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

astound --- 1600, from M.E. astouned, astoned (c.1300), pp. of astonien "to stun" (see astonish), with more of the original sense of V.L. *extonare.

astral --- 1605, from L.L. astralis, from L. astrum "star," from Gk. astron.

astray --- c.1300, astraied, borrowed from O.Fr. estraie, pp. of estraier "on stray."

Astrid --- fem. proper name, from Norse, rel. to O.H.G. Ansitruda, from ansi "god" + trut "beloved, dear."

astride --- 1664, from a- (1) "on" + stride (q.v.).

astringent (adj.) --- 1541, from L. astringentum (nom. astringens), prp. of astringere "to bind fast," from ad- "to" + stringere "draw tight" (see strain (v.)).

astrolabe --- 1366, from O.Fr. astrelabe, from M.L. astrolabium, from Gk. astrolabos (organon) "star taking (instrument)," from astron "star" + lambanien "to take."

astrology --- c.1375, from L. astrologia "astronomy," from Gk. astrologia "telling of the stars," from astron "star" + -logia "treating of," comb. form of logon "one who speaks (in a certain manner)." Originally identical with astronomy, it had also a special sense of "practical astronomy, astronomy applied to prediction of events." This was divided into natural astrology "the calculation and foretelling of natural phenomenon" (tides, eclipses, etc.), and judicial astrology "the art of judging occult influences of stars on human affairs" (also known as stromancy, 1652). Differentiation began late 1400s and by 17c. this word was limited to "reading influences of the stars and their effects on human destiny."

astronaut --- coined 1929 (but popularized 1961) from astro-, comb. form of Gk. astron "star" + nautes "sailor." Fr. astronautique (adj.) had been coined 1927 by "J.H. Rosny."

astronomy --- 1205, from O.Fr. astronomie, from L. astronomia, from Gk. astronomia, from astron "star" (from PIE base *ster- "star") + nomos "arranging, regulating," related to nemein "to deal out" (see numismatics). Used earlier than astrology and originally including it. Astronomical is 1556 as "concerning astronomy;" as "concerning very large figures" it dates from 1899. Astrophysics first recorded 1869.

Astroturf --- 1966, proprietary name for a kind of artificial grass, so called because it was used first in the Houston, Texas, Astrodome, indoor sports stadium.

astute --- 1611, from L. astutus "crafty," from astus "guile, cunning," of uncertain origin.

Astyanax --- son of Hector and Andromache ("Iliad"), from Gk., lit. "king of the city," from asty "city" + anax "chief, lord, master."

asunder --- c.1160, contraction of O.E. on sundran (see sunder).

asylum --- c.1430, from L. asylum "sanctuary," from Gk. asylon "refuge," neut. of asylos "inviolable," from a- "without" + syle "right of seizure." So lit. "an inviolable place."

asymmetry --- 1652, "want of symmetry or proportion," from Gk. asymmetria, from asymmetros, from a- "not" + symmetros "commensurable."

asymptote --- straight line continually approaching but never meeting a curve, 1656, from Gk. asymptotos "not falling together," from a- "not" + syn "with" + ptotos "fallen," verbal adj. from piptein "to fall" (see petition).

at --- O.E. æt, common P.Gmc. (cf. O.N., Goth. at, O.Fris. et, O.H.G. az), from PIE *ad- "to, near, at" (cf. L. ad "to, toward" Skt. adhi "near"). Lost in Ger. and Du., which use their equivalent of to; in Scand., however, to has been lost and at fills its place. At-home (n.) "reception of visitors" is from 1745; baseball at-bat "player's turn at the plate" is from 1941.

Atalanta --- daughter of king Schoeneus, famous for her swiftness, L., from Gk. Atalante, fem. of atalantos "having the same value (as a man)," from a- "one, together" + talanton "balance, weight, value" (cf. talent).

atavism --- 1833, from F. atavisme, coined 1830s from L. atavus "ancestor," from at- perhaps here meaning "beyond" + avus "grandfather," from PIE *awo- "adult male relative other than the father."

atchoo --- imitative of the sound of sneezing, first attested 1873, as atcha.

atelier --- 1840, from Fr., from O.Fr. astelier "workshop," from astele "small plank, a shaving, splinter," probably from L.L. hastella "a thin stick," dim. of hasta "spear, shaft."

