quword 趣词
Word Origins Dictionary
- acrid (adj.)[acrid 词源字典]
- 1712, formed irregularly from Latin acer (fem. acris) "sharp, pungent, bitter, eager, fierce," from PIE *akri- "sharp," from root *ak- "be sharp, rise (out) to a point, pierce" (cognates: Oscan akrid (ablative singular) "sharply;" Greek akis "sharp point," akros "at the farthest point, highest, outermost," akantha "thorn," akme "summit, edge;" also oxys "sharp, bitter;" Sanskrit acri- "corner, edge," acani- "point of an arrow," asrih "edge;" Lithuanian ašmuo "sharpness," akstis "sharp stick;" Old Lithuanian aštras, Lithuanian aštrus "sharp;" Old Church Slavonic ostru, Russian óstryj "sharp;" Old Irish er "high;" Welsh ochr "edge, corner, border;" Old Norse eggja "goad;" Old English ecg "sword"). The -id suffix probably is in imitation of acid. Acrious (1670s) is a correct formation, but seldom seen.[acrid etymology, acrid origin, 英语词源]
- appetize (v.)
- "make hungry," 1782 (implied in appetized), irregularly formed (on model of verbs in -ize) from appetite, or else a back-formation from appetizing.
- aspartame (n.)
- commercial name of an artificial sweetener, 1973, from aspartic acid (1836), formed irregularly from asparagine (1813), a compound found in asparagus, beet-root, etc., which was named from asparagus + chemical suffix -ine (2). The reason for -ame is unknown.
- Capsicum (n.)
- genus of pepper plants, 1660s, of unknown origin, a word said to have been chosen by French botanist Joseph Pitton de Tournefort (1656-1708); perhaps irregularly formed from Latin capsa "box" (see case (n.2)).
- chaotic (adj.)
- 1713, "in a state of primordial chaos," irregularly formed in English from chaos + -ic, probably on model of eros/erotic, demos/demotic, hypnos/hypnotic, etc. Transferred or figurative meaning "confused, disordered" is from 1747.
- cyclone (n.)
- 1848, coined by British East India Company official Henry Piddington to describe the devastating storm of December 1789 in Coringa, India; irregularly formed from Greek kyklon "moving in a circle, whirling around," present participle of kykloun "move in a circle, whirl," from kyklos "circle" (see cycle (n.)). Applied to tornados from 1856.
- defibrillation (n.)
- 1940, in reference to heartbeat, from de- + fibrillation "a beating in an abnormal way," especially of the muscles of the heart that contract irregularly in this condition.
- epizootic (n.)
- animal equivalent of epidemic, 1748, from French épizootique, from épizootie, irregularly formed from Greek epi "on, upon" (see epi-) + zoon "animal" (see zoo-). As an adjective from 1790.
- eye (n.)
- c. 1200, from Old English ege (Mercian), eage (West Saxon) "eye; region around the eye; apperture, hole," from Proto-Germanic *augon (cognates: Old Saxon aga, Old Frisian age, Old Norse auga, Swedish öga, Danish øie, Middle Dutch oghe, Dutch oog, Old High German ouga, German Auge, Gothic augo "eye").
Apparently the Germanic form evolved irregularly from PIE *okw- "to see" (cognates: Sanskrit akshi "the eye; the number two," Greek opsis "a sight," Old Church Slavonic oko, Lithuanian akis, Latin oculus, Greek okkos, Tocharian ak, ek, Armenian akn).
HAMLET: My father -- methinks I see my father.
HORATIO: Where, my lord?
HAMLET: In my mind's eye, Horatio.
Until late 14c. the English plural was in -an, hence modern dialectal plural een, ene. Of potatoes from 1670s. Of peacock feathers from late 14c. As a loop used with a hook in fastening (clothes, etc.) from 1590s. The eye of a needle was in Old English. As "the center of revolution" of anything from 1760. Nautical in the wind's eye "in the direction of the wind" is from 1560s.
