Etymology dictionary
dietetics (n.) — Dinah
dietetics (n.)
"branch of medicine which relates to regulation of food and drink consumed," 1540s, see dietetic + -ics.
dietetic (adj.)
"pertaining to the rules for regulating the kind and quantity of food taken," 1570s, from Latin diaeteticus, from Greek diaitetikos "of or pertaining to diet," from diaita "way of life, regiment" (see diet (n.1)). Related: Dietical (1610s).
dietician (n.)
"one who practices some theory of diet," 1845, from diet (n.1) on model of physician. Earlier was dietist (c. 1600).
dietitian (n.)
see dietician.
Dietrich
German masc. name and surname, literally "folk-rule" (Dutch Diederik), from Old High German Theodric, from theuda "folk, people" (see Teutonic) + rihhi "rule," from Proto-Germanic *rikja "rule," from PIE root *reg- "move in a straight line," with derivatives meaning "to direct in a straight line," thus "to lead, rule." Variants or familiar forms include Derrick, Dierks, Dieter, Dirk. Compare Theodoric. Theodric the Ostrogoth, who held sway in Italy 493-526, appears in later German tales as Dietrich von Bern (Verona).
Dieu et mon droit
French, "God and my right," the watchword of Richard I at the Battle of Gisors (1195), adopted as the motto on the royal arms of England. The "right" was Edward's claim to the crown of France upon the death of his uncle, Charles the Fair, king of France, without male issue.
dif-
assimilated form of dis- before -f-.
diff (n.)
colloquial shortening of difference, attested by 1878 in phrase what's the diff? "what's the difference?"
differ (v.)
late 14c., "be unlike, dissimilar, distinct, or various," from Old French differer (14c.) and directly from Latin differre "to set apart, differ," from assimilated form of dis- "apart, away from" (see dis-) + ferre "to bear, carry," from PIE root *bher- (1) "to carry." Meaning "disagree, be of contrary opinion" is from 1560s.
Two senses that were present in Latin have gone separate ways in English in sense and spelling (probably based on different stress) since c. 1500, with defer (v.1) taking one set of meanings and differ (intransitive) the rest. Related: Differed; differing.
difference (n.)
mid-14c., "condition or relation of being other or different," also "any special mode of non-identity," from Old French difference "difference, distinction; argument, dispute" (12c.) and directly from Latin differentia "diversity, difference," from differentem (nominative differens), present participle of differre "to set apart," from assimilated form of dis- "apart, away from" (see dis-) + ferre "to bear, carry," from PIE root *bher- (1) "to carry." Sense of "controversy, dispute, a quarrel" is from late 14c.
different (adj.)
late 14c., "not the same, unlike, dissimilar in nature or quality as well as state of being," from Old French different (14c.), from Latin differentem (nominative differens) "differing, different," present participle of differre "to set apart," from assimilated form of dis- "apart, away from" (see dis-) + ferre "to bear, carry" (from PIE root *bher- (1) "to carry"). The colloquial sense of "special, out of the ordinary" is attested by 1912. Related: Differently.
differential (adj.)
1640s, "making or exhibiting a difference," from Medieval Latin differentialis, from Latin differentia "diversity, difference" (see difference). Related: Differentially. As a noun in mathematics, "an infinitesimal difference between two values of variable quantity," from 1704. Differential calculus is attested from 1702.
differentiation (n.)
1831 in calculus; 1855 as "action of differentiating, condition of being different," noun of action from differentiate. As "action of noting a difference," 1866.
differentiate (v.)
1816, transitive, "make different; be what distinguishes between," from Medieval Latin differentiatus, past participle of differentiare, from Latin differentia "diversity, difference" (see difference).
Originally a mathematical term, "obtain the differential coefficient of;" intransitive sense of "acquire a distinct and separate character" is by 1874. Non-technical transitive sense of "discriminate between by observing or describing the difference between" is from 1876; earlier, difference had been used as a verb in this sense. Related: Differentiated; differentiating.
difficult (adj.)
c. 1400, "not easy, requiring or dependent on effort; troublesome, arduous," apparently an unetymological back-formation from difficulty. French has difficile, Latin difficilis. Of persons, "hard to please," from 1580s. Related: Difficultly.
difficulty (n.)
late 14c., "want of easiness, that quality which makes something laborious or perplexing," from Anglo-French difficulté and directly from Latin difficultatem (nominative difficultas) "difficulty, distress, poverty," from difficilis "hard," from dis- "not, away from" (see dis-) + facilis "easy to do," from facere "to do" (from PIE root *dhe- "to set, put"). From 1610s as "that which is difficult." Related: Difficulties.
