英语词源字典 - 在线词源网站

okra (n.)[okra 词源字典]: 1670s, from a West African language (compare Akan nkruma "okra").[okra etymology, okra origin, 英语词源]
Olaf: masc. proper name, from Old Norse An-leifr, literally "ancestor's relic;" first element related to Old High German ano "ancestor;" second element related to Old English læfan "to leave" (see leave (v.)).
Olbers' paradox: "if stars are uniformly distributed through the sky, their number should counterbalance their faintness and the night sky should be as bright as the day;" named for German astronomer H.W.M. Olbers (1758-1840), who propounded it in 1826.
old (adj.): Old English ald (Anglian), eald (West Saxon) "aged, antique, primeval; elder, experienced," from Proto-Germanic *althaz "grown up, adult" (cognates: Old Frisian ald, Gothic alþeis, Dutch oud, German alt), originally a past participle stem of a verb meaning "grow, nourish" (compare Gothic alan "to grow up," Old Norse ala "to nourish"), from PIE root *al- (3) "to grow, nourish" (cognates: Greek aldaino "make grow, strengthen," althein, althainein "to get well;" Latin alere "to feed, nourish, bring up, increase," altus "high," literally "grown tall," almus "nurturing, nourishing," alumnus "fosterling, step-child;" Old Irish alim "I nourish").

The usual PIE root is *sen- (see senior (adj.)). A few Indo-European languages distinguish words for "old" (vs. young) from words for "old" (vs. new), and some have separate words for aged persons as opposed to old things. Latin senex was used of aged living things, mostly persons, while vetus (literally "having many years") was used of inanimate things. Greek geraios was used mostly of humans; Greek palaios was used mostly of things, of persons only in a derogatory sense. Greek also had arkhaios, literally "belonging to the beginning," which parallels French ancien, used mostly with reference to things "of former times."

Old English also had fyrn "ancient," related to Old English feor "far, distant" (see far, and compare Gothic fairneis, Old Norse forn "old, of old, of former times," Old High German firni "old, experienced"). The original Old English vowel is preserved in Scots auld, also in alderman. The original comparative and superlative (elder, eldest) are retained in particular uses.

First record of old-timer is from 1860. Expression old as the hills first recorded 1819. The good old days dates from 1828. Of old "of old times" is from late 14c. Old maid "woman who remains single well beyond the usual marrying age" is from 1520s; the card game is attested by that name from 1844. Old man "man who has lived long" is from c. 1200; sense of "husband, father, boss" is from 1854, earlier (1830) it was military slang for "commanding officer;" old lady "wife, mother" is attested from c. 1775. Old English is attested from 1701, originally as a type of font. Old boy originally was a former pupil of one of the English public schools. Old Testament attested from mid-14c.
old hat (adj.): "out of date," first recorded 1911. As a noun phrase, however, it had different sense previously. The "Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue" (1796) defines it as, "a woman's privities, because frequently felt."
Old World (adj.): of or pertaining to Eurasia and Africa, as opposed to the Americas, 1877.
old-fashioned (adj.): 1590s, "in an outdated style," from old + past participle of fashion (v.). As a type of cocktail, attested from 1901, American English.
Old Fashioned Tom Gin Cocktail Mix same as Holland Gin Old Fashioned Cocktail using Old Tom gin in place of Holland [George J. Kappeler, "Modern American Drinks," Akron, Ohio, 1900]
old-school (adj.): in reference to a group of people noted for conservative views or principles on some professional or political matter, 1749, from old + school (n.).
old-time (adj.): 1824, from old + time (n.). Related: Old-timey (1850).
olde: pseudo-archaic mock-antique variant of old, 1927.
olden (adj.): early 15c., from old + -en (2).
oldie (n.): "an old person," 1874; "an old tune or film," 1940, from old + -ie. Related: Oldies, which is attested by 1961 as a radio format.
oldness (n.): Old English ealdnysse; see old + -ness.
oldster (n.): 1818, colloquial, from old + -ster, on analogy of youngster.
ole: 1922, from Spanish olé "bravo!"
oleaginous (adj.): 1630s, from French oléagineux (14c.), from Latin oleaginus "of the olive," from olea "olive," alteration of oliva (see olive) by influence of oleum "oil."
oleander (n.): "rose bay," a poisonous evergreen Mediterranean shrub, c. 1400, from Medieval Latin oleander, probably (by influence of Latin olea "olive tree") from Late Latin lorandrum, from Latin rhododendron (see rhododendron), itself altered by influence of Latin laurea "laurel," on resemblance of leaves. This round-about etymology is supported by the French word for it, laurier rose.
Oleg: masc. proper name; see Olga.
oleo (n.): 1884, commercial shortening of oleomargarine.
oleo-: word-forming element meaning "oil" or "oleic," from Latin oleum (see oil (n.)).