Etymology dictionary
elegiac (adj.) — emarginate (adj.)
elegiac (adj.)
1580s, in reference to lines of verse of a particular construction, from French élégiaque, from Latin elegiacus, from Greek elegeiakos, from eleigeia (see elegy). In ancient Greece the verse form was used especially with mournful music. Meaning "pertaining to an elegy or elegies" is from 1640s in English; loosened sense "expressing sorrow, lamenting" is from c. 1800. Related: Elegiacal (1540s, of meter); elegiacally.
element (n.)
c. 1300, "earth, air, fire, or water; one of the four things regarded by the ancients as the constituents of all things," from Old French element (10c.), from Latin elementum "rudiment, first principle, matter in its most basic form" (translating Greek stoikheion), origin and original sense unknown. Meaning "simplest component of a complex substance" is late 14c. Modern sense in chemistry is from 1813, but is not essentially different from the ancient one. Meaning "proper or natural environment of anything" is from 1590s, from the old notion that each class of living beings had its natural abode in one of the four elements. Elements "atmospheric force" is 1550s.
elemental (adj.)
late 15c., "pertaining to the four elements," from Medieval Latin elementalis, from Latin elementum (see element). Meaning "pertaining to the powers of nature" is from 1823. The noun in the occult sense "a spirit of the elements" is from 1877. Related: Elementally.
elementary (adj.)
late 14c., "having the nature of one of the four elements," from Latin elementarius "belonging to the elements or rudiments," from elementum (see element). Meaning "rudimentary, involving first principles" is from 1540s; meaning "simple" is from 1620s. In elementary school (1841) it has the "rudimentary" sense.
elephant (n.)
c. 1300, olyfaunt, from Old French olifant (12c., Modern French éléphant), from Latin elephantus, from Greek elephas (genitive elephantos) "elephant; ivory," probably from a non-Indo-European language, likely via Phoenician (compare Hamitic elu "elephant," source of the word for it in many Semitic languages, or possibly from Sanskrit ibhah "elephant").
Re-spelled after 1550 on Latin model. Cognate with the common term for the animal in Romanic and Germanic; Slavic words (for example Polish slon', Russian slonu) are from a different word. Old English had it as elpend, and compare elpendban, elpentoð "ivory," but a confusion of exotic animals led to olfend "camel."
Herodotus mentions the (African) elephant, which in ancient times and until 7c. C.E. was found north of the Sahara as well. Frazer (notes to Pausanias's "Description of Greece," 1898) writes that "Ptolemy Philadelphius, king of Egypt (283-247 B.C.), was first to tame the African elephant and use it in war; his elephants were brought from Nubia," and the Carthaginians probably borrowed the idea from him; "for in the Carthaginian army which defeated Regulus in 255 B.C. there were about 100 elephants .... It was easy for the Carthaginians to procure elephants, since in antiquity the animal was found native in the regions of North Africa now known as Tripoli and Morocco (Pliny, N.H. viii.32)."
As an emblem of the Republican Party in U.S. politics, 1860. To see the elephant "be acquainted with life, gain knowledge by experience" is an American English colloquialism from 1835. The elephant joke was popular 1960s-70s.
elephantiasis (n.)
1580s, from Greek elephantos, genitive of elephas "elephant" (see elephant) + -iasis "pathological or morbid condition." It refers to two diseases, one characterized by thickening of a body part (E. Arabum), the other, older meaning is "disease characterized by skin resembling an elephant's" (E. Græcorum, also called Egyptian leprosy). In Middle English, elephancy (late 14c.).
elephantine (adj.)
1620s, "huge," from Latin elephantinus "pertaining to the elephant," from elephantus (see elephant). Meaning "pertaining to elephants" is from 1670s. Earlier adjective was elephantic (1590s).
Eleusinian (adj.)
1640s, "pertaining to Eleusis," town outside Athens, site of the mystery associated with the cult of Demeter, goddess of harvests, and her daughter.
The name is literally "arrival" (eleusis), from eleusomai "to go, come," from PIE *elu-to-, from root *leudh- "to grow up, come out" (see liberal (adj.)). This is also the root of Greek eleutheros "freedom."
eleutherian (adj.)