Athabascan --- pertaining to a N.Amer. Indian people, 1846, Athapaskan, from Lake Athabaska in northern Alberta, Canada, from Woods Cree (Algonquian) Athapaskaw, said by Webster to mean lit. "grass or reeds here and there," refering to the delta region west of the lake. Also in ref. to their language group.

Athanasian --- 1586, from Athanasius, archbishop of Alexandria in the reign of Constantine. The name is L., from Gk. Athanasios, from athanatos "immortal."

atheist --- 1571, from Fr. athéiste (16c.), from Gk. atheos "to deny the gods, godless," from a- "without" + theos "a god" (see Thea). A slightly earlier form is represented by atheonism (c.1534) which is perhaps from It. atheo "atheist." "The existence of a world without God seems to me less absurd than the presence of a God, existing in all his perfection, creating an imperfect man in order to make him run the risk of Hell." [Armand Salacrou, "Certitudes et incertitudes," 1943]

atheling --- member of a noble family, O.E. æðling, from æðel "noble family" + -ing "belonging to." A common Gmc. word (cf. O.S. ediling, O.Fris. etheling, O.H.G. adaling).

Athenaeum --- 1727, from L., from Gk. Athenaion "(the temple of) Athene," in ancient Athens, in which professors taught and actors or poets rehearsed. Meaning "literary club-room or reading room" is from 1799; "literary or scientific club" is from 1864. Athene, Gk. goddess of wisdom, skills, warfare, etc., has a pre-Gk. name of unknown meaning.

athlete --- 1528, from L. athleta, from Gk. athletes "contestant in the games," agent noun from athlein "to contest for a prize," rel. to athlos "a contest" and athlon "a prize." Before 1750, always in L. form. Replaced O.E. plegmann. First record of athletics is from 1727. Athlete's foot first recorded 1928, for an ailment that has been around much longer.

Atlantic --- 1387, occean of athlant "sea off the west coast of Africa," from L. Atlanticus, from Gk. Atlantikos, adjectival form of Atlas (gen. Atlantos), in ref. to Mount Atlas in Mauritania (see Atlas). Applied to the whole ocean since 1601.

Atlas --- 1589, Titan, son of Iapetus and Clymene, supposed to uphold the pillars of heaven, which was his punishment for being the war leader of the Titans in the struggle with the Olympian gods. The name means lit. "The Bearer (of the Heavens)," from stem of tlenai "to bear." Mount Atlas, in Mauritania, was important in Gk. cosmology as a support of the heavens.

atlas --- collection of maps in a volume, 1636, first in ref. to the Eng. translation of "Atlas, sive cosmographicae meditationes de fabrica mundi" (1585) by Flemish geographer Gerhardus Mercator (1512-94), who may have been the first to use this word in this way. A picture of the Titan Atlas holding up the world (see Atlas) appeared on the frontispiece.

atmosphere --- 1638, from Mod.L. atmosphaera (1638), from Gk. atmos "vapor" + spharia "sphere." First used in Eng. in connection with the Moon, which, as it turns out, doesn't have one. Figurative sense of "surrounding influence, mental or moral environment" is 1797.

atoll --- 1625, atollon, from Malayam atolu "reef," probably from adal "closing, uniting." Popularized in present form by Darwin's writings.

atom --- 1477, as a hypothetical body, the building block of the universe, from L. atomus (especially in Lucretius), from Gk. atomos "uncut," from a- "not" + tomos "a cutting," from temnein "to cut." An ancient term of philosophical speculation (in Leucippus, Democritus), revived 1805 by British chemist Dalton. Atomic is from 1678 as a philosophical term; scientific sense dates from 1811. Atomic energy first recorded 1906; atomic bomb first recorded 1914 in writings of H.G. Wells, who thought of it as a bomb "that would continue to explode indefinitely." Atom bomb is from 1945; Atomic Age is from 1945. "When you can drop just one atomic bomb and wipe out Paris or Berlin, war will have become monstrous and impossible." [S. Strunsky, "Yale Review," January 1917] Atomize "reduce a liquid to a fine mist" is from 1865; sense of "to destroy with atomic weapons" is from 1945.