diffident (adj.)
mid-15c., "distrustful, wanting confidence in another's power," from Latin diffidentem (nominative diffidens), present participle of diffidere "to mistrust, lack confidence," from dis- "away" (see dis-) + fidere "to trust" (from PIE root *bheidh- "to trust, confide, persuade"). Original sense is obsolete; modern sense of "distrustful of oneself, not confident" is by 1713. Compare diffidence. Related: Diffidently.
diffidence (n.)
c. 1400, "distrust, want of confidence, doubt of the ability or disposition of others," from Latin diffidentia "mistrust, distrust, want of confidence," from diffidere "to mistrust, lack confidence," from dis- "away" (see dis-) + fidere "to trust" (from PIE root *bheidh- "to trust, confide, persuade"). The opposite of confidence. Original sense (distrust of others) is obsolete; the modern sense is of "distrust of oneself, want of confidence in one's ability, worth, or fitness" (1650s), hence "retiring disposition, modest reserve."
diffract (v.)
1803, in optics, "to break up (a beam of light) by deflecting it from a right line," perhaps a back-formation from diffraction. In acoustics by 1825. Related: Diffracted; diffracting.
diffraction (n.)
in optics, "the spreading of light or deflection of its rays," 1670s, from French diffraction (17c.) or directly from Modern Latin diffractionem (nominative diffractio), noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin diffringere "break apart in pieces," from dis- "apart" (see dis-) + frangere "to break" (from PIE root *bhreg- "to break").
diffusion (n.)
late 14c., diffusioun, "a copious outpouring," from Old French diffusion and directly from Latin diffusionem (nominative diffusio) "a pouring forth," noun of action from past-participle stem of diffundere "scatter, pour out," from dis- "apart, in every direction" (see dis-) + fundere "to pour" (from nasalized form of PIE root *gheu- "to pour"). Meaning "act of diffusing, state of being diffuse" is from 1590s; figurative sense of "a spreading abroad, dispersion" (of knowledge, etc.) is by 1750.
diffuse (v.)
1520s (transitive), "to pour out and spread, cause to flow and spread;" 1650s (intransitive), "spread abroad, scatter in all directions;" from Latin diffusus, past participle of diffundere "to pour out or away," from dis- "apart, in every direction" (see dis-) + fundere "to pour" (from nasalized form of PIE root *gheu- "to pour"). Related: Diffused; diffusing.
diffuse (adj.)
early 15c., "hard to understand;" also, of writers, "verbose, using many words;" from Latin diffusus, past participle of diffundere "scatter, pour out," from dis- "apart, in every direction" (see dis-) + fundere "to pour" (from nasalized form of PIE root *gheu- "to pour"). Meaning "widely spread or diffused, scattered" is from late 15c.
dig (n.)
late 17c., "a tool for digging," from dig (v.). Meaning "archaeological expedition" is from 1896. Meaning "a thrust or poke" (as with an elbow) is from 1819; figurative sense of this is by 1840.
digs (n.)
"lodgings," slang attested from 1893, from dig (n.).
dig (v.)
c. 1200, diggen, "to make a ditch or other excavation," a word of uncertain origin, perhaps related to dike and ditch, either via Anglo-French diguer, from Old French digue "dike" (which is ultimately from Proto-Germanic *dīk-, from PIE root *dheigw- "to stick, fix") or directly from an unrecorded Old English verb. The older native words were deolfan (see delve), grafan (see grave (v.)).
Transitive meanings "form by excavation, make by digging," also "obtain or remove by excavation" are from late 14c.; figurative sense of "discover by effort or search" is from early 15c. Meaning "to penetrate" is from mid-15c.; transitive sense of "cause to penetrate, thrust or force in" is by 1885.
In 19c. U.S. student slang it meant "study hard, give much time to study" (1827); the 20c. slang sense of "understand" is recorded by 1934 in African-American vernacular. Both probably are based on the notion of "excavate." A slightly varied sense of "appreciate" emerged by 1939. The strong past participle dug appeared in 16c. but is not etymological.
digging (n.)
1530s, "locality where mining is carried on," verbal noun from dig (v.). Diggings, colloquial for "lodgings, quarters" is by 1838.
digamist (n.)
