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

orgiastic --- 1698, from Gk. orgiastikos, from orgiastes "one who celebrates orgies," from orgiazein "to celebrate orgies," from orgia (see orgy).

orgy --- 1561, orgies (pl.) "secret rites in the worship of certain Gk. and Roman gods," especially Dionysus, from M.Fr. orgies (c.1500), from L. orgia, from Gk. orgia (pl.) "secret rites," from PIE base *werg- "to work" (see urge (v.)). The singular, orgy, was first used in Eng. 1665 for the extended sense of "any licentious revelry." OED says of the ancient rites that they were "celebrated with extravagant dancing, singing, drinking, etc.," which gives "etc." quite a workout.

oriel --- a large recessed window, 1360, from O.Fr. oriol, perhaps from M.L. oriolum "porch, gallery" (1259), perhaps from V.L. *auraeolum, dissim. from a dim. of L. aulaeum "curtain." Despite much research, the sense evolution remains obscure.

Orient (n.) --- c.1300, "the East" (originally usually meaning what is now called the Mid-East), from O.Fr. orient (11c.), from L. orientem (nom. oriens) "the rising sun, the east, part of the sky where the sun rises," originally "rising" (adj.), prp. of oriri "to rise" (see orchestra). The Orient Express was a train that ran from Paris to Istanbul via Vienna 1883-1961, from the start associated with espionage and intrigue. Oriental (adj.) is attested from c.1391, from O.Fr. oriental (12c.), from L. orientalis "of the east," from orientem. Originally in ref. to the sky, geographical sense is attested from c.1477; oriental carpet first recorded 1868 (in C.L. Eastlake). The noun meaning "native or inhabitant of the east" is from 1701. Orientalism in ref. to character, style, trait, or idiom felt to be from the Orient is from 1769.

orient (v.) --- c.1727, originally "to arrange facing east," from Fr. s'orienter "to take one's bearings," lit. "to face the east" (also the source of Ger. orientierung), from O.Fr. orient "east," from L. orientum (see Orient (n.)). Meaning "determine bearings" first attested 1842; fig. sense is from 1850. Orienteering in ref. to a competitive sport is attested from 1948. Orientation is from 1839 and originally meant "arrangement of a building, etc., to face east or any other specified direction;" sense of "the action of determining one's bearings" is from 1868.

orifice --- 1541, from M.Fr. orifice "the opening of a wound" (14c.), from L. orificium "an opening," lit. "mouth-making," from os (gen. oris) "mouth" + facere "make" (see factitious).

oriflamme --- sacred banner of St. Denis, 1475, from O.Fr. orie flame, from L. aurea flamma "golden flame." The ancient battle standard of the kings of France, it was of red or orange-red silk, with two or three points, and was given to the kings by the abbot of St. Denis on setting out to war. Cotgrave says it was "borne at first onely in warres made against Infidells; but afterwards vsed in all other warres; and at length vtterly lost in a battell against the Flemings." It is last mentioned in an abbey inventory of 1534.

origami --- 1956, from Japanese origami, from ori "fold" + kami "paper."

original (adj.) --- 1315, from L. originalis, from originem (nom. origo) "beginning, source, birth," from oriri "to rise" (see orchestra). The first ref. is in original sin "innate depravity of man's nature," supposed to be inherited from Adam in consequence of the Fall. The noun, in sense of "original text," is attested from c.1385, from M.L. originale. Of photographs, films, sound recordings, etc., from 1918. Origin first recorded 1563. Originality is first attested 1742, probably after Fr. originalité.

originate (v.) --- 1653, probably a back-formation of origination (1647), from M.Fr. origination, from L. originationem (nom. originatio), from originem (see original). In first ref. it meant "to trace the origin of;" meaning "to bring into existence" is from 1657; intrans. sense of "to come into existence" is from 1775.

oriole --- 1776, from Fr. oriol, O.Prov. auriol, from L. aureolus "golden," from PIE *aus- "gold." Originally in ref. to the Golden Oriole (Oriolus galbula), a bird of black and yellow plumage that summers in Europe (but is uncommon in England). Applied from 1791 to the unrelated but similarly colored Amer. species Icterus baltimore.

