thesaurus etymology

Etymology:

  • Thesaurus is derived from the Greek word θησαυρός (thēsauros), meaning "treasure" or "storehouse."
  • It was first used in English in the 17th century, primarily to refer to a collection of words with their synonyms or meanings.

Meaning:

  • A thesaurus is a reference work that provides synonyms, antonyms, and related words for a specific word or phrase.
  • It helps writers find the best words to express their ideas precisely and creatively.

Origin:

The concept of a thesaurus has its roots in early civilizations.

  • Ancient Greece: The Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote the "Poetics," which included a section on the use of synonyms and vocabulary enrichment.
  • Roman Empire: Roman scholar Marcus Tullius Cicero compiled a list of synonyms in his work "De Oratore."
  • Middle Ages: Thesaurus compilations were produced by scholars and monks to help with Bible translation and the study of classical texts.
  • Renaissance: Humanist scholars in the Renaissance emphasized the importance of vocabulary and created more comprehensive thesauri.
  • 17th Century: The first printed English thesaurus was published in 1642 by Peter Roget's grandfather, Gilbert Roget.
  • 19th Century: Peter Mark Roget, a physician and inventor, compiled the definitive "Roget's Thesaurus" in 1852.
  • 20th Century: Thesauri became widely available and were used by educators, writers, and researchers.
  • 21st Century: Modern thesauri include electronic versions and the ability to search for words and phrases using computer technology.

thesaurus relate terms

  • abdomen

    Etymology Latin abdomen from Medieval Latin abdomen Greek ἀβδόμην abdomen

  • abscond

    Etymology The word abscond comes from the Latin word abscondere which means to hid

  • affect

    Etymology Derived from the Latin word afficere meaning to do something to or to ha

  • affect

    Etymology Derived from the Latin word afficere meaning to do something to or to ha

  • amplify

    Amplify Etymology The word amplify comes from the Latin word amplificare which mean

  • anathema

    Etymology Anathema is derived from the Greek word anáthema which means something de

  • antithesis

    Etymology Greek anti against thesis position statement Meaning Antithesis is

  • apothecary

    Apothecary Etymology The word apothecary is derived from the Greek word apotheke me

  • artifact

    Etymology The word artifact is derived from two Latin words Ars meaning art sk

  • artifice

    Etymology Middle English artifice from Old French artifice from Latin ars artis a

  • beatific

    Etymology Latin beatificus meaning making blessed root beatus meaning blessed

  • benefice

    Etymology The word benefice comes from the Middle English word benefice which is der

  • beneficence

    Etymology The word beneficence comes from the Latin words bene good and facere

  • beneficial

    Etymology benefi from Latin bene meaning well fic from Latin facere meaning

  • benefit

    Etymology The word benefit comes from the Old French word benefice which in turn co

  • bibliothec

    Etymology The word bibliothec is derived from the Greek word bibliotheke which is a

  • bodega

    Etymology The word bodega has Spanish origins and stems from the Medieval Latin word

  • boutique

    Etymology The word boutique originated in French in the 19th century It is derived fro

  • certify

    Etymology The word certify comes from the Old French word certifier which is derive

  • chafe

    Etymology and Meaning of Chafe The word chafe has multiple origins Old English

  • chauffeur

    Etymology The word chauffeur originates from the French word chauffer which means

  • comfit

    Etymology The word comfit comes from the Old French word confeit which in turn comes

  • condiment

    Etymology The word condiment originates from the Latin word condire meaning to pre

  • confection

    Etymology The word confection comes from the Latin word confectio which means a ma

  • confetti

    Etymology Confetti is derived from the Italian word confetto meaning a small sweet or

  • counterfeit

    Etymology The word counterfeit comes from the Middle English word countrefete which

  • deed

    Etymology The word deed comes from the Middle English word dede which in turn der

  • deem

    Etymology Middle English deemen from Old English dēman from Proto West Germanic

  • deface

    Etymology The word deface comes from the Middle English word defacen which in turn

  • defeasance

    Etymology Old French defeisance Latin defensio defense Meaning An event or a

  • defeat

    Etymology Middle English defeten from Old French desfeiter from Late Latin dēdēf

  • defect

    Etymology The word defect comes from the Latin word deficere which means to fail

  • deficient

    Etymology Deficient comes from the Latin word deficere meaning to fail or to be la

