Etymology dictionary

overt (adj.) — ozone (n.)

overt (adj.)

early 14c., "open; unfastened" (originally literal, of clothing, a book, etc.; this sense is now obsolete), from Old French overt (Modern French ouvert), past participle of ovrir "to open," from Latin aperire "to open, uncover," from PIE compound *ap-wer-yo- from *ap- "off, away" (see apo-) + root *wer- (4) "to cover." Compare Latin operire "to cover," from the same root with PIE prefix *op- "over;" and Lithuanian atverti "open," užverti "shut." The meaning "clear, open or plain to view, manifest, revealed" is from late 14c.

overtake (v.)

"to come up to, catch up with, catch in pursuit," early 13c., from over- + take (v.). According to OED (1989), originally "the running down and catching of a fugitive or beast of chase"; the editors find the sense of over- in this word "not so clear." The meaning "take by surprise, come on unexpectedly" (of storms, night, misfortune) is from late 14c. Related: Overtaken; overtaking. Old English had oferniman "to take away, carry off, seize, ravish."

overtax (v.)

1640s, "to demand too much of," from over- + tax (v.). Meaning "to levy taxes beyond what is equitable or reasonable, to tax heavily or excessively" is by 1823. Related: Overtaxed; overtaxing.

overthink (v.)

also over-think, "exhaust oneself with too much thinking," 1650s, from over- + think (v.). Related: Overthought; overthinking.

overthrow (v.)

c. 1300, ouerthrouen, "to knock down, throw down, cast headlong," from over- + throw (v.). Figurative sense of "to cast down from power, defeat" is attested from late 14c. Related: Overthrown; overthrowing. Earlier in same senses was Middle English overwerpen "to overturn (something), overthrow; destroy," from Old English oferweorpan (see warp (v.)).

overthrow (n.)

mid-15c., overthrou, "destruction, downfall, action of overthrowing," from over- + throw (n.). Meaning "state of being overthrown" is by 1903.

overtime (n.)

1846, "time above the regular hours of work, time during which one works beyond the regular hours," from over- + time (n.). In reference to the pay given for this by 1916. Sporting sense first attested 1921, in an ice hockey context.

overtire (v.)

1550s, "to tire excessively, fatigue to exhaustion" (trans.), from over- + tire (v.). Intransitive sense of "become excessively fatigued" is by 1630s. Related: Overtired; overtiring.

overtly (adv.)

"in an overt manner," early 14c., from overt + -ly (2).

overtone (n.)

1867, in music, "a harmonic, an upper partial tone," from over- + tone (n.); a loan-translation of German Oberton, which was first used by German physicist Hermann Ludwig Ferdinand von Helmholtz (1821-1894) as a contraction of Overpartialton "upper partial tone." Figurative sense of "subtle implication" is from 1890, in William James.

overtop (v.)

"rise above or beyond the top of," 1560s, from over- + top (v.). Related: Overtopped; overtopping.

overtower (v.)

"tower or soar too high," 1830, from over- + tower (v.). Related: Overtowered; overtowering.

overtrouble (v.)

also over-trouble, "to trouble excessively," 1580s, from over- + trouble (v.). Related: Overtroubled; overtroubling.

overture (n.)

mid-13c., "an opening, an aperture;" early 15c. as "an introductory proposal, something offered to open the way to some conclusion," from Old French overture "opening; proposal" (Modern French ouverture), from Latin apertura "opening," from aperire "to open, uncover" (see overt).

The orchestral sense of "a movement serving as a prelude or introduction to an extended work" in English is recorded from 1660s.

overturn (v.)

early 13c., of a wheel, "to rotate, roll over," from over- + turn (v.). Attested from c. 1300 in general transitive sense "to throw over violently;" figurative meaning "to ruin, destroy" is from late 14c. Of judicial decisions, "to reverse," it is attested from 1826. Related: Overturned; overturning. Old English had oferweorpan "to overturn, overthrow."

overuse (v.)

also over-use, "use too much or too frequently; injure by excessive use," 1670s, from over- + use (v.). Related: Overused; overusing.

overuse (n.)

also over-use, "too much or too frequent use," 1824, from over- + use (n.).

overvalue (v.)

also over-value, "to value (something) above its true worth," 1590s, from over- + value (v.). Related: Overvalued; overvaluing.

overview (n.)