atonal --- 1922, from a- "not" (see a- (2)) + tonal (see tone).

atone (v.) --- 1555, from adv. phrase atonen (c.1300) "in accord," lit. "at one," a contraction of at and one. It retains the older pronunciation of one. The phrase perhaps is modeled on L. adunare "unite," from ad- "to, at" + unum "one." Atonement is 1513; theological sense dates from 1526.

atrium --- 1577, from L., "central court or main room of an ancient Roman house," sometimes said (on authority of Varro, "De Lingua Latina") to be an Etruscan word, but perhaps from PIE *ater- "fire," on notion of "place where smoke from the hearth escapes" (through a hole in the roof). Anatomical sense of "either of the upper cavities of the heart" first recorded 1870. Meaning "skylit central court in a public building" first attested 1967.

atrocity --- 1534, from L. atrocitatem (nom. atrocitas) "cruelty," noun of quality from atrox "fierce, cruel, frightful," from PIE *atro-ek-, from base *ater- "fire" + *okw- "see," thus "of fiery or threatening appearance." The noun meaning "an atrocious deed" is from 1793.

atrophy --- 1597 (implied in atrophied), from Fr. atrophie, from L.L. atrophia, from Gk. atrophia "a wasting away," noun of state from atrophos "ill-fed, un-nourished," from a- "not" + trophe "nourishment," from trephein "to fatten."

Atropos --- one of the Fates, from Gk., lit. "inflexible," from a- "not" + stem of trepein "to turn." Related form Atropa was the Gk. name for deadly nightshade, and the source of the modern chemical name atropine (1836) for the poisonous alkaloid derived from the plant.

attaboy --- 1909, from common pronunciation of "that's the boy!" a cheer of encouragement or approval.

attach --- 1330, "to take or seize (property or goods) by law," a legal term, from O.Fr. estachier "to attach" (Fr. attacher, It. attaccare), perhaps from a- "to" + Frank. *stakon "a post, stake" or a similar Gmc. word (see stake (n.)). Meaning "to fasten, affix, connect" is first attested 1802, from French. Attachment "affection, devotion" is from 1704.

attaché --- 1835, from Fr. attaché "junior officer attached to the staff of an ambassador, etc.," lit. "attached," pp. of attacher (see attach). Attaché case "small leather case for carrying papers" first recorded 1904.

attack --- 1600, from Fr. attaquer (16c.), from Florentine attaccare (battaglia) "join (battle)," thus the word is a doublet of attach, which was also used 15c.-17c. in the sense now reserved to attack.

attain --- c.1300, "to succeed in reaching," from stem of O.Fr. ataindre, from L. attingere "to touch, to arrive at," from ad- "to" + tangere "to touch" (see tangent). Attainment "personal accomplishment" is from 1680.

attainder --- extinction of rights of a person sentenced to death or outlaw, 1444, from O.Fr. ataindre "to touch upon, seize, accuse, condemn" (see attain). O.Fr. infinitive used as a noun.

attar --- 1798, from Pers. 'atar-gul "essence of roses," from 'atar "fragrance," from Arabic 'utur "perfumes, aromas."

attempt (v.) --- 1425 (implied in attemptation), from O.Fr. attempter (14c.), earlier attenter, from L. attemptare "to try," from ad- "to, upon" + temptare "to try" (see tempt). The noun is first recorded c.1534.

