Online Etymology Dictionary

genetics (n.): 1872, "laws of origination;" see genetic + -ics. A coinage of English biologist William Bateson (1861-1926). Meaning "study of heredity" is from 1891.
generalize (v.): 1751, probably a new formation from general (adj.) + -ize. Middle English had generalisen (early 15c.). Related: Generalizable; generalized; generalizing.
goldfinch (n.): Old English goldfinc; see gold (adj.) + finch. So called for its yellow wing markings. Compare German Goldfink.
god-daughter (n.): "female godchild, girl one sponsors at her baptism," mid-13c., from god + daughter, modifying or replacing Old English goddohtor.
God-fearing (adj.): "reverencing and obeying God," 1759, from God + fearing, present participle adjective from fear (v.). Old English in the same sense had godfyrht.
Great Britain: c. 1400, Grete Britaigne "the land of the Britons before the English conquest" (as opposed to Brittany), also "England and Wales;" see great (adj.) + Britain.
helper (n.): mid-14c., agent noun from help (v.). Helpestre "a female helper" is recorded from c. 1400. The Old English agent noun was helpend.
heartsick (adj.): also heart-sick, "despondent," late 14c., from heart (n.) + sick (adj.). Old English heortseoc meant "ill from heart disease."
highland (n.): Old English heohlond "mountainous country;" see high (adj.) + land (n.). Highlands "mountainous district of Scotland" first recorded early 15c.
hillock (n.): late 14c., hilloc "small hill, mound or heap of earth" (c. 1200 as a surname), from hill (n.) + Middle English diminutive suffix -oc.
hazelnut (n.): also hazel-nut, Old English hæselhnutu; see hazel + nut. Similar formation in Dutch hazelnoot, Old High German hasalnuz, German Haselnuss.
hastily (adv.): c. 1300, "quickly," from hasty + -ly (2). Meaning "rashly, without due consideration" is 1580s. Old English hæstlice meant "violently."
heavily (adv.): Old English hefiglice "violently, intensely; sorrowfully; sluggishly," from hefig (see heavy (adj.)) + -ly (2). Meaning "with much weight" is from early 14c.
grimly (adv.): Old English grimlice; see grim (adj.) + -ly (2). Similar formation in Middle Dutch grimmelijc, Old Norse grimmligr.
holier-than-thou: as an adjectival phrase in reference to supercilious sanctimony attested by 1888, American English. The text is in Isaiah lxv:5.
homemaker (n.): also home-maker, "woman considered as a domestic agent," by 1861, American English, from home (n.) + agent noun from make (v.).
humankind (n.): "the human species," 1640s, from human + kind (n.). Originally two words. Middle English had humaigne lynage "humankind" (mid-15c.).
innermost (adj.): mid-14c., from inner + -most. In the same sense innerest is from c. 1200. The older word is inmost. Innermore also existed in Middle English.
itemize (v.): 1833 (implied in itemized), American English, from item + -ize. Related: Itemizing. An earlier verb was item "make a note of" (c. 1600).
inaugural (adj.): 1680s, from French inaugural (17c.), from inaugurer "to inaugurate" (14c.), from Latin inaugurare "to inaugurate" (see inauguration). The noun meaning "an inaugural address" is recorded from 1832, American English.
in absentia (adv.): Latin, literally "in (his/her/their) absence" (see absence). By 1831 in English, earlier in legal Latin.
in-store (adj.): also instore, 1954, from in (prep.) + store (n.). In Middle English, instore was a verb meaning "to restore, renew," from Latin instaurare.
jeopardize (v.): 1640s, from jeopardy + -ize. Related: Jeopardized; jeopardizing. As a verb, Middle English used simple jeopard (late 14c.), a back-formation from jeopardy.
novelist (n.): "writer of novels," 1728, hybrid from novel (n.) + -ist. Influenced by Italian novellista. Earlier in English, it meant "an innovator" (1580s).