Orion --- 1398, from Gk. Oarion, of unknown origin, though some speculate on Akkadian Uru-anna "the Light of Heaven." Another Gk. name for it was Kandaon, a title of Ares, god of war, and it is represented in most cultures as a giant (e.g. O.Ir. Caomai "the Armed King," O.N. Orwandil, O.S. Ebuðrung).

orison --- c.1175, from Anglo-Fr. oreison, O.Fr. oraison "oration" (12c.), from L. orationem (nom. oratio) "speech, oration," in Church L. "prayer, appeal to God," from orare (see orator). Etymologically, a doublet of oration.

Orkney --- name of a group of islands off the north coast of Scotland, from O.N. Orkney-jar "Seal Islands," from orkn "seal," probably imitative.

Orlando --- masc. proper name, It. form of Roland (q.v.). The city in Florida, U.S., so called from 1857, supposedly in honor of a U.S. soldier, Orlando Reeves, who was killed there in 1835 by Seminoles. It had been settled c.1844 as Jernigan.

Orlon --- proprietary name (Du Pont) of synthetic textile fiber, 1948, an invented word (cf. nylon).

ormolu --- alloy of copper, zinc, and tin, resembling gold, 1765, from Fr. or moulu, lit. "ground gold," from or "gold" (from L. aurum, from PIE *aus- "gold.") + moulu "ground up," pp. of moudre "to grind," from L. molere "to grind."

ornament (n.) --- c.1225, "an accessory," from O.Fr. ornement, from L. ornamentum "equipment, trappings, embellishment," from ornare "equip, adorn" (see ornate). Meaning "decoration, embellishment" is attested from 1388. The verb is first recorded 1720, from the noun. Ornamental is 1646, partly formed in Eng., partly from L. ornamentalis, from ornamentum.

ornate --- 1420, from L. ornatus "adorned," pp. of ornare "adorn, fit out," from stem of ordo "order" (see order). Earliest ref. is to literary style.

ornery --- 1816, Amer.Eng. dialectal contraction of ordinary. "Commonplace," hence "of poor quality, coarse, ugly." By c.1860 the sense had evolved to "mean, cantankerous."

ornitho- --- from Gk., comb. form of ornis (gen. ornithos) "bird" (but in Attic, generally "domestic fowl"), from PIE *or- "large bird" (see erne).

ornithologist --- 1677, from Mod.L. ornithologia (1599), from Gk. ornitho- (q.v.) + -logia "study," from logos "word."

ornithopter --- 1908, from Fr. ornithoptère, a machine designed to fly be mechanical flapping of wings, from ornitho- (q.v.) + Gk. pteron "wing" (see petition). A mode of flight considered promising at least since Leonardo's day.

orotund --- 1792, from L. ore rotundo "in well-rounded phrases," lit. "with round mouth" (see ore rotundo).

orphan --- c.1300, from L.L. orphanus "parentless child" (cf. O.Fr. orfeno, It. orfano), from Gk. orphanos "orphaned," lit. "deprived," from orphos "bereft," from PIE *orbho- "bereft of father," also "deprived of free status," from base *orbh- "to change allegiance, to pass from one status to another" (cf. Hittite harb- "change allegiance," L. orbus "bereft," Skt. arbhah "weak, child," Arm. orb "orphan," O.Ir. orbe "heir," O.C.S. rabu "slave," rabota "servitude" (cf. robot), Goth. arbja, Ger. erbe, O.E. ierfa "heir," O.H.G. arabeit, Ger. Arbeit "work," O.Fris. arbed, O.E. earfoð "hardship, suffering, trouble"). The verb is attested from 1814. Orphanage "institute or home for orphans" is first attested 1865.

Orphic --- 1678, from Gk. orphikos "pertaining to Orpheus," master musician of Thrace, son of Eagrus and Calliope, husband of Eurydice, whose name (of unknown origin) was associated with mystic doctrines.

orrery --- 1713, invented c.1713 by George Graham and made by instrument maker J. Rowley, who gave a copy to his patron, Charles Boyle, 4th Earl of Orrery (Cork) and named it in his honor.