attend --- c.1300, "to direct one's mind or energies," from O.Fr. atendre "to expect, wait for, pay attention," from L. attendere "give heed to," lit. "to stretch toward," from ad- "to" + tendere "stretch" (see tenet). The notion is of "stretching" one's mind toward something. Sense of "take care of, wait upon" is from 1420. Attendance "presenting oneself" (originally with intent of taking a part) is from c.1460. Attendant "one who attends" is from 1555. Attention "giving heed" is in Chaucer (c.1374). As a military cautionary word preparative to giving a command, it is attested from 1792. Attentive is from 1382 (implied in attentively).

attenuate (v.) --- 1530, from L. attenuatus, pp. of attenuare "to make thin," from ad- "to" + tenuare "make thin," from tenuis "thin" (see tenet).

attercop --- spider, O.E. attorcoppa, lit. "poison-head," from ator "poison," from P.Gmc. *aitra- "poisonous ulcer" (cf. O.N. eitr, Ger. eiter) + copp "top, summit, round head," probably also "spider" (cf. cobweb and Du. spinne-cop "spider").

attest --- 1547 (implied in attestation), from M.Fr. attester, from O.Fr. atester, from L. attestari "confirm," from ad- "to" + testari "bear witness," from testis "witness" (see testament).

Attic --- 1599, "of or pertaining to Attica," from L. Atticus, from Gk. Attikos "of Attica," the region around Athens. Attested from 1563 as an architectural term for a type of column base.

attic --- top storey under the roof of a house, 1855, shortened from attic storey (1724). The term Attic order in classical architecture meant a small, square decorative column of the type often used in a low storey above a building's main facade, a feature associated with the region around Athens (see Attic). The word then was applied to "a low decorative facade above the main story of a building" (1696), and it came to mean the space enclosed by such a structure. The modern use is via Fr. attique. "An attic is upright, a garret is in a sloping roof" [Weekley].

attire (v.) --- 1297, from O.Fr. atirier "to equip," from a- "to" + tire "order, row, dress" (see tier). The noun is attested from c.1300.

attitude --- 1668, via Fr., from It. attitudine "disposition, posture," also "aptness, promptitude," from L.L. aptitudinem (nom. aptitudo), noun of quality from L. aptus "fit" (see apt). Originally 17c. a technical term in art for the posture of a figure in a statue or painting; later generalized to "a posture of the body supposed to imply some mental state" (1725). Sense of "settled behavior reflecting feeling or opinion" is first recorded 1837. Connotations of "antagonistic and uncooperative" developed 1962 in slang.

attorney --- c.1303, from O.Fr. aturne "(one) appointed," pp. of aturner "to decree, assign, appoint," from a- "to" + turner "turn," from L. tornare (see turn). The legal L. form attornare influenced the spelling in Anglo-Fr. The sense is of "one appointed to represent another's interests." In English law, a private attorney was one appointed to act for another in business or legal affairs (usually for pay); an attorney at law or public attorney was a qualified legal agent in the courts of Common Law who prepared the cases for a barrister, who pleaded them (the equivalent of a solicitor in Chancery). So much a term of contempt in England that it was abolished by the Judicature Act of 1873 and merged with solicitor. "Johnson observed that 'he did not care to speak ill of any man behind his back, but he believed the gentleman was an attorney.' " [Boswell] The double -t- is a mistaken 15c. attempt to restore a non-existent Latin original. Attorney general first recorded 1533 in sense of "legal officer of the state" (1292 in Anglo-Fr.), from Fr., hence the odd plural (subject first, adjective second).

attract --- 1540, from L. attractus, pp. of attrahere "to draw, to attract," from ad- "to" + trahere "draw" (see tract (1)). Originally a medical term for the body's tendency to absorb fluids, nourishment, etc., or for a poultice treatment to "draw out" diseased matter (1563). Of the ability of people or animals to draw others to them, it is attested from 1568; of physical forces (magnetism, etc.), from 1607 (implied in attraction). Attractive in the sense of "pleasing, alluring" is from 1602. Attraction "interesting or amusing exhibition" is from 1862.

attribute (v.) --- 1398, from L. attributus, pp. of attribuere "assign to," from ad- "to" + tribuere "assign, give, bestow." The noun (c.1400) is from L. attributum "anything attributed," neut. of attributus.