To see eye to eye is from Isa. lii:8. Eye contact attested from 1953. To have (or keep) an eye on "keep under supervision" is attested from early 15c. To have eyes for "be interested in or attracted to" is from 1736; make eyes at in the romance sense is from 1837; gleam in (someone's) eye (n.) "barely formed idea" is from 1959. Eye-biter was an old name for "a sort of witch who bewitches with the eyes." - foil (v.1)
- c. 1300, foilen "to spoil a trace or scent by running over it" (more commonly defoilen), irregularly from Old French foler, fuler "trample on, injure, maim; ill-treat, deceive, get the better of" (13c., Modern French fouler), from Vulgar Latin *fullare "to clean cloth" (by treading on it), from Latin fullo "one who cleans cloth, a fuller," which is of unknown origin. Compare full (v.).
Hence, "to overthrow, defeat" (1540s; as a noun in this sense from late 15c.); "frustrate the efforts of" (1560s). Related: Foiled; foiling. Foiled again! as a cry of defeat and dismay is from at least 1847. - foodoholic (n.)
- 1965, formed irregularly from food + -aholic.
- glyptodon (n.)
- extinct gigantic armadillo-like mammal from the Pleistocene of South America, 1838, irregularly formed from Greek glyptos "carved, engraved" (verbal adjective of glyphein; see glyph) + odon (genitive odontos) "tooth" (see tooth). So named for its fluted teeth.
- indention (n.)
- 1763, formed irregularly from indent + -ation. It could be a useful word if it split with indentation the two senses (relating to margins and to dents) of that word, but indention, too, is used in both.
- interference (n.)
- 1783, formed irregularly from interfere on model of difference, etc. Broadcasting and telephoning sense is from 1887. In chess from 1913; in U.S. football from 1894.
- jagged (adj.)
- mid-15c., from verb jaggen (c. 1400) "to pierce, slash, cut; to notch or nick; cut or tear unevenly," Scottish and northern English, of unknown origin. Originally of garments with regular "toothed" edges; meaning "with the edge irregularly cut" is from 1570s. Related: Jaggedly; jaggedness.
- kerosene (n.)
- 1852, coined irregularly by Canadian geologist Abraham Gesner (1797-1864), who discovered how to distill it c. 1846, from Greek keros "wax" (see cere) + chemical suffix -ene. So called because it contains paraffin (hence the British English name, paraffin oil).
- -ly (1)
- suffix forming adjectives from nouns and meaning "having qualities of, appropriate to, fitting;" irregularly descended from Old English -lic, from Proto-Germanic *-liko- (Old Frisian -lik, Dutch -lijk, Old High German -lih, German -lich, Old Norse -ligr), related to *likom- "appearance, form" (Old English lich "corpse, body;" see lich, which is a cognate; see also like (adj.), with which it is identical).
- Luminal (n.)
- trade name of phenobarbitone, used as a sedative and hypnotic, coined 1912 in German from Latin lumen "light," related to lucere "to shine" (see light (n.)), + -al (3), "the root here being used, very irregularly, as an equivalent of pheno- [Flood].
- meristem (n.)
- "growing cellular tissues of plants," 1862, formed irregularly from Greek meristos "divided, divisible" (from merizein "to divide, distribute," from meros "a part, a share;" see merit (n.)) + ending from xylem, etc.
- miscegenation (n.)
- "interbreeding of races," 1864, coined irregularly in American English from Latin miscere "to mix" (see mix (v.)) + genus "race" (see genus).
- myco-
- before vowels myc-, word-forming element meaning "mushroom, fungus," formed irregularly from Greek mykes "fungus, mushroom, anything shaped like a mushroom," from PIE root *meug- "slimy, slippery" (see mucus). The correct form is myceto- (mycet-).
- mystify (v.)
- 1814, from French mystifier (1772), a verb formed irregularly from mystique "a mystic" (see mystic (adj.)) + -fier (see -fy). Related: Mystified; mystifying.