"a survey, a summary," 1934, American English, from over- + view (n.). In 17c. it meant "inspection, supervision," but by late 19c. this became obsolete. As a verb, 1540s as "look (something) over or through;" 1560s as "view from a superior position;" both now rare or obsolete. The modern word seems to be a new formation; it was mentioned in "American Speech" (1934) as "now being worked as hard by educationalists as 'purposeful', 'challenge', 'objective', 'motivation', et al."

overweening (adj.)

mid-15c. (mid-14c. as overweenende, with the earlier ending), present-participle adjective from verb overwenen "be conceited or arrogant, think too highly or confidently (especially of oneself); be presumptuous, be over-confident" (mid-14c.), from over- + ween or else from Old English oferwenian "to be proud, become insolent or presumptuous." Middle English also had overwēne (n.) "presumption, arrogance" (mid-13c.); overwēnere "one who is presumptuous or arrogant."

overweight (adj.)

"in excess of proper or ordinary weight," 1630s, from over- + weight (n.). Of persons, as a noun, "obesity" from 1917.

overwhelmed (adj.)

mid-15c., "completely submerged or swamped," past-participle adjective from overwhelm. Figurative use by 1520s. Related: Overwhelmedness.

overwhelm (v.)

mid-14c., overwhelmen, "to turn upside down, overthrow, knock over," from over- + Middle English whelmen "to turn upside down" (see whelm). Meaning "to submerge completely" is early 15c. Perhaps the connecting notion is a boat, etc., washed over, and overset, by a big wave. Figurative sense of "to bring to ruin" is attested from 1520s. Related: Overwhelmed; overwhelming; overwhelmingly.

overwind (v.)

also over-wind, "wind too much or too tightly," c. 1600, from over- + wind (v.1). Related: Overwound; overwinding. Middle English had overwinden (mid-15c.) as "to raise (something) up or above by winding."

overwinter (v.)

"to pass the winter (in some place)," 1895, from over- + winter (v.). From 1933 as "to live through the winter;" transitive sense, in reference to animals, etc., "to keep alive over the winter" is by 1945. Related: Overwintered; overwintering. Old English had oferwintran "get through the winter."

overwork (v.)

"to cause to work too hard," 1520s, from over- + work (v.). The figurative sense of "to work into a state of excitement and confusion" is by 1640s. Old English oferwyrcan meant "to work all over," i.e. "to decorate the whole surface of." Related: Overworked; overworking.

overwork (n.)

"work beyond a person's strength, excessive labor," 1819; see overwork (v.). Middle English ofer-werc, Old English ofer-geweorc (West Saxon) meant "a superstructure, a work raised over something," hence "sarcophagus, tomb."

overwrite (v.)

1690s, "to write over other writing," from over- + write (v.). Of computers, it is attested from 1959. Meaning "to write too elaborately or ornately" is from 1923. Related: Overwriting; overwritten.

overwrought (adj.)

of feelings, imagination, etc., "worked up to too high a pitch, overexcited," 1758, literally "over-worked, worked too hard or too much," from over- + wrought. Earlier it meant "exhausted by work" (1660s), of oxen, etc., as a literal past participle of overwork (v.).

overzealous (adj.)

also over-zealous, "too zealous, exhibiting an excess of zeal," 1630s, from over- + zealous. Related: Overzealously; overzealousness.

ovi-

word-forming element meaning either "of or pertaining to an egg or eggs," from Latin ōvum "egg" (see ovum), or "of or pertaining to sheep," from Latin ovis "sheep" (see ewe).

Ovid

Roman poet (43 B.C.E.-17 C.E.), author of the "Metamorphoses," in full Publius Ovidius Nasso. Related: Ovidian.

oviduct (n.)

