A- (3) prefix meaning "not," from Gk a-, an- "not," from pie base *ne "not" (see un-)

Auriga --- northern constellation, from L. auriga "a charioteer, driver," from aureæ "bridle of a horse" (from os, gen. oris, "mouth") + agere "set in motion, drive, lead" (see act).

aurochs --- 1766, misapplication to the European bison (Bos Bison) of a word that actually refers to a species of wild ox (Bos Ursus) that went extinct 17c., from Ger. Aurochs, from O.H.G. urohso, from uro "aurochs" (cognate with O.E. ur, O.N. ürr), of unknown origin, + ohso "ox" (see ox). L. urus and Gk. ouros are P.Gmc. loan-words.

aurora --- c.1386, from L. Aurora, the Roman goddess of dawn, from PIE *ausus- "dawn," also the name of the Indo-European goddess of the dawn, from base *aus- "to shine," especially of the dawn (cf. Gk. eos "dawn," Skt. usah, Lith. ausra "dawn," L. auster "south wind," O.E. east "east"). Aurora Borealis first attested 1621, introduced by Gassendi.

auspicious --- 1596 (implied in auspiciously), "of good omen," from L. auspicium "divination by observing the flight of birds," from auspex (gen. auspicis) "augur," lit. "one who takes signs from the flight of birds," from PIE *awi-spek- "observer of birds," from *awi- "bird" + *spek- "to see." Connection between birds and omens also is in Gk. oionos "bird of prey, bird of omen, omen," and ornis "bird," which also could mean "omen." Auspice (usually pl.) "influence exerted on behalf of someone or something" is from 1637.

austere --- 1330, from L. austerus "dry, harsh, sour, tart," from Gk. austeros "bitter, harsh," especially "making the tongue dry" (originally used of fruits, wines), related to auos "dry." Use in Eng. is figurative. Austerity is 1590 as "severe self-discipline;" 1875 as "severe simplicity." Applied during WWII to national policies limiting non-essentials as a wartime economy.

Austin --- surname (also Austen) and masc. proper name, from O.Fr. Aousten, an abbreviated form of L. Augustine.

Australia --- 17c., from L. Terra Australis (16c.), from australis "southern," from auster "south wind," metaphorically extended to "south," but based on PIE word for "east," probably on false assumption about the orientation of Italy. Aussie for "Australian" first recorded 1917.

Australopithecus --- 1925, coined by R.A. Dart from L. australis "southern" + Gk. pithekos "ape."

Austria --- Mod.L. form of Ger. österreich "eastern kingdom," from O.H.G. ostar "eastern," from P.Gmc. *austra, from PIE base *aus- "to shine" (especially of the dawn).

autarchy --- 1665, "absolute sovereignty," from Gk. autarkhia, from autarkhein "to be an absolute ruler," from autos "self" + arkhein "to rule." Autarky (1617), from the same source, means "self-sufficiency."

auteur --- 1962, from Fr., lit. "author" (see author).

authentic --- 1340, "authoritative," from O.Fr. autentique (13c.), from M.L. authenticus, from Gk. authentikos "original, genuine, principal," from authentes "one acting on one's own authority," from autos "self" + hentes "doer, being." Sense of "entitled to acceptance as factual" is first recorded 1369. Authentic implies that the contents of the thing in question correspond to the facts and are not fictitious; genuine implies that the reputed author is the real one.

author --- c.1300, autor "father," from O.Fr. auctor, from L. auctorem (nom. auctor) "enlarger, founder," lit. "one who causes to grow," agent noun from augere "to increase" (see augment). Meaning "one who sets forth written statements" is from c.1380. The -t- changed to -th- on mistaken assumption of Gk. origin. The verb is attested from 1596. "...[W]riting means revealing onesself to excess .... This is why one can never be alone enough when one writes, why even night is not night enough. ... I have often thought that the best mode of life for me would be to sit in the innermost room of a spacious locked cellar with my writing things and a lamp. Food would be brought and always put down far away from my room, outside the cellar's outermost door. The walk to my food, in my dressing gown, through the vaulted cellars, would be my only exercise. I would then return to my table, eat slowly and with deliberation, then start writing again at once. And how I would write! From what depths I would drag it up!" [Franz Kafka]

authority --- c.1230, autorite "book or quotation that settles an argument," from O.Fr. auctorité, from L. auctoritatem (nom. auctoritas) "invention, advice, opinion, influence, command," from auctor "author" (see author). Usually spelled with a -c- in Eng. till 16c., when it was dropped, in imitation of the Fr. Meaning "power to enforce obedience" is from 1393; meaning "people in authority" is from 1611. Authoritative first recorded 1609. Authoritarian is recorded from 1879.