  • difficulty

    Etymology From Old French difficulté from Latin difficultas from difficilis meaning

  • dignify

    Etymology The word dignify comes from the Latin word dignus meaning worthy or d

  • discomfit

    Etymology of Discomfit Latin dis prefix meaning apart away conficere verb

  • doom

    Etymology The word doom comes from the Old English word dōm which has several mean

  • duma

    Etymology The word duma originates from the Russian word думать dumát mean

  • edifice

    Etymology The word edifice is derived from the Latin word aedificium which means bu

  • edify

    Etymology Latin aedificare meaning to build Derived from aedes meaning house or

  • efface

    Etymology The word efface comes from the Old French word esfacer which means to wip

  • effect

    Etymology Middle English effect from Old French effect effec from Latin effectus p

  • efficacious

    Etymology Latin efficacious from efficāx efficācis Proto Indo European edh to

  • efficient

    Etymology Efficient derives from the Latin word efficiens entis which is the pre

  • epithet

    Epithet Etymology Derived from the Greek word epítheton meaning something added on

  • facade

    Etymology The word facade comes from the Italian word facciata which means face I

  • face

    Etymology The word face comes from the Middle English word face which in turn derive

  • facet

    Etymology Latin facies face Proto Indo European bhak to shine Meaning

  • facial

    Etymology Facial is derived from the Latin word facies meaning face Meaning Re

  • facile

    Etymology French facile Latin facilis Proto Indo European s pekw to be quick ha

  • facilitate

    Etymology Facilitate comes from the Latin word facilitare which means to make easy

  • facsimile

    Etymology From Latin facsimile from facere to make do simile likeness Me

  • fact

    Etymology The word fact is derived from the Latin word factum which means a thing

  • faction

    Etymology The word faction is derived from the Latin word factio which means a do

  • factitious

    Factitious Etymology Meaning A false or fabricated explanation of the origin or meaning

  • factitive

    Etymology From Latin factitivus from facticius from facere to do make Meaning

  • factor

    Etymology Latin factum a deed act event Past participle of facere to do make

  • factory

    Etymology Middle English fact o rie from Old French factorie Old French borrowed fro

  • factotum

    Etymology The word factotum is derived from the Latin phrase fac totum meaning do

  • faculty

    Etymology The word faculty is derived from the Latin word facultas which means abi

  • fashion

    Etymology The word fashion comes from the Old French word facon meaning make or

  • feasible

    Etymology The word feasible comes from the Old French faisable which in turn comes f

  • feat

    Etymology The word feat comes from the Late Latin word factum which means deed or

  • feature

    Etymology Latin facere to make to do Old French feiture making deed Middle

  • feckless

    Etymology The word feckless comes from the Middle English word fekeless which means

  • fordo

    Etymology Old English forð Proto Germanic furthu Proto Indo European pr̥ tu Me

  • forfeit

    Etymology Middle English forfeiten from Anglo Norman French forfeter from Old French

  • hacienda

    Etymology The word hacienda originates from the Spanish language deriving from the Old

  • hypothecate

    Etymology The word hypothecate comes from the Ancient Greek word hupothēkē which m

  • hypothesis

    Etymology Derived from Ancient Greek hypothesis ὑπόθεσις meaning a placi

  • incondite

    Etymology The word incondite derives from the Latin inconditus which means unprepar

  • indeed

    Etymology The word indeed derives from the Old English phrase in gedehð or in geþo

  • infect

    Etymology The word infect derives from the Latin inficere which means to put a sta

  • justify

    Etymology Etymology is the study of the origin of words and their historical development

  • malefactor

    Etymology From Middle English malefactour from Old French malfaitour ultimately from

  • malfeasance

    Etymology Origin Latin male facere meaning to do wrong First Use 14th century Me

  • manufacture

    Etymology The word manufacture comes from the Latin word manu factus which literall

  • metathesis

    Etymology The word metathesis comes from the Greek word μετάθεσις metathesi

  • misfeasance

    Etymology and Origin of Misfeasance Etymology The word misfeasance is derived from

  • modify

    1 Etymology a Definition The study of the history of words including their origins f

  • mollify

    Etymology The word mollify comes from the Latin word mollifico which is a combinati