"person who has married a second time," 1650s, from digamy "second marriage" (1630s), from Latin digamia, from Greek digamos, from di- "twice (see di- (1)) + gamos "marriage" (see -gamy). Related: Digamous.
digamma (n.)
1550s, "the letter F;" 1690s as the name of a former letter in the Greek alphabet, corresponding to -F- (apparently originally pronounced with the force of English consonantal -w-), from Latin digamma "F," from Greek digamma, literally "double gamma" (because it resembles two gammas, one atop the other). The sixth letter of the original Greek alphabet, it corresponded to Semitic waw.
digest (v.)
late 14c., digesten, assimilate (food) in the bowels," also "divide, separate; arrange methodically in the mind," from Latin digestus past participle of digerere "to separate, divide, arrange," etymologically "to carry apart," from dis- "apart" (see dis-) + gerere "to carry" (see gest). Meaning "assimilate mentally" is from mid-15c. Related: Digested; digesting.
digest (n.)
late 14c., in reference to Justinian's law codes in ancient Rome, from Late Latin digesta, from neuter plural of Latin digestus, literally "digested thing," noun use of past participle of digerere "to separate, divide, arrange," etymologically "to carry apart," from dis- "apart" (see dis-) + gerere "to carry" (see gest). General sense of "collection of writings (literary, legal, scientific or historical) arranged under different heads" is from 1550s.
digestible (adj.)
"capable of being digested," late 14c., from Old French digestible, from Latin digestibilis, from digest-, past-participle stem of digerere "to separate, divide, arrange," etymologically "to carry apart," from dis- "apart" (see dis-) + gerere "to carry" (see gest).
digestive (adj.)
early 15c., "of or pertaining to physiological digestion," also "promoting digestion," from Old French digestif (14c.) and directly from Late Latin digestivus "pertaining to digestion," from digest-, past-participle stem of Latin digerere "to separate, divide, arrange," etymologically "to carry apart," from dis- "apart" (see dis-) + gerere "to carry" (see gest).
Earlier in English as a noun, "a preparation or medicine which aids digestion" (late 14c.), from French, short for medecin digestif. The noun in the French form digestif is attested from 1908.
digestion (n.)
late 14c., digestioun, "conversion of food to a state in which it can be absorbed into the blood from the alimentary canal," from Old French digestion (13c.) and directly from Latin digestionem (nominative digestio) "digestion, arrangement," noun of action from past-participle stem of digerere "to separate, divide, arrange," etymologically "to carry apart," from dis- "apart" (see dis-) + gerere "to carry" (see gest).
digestif (n.)
"something which aids digestion," 1908, from French digestif (see digestive).
digger (n.)
mid-15c., "one who digs;" 1680s, "instrument for digging," agent noun from dig (v.). The communistic movement in England so called from 1649. Meaning "one who seeks gold in a prospecting place" is from 1853. In 19c. American-English, it was the name for degraded Native Americans in the West, who were so called for living chiefly upon dug-up roots (1837).
dight (v.)
Middle English dighten, "to adorn," from Old English dihtan "dictate, appoint, ordain; guide; compose, set in order," an early borrowing from Latin dictare "to dictate" (see dictate (v.)).
The Latin word was borrowed earlier into continental Germanic, where it became Old High German dihton "to write compose," German dichten "to write poetry." It was so nativized in late Old English that it was used to gloss Latin dictator. In Middle English, dight exploded to a vast array of meanings (including "to rule," "to handle," "to abuse," "to have sex with," "to kill," "to clothe," "to make ready," "to repair") till it was one of the most-used verbs in the language, but all its senses have faded into obscurity or survive only in dialectal or poetic use.
digit (n.)
late 14c., "numeral below 10," from Latin digitus "finger or toe" (also with secondary meanings relating to counting and numerals), considered to be related to dicere "to say, speak" (from PIE root *deik- "to show," also "pronounce solemnly"). The numerical sense is because numerals under 10 were counted on fingers. The "finger or toe" sense in English is attested from 1640s.
digitalize (v.)
"convert into a sequence of digits," 1962, from digital + -ize. Related: Digitalized; digitalizing.
digitate (adj.)
1660s, in zoology, "having separate fingers and toes," from Latin digitatus "having fingers or toes," from digitus "finger" (see digit). In botany, "having deep, radiating divisions, like fingers," by 1788.
digital (adj.)
mid-15c., "pertaining to numbers below ten;" 1650s, "pertaining to fingers," from Latin digitalis, from digitus "finger or toe" (see digit). The numerical sense is because numerals under 10 were counted on fingers. Meaning "using numerical digits" is from 1938, especially of computers which run on data in the form of digits (opposed to analogue) after c. 1945. In reference to recording or broadcasting, from 1960.
digitize (v.)