authorize --- give formal approval to, c.1383, from O.Fr. autoriser, from M.L. auctorizare, from auctor (see author).

autism --- Ger. Autismus, coined 1912 by Swiss psychiatrist Paul Bleuler (1857-1939) from Gk. autos- "self" (comb. form) + -ismos suffix of action or of state.

auto --- shortened form of automobile, 1899, from Fr. auto.

auto- --- from Gk. auto-, "self, one's own," combining form of autos "self, same," of unknown origin. The opposite prefix would be allo-.

autobahn --- 1937, from Ger., from auto "motor car" + bahn "path, road."

autobiography --- 1797, from auto-, from Gk. autos "self" + biography (q.v.).

autochthon --- 1646, "one sprung from the soil he inhabits" (pl. autochthones), from Gk. autokhthon, from auto- "self" + khthon "land" (see chthonic).

autoclave --- 1880, from Fr., lit. "self-locking," from Gk. autos "self" + L. clavis "key" (see slot (2)).

autocrat --- 1803, from Fr. autocrate, from Gk. autokrates "ruling by oneself," from autos- "self" (comb. form) + kratia "rule," from kratos "strength, power" (see -cracy). First used by Robert Southey, with reference to Napoleon. An earlier form was autocrator (1789), used in ref. to the Russian Czars. Earliest form in Eng. is the fem. autocratress (1762). Autocracy dates from 1655 in the meaning "self-sustained power;" as "absolute government" it is attested from 1855.

auto-da-fé --- 1723, "sentence passed by the Inquisition" (pl. autos-da-fé), from Port., "judicial sentence or act of the faith," especially the public burning of a heretic, from L. actus de fide.

auto-erotic --- 1898, coined by Havelock Ellis from auto- + erotic (q.v.).

autograph --- 1791, from L. autographum, from Gk. autographos "written with one's own hand," from autos- "self" (comb. form) + graphein "to write" (originally "to scratch"). Used earlier (1640s) to mean "author's own manuscript." The verb, meaning "to sign one's name" dates from 1837.

autoharp --- 1882, name on a patent taken out by Charles F. Zimmermann of Philadelphia, U.S.A., for an improved type of harp, an instrument considerably different from the modern autoharp, actually a chord zither, which was invented about the same time by K.A. Gütter of Markneukirchen, Germany, who called it a Volkszither.

automatic --- 1748, first used by Eng. physician and philosopher David Hartley (1705-57) in ref. to involuntary animal or human actions, from Gk. automatos "self-acting," from autos- "self" (comb. form) + matos "thinking, animated." Sense of "self-acting, having power of motion" is from 1812; especially of machinery which simulates human action from 1940. As an abbreviation of automatic pistol or gun, it is attested from 1902; meaning "car with an automatic transmission" is from 1949. Automatic teller first attested 1971. Automation was coined 1948 by Ford Motor Co. Vice President Delmar S. Harder; automate is a 1952 back-formation.

automaton --- 1611, from L. automaton, from Gk. automaton, neut. of automatos "self-acting," from autos "self" + matos "thinking, animated."

automobile --- 1883, in ref. to electric traction cars, from Fr. automobile (adj.), 1861, from Gk. auto- "self" + Fr. mobile "moving," from L. mobilis "movable." Meaning "self-propelled motor vehicle" is from 1895. The modern Gk. calls it autokineto "moved of itself." Automaker "manufacturer of automobiles" is from 1947.

autonomy --- 1623, from Gk. autonomia, noun of quality from autonomos "independent, living by one's own laws," from auto- "self" (comb. form) + nomos "custom, law" (see numismatics). Autonomous is recorded from 1800.

