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

chipmunk --- 1841, from Algonquian, probably Ojibwa ajidamoo (in the Ottawa dialect ajidamoonh) "red squirrel," lit. "one who descends trees headlong" (containing ajid- "upside down"), probably infl. by Eng. chip and mink.

Chippendale --- 1876, from Thomas Chippendale (c.1718-79), English cabinetmaker. The family name (13c.) is from Chippingdale, Lancashire (probably from O.E. ceaping "a market, marketplace," related to cheap). Chippendales beefcake dance revue, began late 1970s in a Los Angeles nightclub, the name said to have been chosen for its suggestion of elegance and class.

chipper --- 1837, "lively, nimble," Amer.Eng., from northern British dial. kipper "nimble, frisky," origin obscure.

Chippewa --- see Ojibwa.

chippy --- promiscuous young woman; prostitute, 1880, U.S. slang, earlier (1864) short for chipping-bird "sparrow," perhaps ultimately a variant of cheep.

chiropractic --- coined in Amer.Eng. 1898 from Gk. cheir (gen. cheiros) "hand" + praktikos "practical." Chiropractor first recorded 1904.

chirp --- c.1440, echoic var. of M.E. chirken "to twitter" (1380), from O.E. cearcian "to creak, gnash."

chirr --- c.1600, echoic of a grasshopper's trill.

chirurgeon --- failed Renaissance attempt to restore Gk. spelling to the word that had got into Eng. as surgeon; now, thank the gods, archaic.

chisel --- 1323, from O.Fr. cisel, from V.L. *cisellum "cutting tool," from L. caesellum, dim. of caesus pp. of caedere "to cut" (see concise). Slang sense of "to cheat, defraud" is first recorded in 1808 as chizzel; origin and connection to the older word are obscure.

Chisholm Trail --- 1866, from Jesse Chisholm (c.1806-68), halfbreed Cherokee trader and government agent who first plied it.

chit (1) --- note, 1776, from Mahrati (Hindi) chitthi "letter, note," from Skt. chitra-s "distinctively marked."

chit (2) --- small child, c.1624, originally "young of a beast" (1382); unrelated to chit (1), perhaps connected to kitten.

chitin --- 1836, from Fr. chitine, from Gk. khiton "frock, tunic."

chitterlings --- 1221, cheterlingis "entrails, souse," origins obscure, but probably from O.E. and having something to do with entrails (related to O.E. cwið "womb;" cf. Ger. Kutteln "guts, bowels, tripe, chitterlings"). Variants chitlins (1845) and chitlings (1880) both also had a sense of "shreds, tatters."

chivalry --- 1292, from O.Fr. chevalerie "horsemanship," from chevaler "knight," from M.L. caballarius "horseman," from L. caballus (see cavalier). From "mounted knight," meaning stretched 14c. to "courtly behavior."

chive --- c.1400, from O.Fr. cive, from L. cepa "onion" (see onion).

chlamydia --- genital infection, 1984, from name of bacteria (1945), from Gk. khlamys "mantle" (gen. khlamydos).

Chloe --- fem. proper name, from Gk. Khloe, lit. "young green shoot;" related to khloros "greenish-yellow," from PIE *ghlo- var. of base *ghel-, a color word that has yielded words for both "yellow" (cf. L. helvus "yellowish, bay," Gallo-L. gilvus "light bay;" Lith. geltonas "yellow;" O.C.S. zlutu, Pol. zolty, Rus. zeltyj "yellow;" Skt. harih "yellow, tawny yellow," hiranyam "gold;" Avestan zari "yellow;" O.E. geolu, geolwe, Mod. Eng. yellow, Ger. gelb "yellow") and "green" (cf. L. galbus "greenish-yellow;" Gk. khloros "greenish-yellow color," kholos "bile;" Lith. zalias "green," zelvas "greenish;" O.C.S. zelenu, Pol. zielony, Rus. zelenyj "green;" O.Ir. glass, Welsh, Breton glas "green," also "grey, blue"). Buck says the interchange of words for yellow and green is "perhaps because they were applied to vegetation like grass, cereals, etc., which changed from green to yellow." It is possible that this whole group of yellow-green words is related to PIE base *ghlei- "to shine, glitter, glow, be warm" (see gleam).