- occupy (v.)
- mid-14c., "to take possession of," also "to take up space or time, employ (someone)," irregularly borrowed from Old French occuper "occupy (a person or place), hold, seize" (13c.) or directly from Latin occupare "take over, seize, take into possession, possess, occupy," from ob "over" (see ob-) + intensive form of capere "to grasp, seize" (see capable). The final syllable of the English word is difficult to explain, but it is as old as the record; perhaps from a modification made in Anglo-French. During 16c.-17c. a common euphemism for "have sexual intercourse with" (sense attested from early 15c.), which caused it to fall from polite usage.
"A captaine? Gods light these villaines wil make the word as odious as the word occupy, which was an excellent good worde before it was il sorted." [Doll Tearsheet in "2 Henry IV"]
Related: Occupied; occupying. - paraffin (n.)
- 1838, from German Paraffin, coined c. 1830 by German chemist Karl von Reichenbach (1788-1869), who first obtained it as a waxy substance from wood tar, irregularly from Latin parum "not very, too little," probably related to parvus "little, small" (see parvi-) + affinis "associated with" (see affinity).
So called because paraffin is chemically not closely related to other substances. The liquid form (originally parafin oil) Reichenbach called eupion, but this was the standard meaning of paraffin in English by 1860. - paranoid (adj.)
- 1901, irregularly formed from paranoia + -oid. As a noun, "a paranoid person," attested from 1922.
- pelvic (adj.)
- 1830, irregularly formed from pelvis + -ic. OED prefers "the better-formed" French pelvien.
- Perspex
- 1935, trade name in Britain for what in the U.S. is called Plexiglas or Lucite, irregularly formed from Latin perspect-, past participle stem of perspicere "look through, look closely at" (see perspective).
- philoprogenitive (adj.)
- "prolific," 1815, irregularly formed from philo- + Latin progenit-, past participle stem of progignere (see progeny). Related: Philoprogenitiveness. Important words among the phrenologists.
- polynomial
- 1670s (n.), 1704 (adj.), irregularly formed from poly- + stem of binomial.
- protectant (adj.)
- 1660s, irregularly formed from protect + -ant. As a noun from 1935.
- retiracy (n.)
- 1824, American English, irregularly from retire on model of privacy.
- sanitation (n.)
- 1848, irregularly formed from sanitary. Figurative use from 1934. As a euphemism for garbage (as in sanitation engineer) first recorded 1939.
- septicemia (n.)
- 1857, Modern Latin septicæmia, from French septicoemi, coined irregularly by French physician Pierre-Adolphe Piorry (1794-1879) in 1837 from Greek septikos (see septic) + haima "blood" (see -emia).
Dr. Piorry, in a second communication, insists upon the fact, that in a great number of cases the decaying contents of the uterus, and the putrid infection of the blood from this source, constitute the so-called puerperal fever, and he thinks that the discussion in the Academy is only a fight about words, as the different speakers agree, without knowing it themselves, upon the nature of the disease. He proposes the name of septicemia, as best designating the sources of the disease, viz., from putrid infection from the uterus, and by the respiration of an atmosphere pregnant with septic particles. ... The admission of this septicemia explains the putrid accidents, as observed in men, the foetus, and wounded persons during a puerperal epidemic. [E. Noeggerath and A. Jacobi, "Contributions to Midwifery," New York, 1859]
- simular (n.)
- 1520s, "one who simulates," irregularly formed (perhaps on the model of similar) from Latin simulare "to make like, imitate, copy, represent," from stem of similis "like" (see similar). As an adjective, "simulated," from 1610s.
- slavocracy (n.)
- also slaveocracy, in U.S. history, "the political dominance of slave-owners," 1840, formed irregularly from slave (n.) + -cracy. Related: Slavocrat.
- spirometer (n.)