1704, "to finger, handle," a sense now obsolete; see digit + -ize. From 1953 in reference to computer programming, "convert into a sequence of digits." Related: Digitized; digitizing.
digitalis (n.)
species of tall herbs native to Europe and western Asia, 1660s, a Modern Latin translation of German fingerhut, the German name of the plant, a transferred use of the German word for "thimble," literally "finger-hat," the plant so called for the bell-shape of the flowers. Compare the English name, foxglove. The Latin name was given by Fuchs (1542). The medicine (originally extracted from the plant) is so called from 1799.
digitigrade (adj.)
"walking on the toes with the heel raised from the ground" (opposed to plantigrade), by 1819, from Modern Latin digitigradus, from digitus "toe" (see digit) + gradi "to walk, go, step" (from PIE root *ghredh- "to walk, go"). As a noun, "a digitigrade mammal," by 1802.
diglot (adj.)
also diglott, "using, speaking, or written in two languages," 1863, from Greek diglottos, from di- "two" (see di- (1)) + glōtta, variant of glōssa "tongue" (see gloss (n.2)). Related: Diglottic.
dignification (n.)
"act of honoring, promotion," 1570s, noun of action from dignify (q.v.).
dignify (v.)
early 15c., dignifien, "invest with honor or dignity, exalt in rank or office," also "deem suitable," from Old French dignefiier, from Medieval Latin dignificare "make worthy," from Latin dignus "worthy, proper, fitting" (from PIE root *dek- "to take, accept") + -ficare, combining form of facere "to make, do" (from PIE root *dhe- "to set, put"). From mid-15c. as "confer honor upon, give celebrity to, make illustrious." Related: Dignified; dignifying.
dignified (adj.)
1660s, "exalted, honored, ranking as a dignitary," past-participle adjective from dignify. By 1812 in the sense of "having a dignified manner, marked with dignity; of noble bearing; grave or stately."
dignitary (n.)
"one who holds an exalted rank or office," 1670s; see dignity + -ary. Related: Dignitaries (plural).
dignity (n.)
c. 1200, "state of being worthy," from Old French dignite "dignity, privilege, honor," from Latin dignitatem (nominative dignitas) "worthiness," from dignus "worth (n.), worthy, proper, fitting," from PIE *dek-no-, suffixed form of root *dek- "to take, accept."
From c. 1300 as "an elevated office, civil or ecclesiastical," also "honorable place or elevated rank." From late 14c. as "gravity of countenance."
digraph (n.)
1788, in linguistics, "two letters used to represent one sound," from Greek di- "twice" (from PIE root *dwo- "two") + -graph "something written," from Greek graphe "writing," from graphein "to write, express by written characters," earlier "to draw, represent by lines drawn" (see -graphy). In mathematics (by 1955) it is a contraction of directed graph. Related: Digraphic.
digress (v.)
"to turn away in speaking or writing from the direct or appointed course," 1520s, from Latin digressus, past participle of digredi "to go aside, depart, deviate," from dis- "apart, aside" (see dis-) + gradi "to step, go" (from PIE root *ghredh- "to walk, go"). Or perhaps it is a back-formation from digression. Related: Digressed; digressing.
digressive (adj.)
"characterized by digressing," 1610s, from Latin digressivus, from digress-, past-participle stem of digredi "to deviate," from dis- "apart, aside" (see dis-) + gradi "to step, go" (from PIE root *ghredh- "to walk, go").
digression (n.)
late 14c., digressioun, "act of deviating from the main subject matter in speaking or writing," from Latin digressionem (nominative digressio) "a going away, departing," noun of action from past participle stem of digredi "to deviate," from dis- "apart, aside" (see dis-) + gradi "to step, go" (from PIE root *ghredh- "to walk, go").
Dijon
city in the Burgundy region of eastern France, from Latin Divio, Divionis, from the personal name Divius "divine, godly," related to divus (see divine (adj.)). Noted for its mustard (Dijon mustard is attested in English by 1824).
dike (n.)