"freely given, bountiful, liberal," 1620s, from Greek eleutherios "like a free man, noble-minded, frank, liberal," literally "freeing, delivering," also the title of Zeus as protector of political freedom, from eleutheria "freedom," from eleutheros "free, free man" (opposed to dolous "slave"), from PIE *leu-dheros, from root leudh- "grow up, come out" (see liberal (adj.)).
elevation (n.)
late 14c., "a rising, height of something, height to which something is elevated," from Old French elevation and directly from Latin elevationem (nominative elevatio) "a lifting up," noun of action from past-participle stem of elevare "lift up, raise," figuratively, "to lighten, alleviate," from ex "out" (see ex-) + levare "to lighten; to raise," from levis "light" in weight (from PIE root *legwh- "not heavy, having little weight"). Meaning "act of elevating" is from 1520s.
elevate (v.)
late 15c., "to raise above the usual position," from Latin elevatus, past participle of elevare "lift up, raise," figuratively, "to lighten, alleviate," from ex "out" (see ex-) + levare "lighten, raise," from levis "light" in weight (from PIE root *legwh- "not heavy, having little weight"). Sense of "raise in rank or status" is from c. 1500. Moral or intellectual sense is from 1620s. Related: Elevated (which also was old slang for "drunk"); elevating.
elevator (n.)
1640s, originally of muscles which raise a part of the body, from Latin elevator "one who raises up," agent noun from past participle stem of elevare (see elevate). As a name for a mechanical lift (originally for grain) attested from 1787. Elevator music for bland, low-volume background music meant to relax listeners is attested by 1963. Elevator as a lift for shoes is from 1940.
eleven (num.)
"1 more than ten; the number which is one more than ten; a symbol representing this number;" c. 1200, elleovene, from Old English enleofan, endleofan, literally "one left" (over ten), from Proto-Germanic *ainlif- (compare Old Saxon elleban, Old Frisian andlova, Dutch elf, Old High German einlif, German elf, Old Norse ellifu, Gothic ainlif), a compound of *ain "one" (see one) + from PIE root *leikw- "to leave."
Viking survivors who escaped an Anglo-Saxon victory were daroþa laf "the leavings of spears," while hamora laf "the leavings of hammers" was an Old English kenning for "swords" (both from "The Battle of Brunanburh"). Twelve reflects the same formation. Outside Germanic the only instance of this formation is in Lithuanian, which uses -lika "left over" and continues the series to 19 (vienuo-lika "eleven," dvy-lika "twelve," try-lika "thirteen," keturio-lika "fourteen," etc.). Meaning "a team or side" in cricket or football is from 1743.
eleventh (adj., n.)
"next in order after the tenth; an ordinal numeral; being one of eleven equal parts into which a whole is regarded as divided;" late 14c., eleventhe, superseding earlier ellefte (c. 1300), enlefte (early 13c.), from Old English endleofta; see eleven + -th (1). Eleventh hour "last moment, just before it is too late" is in Old English, from the parable of the laborers in the vineyard (Matthew xx.1-16); as an adjective by 1829.
elevon (n.)
1945, from elevator + aileron.
elf (n.)
"one of a race of powerful supernatural beings in Germanic folklore," Old English elf (Mercian, Kentish), ælf (Northumbrian), ylfe (plural, West Saxon) "sprite, fairy, goblin, incubus," from Proto-Germanic *albiz (source also of Old Saxon alf, Old Norse alfr, German alp "evil spirit, goblin, incubus"), origin unknown; according to Watkins, possibly from PIE *albho- "white." Used figuratively for "mischievous person" from 1550s.
In addition to elf/ælf (masc.), Old English had parallel form *elfen (fem.), the plural of which was *elfenna, -elfen, from Proto-Germanic *albinjo-. Both words survived into Middle English and were active there, the former as elf (with the vowel of the plural), plural elves, the latter as elven, West Midlands dialect alven (plural elvene).
The Germanic elf originally was dwarfish and malicious (compare elf-lock "knot in hair," Old English ælfadl "nightmare," ælfsogoða "hiccup," thought to be caused by elves); in the Middle Ages they were confused to some degree with faeries; the more noble version begins with Spenser. Nonetheless a popular component in Anglo-Saxon names, many of which survive as modern given names and surnames, such as Ælfræd "Elf-counsel" (Alfred), Ælfwine "Elf-friend" (Alvin), Ælfric "Elf-ruler" (Eldridge), also women's names such as Ælfflæd "Elf-beauty." Elf Lock hair tangled, especially by Queen Mab, "which it was not fortunate to disentangle" [according to Robert Nares' glossary of Shakespeare] is from 1592.
elfin (adj.)