Orson --- masc. proper name, from Fr. ourson, dim. of ours "bear," from L. ursus.

ort --- remains of food left from a meal, c.1440, cognate with early Du. ooraete, Low Ger. ort, from or-, privative prefix, + etan "to eat."

ortho- --- a comb. element in forming scientific and technical words, from Gk. ortho-, stem of orthos "straight, true, correct, regular," from PIE *eredh- "high" (cf. Skt. urdhvah "high, lofty, steep," L. arduus "high, steep," O.Ir. ard "high").

orthodontics --- 1909, from Mod.L. orthodontia (1849), from ortho- (q.v.) + odon (gen. odontos) "tooth." Orthodontist is attested from 1903.

orthodox --- 1581, from L.L. orthodoxus, from Gk. orthodoxos "having the right opinion," from orthos "right, true, straight" (see ortho-) + doxa "opinion, praise," from dokein "to seem," from PIE base *dek- "to take, accept" (see decent). As the name of the Eastern Church, first recorded in Eng. 1772; in the sense of branch of Judaism, first recorded 1853.

orthography --- correct or proper spelling, c.1450, from M.Fr. orthographie (O.Fr. ortografie, 13c.), from L. orthographia, from Gk. orthos "correct" (see ortho-) + root of graphein "to write."

orthopedic --- 1840, from Fr. orthopédique, coined by Fr. physician Nicholas Andry (1658-1742), from Gk. orthos "straight, correct" (see ortho-) + paideia "rearing of children," from pais (gen. paidos) "child" (see pedo-).

Orwellian --- 1950 (first attested in Mary McCarthy), from Eng. author George Orwell (pseudonym of Eric Blair, 1903-50), esp. in ref. to his novel "1984." Ironically, it has come to be used in ref. to the totalitarian systems he satirized.

oryx --- 1382, from L. oryx, from Gk. oryx (gen. orygos) "North African antelope with pointed horns, the digging animal," lit. "pick-axe." Used in Gk. and L. bibles to render Heb. tho, which early Eng. Bibles misidentified as everything from a small hibernating animal to a wild bull.

Osage --- name of a group of Sioux Indians originally from Missouri, 1698, from their self-designation Wazhazhe; the ornamental tree osage orange (Toxylon pomiferum), name first attested 1817, originally was found in their country.

Oscan --- ancient people of southern Italy, 1598, from L. Osci, Opsci (pl.) "Oscans," lit. "worshippers of Ops," a harvest goddess, the name related to L. ops (gen. opis) "abundance, plenty, wealth, riches."

Oscar --- masc. proper name, O.E. Osgar "god's spear," from O.E. gar "spear" + os "god" (only in personal names), from O.E. ansu- "spirit," from PIE *ansu-, source of the first element in Aesir, Asgard (from O.N.) and Ahura Mazda (from Avestan). The statuette awarded for excellence in film acting, directing, etc., given annually since, 1928, first so called 1936. The name is said to have sprung from a 1931 remark by Margaret Herrick, secretary at Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, on seeing the statuette: "He reminds me of my Uncle Oscar." Thus the award is named for Oscar Pierce, U.S. wheat farmer and fruit grower.

oscillation --- 1658, from Fr. oscillation, from L. oscillationem (nom. oscillatio), pp. of oscillare "to swing," supposed to be from oscillum "little face," lit. "little mouth," a mask of open-mouthed Bacchus hung up in vineyards to swing in the breeze.

oscilloscope --- 1915, "instrument for visually recording an electrical wave," a hybrid formed from L. oscillare "to swing" (see oscillation) + Gk. -skopion, from skopein "to look at, examine."

oscitant --- yawning, from L. oscitans, prp. of oscitare "to gape, yawn," from os citare "to move the mouth" (see oral and cite).

osculate --- to kiss, 1656, from L. osculari, from osculum "kiss," lit. "little mouth," dim. of os "mouth" (see oral).

osier --- species of willow used in basket-work, c.1300, from O.Fr. osier "willow twig" (13c.), from M.L. osera "willow," ausaria "willow bed," of unknown origin, perhaps from Gaulish.

Osiris --- name of a principal god of Egypt, judge of the dead, from L. Osiris, from Gk., from Egyptian Asar.

-osis --- suffix expressing state or condition, in medical terminology denoting "a state of disease," from L. -osis, from Gk. -osis, formed from the aorist of verbs ending in -o. It corresponds to L. -atio.