chlorine --- coined 1810 by Sir Humphry Davy from Gk. khloros "pale green" (see Chloe). Named for its color. Discovered 1774, but known at first as oxymuriatic acid gas.

chloroform --- 1838, from Fr. chloroforme, coined in 1834 by Jean-Baptiste Dumas (1800-84) from chlor- "chlorine" + formique "formic (acid)."

chlorophyll --- 1819, from Fr. chlorophyle (1818), coined by Fr. chemists Pierre-Joseph Pelletier (1788-1842) and Joseph Bienaimé Caventou (1795-1877) from Gk. khloros "pale green" (see Chloe) + phyllon "a leaf."

chock --- 1674, possibly ult. from O.N.Fr. choque "a block," from O.Fr. çoche "log," from Gaul. *tsukka "a tree trunk, stump."

chock-full --- c.1400, chokkeful, possibly from choke "cheek." Or it may be from O.Fr. choquier "collide, thrust." Chock-a-block is nautical, said of two blocks of tackle run so closely they touch.

chocolate --- 1604, from Nahuatl xocolatl, from xococ "bitter" + atl "water." Brought to Spain for first time 1520. John Hannon (financed by Dr. James Baker) started the first chocolate factory in the U.S. in Dorchester, 1780; Baker later founded Baker's Chocolate. Chocolate chip is from 1940. "To a Coffee-house, to drink jocolatte, very good" [Pepys, "Diary," Nov. 24, 1664].

Choctaw --- 1722, from Choctaw Chahta, of uncertain meaning, but also said to be from Sp. chato "flattened," for the tribe's custom of flattening the heads of male infants. As a figure skating step, first recorded 1892.

choice --- c.1300, from O.Fr. chois, from v. choisir "to choose," from a Gmc. source (cf. Gothic *kausjan "to taste, test"), from P.Gmc. base *kaus-, *keus-. Replaced O.E. cyre, from the same base, probably because the imported word was closer to choose. Sense of "that which is preferable to be chosen, the flower, the elite" is from 1494, from adj. in this sense (c.1350).

choir --- c.1300, from O.Fr. quer "choir of a church," from L. chorus "choir" (see chorus), to Eng. as quyre, re-spelled 1643 on L. model.

choke --- c.1200, aphetic of acheken, from O.E. aceocian "to choke" (with intensive a-), probably from base of ceoke "jaw, cheek." Meaning "valve which controls air to a carburetor" first recorded 1926. Choke-cherry (1785) so called for its astringent qualities. Choker "large neckerchief" is from 1848.

choler --- c.1390, "bile," as one of the humors, supposed to cause irascibility or temper, from O.Fr. colre "bile, anger," from L.L. cholera "bile" (see cholera).

cholera --- c.1386, "choler, bile, melancholy," from L. cholera, from Gk. kholera "a type of disease characterized by diarrhea, supposedly caused by choler" (Celsus), from khole "gall, bile," from khloazein "to be green," from khloros (see Chloe). But another sense of khole was "drainpipe, gutter." Revived 1565 as a name for a severe digestive disorder (rarely fatal to adults); and 1704 (especially as cholera morbus), for a highly lethal disease endemic in India, periodically breaking out in global epidemics.

cholesterol --- 1894, from Fr. cholestrine (1827), from Gk. khole "bile" + steros "solid, stiff."

chomp --- c.1645, U.S. and dialectal variant of champ.

choo-choo --- echoic nursery name for "steam-engine locomotive," 1903.

choose --- O.E. ceosan "choose, taste, try" (class II strong verb; past tense ceas, pp. coren), from P.Gmc. *keusanan, from PIE base *geus- "to taste, relish" (see gusto). Variant spelling chuse is M.E., very frequent 16c.-18c. Only remotely related to choice. The irregular pp. leveled out to chosen by 1200. Choosy is Amer.Eng. 1862.

chop (1) --- to cut, 1362, perhaps from O.Fr. (Picard) choper, from O.Fr. coper "to cut off," from V.L. *cuppare "to decapitate," infl. by couper "to strike." Meaning "slice of meat" is c.1640; hence, chop-house (1690). Chopper, slang for "helicopter," dates from 1951, Korean War military slang. Meaning "stripped-down modified motorcycle" is from 1965.