"of or pertaining to elves," 1590s, from elf; first found in Spenser, who also used it as a noun and might have been thinking of elven but the word also is a proper name in the Arthurian romances (Elphin).
elfish (adj.)
"of or pertaining to elves or to elf-land, of the nature of or resembling an elf, caused by or characteristic of elves," c. 1200, alvisc; see elf + -ish. Compare elvish. Related: Elfishly; elfishness.
Elgin Marbles (n.)
1809, a collection of sculptures and marbles (especially from the frieze of the Parthenon) brought from Greece to England and sold to the British government by Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin (1766-1841).
The place is in Scotland, literally "little Ireland," from Ealg, an early Gaelic name for Ireland, with diminutive suffix -in. "The name would have denoted a colony of Scots who had emigrated here from Ireland ..." [Room].
Eli
masc. proper name, in Old Testament, the name of a high priest of Israel, teacher of Samuel, from Hebrew, literally "high."
Eliac (adj.)
"pertaining to Elis," city in the Peloponnesus. The place name is of uncertain origin, perhaps related to Greek helos "marsh."
elicit (v.)
"to draw out, bring forth or to light," 1640s, from Latin elicitus, past participle of elicere "draw out, draw forth," from ex "out" (see ex-) + -licere, combining form of lacere "to entice, lure, deceive" (related to laqueus "noose, snare;" see lace (n.)). Related: Elicited; eliciting; elicits; elicitation.
elide (v.)
1590s, a legal term, "to annul, do away with," from French elider (16c.), from Latin elidere "strike out, force out," in grammar "suppress (a vowel)" from ex "out" (see ex-) + -lidere, combining form of laedere "to strike" (see collide). The Latin word in grammatical use translates Greek ekthlibein. The phonological sense of "slurring over a sound or part of a word" in English is attested by 1796. Related: Elided; eliding.
eligible (adj.)
early 15c., "fit or proper to be chosen," from Old French eligible "fit to be chosen" (14c.), from Late Latin eligibilis "that may be chosen," from Latin eligere "choose" (see election). Related: Eligibly.
eligibility (n.)
1640s, "worthiness to be chosen," from eligible + -ity. From 1715 as "legal qualification to be chosen."
Elihu
masc. proper name, Hebrew, literally "he is my God."
Elijah
name of the great Old Testament prophet, from Hebrew Elijjah, literally "the Lord is God." The Greek form is Elias.
eliminate (v.)
1560s, "to thrust out, remove, throw out of doors," from Latin eliminatus, past participle of eliminare "thrust out of doors, expel," from ex limine "off the threshold," from ex "off, out" (see ex-) + limine, ablative of limen "threshold" (see limit (n.)).
Used literally at first; the sense of "exclude, throw aside, or disregard as undesirable or unnecessary" is attested by 1714; the sense of "expel waste from the body" is by c. 1795. Related: Eliminated; eliminating; eliminative; eliminatory.
elimination (n.)
c. 1600, "a casting out," noun of action from eliminate. Meaning "expulsion of waste matter" is from 1855.
Eliot
surname, Old French diminutive of Elias (French Elie; see Elijah) + -ot. It absorbed the Anglo-Saxon proper names Æðelgeat and Ælfweald "Elf-ruler."
elision (n.)
"a striking or cutting off," especially "the cutting off or suppression of a letter, sound, or syllable in speaking or writing," 1580s, from Latin elisionem (nominative elisio) "a striking out, a pressing out," in grammar, "the suppression of a vowel," noun of action from past-participle stem of elidere (see elide).
Properly, in prosody, "the vanishing or metrical ignoring of a vowel at the end of a word before a vowel (or an h) at the beginning of another" [Saintsbury, "Manual of English Prosody"], as in Shakespeare's
But commonly extended in sense to the crushing out of vowels within a word, as in "vi(o)let," "di(a)mond," "wat(e)ry," "splitt(e)st." A favorite, necessary, and hideous practice among the old poets.
Elisha
masc. proper name, from Hebrew, literally "God is salvation," from El "God" + yesha "salvation."
elite (n.)