Osmanli --- an Ottoman Turk, 1813, from Turk. Osmanli "of or pertaining to Osman," from Osman, founder of the Ottoman dynasty (he reigned 1259-1326); his name is the Turk. pronunciation of Ar. Uthman. This is the native word where Eng. generally uses Ottoman.

osmium --- metallic element, 1803, coined in Mod.L. by its discoverer, Eng. chemist Smithson Tennant (1761-1815) from Gk. osme "smell, odor" (cognate with L. odor, see odor). So called for the strong smell of its oxide.

Osmond --- masc. proper name, from O.E. Osmund, lit. "divine protection," from os "a god" (see Oscar) + -mund (see mount (n.)).

osmosis --- 1867, originally endosmose (1830s) "inward passage of a fluid through a porous septum," from Fr. endo- "inward" + Gk. osmos "a thrusting, a pushing," from othein "to push, to thrust," from PIE *wedhe- "to push, strike" (cf. Skt. vadhati "pushes, strikes, destroys," Avestan vadaya- "to repulse"). Fig. sense is from 1900.

osprey --- fishing hawk, c.1460, from Anglo-Fr. ospriet, from M.L. avis prede "bird of prey," from L. avis praedæ, a generic term apparently confused with this specific bird in O.Fr. on its similarity to ossifrage.

osseous --- bony, 1707, from M.L. ossous, from L. osseus "bony," from os (gen. ossis) "bone," from PIE *os- (cf. Skt. asthi, Hittite hashtai-, Gk. osteon "bone," Gk. ostrakon "oyster shell," Avestan ascu- "shinbone," Welsh asgwrn "bone").

Ossianic --- 1808, in ref. to Oisin, name of a legendary Gaelic bard, lit. "little fawn;" James Macpherson claimed to have collected and translated his works (1760-63) under the name Ossian, and the poetic prose sparked a Celtic revival and fascination with the glamour of the lost world of the bards. But the work turned out to be Macpherson's forgery, and the style later was regarded as bombastic.

ossification --- 1697, from L. ossis (gen. of os) "of bones" (see osseous).

ossifrage --- sea-eagle, osprey, 1601, from L. ossifraga "vulture," fem. of ossifragus, lit. "bone-breaker," from ossifragus (adj.) "bone-breaking," from os (gen. ossis) "bone" + stem of frangere "to break" (see fraction). By this name Pliny meant the lammergeier (from Ger., lit. "lamb-vulture"), a very large Old World vulture that swallows and digests bones and was believed also to drop them from aloft to break them and get at the marrow. But in England and France, the word was transfered to the osprey, perhaps on similarity of sound.

ossify --- 1713, "to turn into bone," from L. os (gen. ossis) "bone" (see osseous). Fig. sense is from 1858.

ossuary --- 1658, "an urn for the bones of the dead," from L.L. ossuarium "charnel house," from L. os "bone" (see osseous) on model of mortuarium.

ostensible --- 1762, from Fr. ostensible, from L. ostensus, pp. of ostendere "to show," from ob "in front of" + tendere "to stretch" (see tenet).

ostentation --- 1436, from M.Fr. ostentation (1366), from L. ostentationem (nom. ostentatio) "vain display," from ostentatus, pp. of ostentare "to display," freq. of ostendere (see ostensible).

osteopathy --- 1857, "disease of the bones," from Gk. osteon "bone" + -pathy, from Gk. -patheia, comb. form of pathos "suffering, disease, feeling" (see pathos). As a system of treating ailments by the manipulation of bones, it dates from 1889.

ostler --- c.1386, phonetic spelling of hostler (see hotel).

ostomy --- 1957, abstracted from colostomy "artificial opening in the colon," ult. from Mod.L. stoma "opening, orifice," from Gk. stoma "mouth."

ostracism --- 1588, a method of 10-year banishment in ancient Athens, by which the citizens gathered and wrote the names of men they deemed dangerous to the state on potsherds or tiles, and a man whose name turned up often enough was sent away. From Gk. ostrakismos, from ostrakizein "to ostracize," from ostrakon "tile, potsherd," related to osteon "bone," ostreion "oyster" (and cognate with Ger. Estrich "pavement," from M.L. astracus "pavement," ult. from Gk. ostrakon). A similar practice in ancient Syracuse (with banishment for five years) was by writing names on olive leaves, and thus was called petalismos. Fig. sense of "to exclude from society" is attested from 1649.

