MarcusBennevall/EtymologyTaggerDataset huggingface dataset:
Noel
From Middle English Nowel, borrowed from Old French Noel (“Christmas”), from Latin nātālis [diēs Dominī] (“birth[day of the Lord]”). Doublet of natal and Natal.
From Middle English nowel, from Anglo-Norman noel, Middle French noel, a variant of nael, from Latin adjective nātālis (“natal, having to do with birth”).
animus
Learned borrowing from Latin animus (“the mind, in a great variety of meanings: the rational soul in man, intellect, consciousness, will, intention, courage, spirit, sensibility, feeling, passion, pride, vehemence, wrath, etc., the breath, life, soul”), from Proto-Italic *anamos, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂enh₁mos, from *h₂enh₁- (“to breathe”). Closely related to Latin anima, which is a feminine form.
turning
From Middle English turnyng, turnynge, from Old English tyrning, turnung, equivalent to turn + -ing.
From Middle English turninge, turnynge, turninde, turnand, turnende, from Old English tyrnende, turniende, present participle of Old English tyrnan, turnian (“to turn”). Equivalent to turn + -ing.
beag
Learned borrowing from Old English bēag (“circular jewelry worn on the body: ring, armlet, crown, collar”), from Proto-West Germanic *baug, from Proto-Germanic *baugaz, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰewgʰ- (“to bend”). Cognate with dialectal German Baug (“ring, collar”), Icelandic baugur (“ring, circle”). Doublet of bee (“ring”). Related to bagel.
Geoffrey
From Middle English Geffrey, from an Old French aristocratic name, Geoffroi [dʒɔfreʲ] (> West Middle French Geoffrey, East Middle French Geoffroy), itself from Proto-French forms (latinized in -us) Jotfredus, Jozsfredus, Josfredus (10th century) and Jof[f]redus, Jofridus, Jaufredus, Geffredus (11th century), and ultimately of Proto-Germanic origin. The second element is *friþuz (“peace, sanctuary”). The first element may be *gautaz (“a Geat, a Goth”) [making the Proto-Germanic term *Gautafriþu, as opposed to *gōdaz (“good”) or *gudą (“god”) in Godfrey; this would also make it related to Jocelyn]. The name was introduced to England by the Normans in the 11th century. Partially displaced Old English Ceolfriþ.
Godfrey
From Old French Godefrei, from Old High German Godafrid (“peace of God”), from Proto-Germanic *Gudafriþuz. Equivalent to god + frith. Doublet of Gottfried and Geoffrey.
ciborium
Borrowed from Medieval Latin cibōrium (“drinking-cup”), from Ancient Greek κιβώριον (kibṓrion, “the Egyptian water-lily’s cupulate seed pod”, or “a drinking-cup fashioned therefrom”). Doublet of cimborio.
crackle
From Middle English crakelen, equivalent to crack + -le (frequentative suffix). The physics sense is part of a facetious sequence "snap, crackle, pop", after the mascots of Rice Krispies cereal.
majolica
From Italian maiolica, named after the Island of Mallorca (formerly known as Maiòlica), which was once a commerce center for work produced in Valencia, Spain. Doublet of Mallorca and Majorca.
alt
From Latin altus (“high”). Doublet of old and alto.
From German Alt.
Afro-
Etymology tree
Latin Āfri
Ancient Greek -ο- (-o-)der.
Latin -o-bor.
English -o-
English Afro-
From Latin Āfri, Āfer + -o-. Abstracted from Afro-American (attested 1902) and becoming generally popular from the 1960s.
open sesame
From its use in Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, translating French Sésame, ouvre-toi in Antoine Galland's version of the Ali Baba story in the One Thousand and One Nights, possibly based on an oral Arabic source.
Not, as some have purported, a corruption of Open, says me!.
sesame
From late Middle English sisamie, from Latin sīsamum, sēsamum, from Ancient Greek σήσαμον (sḗsamon), from Aramaic שושמא (šūššmā), shortening of שומשומא (šumššumā), from Akkadian 𒊭𒈦𒌑𒈬 (šamaššammū, “oil plant”), compound of 𒉌𒄑 (šaman, “oil”) and 𒌑 (šammum, “plant”). The modern pronunciation is perhaps influenced by (transliterations of) Greek σησάμη (sisámi). Doublet of sesamum.
trombone
Borrowed from Italian trombone, from tromba (“trumpet”) + -one (augmentative), literally “large trumpet”.