"a choice or select body, the best part," 1823, from French élite "selection, choice," from Old French eslite (12c.), fem. past participle of elire, elisre "pick out, choose," from Latin eligere "choose" (see election). Borrowed in Middle English as "chosen person" (late 14c.), especially a bishop-elect, but it died out mid-15c. The word was re-introduced by Byron's "Don Juan." As an adjective by 1852. As a typeface, recorded by 1920.
elitism (n.)
"advocacy of or preference for rule or social domination by an elite element in a system or society; attitude or behavior of persons who are or deem themselves among the elite," 1951; see elite + -ism.
elitist (adj.)
"advocating or preferring rule or social domination by an elite element in a system or society; deeming oneself to be among the elite," 1950; see elite + -ist. The original adjectival examples were Freud, Nietzsche, and Carlyle. As a noun by 1961.
elixir (n.)
mid-13c., from Medieval Latin elixir "philosopher's stone," believed by alchemists to transmute baser metals into gold and/or to cure diseases and prolong life, from Arabic al-iksir "the philosopher's stone," probably from late Greek xerion "powder for drying wounds," from xeros "dry" (see xerasia). Later in medical use for "a tincture with more than one base." General sense of "strong tonic" is 1590s; used for quack medicines from at least 1630s.
Elizabeth
fem. proper name, Biblical name of the wife of Aaron, from Late Latin Elisabeth, from Greek Eleisabeth, Eleisabet, from Hebrew Elishebha "God is an oath," the second element said by Klein to be related to shivah (fem. sheva) "seven," and to nishba "he swore," originally "he bound himself by (the sacred number) seven." Has never ranked lower than 26th in popularity among the names given to baby girls in the U.S. in any year since 1880, the oldest for which a reliable list is available. The city in New Jersey is named for Lady Elizabeth Carteret (d.1697), wife of one of the first proprietors of the colony.
Elizabethan (adj.)
"belonging to the period of Queen Elizabeth I" (1558-1603) of England, 1807 (Elizabethean); Coleridge (1817) has Elizabethian, and Carlyle (1840) finally attains the modern form. The noun is first attested 1859.
elk (n.)
late Old English elch, from Old Norse elgr or from an alteration of Old English elh, eolh (perhaps via French scribes), or possibly from Middle High German elch (OED's suggestion), all from Proto-Germanic *elkh- (source also of Old High German elaho). The modern word "is not the normal phonetic representative" of the Old English one [OED].
The Germanic words are related to the general word for "deer" in Balto-Slavic (such as Russian losu, Czech los; also see eland), from PIE *olki-, perhaps with reference to the reddish color from root *el- (2) "red, brown" (in animal and tree names); compare Sanskrit harina- "deer," from hari- "reddish-brown." Greek alke and Latin alces probably are Germanic loan-words. Applied to similar-looking but unrelated animals in North America. Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks founded N.Y.C. 1868, originally a society of actors and writers.
ell (n.2)
name of the letter -L- in Latin; in reference to a type of building, 1773, American English; so called for resemblance to the shape of the alphabet letter.
ell (n.1)
unit of measure, Old English eln, originally "forearm, length of the arm" (as a measure, anywhere from a foot and a half to two feet), from PIE root *el- "elbow, forearm." The exact distance varied, in part depending on whose arm was used as the base and whether it was measured from the shoulder to the fingertip or the wrist: the Scottish ell was 37.2 inches, the Flemish 27 inches. Latin ulna also was a unit of linear measure, and compare cubit. The modern English unit of 45 inches seems to have been set in Tudor times.
Ella
fem. proper name, when not a diminutive of Eleanor it is from Old High German Alia, from al "all."
-ella
diminutive word-forming element, from Latin -ella, fem. of -ellus.
Ellen
fem. proper name, an older form of Helen (q.v.). Its popularity among U.S. birth names peaked in 1880s and 1940s.
ellipse (n.)
1753, from French ellipse (17c.), from Latin ellipsis "ellipse," also, "a falling short, deficit," from Greek elleipsis (see ellipsis). So called because the conic section of the cutting plane makes a smaller angle with the base than does the side of the cone, hence, a "falling short." The Greek word was first applied by Apollonius of Perga (3c. B.C.E.). to the curve which previously had been called the section of the acute-angled cone, but the word earlier had been technically applied to a rectangle one of whose sides coincides with a part of a given line (Euclid, VI. 27).
ellipsis (n.)