- contrivance for measuring lung capacity, 1846, formed irregularly from Latin spirare "to breathe" (see spirit (n.)) + -meter. Related: Spirometry.
- systemic (adj.)
- 1803, irregularly formed from system + -ic; used in medicine and biology for differentiation of meaning from systematic. Related: Systemically.
- taxonomy (n.)
- "science of classification," 1819, from French taxonomie (1813), coined irregularly from Greek taxis "arrangement" (see tactics) + -nomia "method," from -nomos "managing," from nemein "manage" (see numismatic). Related: Taxonomic; taxonomist.
- tenuous (adj.)
- 1590s, "thin, unsubstantial," irregularly formed from Latin tenuis "thin, drawn out, meager, slim, slender," figuratively "trifling, insignificant, poor, low in rank," from PIE root *ten- "to stretch" (cognates: Sanskrit tanuh "thin," literally "stretched out;" see tenet) + -ous. The correct form with respect to the Latin is tenuious. The figurative sense of "having slight importance, not substantial" is found from 1817 in English. Related: Tenuously; tenuousness.
- valgus (adj.)
- deformity in which a bone or joint is twisted outward from the center of the body; form of club-foot, 1800, from Latin valgus "bandy-legged, bow-legged, having the legs bent outward." Said to be probably related to Sanskrit valgati "to move up and down," Old English wealcan "to roll, move to and fro" (see walk (v.)), perhaps on the notion of "go irregularly or to and fro" [Tucker]. "Yet the main characteristic of 'bow-legged' is the crookedness of the legs, not 'going up and down' or 'to and fro'" [de Vaan] and there are phonetic difficulties. A classical word used in a different sense in modern medicine; also see varus.
- phalarope
- "A small wading or swimming bird with a straight bill and lobed feet, unusual in that the female is more brightly coloured than the male", Late 18th century: from French, from modern Latin Phalaropus, formed irregularly from Greek phalaris 'coot' + pous, pod- 'foot'.
- solvate
- "(Of a solvent) enter into reversible chemical combination with (a dissolved molecule, ion, etc.)", Early 20th century: formed irregularly from solve + -ate1.
- kidology
- "The art or practice of deliberately deceiving or teasing people", 1960s: formed irregularly from the verb kid2 + -logy.
- anomia
- "A form of aphasia in which the patient is unable to recall the names of everyday objects", Early 20th century: formed irregularly from a-1 'without, not' + Latin nomen 'name' + -ia1.
- affixture
- "The action of affixing something; the state of being affixed; attachment", Mid 18th cent.; earliest use found in Gazetteer & New Daily Advertiser. Irregularly from affix + -ture.
- acriflavine
- "A bright orange-red dye derived from acridine, used as an antiseptic", Early 20th century: formed irregularly from acridine + Latin flavus 'yellow' + -ine4.
- plexor
- "A small hammer with a rubber head used to test reflexes and in medical percussion", Mid 19th century: formed irregularly from Greek plēxis 'percussion' (from plēssein 'to strike') + -or1.
- Agapemone
- "Chiefly with the. The headquarters of the religious sect founded by the Rev. Henry James Prince (1811–99) at Spaxton in Somerset in the mid 19th cent., or a similar establishment run by his successor, the Rev. John Hugh Smyth-Pigott (1852–1927), at Clapton, London; = Abode of Love. Now historical", Mid 19th cent.; earliest use found in The Times. Irregularly from Hellenistic Greek ἀγάπη love + μονή dwelling, abode.
- meristele
- "In certain vascular plants, especially ferns: any of the vascular bundles comprising a dictyostele", Late 19th cent.; earliest use found in Sydney Vines (1849–1934), botanist. Apparently irregularly from ancient Greek μερίς part + stele.
- phosphene
- "A sensation of a ring or spot of light produced by pressure on the eyeball or direct stimulation of the visual system other than by light", Late 19th century: formed irregularly from Greek phōs 'light' + phainein 'to show'.