attrition --- 1543, "abrasion, a scraping," from L. attritionem (nom. attritio), lit. "a rubbing against," noun of action from attritus pp. of atterere "to wear, rub away," from ad- "to" + terere "to rub." The earliest sense in Eng. is from Scholastic theology (c.1374), "sorrow for sin merely out of fear of punishment," a minor irritation, and thus less than contrition. The sense of "wearing down an enemy's strength" is a World War I coinage (1914). Attrit (v.) was a 1956 U.S. Air Force back-formation, which attained currency during the Vietnam War. (A 17c. attempt at a verb produced attrite).

atypical --- 1885, from a- (2) "not" + typical (q.v.).

au courant --- aware of current events, 1762, from Fr., lit. "with the current."

au naturel --- 1817, from Fr., lit. "in the natural state;" originally meaning "uncooked," but used euphemistically for "undressed."

au pair --- 1897 of the arrangement, 1960 of the girl; from Fr., lit. "on an equal footing."

au revoir --- 1694, from Fr., lit. "to the seeing again."

aubain --- 1727, from Fr., from M.L. Albanus, but the sense is obscure. A right of French kings, whereby they claimed the property of every non-naturalized stranger who died in their realm. Abolished 1819.

aubergine --- 1794, from Fr., "fruit of the eggplant" (Solanum esculentum), dim. of auberge "a kind of peach," from Sp. alberchigo "apricot." But Klein derives the Fr. from Catalan alberginera, from Arabic al-badinjan "the eggplant," from Pers. badin-gan, from Skt. vatin-ganah. As a color like that of the eggplant fruit, it is attested from 1895.

Aubrey --- masc. personal name, from O.Fr. Auberi, from O.H.G. Alberich "ruler of elves," or *Alb(e)rada "elf-counsel" (fem.).

auburn --- 1430, from O.Fr. auborne, from M.L. alburnus "off-white, whitish," from L. albus "white." It came to Eng. meaning "yellowish-white, flaxen," but shifted 16c. to "reddish-brown" under infl. of M.E. brun "brown," which also changed the spelling.

auction (n.) --- a sale by increase of bids, 1595, from L. auctionem (nom. auctio) "an increasing sale," from aug-, stem of augere "to increase," from PIE base *aug- "to increase" (see augment). In northern England and Scotland, called a roup. The verb is attested from 1807. In the U.S., something is sold at auction; in England, by auction. Auctioneer (n.) is attested from 1708.

audacity --- 1432, from M.L. audacitas "boldness," from L. audacis gen. of audax "brave," but more often "bold" in a bad sense, from audere "to dare, be bold."

audible --- 1529, from M.Fr. audible, from L.L. audibilis, from L. audire "to hear," from PIE *awis-dh-yo-, from base *au- "to perceive" (see audience).

audience --- c.1374, "the action of hearing," from O.Fr. audience, from L. audentia "a hearing, listening," from audientum (nom. audiens), prp. of audire "to hear," from PIE compound *au-dh- "to perceive physically, grasp," from base *au- "to perceive" (cf. Gk. aisthanesthai "to feel"). Meaning "formal hearing or reception" is from 1377; that of "persons within hearing range, assembly of listeners" is from 1407. Sense transferred 1855 to "readers of a book." Audience-participation (adj.) first recorded 1940.

audio --- sound, especially recorded or transmitted, 1934, abstracted from prefix audio- (in audio-frequency, 1919, etc.), from L. audire "hear" (see audience). First used in Eng. as a prefix 1913; audiophile first attested 1951.

audit (n.) --- 1431, from L. auditus "a hearing," pp. of audire "hear" (see audience). Official examination of accounts, which were originally oral. The verb is attested from 1557. Auditor id attested from 1377, from Anglo-Fr. auditour, from L. auditorem (nom. auditor) "a hearer," from auditus.

audition --- 1599, "power of hearing," from M.Fr. audicion, from L. auditionem (nom. auditio), pp. of audire "hear" (see audience). Meaning "trial for a performer" first recorded 1881; the verb in this sense is 1935, from the noun.

auditorium --- 1727, from L. auditorium "lecture room," lit. "place where something is heard," neuter of auditorius (adj.) "of or for hearing," from auditor "a listener," from audire "to hear" (see audience).

