Online Etymology Dictionary

trypsin (n.): chief digestive enzyme of pancreatic juice, 1876, coined 1874 by German physiologist Wilhelm Friedrich Kühne (1837-1900), apparently from Greek tripsis "rubbing, friction" (from tribein "to rub, rub down, wear away," from PIE root *tere- (1) "to rub, turn, twist" (see throw (v.)) + chemical suffix -in (2). Said to be so called because it first was obtained (in 1862) by rubbing the pancreas with glycerin.
unappeasable (adj.): 1560s, from un- (1) "not" + appeasable. Related: Unappeasably.
Desolate winds that cry over the wandering sea;
Desolate winds that hover in the flaming West;
Desolate winds that beat the doors of Heaven, and beat
The doors of Hell and blow there many a whimpering ghost;
O heart the winds have shaken, the unappeasable host
Is comelier than candles at Mother Mary's feet.

[W.B. Yeats, "The Unappeasable Host," 1899]
founder (n.1): "one who establishes, one who sets up or institutes (something)," mid-14c., from Anglo-French fundur, Old French fondeor "founder, originator" (Modern French fondateur), from Latin fundator, agent noun from fundare "to lay a foundation" (see found (v.1)). Fem. form foundress is from early 15c.; also fundatrix (1540s).
fog (n.2): "long grass, second growth of grass after mowing," late 14c., probably of Scandinavian origin; compare Norwegian fogg "long grass in a moist hollow," Icelandic fuki "rotten sea grass." A connection to fog (n.1) via a notion of long grass growing in moist dells of northern Europe is tempting but not proven. Watkins suggests derivation from PIE *pu- (2) "to rot, decay" (see foul (adj.)).
fool (v.): mid-14c., "to be foolish, act the fool," from fool (n.1). The transitive meaning "make a fool of" is recorded from 1590s. Sense of "beguile, cheat" is from 1640s. Also as a verb 16c.-17c. was foolify. Related: Fooled; fooling. Fool around is 1875 in the sense of "pass time idly," 1970s in sense of "have sexual adventures."
serval (n.): African wild cat, 1771, from Modern Latin serval, French serval (Buffon, 1765), from Portuguese (lobo) cerval "lynx," from Latin lupus cervarius (source of French loup cervier) "lynx," literally "wolf that hunts the stag," from cervarius "pertaining to a stag," from cervus "stag," from PIE *ker-wo- "having horns," suffixed form of root *ker- (1) "horn, head" (see horn (n.)).
homoiousian (adj.): 1680s, "having a similar nature," from Greek homoiousios "of the same essence," from homos "one and the same" (see homo- (1)) + ousia "essence" (see Parousia). As a noun from 1732 in reference to the followers of the semi-Arian Eusebius, "who maintained that the nature of Christ is similar to, but not the same with, that of the father" [Century Dictionary].
lapdog (n.): also lap-dog, 1640s, "small dog fondled in the lap," from lap (n.1) + dog (n.); figurative sense of "subservient person" is by 1950.
Senator McCarthy (R-Wis) renewed his Communists-in-Government charges today and called Senator Tydings (D-Md) the Truman administration's "whimpering lap dog." [AP news story, Aug. 7, 1950]
emancipation (n.): 1630s, "a setting free," from French émancipation, from Latin emancipationem (nominative emancipatio), noun of action from past participle stem of emancipare (see emancipate). In modern use especially of the freeing of a minor from parental control. Specifically with reference to U.S. slavery from 1785 (the Emancipation Proclamation was issued July 22, 1862, effective Jan. 1, 1863). In Britain, with reference to easing of restrictions on Catholics, etc.
political (adj.): 1550s, "pertaining to a polity, civil affairs, or government;" from Latin politicus "of citizens or the state" (see politic (adj.)) + -al (1). Meaning "taking sides in party politics" (usually pejorative) is from 1749. Political prisoner first recorded 1860; political science is from 1779 (first attested in Hume). Political animal translates Greek politikon zoon (Aristotle, "Politics," I.ii.9) "an animal intended to live in a city; a social animal."
niggardly (adj.): 1560s, from niggard + -ly (1).