Old English dic "trench, ditch; an earthwork with a trench; moat, channel for water made by digging," from Proto-Germanic *dikaz (source also of Old Norse diki "ditch, fishpond," Old Frisian dik "dike, mound, dam," Middle Dutch dijc "mound, dam, pool," Dutch dijk "dam," German Deich "embankment"), from PIE root *dheigw- "to pierce; to fix, fasten." The sense evolution would be "to stick (a spade, etc.) in" the ground, thus, "to dig," thus "a hole or other product of digging."
This is the northern variant of the word that in the south of England yielded ditch (n.). At first "an excavation," later applied to the ridge or bank of earth thrown up in excavating a ditch or canal (late 15c.), a sense development paralleled by the cognate words in many languages, though naturally it occurred earlier in Dutch and Frisian. From 1630s specifically as "ridge or bank of earth to prevent lowlands from being flooded." In geology, "vertical fissure in rocks filled with later material which made its way in while molten" (1835).
dike (v.)
"to make a ditch," Old English dician "make a ditch, surround with a ditch or dike, enclose with a dike or ditches," from the source of dike (n.). Related: Diked; diking.
diktat (n.)
"dictated peace," a severe settlement imposed on a defeated nation by a victorious one," 1933, from German Diktat "dictate," from Latin dictatum (see dictate (n.)).
dilapidate (v.)
1560s, "to bring (a building) to ruin, bring into a ruinous condition by misuse or neglect," from Latin dilapidatus, past participle of dilapidare "to squander, waste," originally "to throw stones, scatter like stones," from dis- "asunder" (see dis-) + lapidare "throw stones at," from lapis (genitive lapidis) "stone" (see lapideous). Perhaps the English word is a back-formation from dilapidation. Intransitive sense of "fall into total or partial ruin" is from 1712.
dilapidation (n.)
mid-15c., dilapidacioun, "wasteful expenditure, squandering;" late 15c., "state of disrepair, gradual ruin or decay, especially through misuse or neglect," from Late Latin dilapidationem (nominative dilapidatio) "a squandering," noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin dilapidare "throw away, squander, waste," probably etymologically "scatter like stones," from dis- "asunder" (see dis-) + lapidare "throw stones at," from lapis (genitive lapidis) "stone" (see lapideous). "Taken in Eng. in a more literal sense than was usual in Latin" [OED, 2nd ed. 1989].
dilapidated (adj.)
"in ruins, broken down," 1806, past-participle adjective from dilapidate.
dilate (v.)
late 14c., dilaten, "describe at length, speak at length," from Old French dilater and directly from Late Latin dilatare "make wider, enlarge," from dis- "apart" (see dis-) + lātus "broad, wide, widespread, extended" (see latitude). Meaning "expand, distend, spread out, enlarge in all directions" (transitive) is from early 15c.; intransitive sense of "spread out, expand, distend" also is from early 15c. A doublet of delay. Related: Dilated; dilating.
dilated (adj.)
"expanded, extended," early 15c., past-participle adjective from dilate (q.v.).
dilatation (n.)
c. 1400, dilatacioun, "act of expanding, expansion," especially "abnormal enlargement of an aperture of the body," from Old French dilatation and directly from Late Latin dilatationem (nominative dilatatio) "a widening," noun of state from past-participle stem of Latin dilatare "make wider, enlarge," from dis- "apart" (see dis-) + lātus "broad, wide, widespread, extended" (see latitude). Also in Middle English "amplification in discourse" (late 14c.). In gynecology dilatation and curettage is by 1896.
dilation (n.)
"act of dilating," 1590s, formed from dilate on the mistaken assumption that the -ate in that word was the Latin verbal suffix (it is instead part of the stem); the proper form, dilatation, is older (c. 1400).
dilatory (adj.)
mid-15c., dilatorie, "marked by or given to procrastination or delay, not prompt," from Old French dilatorie and directly from Late Latin dilatorius, from dilator "procrastinator," from dilatus, serving as past participle of differe "to delay, put off, postpone," from assimilated form of dis- "away from" (see dis-) + ferre "to bear, carry," from PIE root *bher- (1) "to carry." Meaning "intending to cause delay" is from 1530s. Related: Dilatorily; dilatoriness.
dildo (n.)