autopilot --- 1935, from auto- + pilot (q.v.).

autopsy --- 1651, "an eye-witnessing," from Mod.L. autopsia, from Gk. autopsia "seeing with one's own eyes," from autos- "self" (comb. form) + opsis "a sight" (see eye). Sense of "dissection of a body to determine cause of death" is first recorded 1678.

autumn --- c.1374, from O.Fr. autumpne, from L. autumnus, a word probably of Etruscan origin. Harvest was the Eng. name for the season until autumn began to displace it 16c. In Britain, the season is popularly August through October; in U.S., September through November.

auxiliary (adj.) --- 1603, from L. auxiliaris "helpful," from auxilium "aid, help," related to auctus, pp. of augere "to increase" (see augment). Military noun meaning "foreign troops in service of a nation at war" is from 1601.

avail --- c.1300, availen, from a- "to" + vailen "to avail," from O.Fr. vaill-, stem of valoir "be worth," from L. valere (see valiant). Available (1451) originally meant "valid, effective;" sense of "at one's disposal, capable of being availed of" first recorded 1827.

avalanche --- 1771, from Fr. avalanche, from Romansch avalantze "descent," altered (by metathesis of -l- and -v-, probably influenced by O.Fr. avaler "to descend, go down") from Prov. lavanca "avalanche," perhaps from a pre-L. Alpine language (the suffix -anca suggests Ligurian).

avant-garde --- Fr., lit. "advance guard." Used in Eng. 15c.-18c. in a literal, military sense; borrowed again 1910 as an artistic term for "pioneers or innovators of a particular period."

avarice --- c.1300, from O.Fr. avarice, from L. avaritia "greed," from avarus "greedy," adj. form of avere "crave, long for."

avast --- 1681, a nautical interjection, "hold! stop!" probably worn down from Du. houd vast "hold fast."

avatar --- 1784, from Skt. avatarana "descent" (of a deity to the earth in incarnate form), from ava- "down" + base of tarati "(he) crosses over."

avaunt --- interjection, c.1485, "begone," lit. "move on," from M.Fr. avant "forward!" from L. ab ante "from before" (whence also It. avanti).

ave --- hail, also "farewell," c.1230 (in ref. to the Ave Maria), from L. ave, 2nd person sing. imper. of avere "to be or fare well."

avenge --- 1377, from O.Fr. avengier, from a- "to" + vengier "take revenge," from L. vindicare "to claim, avenge, punish" (see vindicate).

avenue --- 1600, "a way of approach" (originally a military word), from M.Fr. avenue "way of access," from O.Fr. avenue "act of approaching, arrival," from fem. of avenu, pp. of avenir "arrive," from L. advenire "to come," from ad- "to" + venire "to come" (see venue). Meaning shifted to "a way of approach to a country-house," usually bordered by trees, hence, "a broad, tree-lined roadway" (1654), then to "wide, main street" (1858, esp. in U.S.).

aver --- c.1380, from O.Fr. averer "verify," from V.L. *adverare "make true, prove to be true," from L. ad- "to" + verus "true" (see very).

average (n.) --- 1491, "financial loss incurred through damage to goods in transit," from O.Fr. avarie, from It. avaria, a word from 12c. Mediterranean maritime trade. Sometimes traced to Arabic 'arwariya "damaged merchandise," but this may be rather a borrowing of the word from the Franks. OED suggests It. avere, O.Fr. aveir "property, goods," from L. habere "to have." Meaning shifted to "equal sharing of such loss by the interested parties." Transferred sense of "statement of a medial estimate" is first recorded 1735. The adjective is first recorded 1770; the verb is from 1769. The mathematical extension is from 1755.