chop (2) --- shift, O.E. ceapian "to bargain," with a sense of "changing back and forth." Choppy, of seas, is attested from 1867.

chop suey --- 1888, Amer.Eng., from Chinese (Cantonese dialect) tsap sui "odds and ends."

chops --- jaws, sides of the face, 1505, variant of chaps, of unknown origin.

chopstick --- 1699, sailors' partial translation of Chinese k'wai tse "fast ones" or "nimble boys," first element from pidgin Eng. chop, from Cantonese kap "urgent." Chopsticks, the two-fingered piano exercise, is first attested 1893, probably from the resemblance of the fingers to chopsticks.

choral --- 1587, from M.Fr. choral, from M.L. choralis "belonging to a chorus or choir," from L. chorus (see chorus).

chorale --- 1841, "sacred choral song," from Ger. Choral "metrical hymn in Reformed church," shortened from Choralgesang "choral song," translating M.L. cantus choralis, from L. cantus (see chant) + choralis (see choral). The "-e" was added to indicate stress. Meaning "group of singers" is 1942.

chord (1) --- related notes in music, 1597, aphetic of accord, infl. by L. chorda (see cord). Spelling with an -h- first recorded 1608.

chord (2) --- structure in animals resembling a string, 1541, alt. of cord, by influence of Gk. khorde "gut, string." The geometry sense is from 1551; meaning "feeling, emotion" first attested 1784.

chore --- 1746, Amer.Eng., variant of char, from M.E. cherre "odd job," from O.E. cerr, cierr "turn, occasion."

chorea --- 1806, from Mod.L. chorea Sancti Viti "St. Vitus dance" (originally a mass hysteria in 15c. Europe characterized by uncontrolled dancing; extension to the nerve disorder is from 1621), from L. chorea, from Gk. khoreia "dance."

choreography --- c.1789, from Fr. chorégraphie, coined from Gk. khoreia "dance" + graphein "to write." Choreograph (v.) is from 1943.

chorister --- member of a choir, c.1360 (see choir).

chork --- c.1440, now Scottish, "to make the noise which the feet do when the shoes are full of water."

chortle --- coined 1872 by Lewis Carroll in "Through the Looking Glass," probably from chuckle and snort.

chorus --- 1561, from Gk. khoros "band of dancers or singers, dance, dancing ground," from PIE *ghoro-. In Attic tragedy, the khoros gave expression, between the acts, to the moral and religious sentiments evoked by the actions of the play. Originally used in theatrical sense; meaning of "a choir" first attested 1656. Meaning "the refrain of a song" (which the audience joins in singing) is 1599. Chorus girl is 1894.

chow --- food, 1856, Amer.Eng. (originally in California), from Chinese pidgin Eng. chow-chow (1795) "food," reduplication of Chinese cha or tsa "mixed." The dog breed of the same name is from 1886, of unknown origin, but some suggest a link to the Chinese tendency to see dogs as edible.

chow mein --- 1903, Amer.Eng., from Chinese ch'ao mien "fried flour."

chowder --- 1751, apparently named for the pot it was cooked in: Fr. chaudière "a pot," from L.L. caldaria (see caldron). N.Amer. term, introduced in Newfoundland by Breton fishermen. Chowderhead (1819) is a corruption of cholter-head (16c.), from jolthead, of unknown origin.

chrism --- oil mingled with balm, O.E., from L. chrisma, from Gk. khrisma "anointing, unction." Chrisom "baptismal robe," is a c.1200 variant of this.

Christ --- O.E. crist, from L. Christus, from Gk. khristos "the anointed" (translation of Heb. mashiah, see messiah), from khriein "to rub, anoint," title given to Jesus of Nazareth. The L. term drove out O.E. hæland "healer" as the preferred descriptive term for Jesus. A title, treated as a proper name in O.E., but not regularly capitalized until 17c. Pronunciation with long -i- is result of Ir. missionary work in England, 7c.-8c. The Ch- form, regular since c.1500, was rare before. Christmas is O.E. Cristes mæsse and retains original vowel sound; Father Christmas first attested in a carol attributed to Richard Smart, Rector of Plymtree (Devon) from 1435-77. Christmas tree first attested 1835 in Amer.Eng., from Ger. Weihnachtsbaum. Christmas cards first designed 1843, popular by 1860s.

christen --- O.E. cristnian "make Christian," from W.Gmc., from L. christianus (see Christian). General meaning of "to name" is attested from c.1450.