"artificial penis used for female gratification," 1590s, a word of unknown origin. Traditional guesses include a corruption of Italian deletto "delight" (from Latin dilectio, noun of action from diligere "to esteem highly, to love;" see diligence) or a corruption of English diddle. None of these seems very convincing (Florio's dictionary glosses many words with dildo, but diletto is not one of them.) Century Dictionary perhaps gets closer to the mark:
The earliest use of the word in this sense, and probably the start of its popularity, seems to be via Nashe:
Other early forms include dildoides (1675), dildidoes (1607). Middle English had dillidoun (n.) "a darling, a pet" (mid-15c.), from Old Norse dilla "to lull" (hence dillindo "lullaby"). That sense probably survived into Elizabethan times, if it is the word in Jonson's "Cynthia's Revels":
And dildin seems to be a term for "sweetheart" in a 1675 play:
The thing itself is older. A classical Latin word for one was fascinum (see fascinate). In later English sometimes a French word, godemiché, was used (1879). Also used in 18c. of things that resemble dildoes, e.g. dildo pear (1756), dildo cactus (1792).
Shakespeare plays on the double sense, sexual toy and ballad refrain, in "A Winter's Tale."
dilemma (n.)
1520s in rhetoric (see below), from Late Latin dilemma, from Greek dilemma "double proposition," a technical term in rhetoric, from di- "two" (see di- (1)) + lemma "premise, anything received or taken," from root of lambanein "to take" (see lemma).
Loosely, "choice between two undesirable alternatives," from 1580s. It should be used only of situations where someone is forced to choose between two alternatives, both unfavorable to him (the alternatives are called the horns of a dilemma). But even logicians disagree on whether certain situations are dilemmas or mere syllogisms. Related: Dilemmatic.
dilettante (n.)
1733, "an admirer of a fine art, literature, science, etc., one who cultivates an art or literature casually and for amusement," a borrowing of Italian dilettante "lover of music or painting," from dilettare "to delight," from Latin delectare "to allure, delight, charm, please," frequentative of delicere "entice" (see delicious). Originally without negative connotation, "devoted amateur;" the pejorative sense "superficial and affected dabbler" emerged late 18c. by contrast with professional.
dilettantism (n.)
also dilettanteism, "state or quality of being a dilettante," 1809; see dilettante + -ism.
diligence (n.)
mid-14c., "constant and earnest effort to accomplish what is undertaken," from Old French diligence "attention, care; haste, speed" and directly from Latin diligentia "attentiveness, carefulness," from diligentem (nominative diligens) "attentive, assiduous, careful," present-participle adjective from diligere "single out, value highly, esteem, prize, love; aspire to, be content with, appreciate," originally "to pick out, select," from dis- "apart" (see dis-) + legere "choose, gather," from PIE root *leg- (1) "to collect, gather," with derivatives meaning "to speak (to 'pick out words')."
Sense evolved through time from "love" through "attentiveness" to "carefulness" to "steady effort." Legal sense "attention and care due from a person in a given situation" is from 1620s. From the secondary French sense comes the old useage of diligence for "public stage coach" (1742; dilly for short), from a French shortening of carrosse de diligence.
diligent (adj.)
"constant in effort to accomplish what is undertaken," mid-14c., from Old French diligent (14c.) and directly from Latin diligentem (nominative diligens) "attentive, assiduous, careful," present-participle adjective from diligere "single out, value highly, esteem, prize, love; aspire to, be content with, appreciate," originally "to pick out, select," from dis- "apart" (see dis-) + legere "choose, gather," from PIE root *leg- (1) "to collect, gather," with derivatives meaning "to speak (to 'pick out words')." Related: Diligently.
dill (n.)
"umbelliferous plant with yellow flowers, extensively cultivated for its aroma and oils," Middle English dille, from Old English dile "dill, anise," a Germanic word of unknown origin (cognates: Old Saxon dilli, Middle Dutch and Dutch dille, Swedish dill, German Dill). Dill-pickle is recorded from 1899.
dilly (n.)
"delightful or excellent person or thing" (often used ironically), 1935, American English, from an earlier adjective (1909), which is perhaps from the first syllable of delightful or delicious. Or perhaps the noun is related to the 19c. nursery word for "duck." Dilly was also slang for a stagecoach (1818), from French carrosse de diligence (see diligence).
dilly-dally (v.)
"loiter, delay, trifle," also dillydally, 1741, probably a reduplication of dally (q.v.). Related: Dilly-dallying.
dilute (v.)
1550s, figurative, "to weaken, remove the strength or force of," from Latin dilutus, past participle of diluere "dissolve, wash away, dilute," from dis- "apart" (see dis-) + -luere, combining form of lavere "to wash" (from PIE root *leue- "to wash").