Averroes --- Latinization of name of Ibn Rushd (1126-98) Arab philosopher and physician of Spain and Morocco.

averse --- 1597, "turned away in mind or feeling," from L. aversus, pp. of avertere (see avert). Originally and usually in Eng. in the mental sense, while avert is used in a physical sense. Aversion first recorded 1596. Aversion therapy is from 1950.

avert --- 1400, from O.Fr. avertir, from L. avertere "to turn away," from ab- "from, away" + vertere "to turn" see versus).

aviary --- 1577, from L. aviarium "place in which birds are kept," neut. of aviarius "of birds," from avis "bird," from PIE *awi- "bird" (cf. Skt. vih, Avestan vish "bird," Gk. aietos "eagle").

aviation --- 1866, from Fr. aviation, from L. avis "bird" (see aviary). Coined 1863 by G. de la Landelle in "Aviation ou Navigation Aérienne." Aviator first recorded 1887.

Avicenna --- Latinization of name of Ibn Sina (980-1037) Persian philosopher and physician. Full name Abu ‘Ali al-Husayn ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn Sina al-Balkhi.

avid --- 1769, from Fr. avide, from L. avidus "longing eagerly for," from avere "to desire eagerly." Also in part a back-formation from avidity (1449), from M.Fr. avidité, from L. aviditatem, noun of quality from avidus.

avocado --- 1763, from Sp. avocado, altered (by folk etymology influence of earlier Sp. avocado "lawyer," from same L. source as advocate) from earlier aguacate, from Nahuatl ahuakatl "testicle." So called for its shape. As a color, first attested 1947.

avocation --- 1529, "a calling away from one's occupation," from L. avocationem (nom. avocatio) "a calling away," pp. of avocare, from ab- "off, away from" + vocare "to call" (see voice).

avoid --- 1300, from Anglo-Fr. avoider "to clear out, withdraw (oneself)," from O.Fr. esvuider "to empty out," from es- "out" + vuidier "to be empty" (see void). Originally a law term; modern sense of "have nothing to do with" was also in M.E. and corresponds to O.Fr. eviter with which it was perhaps confused. Meaning "escape, evade" first attested 1530.

avoirdupois --- 1656, misspelling of M.E. avoir-de-peise (c.1300), from O.Fr. avoir de pois "goods of weight," from aveir "property, goods" (noun use of aveir "have") + peis "weight," from L. pensum, neut. of pendere "to weigh" (see pendant). After 1485, the standard system of weights used in England for all goods except precious metals, precious stones, and medicine.

avouch --- 1494, from M.Fr. avochier "call upon as authority," from O.Fr., from L. advocare "call to" as a witness (see advocate).

avow --- c.1220, from O.Fr. avouer "acknowledge, accept," especially as a protector, from L. advocare (see advocate). A synonym of avouch, which tends to contain the more technical, legal aspect of the word.

avuncular --- 1831, from L. avunculus "maternal uncle," dim. of avus (see uncle). Used humorously for "of a pawnbroker" (uncle was slang for "pawnbroker"). "My only good suit is at present under the avuncular protection." ["Fraser's Magazine," 1832]

AWACS --- 1966, acronym for "Airborne Warning and Control Systems."

await --- c.1230, awaiten, from O.N.Fr. awaitier "to lie in wait for, watch, observe," from a- "to" + waitier "to watch." Originally especially with a hostile sense.

awake (v.) --- a merger of O.E. awæcnan (past tense awoc, pp. awacen) "awake" (adj.), earlier on-wæcnan; and O.E. awacian (v.) (p.p. awacode). The tendency to restrict the strong past tense and pp. to the original intransitive sense and the weak inflection to the transitive has never been fully carried out (see wake).

award (v.) --- c.1386, "decide after careful observation," from Anglo-Fr. awarder, from O.N.Fr. eswarder, from O.Fr. esguarder "decide, examine" (after careful consideration), from es- "out" + guarder "to watch." The noun meaning "something awarded" is first attested 1596.

aware --- 1095, gewær, from ge- intens. prefix + wær "wary, cautious," from P.Gmc. *ga-waraz (see wary).

awash --- 1833, from a- (1) "on" + wash (q.v.).

away --- O.E. aweg, earlier on weg "on from this (that) place." Colloquial use for "without delay" (fire away, also right away) is from earlier sense of "onward in time" (16c.). Intensive use (e.g. away back) is Amer.Eng., first attested 1818.