"a passage for the egg from the ovary of an animal," 1757, from Modern Latin ōviductus (17c.), from ōvī ductus "channel of an egg." For the elements of this, see ovum and PIE root *deuk- "to lead." Related: Oviducal; oviductal.

oviform (adj.)

"egg-shaped," 1680s, from ōvi-, combining form of Latin ōvus "egg" (see ovum) + forma "form, shape" (see form (n.)).

ovine (adj.)

"pertaining to or of the nature of sheep," 1824, from Late Latin ovīnus, from Latin ovis "sheep," from PIE root *owi- "sheep" (see ewe).

oviparous (adj.)

"producing eggs that are hatched outside the body of the parent" (opposed to viviparous), 1640s, from Late Latin oviparus "that produces eggs, egg-laying," from Latin ōvum "egg" (see ovum) + stem of parire "to bring forth" (from PIE root *pere- (1) "to produce, procure"). Related: Oviparity.

ovivorous (adj.)

1812, "egg-eating;" 1865, "sheep-eating;" see ovi- + -vorous.

ovoid (adj.)

"egg-shaped," by 1817, from Modern Latin ōvoīdēs, a hybrid from Latin ōvum "egg" (see ovum) + Greek -oeidēs "like" (see -oid). Related: Ovoidal.

ovoviviparous (adj.)

"producing eggs which are hatched within the body of the parent, but without placental attachment," 1801, from combining form of ovum "egg" + viviparous "bringing forth young alive." It occurs in many reptiles, and some fishes, insects, worms, etc. Related: Ovoviviparity.

ovulation (n.)

"formation or production of ova or ovules; discharge of an ovum from the ovary," 1848, from Modern Latin ōvulum (see ovule) + noun ending -ation.

ovulate (v.)

"to generate or produce ovules," 1888, a back-formation from ovulation. Related: Ovulated; ovulating.

ovule (n.)

"a little egg," especially one not yet matured and discharged from the ovary of a female mammal, 1821, from French ovule and directly from Modern Latin ōvulum, literally "small egg," diminutive of Latin ōvum "egg" (see ovum).

ovular (adj.)

"pertaining to or resembling an ovule," 1758, from Modern Latin ōvularis or from ovule + -ar.

ovum (n.)

"an egg," in a broad biological sense; "the proper product of an ovary," 1706, from Latin ōvum "egg," cognate with Greek ōon, Old Norse egg, Old English æg, from PIE *ōwyo‑, *ōyyo‑ "egg," which is perhaps a derivative of the root *awi- "bird." The proper plural is ova.

owe (v.)

Old English agan (past tense ahte) "to have, to own," from Proto-Germanic *aiganan "to possess" (source also of Old Frisian aga "have to, ought to," Old Norse eiga, Old High German eigan, Gothic aigan "to possess, have"), from PIE root *aik- "be master of, possess."

The original sense is obsolete. The meaning "to have to repay, be indebted for" began in late Old English with the phrase agan to geldanne literally "to own to yield," which was used to translate Latin debere (earlier in Old English this would have been sceal "shall"); by late 12c. the phrase had been shortened to simply agan, and own (v.) took over this word's original sense.

The intransitive meaning "be in debt" is from mid-15c. To be owing to "be due or attributable to" is by 1650s.

An original Germanic preterite-present verb (along with can (v.1), dare, may, etc.). New past tense form owed arose 15c. to replace oughte, which developed into ought (v.).

ow (interj.)

14c. as an exclamation of surprise; by 1895 as an expression of sudden pain. Compare oh, ah, ouch.

Owen

Celtic masc. proper name, ultimately from Greek eugenes "well-born" (see eugenics) via Gaelic Eòghann, Old Irish Eogán, Old Welsh Eugein, Ougein. In Medieval records, frequently Latinized as Eugenius; the form Eugene emerged in Scotland by late 12c. The Breton form Even led to modern French Ivain. Owenite in reference to the communistic system of social reformer Robert Owen (1771-1858) is attested from 1829.

owl (v.)

"carry on an unlawful or contraband trade at night," 1540s, from owl (n.). Related: Owled; owler; owling.

owl (n.)