1560s, "an ellipse" in geometry, from Latin ellipsis, from Greek elleipsis "a falling short, defect, ellipse in grammar," noun of action from elleipein "to fall short, leave out," from en- "in" (see en- (1)) + leipein "to leave" (from PIE root *leikw- "to leave").
Grammatical and rhetorical sense in English first recorded 1610s: "a figure of syntax in which a part of a sentence or phrase is used for the whole, by the omission of one or more words, leaving the full form to be understood or completed by the reader or hearer."
In printing, "a mark or marks denoting the omission of letters, words, or sentences," by 1867. Dashes, asterisks, and period have been used to indicate it. In reading aloud, a short pause was proper at a grammatical ellipsis in the writing.
Probably the association of the typographical symbol with a pause in speaking is why 20c. writers began to use the three periods to denote a pause or an interruption in dialogue, creating a potential confusion noted by 1939. Related: Ellipticity.
ellipsoid (n.)
in geometry, "a solid figure, all planes of which are ellipses or circles," 1721; see ellipse + -oid. From 1861 as an adjective (earlier adjective was ellipsoidal, 1831).
elliptic (adj.)
"pertaining to an ellipse; having the form of an ellipse," 1726, from Greek elleiptikos "pertaining to an ellipse," from elleipein "to fall short, leave out" (see ellipsis). Mostly in technical use; the common word is elliptical.
elliptical (adj.)
1650s, "elliptic in shape;" see elliptic + -al (1). Grammatical sense of "missing essential words or phrases" is recorded from 1778 (see ellipsis). Related: Elliptically.
Ellis Island
sandy island in mouth of Hudson River, said to have been called "Gull Island" by local Indians and "Oyster Island" by the Dutch, renamed "Gull Island" after the British took over, then "Gibbet Island" because pirates were hanged there. Sold to Samuel Ellis in 1785, who made it a picnic spot and gave it his name. Sold by his heirs in 1808 to New York State and acquired that year by the U.S. War Department for coastal defenses. Vacant after the American Civil War until the government opened an immigration station there in 1892 to replace Castle Island.
elm (n.)
common name of a type of trees noted for majestic height and the wide-spreading and gracefully curving branches, Old English elm, from Proto-Germanic *elmaz (source also of Danish elm, Old Norse almr, Old High German elme), perhaps from PIE root *el- (2) "red, brown" (see elk); cognate with Latin ulmus, Old Irish lem. German Ulme, Dutch olm are from or influenced by the Latin word. The toughest native European wood, used for ship-building, wheel-naves, etc. Middle English had adjective forms elmen, elmin, which survived longer in poetry. New Haven was informally the Elm City (1871).
Elmo
in St. Elmo's Fire "corposant," name given by seamen to the brushes and jets of electric light seen on the tips of masts and yard-arms, especially in storms, 1560s, from Italian fuoco di Sant'Elmo, named for the patron saint of Mediterranean sailors, a corruption of the name of St. Erasmus, an Italian bishop said to have been martyred in 303 who was invoked in the Mediterranean by sailors during storms.
elocution (n.)
mid-15c., elocucioun, "oratorical or literary style," from Late Latin elocutionem (nominative elocutio) "voice production, a speaking out, utterance, manner of expression," in classical Latin especially "rhetorical utterance, oratorical expression," noun of action from past-participle stem of eloqui "to speak out," from ex "out" (see ex-) + loqui "to speak" (from PIE root *tolkw- "to speak"). Related: Elocutionary; elocutionist.
Elohim
a name of God in the Bible, c. 1600, from Hebrew, plural (of majesty?) of Eloh "God" (cognate with Allah), a word of unknown etymology, perhaps an augmentation of El "God," also of unknown origin. Generally taken as singular, the use of this word instead of Yahveh is taken by biblical scholars as an important clue to authorship in the Old Testament, hence Elohist (1830; Elohistic is from 1841), title of the supposed writer of passages of the Pentateuch where the word is used.
eloign (v.)
1530s, intransitive, "to remove to a distance" (especially in an effort to avoid the law), from Anglo-French eloign, Old French esloigner (Modern French éloigner), from Late Latin exlongare "remove, keep aloof, prolong, etc." (see elongation). Transitive use from 1550s. Related: Eloignment.
elongation (n.)
c. 1400, elongacioun, in astronomy, "angular distance of a planet from the sun as it appears from the earth;" early 15c., "extension, spreading," from Medieval Latin elongationem (nominative elongatio), noun of action from past-participle stem of Late Latin elongare "remove to a distance," from assimilated form of Latin ex "out" (see ex-) + longus "long" (see long (adj.)).
elongate (v.)