The telecommunications sense alludes to the shape of the musical instrument.
missile
From Latin missile (“thrown weapon, projectile”), neuter of missilis (“throwable, capable of being thrown”), from mittere (“to send”). From 1611. Compare Middle French missile (“projectile”), from 1636.
contribution
From Middle English contribucioun, contribucion, from Old French contribution, from Latin contribūtiōnem, contribūtiō, from Latin contribuēre. By surface analysis, contribute + -ion.
rocket
From Italian rocchetta, from Old Italian rocchetto (“rocket”, literally “a bobbin”), diminutive of rocca (“a distaff”), from Lombardic rocko (“spinning wheel”), from Proto-West Germanic *rokkō, from Proto-Germanic *rukkô (“a distaff, a staff with flax fibres tied loosely to it, used in spinning thread”). Cognate with Old High German rocco, rocko, roccho, rocho ("a distaff"; > German Rocken (“a distaff”)), Swedish rock (“a distaff”), Icelandic rokkur (“a distaff”), Middle English rocke (“a distaff”). More at rock⁴.
For the meaning development, compare fuselage, ultimately from Latin fūsus (“spindle, spinning wheel”).
Borrowed from French roquette, from Italian ruchetta, diminutive of ruca, from Latin eruca. Cognate to arugula, rucola, eruca, roquette.
projectile
From Medieval Latin prōiectilis (“projectile”), from Latin prōiectus, perfect passive participle of prōiciō (“throw forth; extend; expel”).
carnival
From Middle French carnaval, from Italian carnevale, possibly from the Latin phrase carnem levāmen (“meat dismissal”). Other scholars suggest Latin carnuālia (“meat-based country feast”) or carrus nāvālis (“boat wagon; float”) instead. Doublet of carnaval.
salvation
From Middle English savacioun, from Old French savaciun, salvaciun, from Latin salvātiō. Displaced native Old English hǣlu.
cramp
Etymology tree
Proto-Germanic *krampôder.
Frankish *krampōder.
Proto-Germanic *krampôder.
Middle Dutch crampeder.
Old French crampebor.
Middle English crampe
English cramp
From Middle English crampe, from Old French crampe (“cramp”), from Frankish *krampa (“cramp”), from Proto-West Germanic *krampu, from Proto-Germanic *krampō (“cramp, clasp”). Distant relative of English crop.
minstrel
The noun is derived from Middle English minstral, menestrel (“actor; juggler; mime; musician; singer; storyteller; (military) soldier playing a horn or trumpet as a signal”) [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman menestrel [and other forms] and Old French menestrel (“artisan; servant; itinerant musician or poet; worker”) [and other forms] (modern French ménestrel (“minstrel”)), from Late Latin ministerialis (“official or retainer owing household and military service to a feudal lord, a ministerial or ministerialis”), from Latin ministerium (“employment, ministration; office of a minister, ministry; action or attendance by an inferior person such as a slave, service”) + -ālis (suffix forming adjectives). Ministerium is derived from minister (“accomplice; agent; aide; attendant; servant; waiter”) (probably ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *mey- (“little, small”) + *-teros (contrastive or oppositional suffix forming adjectives)) + -ium (suffix forming abstract nouns). Doublet of ministerial and ministerialis.
The verb is derived from the noun.
troupe
Attested 1825; Unadapted borrowing from French troupe, which see for more. Doublet of troop, and possibly also of thorp and dorp.
recite
From Middle English reciten, from Old French reciter, from Latin recitō.
recitation
Borrowed from Middle French récitation, from Latin recitatio, equivalent to recite + -ation.
carousel
From French carrousel, from Italian carosello, from Sicilian caruseḍḍu and/or Neapolitan carusiello. Uncertain. Some suggested a derivation from carro (“cart”), from Latin carrus, but this does not fit the criteria of an appropriate morphological reconstruction. Not believed to be related to carousal.
correspond
From Middle French correspondre, from Latin com- (“with”) + respondeo (“to match, to answer to”), equivalent to co- + respond.
carouse
From Middle French carousser (“to quaff, drink, swill”), from German gar aus (literally “all out, quite out”), from gar austrinken (“to drink up entirely, guzzle”). Compare German Garaus.
litotes
Learned borrowing from Late Latin lītotēs, from Ancient Greek λιτότης (litótēs, literally “plainness”), from λιτός (litós, “simple”).
camaraderie
Unadapted borrowing from French camaraderie.