"raptorial nocturnal bird of prey of the family Strigidæ," Middle English oule, from Old English ule "owl," from Proto-Germanic *uwwalon- (source also of Middle Dutch, Dutch uil, Old High German uwila, German Eule, Old Norse ugla), a diminutive of PIE root *u(wa)l-, which is imitative of a wail or an owl's hoot (compare howl and Latin ulula "owl;" also see ululation).

The bird was used in proverbs and figures of speech in reference to its nocturnal habits, but also in Middle English for ugliness (late 14c.), spiritual blindness (c. 1400), and maliciousness (mid-15c.). It was a name for Satan in early 15c. The association with gravity and wisdom comes later, after the revival of classical learning: A small, brown type of owl is common on the Acropolis and about Athens and was hence taken in ancient times as an emblem of the city and by extension of its patron deity, Athene, goddess of wisdom. Hence also the saying bring (or send) owls to Athens "perform unnecessary labor."

By 1895 in reference to a person whose pleasure or business is to be up at night. Owl-flight "twilight" is from late 15c. The name of the trickster Till Eulenspiegel (literally "owl-mirror") of the popular German tales was rendered in English as Owlglass when they were first translated c. 1560; Jonson and Scott use the half-translated Owl-spiegle.

owlish (adj.)

"resembling an owl or some of its features or qualities," 1610s, from owl + -ish. Related: Owlishly; owlishness.

own (v.)

c. 1200, ounen, ahnen, "to possess, have; rule, be in command of, have authority over;" from Old English geagnian, from root agan "to have, to own" (see owe), and in part from the adjective own (q.v.). It became obsolete after c. 1300, but was revived early 17c., in part as a back-formation of owner (mid-14c.), which continued. From c. 1300 as "to acknowledge, concede, admit as a fact," said especially of things to one's disadvantage. To own up "make full confession" is from 1853. Related: Owned; owning.

own (adj.)

"properly or exclusively belonging to one's self or itself," Middle English ouen, from Old English agen, literally "possessed by," from Proto-Germanic *aiganaz "possessed, owned" (source also of Old Saxon egan, Old Frisian egin, Old Norse eiginn, Dutch eigen, German eigen "own"), from past participle of PIE root *aik- "be master of, possess," source of Old English agan "to have" (see owe). Emphatic use after a possessive noun or pronoun is from late Old English. To hold one's own "maintain one's position" is by 1520s.

owned (adj.)

"possessed," 1620s, past-participle adjective from own (v.).

owner (n.)

"one who owns, one who has legal or rightful title," mid-14c., ouner, agent noun from own (v.). The Old English word was agnere.

ownerless (adj.)

"having no owner," 1792, from owner + -less.

ownership (n.)

"state of being an owner; the right by which a thing belongs specifically to some person or body," 1580s, from owner + -ship. Ownership society, a concept combining the values of personal responsibility and economic freedom (2003) was popularized by U.S. president George W. Bush.

ox (n.)

"the domestic Bos taurus" (commonly meaning the castrated males, used to pull loads or for food), Middle English oxe, from Old English oxa "ox" (plural oxan), from Proto-Germanic *ukhson (source also of Old Norse oxi, Old Frisian oxa, Middle Dutch osse, Old Saxon, Old High German ohso, German Ochse, Gothic auhsa), from PIE *uks-en- "male animal," (source also of Welsh ych "ox," Middle Irish oss "stag," Sanskrit uksa, Avestan uxshan- "ox, bull"), said to be from root *uks- "to sprinkle," related to *ugw- "wet, moist." The animal word, then, is literally "besprinkler."

Also used from late Old English of the wild, undomesticated bovines. The black ox "misfortune, adversity, old age," etc., is by 1540s.

oxalic (adj.)