"to make long or longer," 1530s, from Late Latin elongatus, past participle of elongare "to prolong, protract, remove to a distance," from Latin ex "out" (see ex-) + longus "long" (see long (adj.)). Earlier in English in the same sense was elongen (mid-15c.). Related: Elongated; elongating.
elopement (n.)
"a running away, an escape, private or unlicensed departure from the place or station to which one is bound by duty or law," especially "the running away of a woman, married or unmarried, with a lover," 1540s, from elope + -ment. (The word was in Anglo-French in 14c. as alopement).
elope (v.)
1590s, "to run off," probably from Middle Dutch (ont)lopen "run away," from ont- "away from" (from Proto-Germanic *und- which also gave the first element in until, from PIE root *ant- "front, forehead," with derivatives meaning "in front of, before") + lopen "to run," from Proto-Germanic *hlaupan (source also of Old English hleapan; see leap (v.)). Sense of "run away in defiance of parental authority to marry secretly" is 19c.
In support of this OED compares Old English uðleapan, "the technical word for the 'escaping' of a thief." However there is an Anglo-French aloper "run away from a husband with one's lover" (mid-14c.) which complicates this etymology; perhaps it is a modification of the Middle Dutch word, with Old French es-, or it is a compound of that and Middle English lepen "run, leap" (see leap (v.)).
The oldest Germanic word for "wedding" is represented by Old English brydlop (source also of Old High German bruthlauft, Old Norse bruðhlaup), literally "bride run," the conducting of the woman to her new home. Related: Eloped; eloping.
eloquent (adj.)
"having the power of expressing strong emotions in vivid and appropriate speech; able to utter moving thoughts or words," late 14c., from Old French eloquent, from Latin eloquentem (nominative eloquens) "speaking, having the faculty of speech; eloquent," present participle of eloqui "to speak out" (see eloquence). Related: Eloquently.
eloquence (n.)
late 14c., from Old French eloquence (12c.), from Latin eloquentia, from eloquentem (nominative eloquens) "eloquent," present participle of eloqui "speak out," from ex "out" (see ex-) + loqui "to speak" (from PIE root *tolkw- "to speak"). Earlier in same sense was eloquency (mid-14c.).
El Paso
city in Texas, named for the nearby pass where the Rio Grande emerges from the Rockies, Spanish, short for el paso del norte "the northern pass;" see pass (n.1).
else (adv.)
Old English elles "in another manner, other, otherwise, besides, different," from Proto-Germanic *aljaz (source also of Gothic aljis "other," Old High German eli-lenti, Old English el-lende, both meaning "in a foreign land;" see also Alsace), an adverbial genitive of the neuter of PIE root *al- "beyond" (source also of Greek allos "other," Latin alius). As a quasi-adjective, synonymous with other, from 1660s; the nuances of usage are often arbitrary.
Productive of a number of handy compounds that somehow never got traction or have been suffered to fall from use: elsehow (1660s) "somehow or other;" elsewards (adv.), 1882, "somewhere else;" Old English elsewhat (pron.) "something else, anything else;" elsewhen (adv.), early 15c., "at another time; elsewhence (c. 1600); elsewho (1540s). Among the survivors are elsewhere, elsewise. Menacing or else, with omitted but implied threat, is implied by 1814:
Elsa
fem. proper name, from German diminutive of Elisabet (see Elizabeth).
Elsevier (n.)
early 18c., Elzevir (via French Elzévir), from Dutch Elsevier, the name of a family of Dutch printers famed for the accuracy and elegance of their work; especially in reference to editions of the classics and other works published by them c. 1580-1680.
elsewhere (n.)
"in another place, in other places," c. 1400, elswher, from Old English elles hwær (see else + where). Related: Elsewhither (Old English elleshwider.
elsewise (adv.)
"in a different manner, otherwise," 1540s, from else + wise (n.).
elucidate (v.)
"make clear or manifest, throw light upon, explain, render intelligible," 1560s, perhaps via French élucider (15c.) or directly from Late Latin elucidatus, past participle of elucidare "make light or clear," from assimilated form of ex "out, away" (see ex-) + lucidus "light, bright, clear," figuratively "perspicuous, lucid, clear," from lucere "to shine" (from PIE root *leuk- "to shine, be bright"). Related: Elucidated; elucidates; elucidating.
elucidation (n.)