Recent American pronunciations such as /ˌkɑməˈɹɑdəɹi/ and /ˌkɑmˈɹɑdəɹi/ are influenced by the cognate comrade.
cannula
Borrowed from Late Latin cannula, canula (“tubular surgical instrument”), from Latin cannula (“reed; small reed- or tube-shaped object”), from canna (“cane; reed; object made from or shaped like a cane or reed”) + -ula (feminine form of -ulus (diminutive suffix). Canna is derived from Ancient Greek κᾰ́ννᾱ (kắnnā, “reed”), from Akkadian 𒂵𒉡𒌑𒌝 (qanûm, “cane; reed”).
The plural form cannulae is borrowed from Late Latin cannulae.
travesty
From French travesti (“disguised, burlesqued”), past participle of travestir (“to disguise”), borrowed from Italian travestire (“to dress up, disguise”), from tra- (“across”) + vestire (“to dress”), from Latin vestiō (“to clothe, dress”), from Proto-Italic *westis (“clothing”), from Proto-Indo-European *wéstis (“dressing”) from verbal root *wes- (“to dress, clothe”); cognate to English wear. Doublet of travesti.
impetus
Borrowed from Latin impetus (“a rushing upon, an attack, assault, onset”), from impetō (“to rush upon, attack”), from in- (“upon”) + petō (“to seek, fall upon”).
auricle
From Latin auricula (“the external ear”), diminutive of auris (“the ear”). Doublet of auricula.
propose
From Middle English proposen, from Anglo-Norman proposer (verb), propos (noun), Middle French proposer (verb), propos (noun), from Latin prōpōnō, prōpōnere, with conjugation altered based on poser. Doublet of propound.
fleadh
From Irish fleadh, classical/dialectal/superseded spelling of fleá, from Old Irish fled, from Proto-Celtic *wlidā.
flog
From Middle English *floggen (suggested by flogge (“hammer, sledge”), from Old English *floggian, a stem variant of Proto-Germanic *flukkōną (“to beat”), itself a secondary zero-grade iterative with unetymological -u-, derived from *flōkaną.
The original zero-grade iterative *flakkōną had been misinterpreted as an o-grade. See flack (“to beat”), also as a dialectal noun "a blow, slap". Cognate with Scots flog (“a blow, stripe, flogging”, noun), Scots flog (“thin strip of wood”), Norwegian flak (“a piece torn off, strip”).
Alternatively, a back-formation from flogger, from Low German flogger (“a flail”).
cloaca
Borrowed from Latin cloāca (“sewer”), related to cluō (“cleanse; purge”), but the derivation is uncertain.
mufti
Borrowed from Ottoman Turkish مفتی (müfti), from Arabic مُفْتِي (muftī, “fatwa-deliverer”, literally “deliverer of formal opinion”).
Molotov cocktail
Calque of Finnish Molotovin koktaili. Coined in Finland during the Winter War of 1939–40 between Finland and the Soviet Union, and named after then-Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov (1890–1986), who claimed the bombs the Soviet Union dropped on Finland were airborne humanitarian food deliveries prompting Finns to say their firebombs were Molotov cocktails (drinks to go with his food deliveries).
athwart
From Late Middle English athwert, athirt, from a- (prefix meaning ‘in the direction of, toward’) + thwert (“crosswise; (cooking) across the grain”, adverb). Thwert is derived from thwert (“crosswise, transverse; counter, opposing; contrary, obstinate, stubborn”, adjective), borrowed from Old Norse þvert (“across, athwart”), originally the neuter form of þverr (“across, transverse”), from Proto-Germanic *þwerhaz (“cross; adverse”) (altered or influenced by Proto-Germanic *þweraną (“to stir; to swirl; to turn”)), from Proto-Germanic *þerh-, probably from Proto-Indo-European *terkʷ- (“to spin; to turn”). The English word is analysable as a- (prefix meaning ‘in the direction of, toward’) + thwart (“placed or situated across something else”).