1791, in oxalic acid, a violently poisonous substance found in many plants and used in dyeing, bleaching, and printing, from French oxalique (1787, Lavoisier), literally "of or pertaining to sorrel," from Latin oxalis "sorrel," from Greek oxalis, from oxys "sharp" (from PIE root *ak- "be sharp, rise (out) to a point, pierce"). So called because it occurs in sorrel and was first isolated from it.

oxbow (n.)

also ox-bow, early 14c., ox-boue, "bow-shaped wooden collar for an ox," from ox + bow (n.1). Meaning "semicircular bend in a river" is from 1797, American English (New England), so called from the resemblance of the shape. The meaning "curved lake left after an oxbow meander has been cut off by a change in the river course" is from 1898.

Oxbridge

1849, a conflation of Oxford and Cambridge, used in reference to the characteristics common to the two universities. Camford also has been used.

ox-eyed (adj.)

"having large, full eyes," 1620s, from ox + -eyed. An epithet used by Homer (boōpis) of the goddess Hera (Juno) and beautiful women. Oxeye has since c. 1400 been a name given to various flowering plants thought to resemble the eye of an ox; it is also used of certain birds, fishes, and a type of mirror.

oxen (n.)

plural of ox, it is the only true continuous survival in Modern English of the Old English weak plural (see -en (1)). OED reports oxes occurs 14c.-16c., "but has not survived."

Oxfam (n.)

1963, short for Oxford Committee for Famine Relief.

Oxford

university town in England, Middle English Oxforde, from Old English Oxnaforda (10c.) literally "where the oxen ford" (see ox + ford (n.)). In reference to a type of shoe laced over the instep, it is attested from 1721 (Oxford-cut shoes). In reference to an accent supposedly characteristic of members of the university, by 1855. Related: Oxfordian; Oxfordish; Oxfordist; Oxfordy.

Oxford comma for "serial comma" (the second in A, B, and C) is attested by 1990s, from its being used by Oxford University Press or its recommendation by Henry W. Fowler, long associated with Oxford University, in his influential and authoritative book on English usage (1926) in which he writes "there is no agreement at present on the punctuation," but adds that the omission of the serial comma "often leaves readers helpless against ambiguity."

ox-gall (n.)

"bitter fluid secreted by the liver of an ox, used in paints and coloring," 1630s, from ox + gall (n.1).

ox-herd (n.)

also oxherd, "a keeper or herder of oxen," late 14c. (late 13c. as a surname), from ox + herd (n.2).

ox-hide

"the hide of an ox," mid-14c., from ox + hide (n.1).

oxy-

word-forming element meaning "sharp, pointed; acid," from Greek oxys "sharp, pungent" (from PIE root *ak- "be sharp, rise (out) to a point, pierce" ). Also used as a combining form of oxygen.

oxide (n.)

"compound of oxygen with another element," 1790, from French oxide (1787), coined by French chemists Louis-Bernard Guyton de Morveau and Antoine Lavoisier from ox(ygène) (see oxygen) + (ac)ide "acid" (see acid (n.)).

oxidant (n.)

"an oxidizing agent," 1859, from French oxidant (1806), from oxider "oxidize" (see oxidation).

oxidize (v.)

1802 "cause to combine with oxygen" (implied in oxidizable); by 1803 in the intransitive sense of "combine with oxygen;" from oxide + -ize. Related: Oxidized; oxidizing; oxidization.

oxidation (n.)

"act or process of combining or causing to combine with oxygen," 1791, from French oxidation (1787), coined by French chemists Louis-Bernard Guyton de Morveau and Antoine Lavoisier, noun of action from oxider "oxidize," from oxide (see oxide).

oxidizer (n.)

"that which oxidizes," 1875, agent noun from oxidize.

oxo-

word-forming element denoting the presence of a carbonyl group or an oxygen atom linking two other atoms; from oxygen.

Oxo

trade name of a brand of beef extract, 1899, British, from ox.

Oxonian (adj.)

"pertaining to Oxford or to Oxford University," 1640s, from Medieval Latin oxonia, Latinized form of Middle English Oxforde (see Oxford). Earlier as a noun, "native or inhabitant of Oxford" (1540s).

oxtail (n.)