awe --- c.1200, from O.N. agi "fright," from P.Gmc. *agiz- (cf. O.E. ege "fear," O.H.G. agiso "fright, terror," Goth. agis "fear, anguish"), from PIE *agh-es- (cf. Gk. akhos "pain, grief"), from base *agh- "to be depressed, be afraid" (see ail). Current sense of "dread mixed with veneration" is due to biblical use with ref. to the Supreme Being. The verb is first attested 1303. Awestruck is from 1634. Awesome first recorded 1598; colloquial sense of "excellent" is from 1980.

awful --- c.1300, agheful, from aghe, an earlier form of awe. Replaced O.E. egefull. Slang intensive use of awful "exceedingly" is from 1818.

awhile --- O.E. ane hwile "(for) a while," usually written together since 13c.

awkward --- 1340, "in the wrong direction," from awk "back-handed" (obsolete since 1600s), from O.N. afugr "turned backwards" (from P.Gmc. *afug-, from PIE *apu-ko-, from base *apo- "off, away;" see apo-) + adverbial suffix -weard. Meaning "clumsy" first recorded 1530.

awl --- O.E. æl "awl, piercer," from P.Gmc. *ælo (cf. O.N. alr, M.L.G. al, Ger. Ahle), of uncertain origin. Earliest references are to piercing of the ears, though later it was associated with shoemakers. Through misdivision, frequently written 15c.-17c. as nawl (for an awl).

awning --- 1624, origin uncertain (first recorded use is by Capt. John Smith), perhaps from M.Fr. auvans pl. of auvent "a sloping roof." Nautical term until sense of "cover for windows or porch" emerged 1852.

awry --- c.1375, "crooked, askew," from a- (1) "on" + wry (q.v.).

ax/axe --- O.E. æces, later æx, from P.Gmc. *akusjo (cf. O.S. accus, O.N. ex, O.Fris. axe, Ger. Axt, Goth. aqizi), from PIE *agw(e)si- (cf. Gk. axine, L. ascia). Meaning "musical instrument" is 1955, originally jazz slang for the saxophone; rock slang for "guitar" dates to 1967. Figurative verbal sense of "discharge (someone) from office," especially as a cost-saving measure, is from 1922, probably from the notion of the headman's axe. To have an axe to grind is from an 1815 essay by U.S. newspaper editor Charles Miner, in which a man flatters a boy and gets him to do the chore of axe-grinding for him, then leaves without offering thanks or recompense. "The spelling ax is better on every ground, of etymology, phonology, and analogy, than axe, which became prevalent during the 19th century; but it is now disused in Britain." [OED]

axiom --- 1485, from M.Fr. axiome, from L. axioma, from Gk. axioma "authority," lit. "that which is thought worthy or fit," from axioun "to think worthy," from axios "worthy, worth, of like value, weighing as much," from PIE adj. *ag-ty-o- "weighty," from base *ag- "to drive, draw, move" (cf. Gk. agein "weigh, pull").

axis --- 1549, "imaginary straight line around which a body (such as the Earth) rotates," from L. axis "axle, pivot, axis of the earth or sky," from PIE *aks- "axis" (cf. O.E. eax, O.H.G. ahsa "axle," Gk. axon, Skt. aksah "an axle, axis, beam of a balance," Lith. aszis). Fig. sense in world history of "alliance between Germany and Italy" (later extended to include Japan) is from 1936.

axle --- M.E. axel-, from some combination of O.E. eax and O.N. öxull "axis," both from P.Gmc. *akhsulaz, from PIE *aks- "axis" (see axis). Found only in compound axle-tree before 14c.

axolotl --- 1786, genus of Mexican salamanders, from Sp., from Nahuatl, from atl "water" + xolotl "slippery or wrinkled one, servant, slave" [cf. Frances Karttunen, "An Analytical Dictionary of Nahuatl"].

ayatollah --- honorific title for an Iranian Shiite religious leader, 1950, from Pers., from Arabic ayatu-llah, lit. "miraculous sign of God."

aye (1) --- assent, 1576, perhaps a variant of I, meaning "I assent," or an alt. of M.E. yai "yes."

aye (2) --- always, ever, c.1200, from O.N. ei "ever" (cognate with O.E. a "always, ever"), from PIE *aiw- "vital force, life, long life, eternity" (cf. Gk. aion "age, eternity," L. aevum "space of time;" see eon).

azalea --- 1753, coined by Linnaeus from the fem. of Gk. azaleos "dry." The plant thrives in sandy soil.

azimuth --- distance of a star from the north or south point of the meridian, c.1391, from O.Fr. azimut, from Arabic as-sumut "the ways," pl. of as-samt "the way, direction" (see zenith).