Christian --- O.E. cristen, from L. Christianus, from Gk. christianos, from Christos (see Christ). First used in Antioch, according to Acts xi.25-26. Christianity "the religion of Christ," is from c.1303. Christian Science is from 1863.

Christopher --- masc. proper name, lit. "Christ-bearing." In medieval legend he was a giant (one of the rare virtuous ones) who aided travellers by carrying them across a river. Medallions with his image worn by travellers are known from the Middle Ages (e.g. Chaucer's Yeoman).

Christy Minstrels --- 1873, a black-face troupe originated by George Christy of New York.

chromatic --- 1597 (of music), 1831 (of color), from Gk. khromatikos "suited for color," from khroma (gen. khromatos) "color, complexion, character," but also used of music, orig. "skin, surface."

chrome --- 1800, from Fr., coined 1797 by Fr. chemist Nicolas-Louis Vauquelin (1763-1829), from Gk. khroma "color," because it makes colorful compounds. Originally the name given to the metal chromium; as a short form of chromium plating it dates from 1937.

chromosome --- 1889, from Ger. Chromosom, coined 1888 by Ger. anatomist Wilhelm von Waldeyer-Hartz (1836-1921), from Gk. khroma "color" + soma "body." So called because the structures contain a substance that stains readily with basic dyes.

chronic --- 1601 (earlier form was chronical, 1530), from O.Fr. chronique, from L. chronicus, from Gk. khronikos "of time," from khronos "time." Vague disapproving sense is from association with diseases (a connection found since 1601).

chronicle (n.) --- 1303, from O.Fr. chronique, from L. chronica, from Gk. chronika (biblia) "(books of) annals," neut. pl. of chronikos "of time." The verb is from c.1440.

chronology --- 1593, from Gk. khrono- comb. form of khronos "time" + -logy comb. form of logos "word."

chrysalis --- 1601, from L. chrysallis, from Gk. chrysallis "golden colored," from chrysos "gold," of Sem. origin, + second element meaning something like "sheath."

chrysanthemum --- 1551, from L., from Gk. chrysanthemon "marigold," lit. "golden flower," from chrysos "gold" (see chrysalis) + anthemon "a flower," from PIE *andh- "bloom."

chthonic --- 1882, from Gk. khthonios "in the earth," from khthon "the earth, solid surface of the earth" (mostly poetic) from PIE root *dhghem- (cf. first element in chameleon, also L. humus "earth, soil," humilis "low;" Lith. zeme, O.C.S. zemlja "earth;" Skt. ksam- "earth" (opposed to "sky"); O.Ir. du, gen. don "place," earlier "earth"). Chthonian is from 1850.

chub --- river fish, c.1450, chubbe, of unknown origin. In Europe, a kind of carp; in U.S., the black bass.

chubby --- 1611, from chub (q.v.) the short, thick fish used as bait, used metaphorically for "lazy person" since 1558; perhaps influenced by O.N. kumba "log," kumben "stumpy."

chuck (n.) --- 1674, probably a variant of chock. Originally used of wood or meat. Hence, chuck wagon, 1880.

chuck (v.) --- 1593, variant of chock "give a blow under the chin," possibly from Fr. choqueur "to shock, strike against."

chuckle --- 1598, frequentative of M.E. chukken "make a clucking noise," of echoic origin. It originally meant "noisy laughter." Chucklehead "blockhead" (18c.) is perhaps connected with chuck (v.).

chug --- 1866, echoic of a steam engine.

chukker --- period in a polo game, 1898, from Hindi chakkar, from Skt. cakra "circle, wheel" (see chakra).

chum (1) --- friend, 1684, university slang, alt. spelling of cham, short for chamber(mate), typical of the late-17c. fondness for clipped words.

chum (2) --- fish bait, 1857, perhaps from Scot. chum "food."

chump --- 1703, "short, thick lump of wood," akin to O.N. kumba "block of wood." Meaning "blockhead" is first attested 1883.

chunk --- 1691, variant of chuck (n.); meaning "large amount" is 1889. Verb meaning "to throw" is 1835, Amer.Eng. Chunky is Amer.Eng., 1751.