Cognates
* Scots athort (“athwart”)
extravagance
Borrowed from French extravagance, from Medieval Latin extra + vagor (“to wander”).
brothel
From Middle English brothel, brodel, brodelle, brethel (“a wretch, a depraved man or woman”) (compare also Middle English bretheling (“a wretch”)), apparently from an unrecorded Old English *brēoþel (“degenerative, corruptive”), related to Old English ābrēoþan (“to unsettle, degrade, ruin, frustrate, degenerate, deteriorate, fall away”); Old English ābroþen (“degenerate, base, trifling”); both ultimately from Proto-Germanic *breuþaną (“to fall apart; crumble”).
The expected modern English form would be *broddle (see fiddle); the failure of the change from /ðl/ to /dl/ may be because of the intervening schwa in the word's uninflected forms, influence from the verb, or most likely, a dialectal development (compare stathel besides staddle).
alphabetic
Partly from French alphabétique and partly from its etymon Latin alphabēticus. By surface analysis, alphabet + -ic.
mathematical
From Middle English mathematicalle, mathematical, from Medieval Latin mathēmaticālis.
eyed
From Middle English eyed, eied, iȝed, y-yȝed, equivalent to eye + -ed.
synthetic
From French synthétique, from Ancient Greek συνθετικός (sunthetikós); Equivalent to synthesis + -ic (suffix formation of -tic).
consolidate
Borrowed from Latin consolidātus, from the verb consolidō, from solidus (“solid”). By surface analysis, con- + solid + -ate.
console
Borrowed from French console (“bracket”, noun), from consoler (“to console, to comfort”, verb).
Sense of “bracket” either due to a bracket alleviating the load, or due to brackets being decorated with the Christian figure of a consolateur (“consoler”), itself perhaps a pun on the first sense (alleviating load).
Originally used for the bracket itself, then for wall-mounted tables (mounted with a bracket), then for free-standing tables placed against a wall. Use for control system dates at least to 1880s for an “organ console”; use for electrical or electronic control systems dates at least to 1930s in radio, television, and system control, particularly as “mixer console” or “control console”, attached to an equipment rack. This was popularized in computers by mainframes such as the IBM 704 (1954) in terms such as “operator’s console” or “console typewriter”, and then generalized to any attached equipment, particularly for user interaction. The automotive sense harks back to earlier use as “support”.
Borrowed from French consoler, from Latin cōnsōlor (“to console, offer solace”), root from Proto-Indo-European *selh₂- (“mercy, comfort”) (whence also solace).
solace
From Old French solas, from Latin sōlācium (“consolation”), root from Proto-Indo-European *selh₂- (“mercy, comfort”).
valiant
From Middle English vailaunt (“having or showing courage or valour, valiant; characterized by valour; powerful, strong; person of valour or strength; excellent, worthy; beneficial, useful; valuable; legally valid, binding”) [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman vaillaunt, vaylant [and other forms], and Old French vailant, vaillant (“brave, valiant; having value, valuable”) [and other forms], from the present participle of valoir (“to have value; to be worth”), from Latin valēre (“to have value; to be worth; to be strong; to have influence or power”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂welh₁- (“powerful, strong; to rule”).
vehement
Borrowed from Middle French vehement (modern French véhément; compare Italian veemente, Portuguese veemente, Spanish vehemente); or from Latin vehemēns (“vehement; very eager; ardent, furious, impetuous; emphatic”), probably from vē- (“lacking, too little”) + mēns (“mind; intellect; judgment, reasoning”).
vibrate
The adjective (then also used as a participle) is first attested in 1420, in Middle English, the verb in 1620; partly from Middle English vibrat(e) (“reverberant”), partly directly borrowed from Latin vibrātus, perfect passive participle of vibrō (“to agitate, set in tremulous motion”) (see -ate (etymology 1, 2 and 3)), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *weyp- (“to oscillate, swing”) or *weyb-.
Judith
Ultimately from Hebrew יְהוּדִית (Y'hudít, “woman from Judea, Jewess”). Doublet of Yehudit.
institute
From French institut, from Middle French, from Latin īnstitūtum.
From Middle English, from Latin īnstitūtus, past participle of īnstituō (“to set up, place upon, purpose, begin, institute”), from in (“in, on”) + statuō (“set up, establish”).