It was while giving a speech in Washington, to a very international audience, about the British theft of the Elgin marbles from the Parthenon. I described the attitude of the current British authorities as "niggardly." Nobody said anything, but I privately resolved -- having felt the word hanging in the air a bit -- to say "parsimonious" from then on. [Christopher Hitchens, "The Pernicious Effects of Banning Words," Slate.com, Dec. 4, 2006]
As an adverb from 1520s. Related: Niggardliness.
evangelical: 1530s "of or pertaining to the gospel" (adj.), also "a Protestant," especially a German one (n.); with -al (1) + evangelic (early 15c.), from Old French evangelique, from Late Latin evangelicus, from evangelista (see evangelist).

From mid-18c. in reference to a tendency or school in Protestantism seeking to promote conversion and emphasizing salvation by faith, the sacrifice of Christ, and a strictly religious life. As "member of the 'evangelical' party in a church" from 1804. Related: Evangelically; Evangelicalism (1812).
extrinsic (adj.): "not of the essence or inner nature of a thing," 1540s, from French extrinsèque, from Late Latin extrinsecus (adj.) "outer," from Latin extrinsecus (adv.) "outwardly, on the outside; from without, from abroad," from exter "outside" + in, suffix of locality, + secus "beside, alongside," originally "following," from PIE *sekw-os "following," from root *sekw- (1) "to follow" (see sequel).
finger (v.): early 15c., "to touch or point to with the finger" (but see fingering (n.1) from late 14c.), from finger (n.). Sense of "play upon a musical instrument" is from 1510s. Meaning "touch or take thievishly" is from 1520s. The meaning "identify a criminal" is underworld slang first recorded 1930. Related: Fingered; fingering. Compare Dutch vingeren, German fingern, Swedish fingra, all from their respective nouns.
foggy (adj.): 1540s, of the air, "full of thick mist," perhaps from a Scandinavian source, or formed from fog (n.1) + -y (2). Foggy Bottom "U.S. Department of State," is from the name of a marshy region of Washington, D.C., where many federal buildings are (also with a suggestion of political murkiness) popularized 1947 by James Reston in "New York Times," but he said it had been used earlier by Edward Folliard of "The Washington Post."
inexpiable (adj.): 1560s, from Latin inexpiabilis "that cannot be atoned for," from in- "not" (see in- (1)) + expiabilis, from expiare "make amends for, purify, purge by sacrifice" (see expiation). The Inexpiable War was between Carthage and its Libyan mercenaries after the end of the First Punic War (241 B.C.E.). Related: Inexpiably.
infrequency (n.): 1670s, fact of being infrequent," from Latin infrequentia "a small number, thinness, scantiness," noun of quality from infrequentem (nominative infrequens) "occurring seldom, unusual; not crowded, absent," from in- "not" (see in- (1)) + frequens (see frequent). Older in this sense is infrequence (1640s). Earlier infrequency was used in a now-obsolete sense of "state of being unfrequented" (c. 1600).
jam (n.2): "a tight pressing between two surfaces," 1806, from jam (v.). Sense of "machine blockage" is from 1890, which probably led to the colloquial meaning "predicament, tight spot," first recorded 1914. Jazz meaning "short, free improvised passage performed by the whole band" dates from 1929, and yielded jam session (1933); but this is perhaps from jam (n.1) in sense of "something sweet, something excellent."
invictus: Latin adjective, "unconquered, unsubdued, invincible," from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + victus, past participle of vincere "to conquer, overcome" (see victor).
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.