  • multifarious

    Etymology Latin multifarius various manifold Multi meaning many farius m

  • notify

    Etymology Origin Middle English notifeien Old French notifier Latin notare to mark

  • nullify

    Etymology Latin nullus meaning none French nullifier meaning to make null an

  • office

    Etymology The word office is derived from the Latin word officium which originally m

  • officinal

    Etymology Latin officīna meaning workshop store pharmacy Proto Indo European o

  • omnifarious

    Etymology omnifarious adj 1560s from Medieval Latin omnifarius from every direction

  • orifice

    Etymology The word orifice is derived from the Latin word orificium which means mou

  • parenthesis

    Etymology and Meaning The word parenthesis comes from the Latin word parenthesis wh

  • perfect

    Etymology Perfect comes from the Latin word perfectus which means completed finish

  • petrify

    Etymology Latin petrify to transform into stone Greek petra stone Meaning

  • pluperfect

    Etymology From Latin pluperfectus from plus more and perfectus completed finished

  • pontifex

    Etymology The word pontifex is derived from the Latin phrases pons bridge facer

  • prefect

    Etymology of Perfect The word perfect originates from the Latin word perfectus whi

  • proficient

    Etymology Origin Latin proficiscor meaning to set out to advance Components

  • profit

    Etymology The word profit comes from the Latin word profectus meaning progress or

  • prosthesis

    Etymology The word prosthesis comes from the Greek word πρόσθεσις prothesis

  • prothesis

    Etymology Greek πρόθεσις prothesis from προ pro before and τ

  • purdah

    Etymology English purdah Persian parda curtain veil Meaning A system of seclu

  • putrefy

    Etymology Latin putrefacere to rot decay putrere to rot putis stench Me

  • qualify

    Etymology Origin Latin qualificare to describe Meaning To describe or attribute

  • rarefy

    Etymology Latin rarus thin sparse Proto Indo European rewh₁ to tear scra

  • recondite

    Etymology and Origin The word recondite derives from the Latin word reconditus mean

  • rectify

    Etymology The word rectify comes from the Latin word rectificare which is itself de

  • refectory

    Etymology From Late Latin refectorium from Latin refectus past participle of reficere

  • sacrifice

    Etymology The word sacrifice originates from the Latin word sacrificium which is der

  • salmagundi

    Etymology of Salmagundi The word salmagundi has a complex etymology with roots in se

  • samadhi

    Etymology Sanskrit सम ध samādhi Meaning Complete absorption or s

  • satisfy

    Etymology The word satisfy comes from the Latin word satisfacere which means to mak

  • sconce

    Etymology The word sconce derives from the Old French word esconce variant of esco

  • suffice

    Etymology The word suffice comes from the Latin word sufficere which means to be en

  • sufficient

    Etymology The word sufficient comes from the Latin word sufficientis which itself i

  • surface

    Etymology The word surface is derived from the Old French word sorface which itself

  • surfeit

    Etymology The word surfeit comes from the Old French word surfet which means overa

  • synthesis

    Etymology Greek synthesis σύνθεσις Meaning The act or process of co

  • ticking

    Etymology Middle English tikken tiken probably from Old English tician ticcen tyc

  • theco

    Etymology Theco is derived from the Greek word thēkē meaning a case box or con

  • thematic

    Thematic Etymology Thematic etymology is a branch of etymology that focuses on the identi

  • theme

    Etymology The word theme derives from the Greek word thema θέμα which means s

  • thesis

    Etymology The word thesis comes from the Ancient Greek word τίθημι tithēmi

  • verify

    Etymology Etymology is the study of the origin and history of words It looks at how wor

  • trove

    Etymology The word trove has origins in Old French and Old Norse Old French trover

  • treasure

  • Boniface

    Etymology The name Boniface is derived from the Latin words bona meaning good and

  • synonym

    Etymology Origin Greek syn together onyma name Meaning A word or phras

  • change

    Etymology Etymology is the study of the origin and development of words It traces words

  • prosper

    Etymology From Latin prosper meaning successful favorable or lucky Ultimatel

  • holy

    Etymology The word holy originates from the Old English word hālġ which means sac

  • respite

    Etymology of Respite The word respite comes from the Latin word respicere meaning t

  • righteous

    Etymology The word righteous has its origins in Old English where it was spelled as