ostrich --- c.1225, from O.Fr. ostruce (Fr. autruche), from V.L. avis struthio, from L. avis "bird" (from PIE *awi- "bird") + L.L. struthio "ostrich," from Gk. strouthion "ostrich," from strouthos melage "big sparrow." The Greeks also knew the bird as strouthokamelos "camel-sparrow," for its long neck. Among its proverbial peculiarities are indiscriminate voracity (especially a habit of swallowing iron and stone to aid digestion), want of regard for its eggs, and a tendency to hide its head in the sand when pursued.

Ostrogoth --- 1605, the "East Goths," who conquered Italy late 5c. and established, under Theodric, a kingdom there that lasted from 493 to 555 C.E., from L.L. Ostrogothæ, lit. "eastern Goths" from P.Gmc. *aust(a)r- "east" (for second element, see Goth, also Visigoth), but according to some this is a folk corruption of an earlier Austrogoti, from a Gmc. compound, the first element of which means "shining" or "splendid," from P.Gmc. *austr-, from PIE *ausr- (see aurora), which is also, via "sunrise," the root of the L. word for "east."

Oswald --- masc. proper name, from O.E. Osweald "god-power, god-ruler," from O.E. os "god" (only in personal names), from O.E. ansu- "spirit" (see Oscar).

other --- O.E. oþer "the second, one of the two, other," from P.Gmc. *antharaz (cf. O.S. athar, O.N. annarr, Ger. ander, Goth. anþar "other"), from PIE *an-tero-, variant of *al-tero- "the other of two" (cf. Lith. antras, Skt. antarah "other, foreign," L. alter), from base *al- "beyond" + adj. comp. suffix *-tero-. Sense of "second" was detached from this word in Eng. (which uses second, from L.) and Ger. (zweiter, from zwei "two") to avoid ambiguity. In Scand., however, the second floor is still the "other" floor (cf. Swed. andra, Dan. anden). Phrase other world "world of idealism or fantasy, afterlife, spirit-land" is c.1200; hence otherworldliness (c.1834). The other woman "a woman with whom a man begins a love affair while he is already committed" is from 1855. The other day originally (1154) was "the next day;" later (c.1300) "yesterday;" and now, loosely, "a day or two ago" (1421). Phrase other half in reference to either the poor or the rich, is recorded from 1607.

otherwise --- contracted from O.E. phrase on oðre wisan "in the other manner" (see other + -wise), which in M.E. became oþre wise, and c.1330 oþerwise.

otiose --- 1794, "unfruitful, futile," from L. otiosus "having leisure or ease, not busy" (cf. Fr. oiseux, Sp. ocioso, It. otioso), from otium "leisure," of unknown origin. Meaning "at leisure, idle" is recorded from 1850.

ottava rima --- 1820, from It., "eight-lined stanza," lit. "eighth rhyme," from ottava "eighth" (see octave). A stanza of eight 11-syllable lines, rhymed a b a b a b c c, but in the Byronic variety, they are English heroic lines of 10 syllables.

otter --- O.E. otr, otor, from P.Gmc. *utraz (cf. O.N. otr, Swed. utter, Dan. odder, Du. otter, Ger. Otter), from PIE *udros, lit. "water-creature" (cf. Skt. udrah, Avestan udra "otter;" Gk. hydra "water-serpent," enydris "otter;" L. lutra, O.C.S. vydra, Lith. udra, O.Ir. odoirne "otter"), from root *udr- "water."