[William Ernest Henley, "Invictus"]
continental (adj.): 1818 as a purely geographical term, from continent + -al (1). In reference to the European mainland (as opposed to Great Britain), recorded from 1760. Continental breakfast (the kind eaten on the continent as opposed to the kind eaten in Britain) is attested by 1855. In reference to the British American colonies from 1774; the Continental Congress is attested from 1775; continental divide in use by 1865; continental rise in geology from 1959; continental slope from 1907. Continental shelf first attested 1888.
cultural (adj.): 1868, in reference to the raising of plants or animals, from Latin cultura "tillage" (see culture) + -al (1). In reference to the cultivation of the mind, from 1875; hence, "relating to civilization or a civilization." A fertile starter-word among anthropologists and sociologists, for example cultural diffusion, in use by 1912; cultural diversity by 1935; cultural imperialism by 1937; cultural pluralism by 1932; cultural relativism by 1948.
coquet (n.): "amorous, flirtatious person," 1690s, originally of both sexes (as it was in French), from French coquet (17c.), diminutive of coq "cock" (see cock (n.1)). A figurative reference to its strut or its lust. The distinction of fem. coquette began c. 1700, and use in reference to males has faded out since.
cornhole (v.): synonymous with "do anal intercourse" by 1930s, apparently the reference is to a game played in the farming regions of the Ohio Valley in the U.S. from 19c., in which players take turns throwing a small bag full of feed corn at a raised platform with a hole in it; from corn (n.1) + hole (n.).
crackpot (n.): "mentally unbalanced person," 1898, probably from crack (v.) + pot (n.1) in a slang sense of "head." Compare crack-brain "crazy fellow" (late 16c.). Earlier it was used in a slang sense "a small-time big-shot" (1883), and by medical doctors in reference to a "metallic chinking sometimes heard when percussion is made over a cavity which communicates with a bronchus."
critical (adj.): 1580s, "censorious," from critic + -al (1). Meaning "pertaining to criticism" is from 1741; medical sense is from c. 1600; meaning "of the nature of a crisis" is from 1640s; that of "crucial" is from 1841, from the "decisive" sense in Latin criticus. Related: Criticality (1756; in the nuclear sense, 1950); critically (1650s, "accurately;" 1815, "in a critical situation"). In nuclear science, critical mass is attested from 1940.
debar (v.): early 15c., "to shut out, exclude," from French débarrer, from Old French desbarer (12c., which, however, meant only "to unbar, unbolt," the meaning turned around in French as the de- was felt in a different sense), from des- (see dis-) + barrer "to bar" (see bar (n.1)). Related: Debarment; debarred.
eo-: word-forming element, used from mid-19c. (first in Eocene) in compound words formed by earth-scientists, and meaning "characterized by the earliest appearance of," from Greek eos "dawn, morning, daybreak," also the name of the goddess of the morning, from PIE *aus- (1) "to shine," especially of the dawn (see aurora). Piltdown Man, before exposed as a fraud, was known as Eoanthropus.
cheesecake (n.): also cheese-cake, mid-15c., from cheese (n.1) + cake (n.). In figurative uses for "soft, effeminate" from 18c. Slang meaning dates from 1934, when a "Time" magazine article defined it as "leg-pictures of sporty females." In its early years this sense of the word often was associated with Marlene Dietrich.
cenacle (n.): c. 1400, from Old French cenacle, variant of cenaille (14c., Modern French cénacle), from Latin cenaculum "dining room," from cena "mid-day meal, afternoon meal," literally "portion of food," from PIE *kert-sna-, from root *(s)ker- (1) "to cut" (see shear (v.)). Latin cenaculum was used in the Vulgate for the "upper room" where the Last Supper was eaten.
centrifugal (adj.): 1690s, with adjectival suffix -al (1) + Modern Latin centrifugus, 1687, coined by Sir Isaac Newton (who wrote in Latin) in "Principia" (which is written in Latin), from Latin centri- alternative comb. form of centrum "center" (see center (n.)) + fugere "to flee" (see fugitive (adj.)). Centrifugal force is Newton's vis centrifuga.