1560s, "act of making intelligible," noun of action from elucidate. As "an explanation" from 1660s.
elude (v.)
1530s, "delude, make a fool of," from Latin eludere "finish play, win at play; escape from or parry (a blow), make a fool of, mock, frustrate; win from at play," from assimilated form of ex "out, away" (see ex-) + ludere "to play" (see ludicrous). Sense of "evade" is first recorded 1610s in a figurative sense, 1630s in a literal one. Related: Eluded; eludes; eluding.
elusive (adj.)
"hard to grasp or confine," 1719, from Latin elus-, past-participle stem of eludere "elude, frustrate" (see elude) + -ive. Related: Elusiveness.
elusion (n.)
"deception, escape by artifice or deceit," 1540s, noun of action from elude, or from Medieval Latin elusionem (nominative elusio), noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin eludere.
elution (n.)
"washing, purification," 1610s, from Late Latin elutionem (nominative elutio) "a washing out," noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin eluere "to wash out, wash off, clean," from ex "out" (see ex-) + luere "to wash" (from PIE root *leue- "to wash"). Especially in reference to a process of obtaining sugar from molasses.
elven (adj.)
Old English -ælfen (n.) "an elf or fairy," usually a female one (see elf). Not a pure adjective in Middle English (elvish was used), but used in phrases such as elven land (c. 1300). Apparently revived as an adjective by Tolkien (1937).
elver (n.)
"young eel," 1640s, variant or corruption of eelfare (1530s), literally "passage of young eels up a river;" see eel + fare (n.).
Elvira
fem. proper name, from Spanish, of Germanic origin.
elvish (adj.)
c. 1200, aluisc, "belonging to or pertaining to the elves; supernatural," from elf + -ish. Old English used ilfig in this sense.
Elysian (adj.)
1570s, "pertaining to Elysium (q.v.), the abode of the blessed after death." Hence, "exquisitely happy, full of the highest bliss."
Elysium (n.)
1590s, from Latin Elysium, from Greek Ēlysion (pedion) "Elysian field," abode of the blessed after death, where heroes and the virtuous dwell, which is of unknown origin, perhaps from Pre-Greek (a non-IE substrate Mediterranean language). Also used figuratively of a situation of complete happiness.
elytra (n.)
1774, plural of elytron "hardened wing of an insect," from Greek elytron "sheath," from elyein "to roll round," from PIE root *wel- (3) "to turn, revolve," with derivatives referring to curved, enclosing objects. Related: Elytroid.
elytro-
word-forming element used for "vagina" in medical terms, from Greek elytron, literally "sheath" (see elytra). Related: Elytral.
em-
word-forming element meaning "put in or into, bring to a certain state," sometimes intensive, from French assimilation of en- "in, into" (see en- (1)) to following labial stop (-b-, -p-, and often -m-), or from the same development in later Latin in- (to im-). "This rule was not fully established in spelling before the 17th c." [OED], but it is likely the pronunciation shift was in Old French and Middle English and spelling was slow to conform. Also a living prefix in English used to form verbs from adjectives and nouns (embitter, embody). In words such as emancipate, emerge, emit, emotion the e- is a reduced form of Latin ex- (see ex-) before -m-.
em (n.)
name of the letter M, c. 1200, from Latin; the Greek name was mu. In printing, originally the square corresponding in dimensions to the capital M of that type.
*em-
Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to take, distribute."
It forms all or part of: assume; consume; emption; example; exemplar; exemplary; exemplify; exempt; exemption; impromptu; peremptory; pre-emption; premium; presume; presumption; prompt; pronto; ransom; redeem; redemption; resume; sample; sejm; subsume; sumptuary; sumptuous; vintage.
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit yamati "holds, subdues;" Latin emere "buy," originally "take," sumere "to take, obtain, buy;" Old Church Slavonic imo "to take;" Lithuanian imu, imti "to take."
For the sense shift from "take" to "buy" in the Latin verbs, compare Old English sellan "to give," source of Modern English sell "to give in exchange for money;" Hebrew laqah "he bought," originally "he took;" and colloquial English I'll take it for "I'll buy it."
'em (pron.)
