# The Origin of Word

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-word/94175>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 19, 2001, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-word/94175 "2001-11-19T09:54:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ForestGreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8e8cbc/32.png) [@ForestGreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ForestGreen)\
**Post date:** [November 19, 2001, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-word/94175/1 "2001-11-19T09:54:52Z")

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Is there an online site that gives the origins of words? Like “OK” possibly being an abbreviation for “Oll Korrect”, stuff like that. My friend wanted to know where the word “sweetheart” may have made it’s first debuts…

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**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\
**Post date:** [November 19, 2001, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-word/94175/2 "2001-11-19T10:05:54Z")

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Have you tried a good dictionary?

I can’t help you with online sites sorry.

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**Author:** ![dqa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dqa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dqa)\
**Post date:** [November 19, 2001, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-word/94175/3 "2001-11-19T10:09:13Z")

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[Merriam-Webster](http://www.m-w.com) is a good start.

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**Author:** ![ForestGreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8e8cbc/32.png) [@ForestGreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ForestGreen)\
**Post date:** [November 19, 2001, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-word/94175/4 "2001-11-19T10:21:36Z")

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[m-w.com](http://m-w.com) says it’s from the 14th century, which comes a bit closer…

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**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\
**Post date:** [November 19, 2001, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-word/94175/5 "2001-11-19T17:18:22Z")

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The best one I know is [http://www.wordorigins.org](http://www.wordorigins.org) , run by a real etymology fanatic.

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**Author:** ![CaveMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cavemike/32/16379_2.png) [@CaveMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaveMike)\
**Post date:** [November 19, 2001, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-word/94175/6 "2001-11-19T17:30:23Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by dqa \*  
> \*\*[Merriam-Webster](http://www.m-w.com) is a good start. \*\*

Check out the Word for the Wise section.  
[http://www.m-w.com/wftw/wftw.htm](http://www.m-w.com/wftw/wftw.htm)

Also, in case you are asking about OK in particular, here is what the master has to say:  
[http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2\_250.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_250.html)

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**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\
**Post date:** [November 19, 2001, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-word/94175/7 "2001-11-19T17:52:56Z")

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Check out the Random House [Word of the Day](http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/index.pperl?action=dly__cron_arc&fn=word) site. It has facinating etymologies of many words, expressions, and even origins/meanings of suffixes and prefixes. For instance, [OK.](http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/index.pperl?date=19991020)

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**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\
**Post date:** [November 19, 2001, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-word/94175/8 "2001-11-19T18:45:31Z")

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[Worldwide Words](http://www.worldwidewords.org/) is often good for this kind of query.

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**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\
**Post date:** [November 19, 2001, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-word/94175/9 "2001-11-19T18:56:50Z")

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[http://eleaston.com/etymology.html](http://eleaston.com/etymology.html)