Word origins

• advertentAttentive.
• advesperationThe approach of evening.
• ad vitam aut culpamFor life or fault: a kind of appointment or tenure in Scotland.
• ad vivumfrom life
• advocationAdvocacy; the act of advocating or pleading.
• advocatrixA female advocate, especially as a title of Mary, mother of Jesus.
• advokeTo summon or call (to a higher tribunal).
• advolutionA rolling toward something; goal orientation.
• adytThe innermost sanctum of a temple, in which oracles are announced.
• adytumThe innermost sanctuary or shrine in a temple, from where oracles were given.
• AeacusA king of the island of Aegina in the Saronic Gulf, one of the three judges in Hades.
• AeaeaThe mythical island said to be the home of the sorceress Circe.
• aediculaA painted framed niche giving the appearance of depth.
• aediculeA small house or room.
• aedileAn elected official who was responsible for the maintenance of public buildings, regulation of festivals, supervision of markets and the supply of grain and water.
• aedilityThe office of an elected official responsible for festivals and the maintenance of public buildings.
• AeëtesA king of Colchis, son of Helios and Perseis.
• aegerAbsent and excused from one’s classes due to illness
• aegipanA goat-like creature resembling a satyr, sometimes portrayed as having a fish's tail.
• aegrotatA certificate indicating that a student is ill, excusing attendance at lectures and examinations and allowing courses to be passed without finishing the work.
• aeneousBronze-colored.
• aeolicOf the Anatolian region Aeolis, Aeolia.
• AeolisAn area of Ancient Greece that comprised the west and northwestern region of Asia Minor, mostly along the coast, and also several offshore islands (particularly Lesbos), where the Aeolian Greek city-states were located.
• aeolo-In continuous change.
• aequalisThe case conveying an equality with another noun, equivalent to “like” or “as” in English. This case is used in some languages like Inuktitut.
• AequiAn Italic tribe of northeast Latium and the central Apennines of Italy who appear in the early history of ancient Rome.
• AequianOf or relating to that ancient people who resided in Italy.
• aequorealmarine; oceanic
• aerariumThe state treasury of Ancient Rome.
• aerenchymaA spongy, airy tissue found especially in the roots of aquatic plants.
• aereousResembling or consisting of air.
• aeroseOf, or like copper or brass; brassy.
• aerugoMetallic rust, particularly of brass or copper; verdigris; patina.
• AesacusA son of King Priam, either by the naiad Alexirrhoë or the seer Arisbe, who interpreted the dreams of Queen Hecuba when she bore Paris and who mourned the deceased daughter (either Asterope and Hesperia) of the river-god Cebren; in Ovid’s Metamorphoses transformed by Tethys (Cebren’s mother) into a diving seabird (perhaps a cormorant or Scopoli’s shearwater) when he threw himself from atop a sea-cliff in grief.
• AesopianRelated to or concerning the Greek fabulist Aesop.
• aestiferousAs the tide, turbulent; ebbing and flowing.
• aestivationA state of inactivity and metabolic depression during summer: the summer version of hibernation.
• aestiveOf or relating to summer.
• aestivoautumnalRelating to or happening in summer and autumn.
• aestuousFull of passion; agitated.
• æt.Of the age; aged.
• aetatAged; at the age of.
• ÆternalesA heretical sect which belived that the world would remain in its present state even after the second coming of Jesus.
• AethusaA daughter of Poseidon and the Pleiad Alcyone, daughter of Atlas. She was loved by Apollo and bore to him Eleuther and Linus.
• aetiologiaAttributing a cause for a statement or claim made, often as a simple relative clause of explanation.
• AetoliaA mountainous region of Greece on the north coast of the Gulf of Corinth, forming the eastern part of the modern prefecture of Aetolia-Acarnania.
• aetonormativityAny assumption of an age-based norm and particularly the assumption that adults and adult experiences are normative while children and childish experiences are consequently deviant or other.
• aeviternitySynonym of eternity (“existence without end”).
• affabrousExecuted in a workmanlike manner; ingeniously made.
• affectatedaffected
• affectualPertaining to or consisting in disposition or desire.
• affectuouspassionate or affectionate.
• afferentiaAny afferent vessels, whether blood or lymph vessels; specifically, the afferent arteries of the kidneys.
• affirmantSomeone who affirms or asserts.
• affirmatioMaking a statement as if it were in response to a question or were in dispute, especially when it is not.
• affirmatumSomething that is affirmed.
• afflateTo fill, especially with divine inspiration.
• afflationA blowing or breathing on.
• afflatusA sudden rush of creative impulse or inspiration, often attributed to divine influence.
• affluxAn upward rush of fluid.
• affrictionThe act of rubbing against.
• affuseTo pour out or upon.
• affusionThe pouring of liquid, especially as a hydrotherapy.
• Afro-African
• agallochumSynonym of agalloch.
• AgapetusA male given name from Ancient Greek
• AgathangelusA male given name from Koine Greek.
• AgatharchusA male given name from Ancient Greek.
• AgathinusA male given name from Ancient Greek
• AgathonicusA male given name from Ancient Greek.
• AgathusA male given name from Ancient Greek.
• AgathyrsiA tribe of Sarmatia
• agéTo act for another (as a law agent or solicitor).
• ager publicusThe public land of Ancient Rome, usually acquired by expropriation from enemies of Rome.
• aggenitalPositioned near, or on both sides of, the genital area.
• aggerationA piling up; accumulation.
• agger nasiA small ridge on the lateral side of the nasal cavity.
• aggestTo heap up.
• agglutinateUnited with glue or as with glue; cemented together.
• aggraceTo favour; to grace.
• aggravableaggravating
• aggressAggression.
• agiblePossible to be done; practicable.
• agitatrixA woman who agitates; a female agitator.
• agitoAn asymmetric crescent that is a symbol of the Paralympic movement.
• agitographiaVery fast writing, normally with unintentional omission of words
• agitolaliaagitophasia
• agitophasiaA condition characterized by abnormally rapid speech in which words, sounds, or syllables are unconsciously omitted, slurred, or distorted.
• AglaeaOne of the Charites (the youngest, although Homer names another younger).
• aglutitionInability to swallow.
• agminalPertaining to an army or a troop.
• agminatedagminate
• agnameAn appellation over and above the given name and surname.
• agnateA relative whose relation is traced only through male members of the family.
• agnationconsanguinity by a line of males only, as distinguished from cognation
• agnitionAcknowledgement.
• agnizeTo recognise; to acknowledge.
• agnogenicOf unknown etiology.
• agnomenAn additional cognomen given, as an honour, to a Roman citizen.
• agnominalOf or pertaining to an agnomen.