Band-Aid (n.): trademark registered 1924 by Johnson & Johnson for a stick-on gauze pad or strip. See band (n.1) + aid (n.). The British equivalent was Elastoplast. Figurative sense of "temporary or makeshift solution to a problem, pallative" (often lower case, sometimes bandaid) is first recorded 1968; as an adjective, from 1970.
Oedipus: son of Laius and Jocasta, the king and queen of Thebes, Greek, literally "swollen-foot," from oidan "to swell" (from PIE *oid-; see edema) + pous (genitive podos) "foot," from PIE root *ped- (1) "a foot" (see foot (n.)). Oedipus complex (1910) coined by Freud. In Latin, figurative references to Oedipus generally referred to solving riddles. Oedipus effect (1957) is Karl Popper's term for "the self-fulfilling nature of prophecies or predictions."
Gettysburg: town in south-central Pennsylvania, U.S., 1800 (earlier it was Gettys-town), founded 1780s by Gen. James Gettys and named for him. Civil War battle there was fought July 1-3, 1863. The Gettysburg Address was given Nov. 19, 1863, and was being called that by 1865, though before President Lincoln's assassination the term tended to refer to Edward Everett's full oration that preceded Lincoln's short speech.
heroine (n.): 1650s, "demigoddess," from Latin heroine, heroina (plural heroinae) "a female hero, a demigoddess" (such as Medea), from Greek heroine, fem. of heros (see hero (n.1)). Meaning "heroic woman, woman distinguished by exalted courage or noble achievements" is from 1660s. Sense of "principal female character in a drama, poem, etc." is from 1715.
heroic (adj.): 1540s, "having or displaying the qualities of a hero," shortened from heroical (early 15c., also heroycus) "noble, magnanimous," from Latin heroicus "of a hero, heroic, mythical," from Greek heroikos "of or for a hero, pertaining to heroes," from heros (see hero (n.1)). In some modern uses, "having recourse to extreme measures." The Heroic Age, semi-mythical prehistoric period in Greece, ended with the return of the armies from the fall of Troy. Related: Heroically. Heroic verse (1610s), decasyllabic iambic, is from Italian.
historical (adj.): early 15c., "of or pertaining to history, conveying information from the past," with -al (1) + Latin historicus "of history, historical," from Greek historikos "historical; of or for inquiry," from historia (see history). For sense differentiation, see historic. Meaning "narrated or mentioned in history" (as opposed to what is fiction or legend) is from 1843. Related: Historically.
hostess (n.): late 13c., "woman who keeps an inn or public hotel," from host (n.1) + -ess, or from Old French ostesse, hostesse "hostess; servant; guest" (Modern French hôtesse). Old French also had ostelaine; the Latin word was hospita. Meaning "woman who presides at a dinner party, etc." recorded by 1822. Also used mid-20c. in sense "female who entertains customers in nightclubs," with overtones of prostitution.
household (n.): late 14c., "members of a family collectively (including servants)," also "furniture and articles belonging to a house;" see house (n.) + hold (n.1). As an adjective, "of or pertaining to house and family, domestic," from late 14c. Compare householder. Household word, one that is in very familiar use, is from 1590s; variant household name is from 1862.
inestimable (adj.): late 14c., "beyond estimation or measure, not to be computed," from Old French inestimable "priceless" (14c.) or directly from Latin inaestimabilis "invaluable, incalculable," also "not estimable, valueless," from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + aestimabilis "valuable, estimable," from aestimare (see esteem (v.)). Meaning "too precious to set a value on, priceless" is attested by 1570s. Related: Inestimably; inestimability.
inspector (n.): c. 1600, "overseer, superintendent," from Latin inspector "one who views or observes," agent noun from past participle stem of inspicere "look at, observe, view; look into, inspect, examine," from in- "into" (see in- (2)) + specere "to look" (see scope (n.1)). As a police ranking between sergeant and superintendent, it dates from 1840. Related: Inspectorial (1752). Of the 18c. feminine formations, inspectrix (1703) is earlier than inspectress (1737).