Chunnel --- 1928, a blend of (English) Channel and tunnel.

church --- O.E. cirice "church," from W.Gmc. *kirika, from Gk. kyriake (oikia) "Lord's (house)," from kyrios "ruler, lord." For vowel evolution, see bury. Gk. kyriakon (adj.) "of the Lord" was used of houses of Christian worship since c.300, especially in the East, though it was less common in this sense than ekklesia or basilike. An example of the direct Gk.-to-Gmc. progress of many Christian words, via the Goths; it was probably used by W.Gmc. people in their pre-Christian period. Also picked up by Slavic, via Gmc. (cf. O.Slav. criky, Rus. cerkov). Romance and Celtic languages use variants of L. ecclesia. Slang church key for "can or bottle opener" is from 1950s. Church-mouse, proverbial in many languages for its poverty, is 1731 in Eng.

churl --- O.E. ceorl "peasant, freeman, man without rank," from P.Gmc. *kerlaz, *karlaz. It had various meaning in early M.E., including "man of the common people," "a country man," "husbandman," "free peasant;" by 1300, it meant "bondman, villain," also "fellow of low birth or rude manners." For acquisition of an insulting flavor over time, compare boor, villain.

churn --- O.E. cyrin, from P.Gmc. *kernjon, probably akin to cyrnel "kernel," from the grainy appearance of churned cream. Extended verbal senses are from late 17c.

chute --- 1725, Amer.Eng., "fall of water," from Fr. chute, from O.Fr. cheoite pp. of cheoir "to fall," from L. cadere (see case (1)). Meaning "narrow passage for cattle, etc." first recorded 1881.

chutney --- 1813, from Hindi chatni.

chutzpah --- 1892, from Yiddish khutspe "impudence, gall" from Heb. hutspah. The classic definition is that given by Leo Rosten: "that quality enshrined in a man who, having killed his mother and father, throws himself on the mercy of the court because he is an orphan."

chyle --- 1541, from L. chylus, from Gk. khylos "juice" (of plants, animals, etc.), see chyme.

chyme --- 1607, from L. chymus, from Gk. khymos, nearly identical to khylos (see chyle) and meaning essentially the same thing. Differentiated by Galen, who used khymos for "juice in its natural or raw state," and khylos for "juice produced by digestion," hence the modern distinction.

ciao --- 1929, dial. variant of It. schiavo "(your obedient) servant," lit. "slave," from M.L. sclavus "slave."

cicada --- 1432, from L. "tree cricket."

cicatrix --- 1641, from L. cicatrix "a scar," of unknown origin.

cicisbeo --- 1718, from It., "the recognized gallant of a married woman." Perhaps from Fr. chiche beau, or from Venetian dialect cici "the chattering of women" (attested in 18c.).

cider --- c.1280, from O.Fr. sidre, var. of sisdre, from L.L. sicera, Vulgate rendition of Heb. shekhar, word used for any strong drink (translated in O.E. as beor). Meaning gradually narrowed to mean exclusively "fermented drink made from apples," though this sense was present in O.Fr.

cigar --- 1730, from Sp. cigarro, prob. from Maya sicar "to smoke rolled tobacco leaves," from sic "tobacco;" or from or infl. by Sp. cigarra "grasshopper."

cigarette --- 1835, Amer.Eng., from Fr. cigarette, dim. of cigare "cigar." Sp. form cigarito, -ita was also popular mid-19c. Slang short form cig attested from c.1889.

cilantro --- from Sp., variant of culantro, from L. coriandrum "coriander."

cinch --- 1859, Amer.Eng., "saddle-girth," from Sp. cincha "girdle," from L. cingulum "a girdle," from cingere "to surround, encircle," from PIE base *kenk- "to gird, encircle." Sense of "an easy thing" is 1898, via notion of "a sure hold" (1888). The verb is first recorded 1866.