Marduk
Ultimately from Sumerian 𒀭𒀫𒌓 (ᵈamar-utu /⁠Marduk⁠/).
engage
From Middle English engagen, from Old French engagier (“to pledge, engage”), from Frankish *anwadjōn (“to pledge”), from Proto-Germanic *an-, *andi- + Proto-Germanic *wadjōną (“to pledge, secure”), from Proto-Germanic *wadją (“pledge, guarantee”), from Proto-Indo-European *wedʰ- (“to pledge, redeem a pledge; guarantee, bail”), equivalent to en- + gage. Cognate with Old English anwedd (“pledge, security”), Old English weddian (“to engage, covenant, undertake”), German wetten (“to bet, wager”), Icelandic veðja (“to wager”). More at wed.
trinket
The origin of the noun is unknown; the word is possibly related to Old French tryncle (“piece of jewellery”). The following have also been suggested:
* From Middle English trenket, trynket (“small knife, specifically, a cordwainer’s knife”).
* From trick (“plaything, toy; trifle”, noun) or trick (verb).
However, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, there is insufficient evidence of any shift of meaning from these words to the current meanings of trinket.
The verb is derived from the noun.
PIE word
 *tréyes
From trink (“(UK, dialectal, especially Scotland) channel, watercourse; trench”) + -et (diminutive suffix); compare Scots trink. Trink is possibly derived from Occitan trencque, trenque (Picardy), from Old French trenche, tranche (“trench”) (modern French tranche), from trenchier (“to cut”); further etymology uncertain, possibly:
* from Latin truncāre, the present active infinitive of truncō (“to maim or mutilate by cutting off pieces; to truncate”), from truncus (“tree trunk; piece cut off”) (possibly from Proto-Indo-European *twerḱ- (“to carve; to cut off, trim”)) + -ō (suffix forming regular first-conjugation verbs); or
* from Vulgar Latin *trinicāre (“to cut into three parts”), from Latin tri- (prefix meaning ‘three’) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *tréyes (“three”)) + duplicāre (“to double by dividing, split in two, tear”);
possibly also influenced by Gaulish *trincare (“to cut off (the head)”).
Origin uncertain, possibly:
* from trinket (“small, showy ornament; thing of little value”) (see etymology 1); or
* borrowed from Welsh trànked.
PIE word
 *tréyes
Probably from French trinquet (“foremast; sail attached to a foremast”), from Italian trinchetto (“small sail, especially a foresail”), possibly from Latin triquetrus (“three-cornered, triangular”) (referring to a three-cornered sail), from tri- (prefix meaning ‘three’) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *tréyes (“three”)) + Proto-Indo-European *kʷeh₁d- (“sharp”).
Cognates
* Catalan trinquet, triquete
* French trinquet, trinquette
* Italian trinchetto
* Portuguese traquete
* Spanish trinquete, trinquetilla
Possibly borrowed from Scots trinket, trincket; further origin unknown, possibly related to:
* trinket (“item used in a religious rite (also, a religious rite, belief, etc.) regarded as superfluous or trivial”) (see etymology 1); or
* trick (noun) or trick (verb).
morrow
From Middle English morwe, apocopic form of morwen, from Old English morgen, from Proto-West Germanic *morgan, *morgin, from Proto-Germanic *murganaz, *murginaz; compare Dutch morgen and German Morgen. Doublet of morgen and morn.
* As an Irish surname, variant of McMorrow.
* As a French and Walloon surname, Americanized from Moreau, Morin.
grange
From Middle English graunge, borrowed from Old French grange (“granary; barn; small farm”), from Vulgar Latin *grānica, from Latin grānum (“grain”).
standing
From Middle English standynge, stondynge, standende, stondinde, standande, stondande, from Old English standende, stondende, from Proto-Germanic *standandz (“standing”), present participle of Proto-Germanic *standaną (“to stand”), equivalent to stand + -ing.
From Middle English standyng, stonding, stondung, from Old English *standung, equivalent to stand + -ing.
intention
From Middle English entencioun, intention, from Old French entencion, from Latin intentiō, intentiōnem. Compare intent. Equivalent to intent + -ion.
descent
From Middle English and Anglo-Norman descente, from Anglo-Norman descendre (“to descend”); see descend. Compare ascent, ascend. Doublet of desant.
irate
From Latin īrātus (“angered, angry”) (see -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from īrāscor (“to be angry”), from īra (“anger, wrath”).
shaping
From Middle English schapynge, equivalent to shape + -ing.