introspect (v.): 1680s, "to look into" (transitive), from Latin introspectus, past participle of introspicere "look at, look into; examine, observe attentively," from intro- "inward" (see intro-) + specere "to look at" (see scope (n.1)). Meaning "look within, search one's feelings or thoughts" is from 1875, a back-formation from introspection. Related: Introspected; introspecting.
inutile (adj.): late 15c., "unprofitable, useless," from French inutile (12c., inutele), from Latin inutilis "useless, unprofitable," from in- "not" (see in- (1)) + utilis "useful, beneficial, profitable," from uti "make use of, profit by, take advantage of" (see use (v.)). It appears to have fallen from use by 1700; modern use (from mid-19c.) is perhaps a reborrowing from French.
irrespective (adj.): 1620s (implied in irrespectively), "disrespectful," from assimilated form of in- (1) "not, opposite of" + respective in its sense of "regardful." Meaning "without taking account of particular circumstances or conditions" had developed by 1690s, from the notion of "not observing or noting with attention." In modern use it tends to be adverbial, in irrespective of, a use attested by c. 1800.
immobile (adj.): mid-14c., originally of property; by c. 1400 "steadfast, unmovable" (of faith, etc.), from Old French immoble "immovable, fixed, motionless" (13c., Modern French immeuble), from Latin immobilis "immovable" (also, figuratively, "hard-hearted"), from assimilated form of in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + mobilis (see mobile (adj.)). Related: Immobilism "policy of extreme conservatism" (1853).
indiscrete (adj.): "not containing distinct parts," 1782 (earlier "not distinctly separate," c. 1600), from Latin indiscretus "unseparated; indistinguishable, not known apart," from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + discretus "separated, distinct" (in Medieval Latin "discerning, careful"), past participle of discernere "distinguish" (see discern). Related: Indiscretely; indiscreteness.
inanimate (adj.): early 15c., "without vital force,having lost life," from Late Latin inanimatus "lifeless," from in- "not" (see in- (1)) + animatus (see animation). The Latin word closest corresponding in form and sense is inanimalis. Meaning "lacking vivacity, without spirit, dull" is from 1734. Inanimate as a verb meant "infuse with life or vigor" (17c.), from the other in- (see in- (2)).
indisposition (n.): early 15c., "unfavorable influence" (in astrology), mid-15c., "disinclination (to), state of being not disposed in mind," from in- (1) "not, opposite of" + disposition. Perhaps modeled on Old French indisposicion or Medieval Latin indispositio. Sense of "ill health, disorder of the mind or body" is from mid-15c. Other 15c. senses included "inclination to evil; wickedness," and "public disorder, lawlessness."
indistinct (adj.): 1580s, "not seen or heard clearly," from Latin indistinctus "not distinguishable, confused, obscure," from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + distinctus (see distinct). From c. 1600 as "not clearly defined or distinguished." Indistinctly is attested from c. 1400 in an obsolete sense "equally, alike, indiscriminately." Related: Indistinctness.
intemperance (n.): early 15c., "lack of restraint, excess," also of weather, "inclemency, severity," from Old French intemperance (14c.) and directly from Latin intemperantia "intemperateness, immoderation, excess" (as in intemperantia vini "immoderate use of wine"), from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + temperantia "moderation, sobriety, discretion, self-control," from temperans, present participle of temperare "to moderate" (see temper (v.)).
intolerant (adj.): 1735, "unable or unwilling to endure" (a condition, etc.), from Latin intolerantem (nominative intolerans) "not enduring, impatient, intolerant; intolerable," from in- "not" (see in- (1)) + tolerans, present participle of tolerare "to bear, endure" (see toleration).

Meaning "not disposed to endure contrary opinions or beliefs, impatient of dissent or opposition" is from 1765. Of plants, with reference to deep shade, from 1898. The noun meaning "person or persons who do not favor toleration" is from 1765. Related: Intolerantly.