The only free and comprehensive online etymological dictionary of the Spanish language

Word of the Day

contener (Verb) "to contain"
From Latin continere "to contain" but also "to hold together." From intensifying prefix com- (see co-) and tenere "to hold" (see tener).
Indo-European
Romance
Portuguese conter, Galician conter, Catalan contenir, French contenir, Italian contenere, Romanian conteni, conține
Real Academia Española. Diccionario de la lengua española. Online. 23rd ed. Madrid: Espasa Calpa. 2014. http://www.rae.es/.
Sihler, A. New Comparative Grammar of Greek and Latin. Oxford University Press. 2008.

12 August 2019 - Update 3.92

Final updates in preparation for a particularly large data update coming at the end of the month.

Welcome

The Online Etymological Dictionary of Spanish is a free etymological dictionary of the Spanish language launched on August 6, 2016. An etymology is not a definition but a history of a word over time. This site provides an account of the development of the Spanish language as best as historical linguists are able to ascertain in a way that is accessible both by laymen and academics. If you enjoy using this dictionary, please consider donating to help keep this site alive.