kinfolk (n.): also kin-folk, 1802, principally American English but the earliest references are British; from kin (n.) + folk (n.). Kinsfolk is recorded from 1844.
noll (n.): "top of the head," Old English hnoll, cognate with Middle Dutch nolle, Old High German hnol "back part of the head."
newly (adv.): Old English niwlice "lately, recently;" see new + -ly (2). Similar formation in German neulich, Danish nylig, Swedish nyligen.
gloam (n.): 1821 (Keats, "La Belle Dame sans Merci"), a back-formation from gloaming that consciously or not revives the Old English noun.
gooey (adj.): 1893, American English slang, from goo + -y (2). The first element perhaps somehow imitative, or shortened from burgoo (1787) "thick porridge."
dree (v.): Old English dreogan "to work, suffer, endure;" see drudge. Cognate of Old Norse drygjado "carry out, accomplish," Gothic driugan "serve as a soldier."
ec-: typical form in English of Latin ex-, Greek ex-, ek- before consonants (as in eclipse, ecstasy). See ex-.
ell (n.2): name of the letter -L- in Latin; in reference to a type of building, 1773, American English; so called for resemblance to the shape of the alphabet letter.
sike (n.): also syke, "small stream," a Scottish and Northern word, from Old English sic or cognate Old Norse sik "a ditch, trench."
speechless (adj.): Old English spæcleas "permanently mute;" see speech + -less. Meaning "mute by effect of astonishment" is from late 14c. Related: Speechlessly; speechlessness.
pierrot (n.): stock character in French pantomime, in English, "a buffoon," from French Pierrot, diminutive of Pierre; considered a typical name of a French peasant.
piper (n.): Old English pipere, agent noun from pipe (v.). As a kind of fish, from c. 1600. Expression pay the piper recorded from 1680s.
pizzeria (n.): 1943, likely in use in American English in restaurant names by 1930, from pizza with ending as in cafeteria.
clambake (n.): 1835, American English, from clam (n.) + bake (n.). By 1937 in jazz slang transferred to "an enjoyable time generally," especially "jam session."
preferable (adj.): 1640s, from or on model of French préférable, from préfér (see prefer). OED notes preferrable is better English but has not prevailed. Related: Preferably.
percipient (adj.): 1690s, from Latin percipientem, present participle of percipere (see perceive). Earlier in English as a noun, "one who perceives" (1660s).
reedy (adj.): late 14c., "full of reeds," from reed + -y (2), or from Old English hreodig. Of tones, from 1811 in reference to musical reeds. Related: Reediness.
proprioception (n.): 1906, from proprioceptor, from Latin proprius "own" (see proper) + reception. Coined by English neurophysiologist C.S. Sherrington (1857-1952). Related: Proprioceptive; proprioceptor.
quickly (adv.): late Old English cwiculice "vigorously, keenly;" see quick (adj.) + -ly (2). Meaning "rapidly, in a short space of time" is from c. 1200.
quey (n.): "young cow," Scottish and Northern English dialect, late 14c., from Old Norse kviga, apparently from ku "cow" (see cow (n.)).
protrusion (n.): 1640s, from French protrusion, noun of action from past participle stem of Latin protrudere "to push out" (see protrude), or from a similar formation in English.
prorate (v.): also pro-rate, "divide proportionally," 1860, American English, verb derived from Latin pro rata (parte) (see pro rata). Related: Prorated; prorating.
renewal (n.): 1680s, from renew + -al (2). Specific meaning "urban redevelopment" is from 1965, American English. Earlier noun was simply renew (early 15c.).
rhetorician (n.): early 15c., Old French rethoricien, from rethorique (see rhetoric). An Old English word for one was wordsawere "word-sower."
rollback (n.): also roll-back, "action of rolling backward," 1937; "reduction," 1942, American English, from verbal phrase, from roll (v.) + back (adv.).
sultana (n.): wife, mother, daughter, or concubine of a sultan, 1580s, from Italian sultana, fem. of sultano (see sultan). Middle English had soudanesse "sultaness" (late 14c.).