Literal sense of "render more liquid, make more thin or fluid; weaken by admixture of water or other liquid" is from 1660s. Related: Diluted; diluting. As an adjective, "thin, attenuated, reduced in strength," from c. 1600.
dilution (n.)
"act of making thin, weak, or more liquid," 1640s, noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin diluere "dissolve, wash away, dilute," from dis- "apart" (see dis-) + -luere, combining form of lavere "to wash" (from PIE root *leue- "to wash").
diluvial (adj.)
"pertaining to a flood" (especially The Flood of Genesis), 1650s, from Late Latin diluvialis, from Latin diluvium "flood, inundation," from diluere "wash away," from dis- "away" (see dis-) + -luere, combining form of lavere "to wash" (from PIE root *leue- "to wash"). Related: Diluvian.
diluvian (adj.)
"relating to or of the nature of a flood," 1650s, from Latin diluvium "flood, inundation," from diluere "wash away," from dis- "away" (see dis-) + -luere, combining form of lavere "to wash" (from PIE root *leue- "to wash"). Related: Diluvianism (1816) "geological theory supposing the occurrence of a former universal deluge."
diluvium (n.)
"coarse, detrital material" apparently deposited by powerful operation of water on a vast scale, 1819, from Latin diluvium "flood, inundation," from diluere "wash away," from dis- "away" (see dis-) + -luere, combining form of lavere "to wash" (from PIE root *leue- "to wash"). Middle English had diluvie "a flood, a deluge" (early 14c.) from Old French diluvie and directly from the Latin word.
dim (adj.)
Old English dimm "dark, gloomy, obscure; not clearly seen, indistinct," from Proto-Germanic *dimbaz (source also of Old Norse dimmr, Old Frisian dim, Old High German timber "dark, black, somber"). Not known outside Germanic.
Of eyes, "not seeing clearly," early 13c. Of sound from early 14c.; of light, "not bright, faintly luminous," from early 14c. Modern slang sense of "dull of apprehension, stupid" is from 1892; the sense of "dull-witted" also was in Middle English (mid-13c.). Related: Dimly; dimness.
dim (v.)
early 13c., dimmen, of eyes, "become unable to see clearly," perhaps in Old English, from the source of dim (adj.). Sense of "become dim, faint, or obscure, fade" is from early 14c. Transitive sense of "to make dim, faint, or obscure" is from late 14c. Related: Dimmed; dimming.
dime (n.)
chosen 1786 as name for U.S. 10-cent coin (originally of silver), from dime "a tenth, tithe" (late 14c.), from Old French disme (Modern French dîme) "a tenth part" and directly from Medieval Latin decima, from Latin decima (pars) "tenth (part)," from decem "ten" (from PIE root *dekm- "ten").
The verb meaning "to inform" (on someone) is from the 1960s, from the then-cost of a pay-phone call. Alliterative phrase a dime a dozen "almost worthless" is recorded by 1930 (as an actual price, for eggs, etc., by 1861). Phrase stop on a dime attested by 1927 (a dime being the physically smallest unit of U.S. currency); turn on a dime is by 1913. Dime store "retail outlet selling everything for (more or less) 10 cents" is by 1928.
dimension (n.)
late 14c., dimensioun, "measurable extent, magnitude measured along a diameter," from Latin dimensionem (nominative dimensio) "a measuring," noun of action from past-participle stem of dimetri "to measure out," from dis- (see dis-) + metiri "to measure," from PIE root *me- (2) "to measure."
Sense of "bulk, size, extent, or capacity" is from 1520s, Meaning "any component of a situation" is from 1929. Related: Dimensional; dimensions.
Dimetrodon (n.)
extinct reptile-like animal of the Permian period, best-known for the large spine-sail on its back but named for its large teeth of different sizes, by 1878, literally "two measures of teeth," from Latinized form of Greek di- "two" (see di- (1)) + metron "measure" (from PIE root *me- (2) "to measure") + odonys "tooth" (from PIE root *dent- "tooth").
diminished (adj.)
c. 1600, "made smaller, lessened, contracted," past-participle adjective from diminish. In music, in reference to chords, "having a diminished interval between its upper and lower tones," by 1720s; especially in diminished seventh (by 1752), a chord consisting of the root, 3rd, 5th, and 7th.
diminish (v.)
early 15c., diminishen, "to lessen, make or seem to make smaller," from merger of two obsolete verbs, diminue and minish.