"the tail of an ox, prepared as food," Old English oxan tægl; see ox + tail (n.1).

ox-tongue (n.)

also oxtongue, "plant of the borage family with rough, tongue-shaped leaves," early 14c., oxe-tunge, from ox + tongue (n.).

oxycodone (n.)

from (hydr)oxy(l) + codeine. Developed 1916 in Germany; introduced in U.S. 1939.

OxyContin

brand name of an oxycodone compound marketed in U.S. from 1996. Second element from continuous (i.e. "time-released").

oxygen (n.)

gaseous chemical element, 1790, from French oxygène, coined in 1777 by French chemist Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier (1743-1794), from Greek oxys "sharp, acid" (from PIE root *ak- "be sharp, rise (out) to a point, pierce") + French -gène "something that produces" (from Greek -genēs "formation, creation;" see -gen).

Intended to mean "acidifying (principle)," it was a Greeking of French principe acidifiant. So called because oxygen was then considered essential in the formation of acids (it is now known not to be). The element was isolated by Priestley (1774), who, using the old model of chemistry, called it dephlogisticated air. The downfall of the phlogiston theory required a new name, which Lavoisier provided. Oxygen-mask is attested from 1912.

oxymoron (n.)

in rhetoric, "a figure conjoining words or terms apparently contradictory so as to give point to the statement or expression," 1650s, from Greek oxymōron, noun use of neuter of oxymōros (adj.) "pointedly foolish," from oxys "sharp, pointed" (from PIE root *ak- "be sharp, rise (out) to a point, pierce") + mōros "stupid" (see moron). The word itself is an illustration of the thing. Now often used loosely to mean "contradiction in terms." Related: Oxymoronic.

oy (interj.)

Yiddish exclamation of dismay, 1892, American English. Extended form oy vey (1959) includes Yiddish vey, from German Weh "woe" (see woe).

oyer (n.)

early 15c., "a criminal hearing of causes," from Anglo-French oyer, Old French oir, oier, from Latin audire "to hear" (from PIE root *au- "to perceive"). Especially in phrase oyer and terminer (early 15c., but from late 13c. in Anglo-Latin and Anglo-French), literally "a hearing and determining," in England a court of judges of assize, in some U.S. states a higher criminal court.

oyez (interj.)

a call for silence and attention; the introduction to a proclamation made by an officer of a law-court," early 15c., from Anglo-French oyez "hear ye!" (late 13c., Old French oiez), a cry uttered (usually thrice) to call attention, from Latin subjunctive audiatis, plural imperative of audire "to hear" (from PIE root *au- "to perceive").

oyster (n.)

"edible bivalve mollusk of the family Ostreidæ," late 13c., oistre, from Old French oistre, uistre (Modern French huître) and directly from Latin ostrea, plural or fem. of ostreum "oyster," from Greek ostreon, from PIE root *ost- "bone." It is thus related to Greek ostrakon "a hard shell" and to osteon "a bone." The h- in the modern French word is a regular development; compare huile "oil" (Latin oleum), huit "eight" (Latin octo).

Oyster-bed "place where oysters breed or are bred" is from c. 1600; oyster-knife, used for opening oysters, is recorded from 1690s. Oysterman "man engaged in rearing, taking, or selling oysters" is attested from 1550s. The common statement that edible oysters are in season only in months that end in -r is recorded by 1765.

oz.

abbreviation of ounce (n.1), 1540s, from Italian oz. (15c.), abbreviation of onza.

Oz

mythical land in L. Frank Baum's "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" (1900) and sequels; according to an anecdote written by Baum in 1903, inspired by a three-drawer desktop cabinet letter file, the last drawer labeled O-Z. As Australian slang for "Australia," attested by 1983.

Ozark

mountains of southcentral United States, said to be from French aux Arcs, short for aux Arkansas "to the Arkansas (Indians)," who once inhabited that region. See Arkansas.

Ozarks

see Ozark.

ozone (n.)

modified form of oxygen, 1840, from German Ozon, coined in 1840 by German chemist Christian Friedrich Schönbein (1799-1868) from Greek ozon, neuter present participle of ozein "to smell" (see odor). So called for its pungent odor. Related: Ozonic.