From Middle English shapinge, shapende, schapende, schappande, from Old English sċyppende, sċeppende, from Proto-West Germanic *skappjandī, from Proto-Germanic *skapjandz, present participle of Proto-Germanic *skapjaną (“to form, shape, create”), equivalent to shape + -ing.
resin
Etymology tree
Ancient Greek ῥητῑ́νη (rhētī́nē)bor.
Latin rēsīnader.
Old French résinebor.
Middle English resyn
English resin
From Middle English resyn, resyne, from Old French résine, from Latin resīna. Doublet of rosin.
elder
From Middle English eldre, from Old English eldra, yldra, ieldra, from Proto-Germanic *alþizô. The vowel change from a to e triggered by the following i is called umlaut or I-mutation.
]
Etymology tree
Middle English eldre
English elder
From Middle English eldre, eller, ellern, from Old English ellærn, from Proto-Germanic *elernaz, *eldernaz (compare Low German Elhorn, Elloorn).
Perhaps from Proto-Germanic *aliþro (“udder”), from *alaną (“to nourish”). Cognate with dialectal Dutch elder (“udder”).
irenic
From Ancient Greek εἰρηνικός (eirēnikós, “characterized by peace, peaceful”) + English -ic (suffix forming adjectives with the sense ‘of or pertaining to’). Εἰρηνικός (Eirēnikós) is derived from εἰρήνη (eirḗnē, “peace”) (possibly from εἴρω (eírō, “to fasten together”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ser- (“(verb) to bind, tie together; (noun) thread”)), or εἴρω (eírō, “to say, speak”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *werh₁- (“to say, speak”))) + -ῐκός (-ĭkós, suffix forming adjectives with the sense ‘of or pertaining to’).
quasi-
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *kʷ-
Proto-Indo-European *kʷís
Proto-Italic *kʷis
Proto-Indo-European *kʷ-
Proto-Indo-European *kʷos
Proto-Italic *kʷoi
Latin quam
Proto-Indo-European *sóder.
Proto-Italic *sei
Latin sī
univ.
Latin quasī̆bor.
English quasi-
Borrowed from Latin quasi (“almost; as it were”), from quam (interrogative adverb) + sī (conditional particle).
ED
Borrowed from Japanese ED(エンディング) (endingu), from English ending.
promote
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *per-der.?
Proto-Indo-European *per-der.?
Proto-Indo-European *pér
Proto-Indo-European *-o
Proto-Indo-European *pró
Proto-Indo-European *pro-
Proto-Italic *pro-
Latin prō-
Proto-Indo-European *m(y)ewh₁-der.
Proto-Italic *moweō
Latin moveō
Latin prōmoveō
Latin prōmōtusbor.
English promote
From Latin prōmōtus, perfect passive participle of prōmoveō (“move forward, advance”).
congress
From Latin congress(um), the past participle of congredior (“to go, come together”), itself from con- + gradior (“to go, step”). The verb is from the noun.
Compare typologically coven, convent, convention, omitting several steps, from con- + veniō, Russian сход (sxod), схо́дка (sxódka), akin to сходи́ться (sxodítʹsja), ходи́ть (xodítʹ). Also compare Czech sjezd, Russian съезд (sʺjezd), akin to съезжа́ться (sʺjezžátʹsja), е́здить (jézditʹ). Also compare conference.
merry
From Middle English myrie, merie, mery, from Old English myrġe, myriġe (“pleasing, agreeable; pleasant, sweet, delightful; melodious”), from Proto-West Germanic *murgī (“short, slow, leisurely”), from Proto-Germanic *murguz (“short, slow”), from Proto-Indo-European *mréǵʰus (“short”). Cognate with Scots mery, mirry (“merry”), Middle Dutch mergelijc (“pleasant, agreeable, joyful”), Norwegian dialectal myrjel (“small object, figurine”), Latin brevis (“short, small, narrow, shallow”), Ancient Greek βραχύς (brakhús, “short”). Doublet of brief.
From French merise.