Middle English; since 17c. taken as a colloquial abbreviation of them, but originally at least in part a form of hem, dative and accusative of the third person plural pronoun.
-eme
in linguistics, noted as an active suffix and word-formation element from 1953; from French -ème "unit, sound," from phonème (see phoneme).
emaciation (n.)
"act of making lean or thin in flesh; state of becoming thin by gradual wasting of flesh, state of being reduced to leanness," 1660s, from Latin *emaciationem (nominative *emaciatio), noun of state from past-participle stem of emaciare "make lean, waste away," from assimilated form of ex "out" (see ex-) + macies "leanness," from macer "thin" (from PIE root *mak- "long, thin"). Or perhaps the noun is a native formation from emaciate (v.).
emaciate (v.)
1620s "cause to lose flesh" (implied in emaciating), from Latin emaciatus, past participle of emaciare "make lean, cause to waste away," from assimilated form of ex "out" (see ex-) + macies "leanness," from macer "thin" (from PIE root *mak- "long, thin"). Intransitive meaning "become lean, waste away" is from 1640s. Related: Emaciated.
emaciated (adj.)
"reduced to leanness," 1660s, past-participle adjective from emaciate.
emaculate (v.)
"remove blemishes from," 1620s, from Latin emaculatus "freed from blemishes," past participle of emaculare, from assimilated form of ex "out of" (see ex-) + maculare "make spotted, speckle" (see maculate (adj.)).
email (n.)
type of pottery design pattern, 1853, from French email, earlier esmail (12c.), literally "enamel" (see enamel (n.)). Also now a variant of e-mail.
1982, short for electronic mail (1977; see electronic + mail (n.1)); this led to the contemptuous application of snail mail (1983) to the old system.
Associated Press style guide collapsed it to email 2011.
emanate (v.)
1680s, "to flow out," from Latin emanatus, past participle of emanare "flow out," figuratively "arise from, proceed from" (see emanation). Related: Emanated; emanating.
emanation (n.)
"act of flowing or issuing from an origin; emission; radiation; what issues, flows, or is given out from any substance or body;" 1560s, from Late Latin emanationem (nominative emanatio), noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin emanare "flow out, spring out of," figuratively "arise, proceed from," from assimilated form of ex "out" (see ex-) + manare "to flow," from PIE root *ma- (3) "damp."
emanant (n.)
1852, in mathematics, from Latin emanantem (nominative emanans), present participle of emanare (see emanate).
emancipator (n.)
"one who liberates from bondage or restraint," 1782, agent noun in Latin form from emancipate. Emancipationist "one who favors emancipation" in any sense is from 1810 (originally in reference to religion in Ireland).
emancipation (n.)
1630s, "a setting free," from French émancipation, from Latin emancipationem (nominative emancipatio), noun of action from past-participle stem of emancipare (see emancipate).
In modern use especially of the freeing of a minor from parental control. Specifically with reference to U.S. slavery from 1785 (the Emancipation Proclamation was issued July 22, 1862, effective Jan. 1, 1863). In Britain, with reference to easing of restrictions on Catholics, etc.
emancipated (adj.)
1726, "set free," past-participle adjective from emancipate (v.). Meaning "freed from custom or social restraints" is from 1850.
emancipate (v.)
1620s, "set free from control," from Latin emancipatus, past participle of emancipare "put (a son) out of paternal authority, declare (someone) free, give up one's authority over," in Roman law, the freeing of a son or wife from the legal authority (patria potestas) of the pater familias, to make his or her own way in the world; from assimilated form of ex- "out, away" (see ex-) + mancipare "deliver, transfer or sell," from mancipum "ownership," from manus "hand" (from PIE root *man- (2) "hand") + capere "to take," from PIE root *kap- "to grasp." Related: Emancipated; emancipating.
Not used by the Romans in reference to the freeing of slaves, the verb for this being manumittere. The English word was adopted in the jargon of the cause of religious toleration (17c.), then anti-slavery (1776). Also used in reference to women who free themselves from conventional customs (1850).
emancipatory (adj.)
"pertaining to or relating to emancipation," 1650s; see emancipate + -ory.
emarginate (adj.)
"having the margin or extremity notched," 1731 (implied in emarginated), from Latin emarginatus, past participle of emarginare, from assimilated form of ex- (see ex-) + margo "edge, brink, border, margin" (from PIE root *merg- "boundary, border"). Related: Emargination.