Cincinnati --- city on the Ohio River in Ohio, U.S., founded 1789 and first called Losantiville, name changed 1790 by territorial Gov. Arthur St. Clair, in honor of the Society of the Cincinnati, a fraternal veterans' organization founded 1783 by former Revolutionary War officers (St. Clair was a member) and named for Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus, 5c. B.C.E. Roman hero who saved the city from crisis and then retired to his farm. His name is lit. "with curly hair," from L. cincinnus "curl, curly hair."

cinder --- O.E. sinder "dross of iron, slag," from P.Gmc. *sindran, from PIE base *sendhro- "coagulating fluid." Initial s- changed to c- under infl. of Fr. cendre.

Cinderella --- partial translation of Ger. Aschenbrödel, lit. "scullion," from asche "ash" + brodeln "bubble up, to brew." A widespread Eurasian folk tale, the oldest version is Chinese (c.850 C.E.); the Eng. version is based on Perrault's "Cendrillon" (1697), translated from Fr. by Robert Sambler (1729), but there were probably native versions (e.g. Scottish "Rashin Coatie").

cinema --- 1899, "a movie hall," from Fr. cinéma, shortened from cinématographe, coined 1890s by Lumiere brothers, who invented it, from Gk. kinema "movement," from kinein "to move" (see cite). Meaning "movies collectively, especially as an art form" first recorded 1918. Cinematography is from 1897; cinéma vérité is 1963, from Fr.; Cinerama, proprietary name, is from 1951.

cinnabar --- 1382, "red or crystalline form of mercuric sulphide," also applied to other ores of mercury, originally with reference to its use as a pigment; from O.Fr. cinabre, L. cinnabaris, from Gk. kinnabari, of oriental origin (cf. Pers. zanjifrah in the same sense). Also used 14c.-17c. of red resinous juice of a certain Eastern tree, which was believed to be a mixture of dragon's and elephant's blood.

cinnamon --- c.1390, from Gk. kinnamomon, from Phoenician word akin to Heb. qinnamon. Stripped from the bark of a tree in the avocado family. Ceylon cinnamon, the true cinnamon, is used in Britain, but American cinnamon is almost always from the related cassia tree of Southeast Asia and is stronger and sweeter.

cinque ports --- 1191 (in L.), 1297 (in Eng.), from L. quinque portus, Hastings, Sandwich, Dover, Romney, and Hythe, granted special privileges from the crown in return for defense of the Channel in the days before England had a navy.

cipher --- 1399, from M.L. cifra, from Arabic sifr "zero," lit. "empty, nothing," from safara "to be empty," loan-transl. of Skt. sunya-s "empty." Came to Europe with Arabic numerals. Original meaning "zero," then "any numeral," then (first in Fr. and It.) "coded message" (first attested in Eng. 1528), since early codes often substituted numbers for letters. The verb meaning "to do arithmetic (with Arabic numerals) first attested 1530.

circa --- 1861, from L. circa "about."

circadian --- coined 1959 from L. circa "about" + diem, acc. sing. of dies "day" (see diurnal).

circle --- c.1305, from O.Fr. cercle, from L. circulus "small ring," dim. of circus (q.v.). Replaced O.E. trendel and hring. Meaning "group of persons surrounding a center of interest" is from 1714; that of "coterie" is from 1646; dim. form circlet is from 1481. The verb is from c.1374.

circuit --- 1382, from O.Fr. circuit, from L. circuitus "a going around," from stem of circuire, circumire "go around," from circum "around" + -ire "to go." Electrical sense is from 1800; circuitry is from 1946. Circuitous is from 1664.

circular --- 1370, from Anglo-Fr. circuler, O.Fr. circulier, from L. circularis, from circulus (see circle). Sense of "a notice circulated" is from 1818.

circulation --- 1440, from L. circulationem, from circulare "to form a circle," used of blood first by William Harvey, 1628.

circum- --- from L. circum adv. and prep., "around, round about" (as in circumnavigate, 1634), accusative form of circus "ring."

circumcision --- c.1175, from L. circumcisus, pp. of circumcadere "to cut around," from circum "around" + caedere "to cut" (see concise).

circumference --- 1393, from L. circumferentia, neut. pl. of circumferens prp. of circumferre (loan-transl. of Gk. periphereia "rotundity, periphery"), from circum "around" + ferre "to carry" (see infer).