Aztec --- 1787, from Sp. Azteca, from Nahuatl aztecatl (plural aztecah), meaning "coming from aztlan," name of their legendary place of origin, usually said to lie somewhere in what is now southwestern U.S.

azure --- c.1325, from O.Fr. azur, false separation of Arabic lazaward "lapis lazuli," as though the -l- were the French article l'. The Arabic name is from Pers. lajward, from Lajward, a place in Turkestan, mentioned by Marco Polo, where the stone was collected.

B movie --- 1930s, usually said to be so called from being the second, or supporting, film in a double feature. But some film industry sources say it was so-called for being the second of the two films major studios generally made in a year, and the one made with less headline talent and released with less promotion.

B.B.C. --- acronym for British Broadcasting Corporation, established 1927 replacing British Broadcasting Company, so the acronym itself dates to 1923. BBC English as a type of standardized Eng. recommended for announcers is recorded from 1928.

Baal --- The name of many deities of the Semitic people [Klein], 1382, Biblical use is from Heb. Ba'al, lit. "owner, master, lord," from ba'al "he took possession of," also "he married;" related to Akkad. Belu (source of Heb. Bel), name of Marduk. Also related to the first element in Beelzebub. Used figuratively for any "false god."

Baath --- pan-Arab socialist party, founded by intellectuals in Syria in 1943, from Arabic ba't "resurrection, renaissance."

Babbitt --- conventional complacent materialistic American businessman, 1923, from George Babbitt, title character of Sinclair Lewis' novel (1922).

babble --- 1230, babeln "to prattle," akin to other Western European words for stammering and prattling (cf. Swed. babbla, Fr. babiller) attested from the same era, some of which were probably borrowed, but etymologists cannot now determine which were original. Probably imitative of baby-talk, in any case (cf. L. babulus, Gk. barbaros). "No direct connexion with Babel can be traced; though association with that may have affected the senses" [OED]. Meaning "to repeat oneself incoherently, speak foolishly" is attested from c.1418.

babe --- 1393, short for baban (c.1230), which probably is imitative of baby talk, however in many languages the cognate word means "old woman" (cf. Rus. babushka "grandmother," from baba "peasant woman"). Now mostly superseded by its dim. form baby. Used figuratively for "a childish person" from 1526. Meaning "attractive young woman" is 1915, college slang; related babelicious first recorded 1991.

Babel --- capital of Babylon, 1382, from Heb. Babhel (Gen. ix), from Akkadian bab-ilu "Gate of God" (from bab "gate" + ilu "god"). The name is a translation of Sumerian Ka-dingir. Meaning "confused medley of sounds" (1529) is from the biblical story of the Tower of Babel.

Babism --- 1850; see Baha'i.

baboon --- type of ape, c.1400, babewyn, earlier "a grotesque figure used in architecture or decoration" (c.1325), from O.Fr. babuin "ape, fool," and also "gaping figure (such as a gargoyle)," which may suggest an origin in O.Fr. baboue "grimacing," or perhaps it is imitative of the ape's babbling speech-like cries.

babouche --- 1695, from Fr., from Arabic babush, from Pers. papush, from pa "foot" + posh "covering." Arabic, lacking a -p-, regularly converts -p- in foreign words to -b-.

baby --- 1377, babi dim. of baban (see babe). As a term of endearment for one's lover it is attested perhaps as early as 1839, certainly by 1901; its popularity perhaps boosted by baby vamp "a popular girl," student slang from c.1922. Baby boom coined 1941; derivative baby-boomer (member of the one that began 1945) first recorded 1974. To empty the baby out with the bath (water) is first recorded 1909 in G.B. Shaw (cf. Ger. das Kind mit dem Bade ausschütten).