Proto-Germanic *alja "other" + Old High German -sazzo "inhabitant," literally "one who sits." Alsatian was adopted 1917 by the Kennel Club for "German Shepherd dog" to avoid the wartime associations of German; the breed has no connection with Alsace.
also (adv.): Old English eallswa "just as, even as, as if, so as, likewise," compound of all + so. The demonstrative sense of "similarly" weakened to "in addition to" in 12c., replacing eke. The compound has parallel forms in German also, Dutch alzoo.
also-ran (n.): 1896, originally in reference to horse-races, from also + past tense of run (v.). Probably from the way non-placing horses were listed in race results.
Altaic: 1832 as a linguistic family, from French Altaïque, from Altaïen, from Altai, name of a mountain range in Asia.
Altair: bright star in the constellation Aquila, 16c., from Arabic Al Nasr al Tair "the Flying Eagle," from tair, participle of tara "it flew."
altar (n.): Old English alter, altar, from Latin altare (plural altaria) "high altar, altar for sacrifice to the great gods," perhaps originally meaning "burnt offerings" (compare Latin adolere "to worship, to offer sacrifice, to honor by burning sacrifices to"), but influenced by Latin altus "high." In Middle English, often auter, from Old French auter. Reintroduced from Latin 1500s. As a symbol of marriage, by 1820.
alter (v.): late 14c., "to change (something)," from Old French alterer "change, alter," from Medieval Latin alterare "to change," from Latin alter "the other (of the two)," from PIE *al- "beyond" (see alias (adv.)) + comparative suffix -ter (as in other). Intransitive sense "to become otherwise" first recorded 1580s. Related: Altered; altering.
alter ego: 1530s, from Latin phrase (used by Cicero), "a second self, a trusted friend" (compare Greek allos ego); see alter and ego.
alterable (adj.): 1520s, from alter + -able. Related: Alterably; alterability.
alteration (n.): late 14c., "action of altering," from Old French alteracion (14c.) "change, alteration," and directly from Medieval Latin alterationem (nominative alteratio), noun of action from past participle stem of Late Latin alterare (see alter). Meaning "change in character or appearance" is from 1530s; that of "change in ready-made clothes to suit a customer's specifications" is from 1901. Related: Alterations.
altercate (v.): 1520s, "to contend with words," from Latin altercatus, past participle of altercari (see altercation).
altercation (n.): late 14c., from Old French altercacion (12c.) and directly from Latin altercationem (nominative altercatio) "a dispute, debate, discussion," noun of action from past participle stem of altercari "to dispute (with another)," from alter "other" (see alter).