Audrey --- fem. proper name, contracted from Etheldreda, a Latinized form of O.E. Æðrlðryð, lit. "noble might," from æðele "noble" + ðryð "strength, might."

Aufklärung --- 1801, from Ger., lit. "Enlightenment."

Augean --- filthy, 1599, in ref. to Augean stable, the cleansing of which was one of the labors of Herakles, from Gk. Augeias, like the stable of Augeas, king of Elis, which contained 3,000 oxen and had been uncleaned for 30 years. Herakles purified it in one day by turning the river Alpheus through it.

auger --- c.1500, faulty separation of M.E. a nauger, from O.E. nafogar "nave drill," from nafu "nave of a wheel" + gar "a spear, borer." For similar misdivisions, see adder. The same change took place in Du. (avegaar).

aught (1) --- something, O.E. awiht "aught, anything, something," lit. "e'er a whit," from P.Gmc. *aiwi "ever" (from PIE *aiw- "vital force, life, long life, eternity.") + *wihti "thing, anything whatever" (see wight). In Shakespeare, Milton and Pope, aught and ought occur indiscriminately.

aught (2) --- nothing, zero, faulty sep. of a naught (see naught).

augment --- c.1400, from O.Fr. augmenter, from L.L. augmentare "to increase," from L. augmentum "an increase," from augere "to increase, make big, enlarge, enrich," from PIE base *aug- "to increase" (cf. Skt. ojas- "strength," Lith. augu "to grow," aukstas "high, of superior rank;" Gk. auxo "increase," Goth. aukan "to grow, increase," O.E. eacien "to increase").

augur --- c.1374 (implied in augury), from L. augur, a religious official in ancient Rome who foretold events by interpreting omens, perhaps originally meaning "an increase in crops enacted in ritual," in which case it probably is from Old L. *augos (gen. *augeris) "increase," and is related to augere "increase" (see augment). The more popular theory is that it is from L. avis "bird," since flights, singing, and feeding of birds or entrails from bird sacrifices were an important part of divination (cf. auspicious). The second element would be from garrire "to talk." The verb is 1549, from the noun.

August --- 1097, from L. Augustus, sixth month of the Roman calendar, named for emperor Augustus Cæsar, lit. "Venerable Cæsar" (see august). Replaced native Weodmonað "weed month."

august --- 1664, from L. augustus "venerable," probably originally "consecrated by the augurs, with favorable auguries" (see augur); or else "that which is increased" (see augment).

Augustan --- 1645, from L. Augustus (Cæsar), whose reign was connected with "the palmy period of Latin literature" [OED]; hence, "period of purity and refinement in any national literature" (1712).

auk --- 1674, from O.N. alka originally imitative of a water-bird cry (cf. L. olor "swan," Gk. elea "marsh bird").

aunt --- 1297, from Anglo-Fr. aunte, from O.Fr. ante, from L. amita "paternal aunt" dim. of *amma a baby-talk or non-I.E. word for "mother" (cf. Gk. amma "mother," O.N. amma "grandmother," M.Ir. ammait "old hag," Heb. em, Arabic umm "mother"). Extended senses include "an old woman, a gossip" (1590); "a procuress" (1678); and "any benevolent woman," in Amer.Eng., where auntie was recorded since c.1790 as "a term often used in accosting elderly women."

aura --- 1859, "subtle emanation around living beings;" earlier "gentle breeze" (1398), from L. aura "breeze, wind, air," from Gk. aura "breath, breeze," from PIE base *awer-.

aural --- 1847, "of or pertaining to the ear," from L. auris "ear" (see ear (1)). Meaning "received or perceived by ear" is attested from 1860.

aureole --- c.1220, from L. fem. adj. dim. of aureus "golden." In medieval Christianity, the celestial crown worn by martyrs, virgins, etc., as victors over the flesh.