Diminue (late 14c.) is from Old French diminuer "make small," from Latin diminuere "break into small pieces," variant of deminuere "lessen, diminish," from de- "completely" (see de-) + minuere "make small" (from PIE root *mei- (2) "small"). Minish (mid-14c.) is from Old French menuisier, from Latin minuere.
Meaning "to lower in power, importance, or estimation" is from mid-15c. Intransitive sense of "to grow less, become or appear smaller" is from 1510s. Related: Diminishes; diminishing.
diminuendo
musical instruction to a performer to lessen the volume of sound, 1775, from Italian diminuendo "lessening, diminishing," present participle of diminuire, from Latin deminuere (see diminish). Opposite of crescendo. Often abbreviated dim. or indicated by >
diminution (n.)
c. 1300, diminucioun, "extenuation of sin;" late 14c. as "act of diminishing, lessening, or reducing; process of becoming less," from Anglo-French diminuciun, Old French diminucion and directly from Latin diminutionem (nominative diminutio), earlier deminutionem, noun of action from past-participle stem of deminuere "lessen, diminish," from de- "completely" (see de-) + minuere "make small" (from PIE root *mei- (2) "small"). Diminishment (1540s) is now obsolete or rare.
diminutive (adj.)
late 14c., in grammar, "expressing something small or little," from Old French diminutif (14c.) and directly from Latin diminutivus, earlier deminutivus, from deminut-, past-participle stem of deminuere "lessen, diminish," from de- "completely" (see de-) + minuere "make small" (from PIE root *mei- (2) "small"). Meaning "small, little, narrow, contracted" is from c. 1600.
As a noun, in grammar, late 14c., "derivative word denoting a small or inferior example of what is meant by the word it is derived from." Related: Diminutively; diminutiveness.
dimity (n.)
"stout cotton fabric ornamented in the loom with raised stripes or fancy figures," mid-15c., dimesey, from Italian dimiti, plural of dimito, a name for a kind of strong cotton cloth, from Medieval Latin dimitum, from Greek dimitos "of double thread," from di- (from PIE root *dwo- "two") + mitos "warp thread, thread," a word of uncertain etymology.
dimmer (n.)
"one who or that which makes dim," 1822, agent noun from dim (v.). Of mechanisms for reducing the brightness of electric lights, from 1905.
dimmish (adj.)
"rather dim," 1680s, from dim (adj.) + -ish.
dimorphism (n.)
"property of having or assuming two distinct forms," 1834, especially in zoology and botany, with -ism + dimorph, from Greek dimorphos "of two forms," from di- "two" (see di- (1)) + morphe "form, shape," a word of uncertain etymology. In philology, "existence of a word under two or more forms called doublets," by 1877.
dimorphous (adj.)
"existing in two forms" (especially of crystals), 1801, from Greek dimorphos "of two forms," from di- (see di- (1)) + morphē "form, shape," a word of uncertain etymology.
dimple (n.)
c. 1400, "natural transient small dent in some soft part of the human body," especially that produced in the cheek of a young person by the act of smiling, perhaps from an Old English as a word meaning "pothole," perhaps ultimately from Proto-Germanic *dumpilaz, which has yielded words in other languages meaning "small pit, little pool" (such as German Tümpel "pool," Middle Low German dümpelen, Dutch dompelen "to plunge").
In place-names from c. 1200; as a surname from late 13c. Meaning "slight indentation or impression in any surface" is from 1630s. Related: Dimples.
dimple (v.)
1570s (implied in dimpled), intransitive, "form dimples," from dimple (n.). Transitive sense "mark with dimples" is from c. 1600.
dim sum (n.)
"Chinese cuisine prepared as bite-sized portions served in small steamer baskets or on small plates," 1948, from Cantonese tim sam (Chinese dianxin) "appetizer," said to mean literally "touch the heart." Ayto ("Diner's Dictionary") gives the elements as tim "dot" + sam "heart."
dimwit (n.)
also dim-wit, "slow-witted person," U.S. college slang by 1922, from dim (adj.) "of low intensity" + wit (n.) "intelligence." Related: dimwitted; dimwittedly.
din (n.)
"loud noise of some duration, a resonant sound long continued," Old English dyne (n.), related to dynian (v.), from Proto-Germanic *duniz (source also of Old Norse dynr, Danish don, Middle Low German don "noise"), from PIE root *dwen- "to make noise" (source also of Sanskrit dhuni "roaring, a torrent").
Dinah
fem. proper name, in the Old Testament, Jacob's daughter by Leah, from Hebrew Dinah, literally "judgment," from din "to judge."