Ottoman --- 1585, from Fr., from It. Ottomano, from Ar. 'Uthmani "of or belonging to Arabic masc. proper name 'Uthman," which in Turk. is pronounced Othman (see Osmanli), name of the founder of the dynasty and empire. Ending alt. in It. by formation of a new false singular, because -i was a pl. inflection in It. Byron used the more correct form Othman, and a few writers have followed him. The type of couch so called (1806) because one reclined on it, which was associated with Eastern customs (see couch).

oubliette --- secret dungeon reached only via trapdoor, 1819, from Fr. oubliette (14c.), from M.Fr. oublier "to forget," from O.Fr. oblider, from V.L. *oblitare, from L. oblitus, pp. of oblivisci "to forget" (see oblivion).

ouch --- 1837, from Pennsylvania German outch, cry of pain, from Ger. autsch. The Japanese word is itai. Latin used au, hau.

oud --- lute or mandolin of Arab lands, 1738, from Arabic 'ud, lit. "wood."

ought (n.) --- zero, cipher, 1844, probably a misdivision of a nought (see nought), meaning probably influenced by aught "anything" (q.v.).

ought (v.) --- O.E. ahte, pt. of agan "to own, possess, owe" (see owe). As a past tense of owe, it shared in that word's evolution and meant at times in M.E. "possessed" and "under obligation to pay." It has been detached from owe since 17c., though he aught me ten pounds is recorded as active in E.Anglian dialect from c.1825. As an auxiliary verb expressing duty or obligation (c.1175, the main modern use), it represents the past subjunctive.

Ouija --- 1891, a trademark name (originally by Kennard Novelty Co., Baltimore, Md.), compounded from Fr. oui + Ger. ja, both meaning "yes."

ounce (1) --- unit of weight, c.1330, from O.Fr. unce (12c.), from L. uncia "one-twelfth part" (of a pound, foot, etc.), from L. unus "one" (see one). The L. word had been adopted in O.E. as ynce (see inch). It was one-twelfth of a pound in the Troy system of weights, but one-sixteenth in avoirdupois. Abbreviation oz. is from It. onza. Also used in M.E. as a measure of time (7.5 seconds) and length (about 3 inches).

ounce (2) --- wildcat, c.1300, from O.Fr. once, from lonce, with l- mistaken as definite article, from V.L. *luncea, from L. lyncea "lynx-like," from lynx (see lynx). Originally the common lynx, later extended to other wildcats, now mainly used of the mountain-panther or snow leopard of Asia.

-our --- see -or.

our --- O.E. ure "of us," genitive plural of the first person pronoun, from P.Gmc. *ons (cf. O.S. usa, O.Fris. use, O.H.G. unsar, Ger. unser, Goth. unsar "our"). Ours, formed c.1300, is a double possessive, originating in northern England, and has taken over the absolute function of our. Ourselves (1495), modeled on yourselves, replaced original construction we selfe, us selfum, etc.

oust --- 1420, from Anglo-Fr. oster (1292), from O.Fr. oster "put out, keep off, remove, avert" (Fr. ôter), from L. obstare "stand opposite to, block, hinder," from ob "against" + stare "to stand," from PIE base *sta- "to stand" (see stet). Ouster (n.) is first recorded 1531, noun use of Anglo-Fr. ouster.

out (adv.) --- O.E. ut, common Gmc. (cf. O.N., O.Fris., Goth. ut, Du. uit, Ger. aus), from PIE base *ud- "up, up away" (cf. Skt. ut "up, out," uttarah "higher, upper, later, northern;" Avestan uz- "up, out," O.Ir. ud- "out," L. usque "all the way to, without interruption," Gk. hysteros "the latter," Rus. vy- "out"). Meaning "unconscious" is attested from 1898, originally in boxing. Sense of "not popular or modern" is from 1966. The verb was O.E. utian "expel," used in many senses over the years. Meaning "to expose as a closet homosexual" is first recorded 1990; as an adj. meaning "openly avowing one's homosexuality" it dates from 1970s (see closet; senses of "into public view" have been present in out since 16c.). Noun sense in baseball (1860) was originally from cricket, where it is attested from 1746. Adverbial phrase out-and-out "thoroughly" is attested from 1325; adj. usage is attested from 1813; out-of-the-way (adj.) "remote, secluded" is attested from c.1483. Out-of-towner "one not from a certain place" is from 1911. Shakespeare's It out-herods Herod ("Hamlet") reflects Herod as stock braggart and bully in old religious drama and was widely imitated 19c. Out to lunch "insane" is student slang from 1955; out of this world "excellent" is from 1938; out of sight "excellent, superior" is from 1891.

outage --- period or condition in which electrical power is disconnected, 1903, Amer.Eng.; formed on model of shortage (see short).