Online Etymology Dictionary

pre-date (v.): also predate, 1859, "to antedate, to assign an earlier date to," from pre- + date (n.1) "point in time." As "to exist before," from 1857. Related: Pre-dated; pre-dating.
snare (n.2): "string across a drum," 1680s, probably from Dutch snaar "string," from same source as snare (n.1). From 1938 as short for snare-drum (1873).
socialite (n.): 1928, first in "Time" magazine, from social (adj.) in the "pertaining to high society" sense, perhaps as a play on social light, in imitation of words in -ite (1).
sole (n.2): common European flatfish, mid-13c., from Old French sole, from Latin solea "a kind of flatfish," originally "sandal" (see sole (n.1)); so called from resemblance of the fish to a flat shoe.
state (v.): 1590s, "to set in a position," from state (n.1); the sense of "declare in words" is first attested 1640s, from the notion of "placing" something on the record. Related: Stated; stating.
skylark (n.): the common European lark, 1680s, from sky (n.) + lark (n.1). So called because it sings as it mounts toward the sky in flight.
smoke-screen (n.): 1915, as a form of military camouflage, from smoke (n.1) + screen (n.); 1926 in the figurative sense. The association of smoke with "deception, deliberate obscurity" dates back to at least 1560s.
synclinal (adj.): "sloping downward on both sides," 1833 (in Lyell), from -al (1) + Latinized form of stem of Greek synklinein "to incline, lean," from syn- "together" (see syn-) + klinein "to slope" (see lean (v.)).
stocks (n.): instrument of punishment and confinement formerly widely used in Europe and America (usually for vagrants and petty offenders), early 14c., from stock (n.1), because they consisted of large wooden blocks.
storied (adj.1): late 15c., "ornamented with scenes from history" (of books, walls, etc.), from past participle of verb form of story (n.1). Meaning "celebrated in history or legend" is from 1725.
straight (n.): 1640s, "a level position," from straight (adj.1). From 1864 as "straight part of a race track." Poker sense attested from 1841. Meaning "conventional person" is first recorded 1967, from straight (adj.2).
strand (v.): 1620s, "to drive aground on a shore," from strand (n.1); figurative sense of "leave helpless," as of a ship left aground by the tide, is first recorded 1837. Related: Stranded; stranding.
Theodore: masc. proper name, from Latin Theodorus, from Greek Theodoros, literally "gift of god," from theos "god" (see theo-) + doron "gift" (see date (n.1)). The fem. form is Theodora.
Theodosia: fem. proper name, from Greek Theodosia, literally "gift of the gods," from theos "god" (see theo-) + dosis "a giving," from stem of didonai "to give" (see date (n.1)).
top-sider (n.): kind of casual shoe, 1937, from topside in nautical sense of "upper deck of a ship," where the rubber soles would provide good grip; from top (n.1) + side (n.).
trattoria (n.): "Italian restaurant," 1832, from Italian trattoria, from trattore "host, keeper of an eating house," from trattare "to treat," from Latin tractare, frequentative of trahere (past participle tractus) "to draw" (see tract (n.1)).
wurst (n.): German sausage, 1855, from German Wurst, from Old High German wurst "sausage," probably etymologically "mixture," from Proto-Germanic *wursti-, from PIE *wers- (1) "to confuse, mix up" (see war (n.)).
waterproof (adj.): also water-proof, 1725, from water (n.1) + proof (n.). Noun meaning "garment of waterproof material" is from 1799. The verb is first recorded 1843. Related: Waterproofed; waterproofing.
watercolor (n.): also water-color, 1590s, "pigment that dissolves in water," from water (n.1) + color (n.). Meaning "picture painted in watercolors" is attested from 1854.
wharfinger (n.): "operator or manager of a wharf," 1550s, from wharfage "provision or accomodation at wharves" (mid-15c.), from wharf + agent noun suffix -er (1) + intrusive -n- as in messenger.
windmill (n.): c. 1300, from wind (n.1) + mill (n.). Similar formation in German Windmühle, Dutch windmolen, French moulin à vent. Verb meaning "to swing the arms wildly" is recorded from 1888. Related: Windmilled; windmilling.
windhover (n.): "kestrel," 1670s, from wind (n.1) + hover; so called from the bird's habit of hovering in the wind. Among the many early names for it was windfucker (1590s).
washboard (n.): also wash-board, clothes-cleaning device, 1882, from wash (v.) + board (n.1). As a percussion instrument, attested from 1925; in reference to abdominal muscles, recorded from 1950 in boxing jargon.
water (n.2): measure of quality of a diamond, c. 1600, from water (n.1), perhaps as a translation of Arabic ma' "water," which also is used in the sense "lustre, splendor."
watercress (n.): also water-cress, c. 1300, from water (n.1) + cress. Compare Middle Low German, Middle Dutch waterkerse, German wasserkresse. It grows in or near streams.
unpolished (adj.): late 14c., from un- (1) "not" + past participle of polish (v.). In reference to style, language, etc., attested from late 15c. Less common impolished is attested from 1580s.
unrest (n.): mid-14c., from un- (1) "not" + rest (n.). Similar formation in West Frisian onrest, Middle Low German unreste, German unrast, Middle Dutch onruste.
unrelated (adj.): 1660s, "not akin," from un- (1) "not" + past participle of relate (v.). Meaning "not in any relationship" is attested from 1660s; that of "not told" is from 1764.
unreasonable (adj.): mid-14c., "irrational, illogical," from un- (1) "not" + reasonable. From late 14c. as "excessive, going beyond what is sensible or realistic." Related: Unreasonably; unreasonableness.
unqualified (adj.): 1550s, "not having necessary qualifications, from un- (1) "not" + past participle of qualify (v.). Meaning "not modified or limited" is recorded from 1796. As a verb, unqualify "disqualify" is from 1650s.
unsavory (adj.): also unsavoury, early 13c., "tasteless, insipid," from un- (1) "not" + savory (adj.). Meaning "unpleasant or disagreeable to the taste" is attested from late 14c.; of persons, from c. 1400. Related: Unsavoriness.
unscathed (adj.): late 14c., from un- (1) "not" + past participle of scathe (v.). Mainly in Scottish before 19c. Similar formation in Old Norse ostaðaðr, Swedish oskadad.
unseasoned (adj.): 1580s, "not made palatable by seasoning," from un- (1) "not" + past participle of season (v.). Meaning "not habituated by experience" is recorded from c. 1600.
unsung (adj.): early 15c., "not uttered in a song," from un- (1) "not" + past participle of sing (v.). Similar formation in German ungesungen. Meaning "not celebrated" is recorded from 1660s.
unsought (adj.): early 13c., from un- (1) "not" + past participle of seek (v.). Similar formation in Middle Dutch ongesocht, Dutch ongezocht, Middle High German ungesuochet, German ungesucht.
unsparing (adj.): "showing no mercy," 1580s, from un- (1) "not" + sparing, attested from late 14c. as a present participle adjective from spare (v.). Meaning "profuse" is from 1660s. Related: Unsparingly.
unspoiled (adj.): c. 1500, "not plundered," from un- (1) "not" + past participle of spoil (v.). Meaning "not deteriorated" is attested from 1732. A verb unspoil is attested from c. 1400, but it meant "despoil."
unthinkable (adj.): early 15c., "too large to be conceived, unimaginable," from un- (1) "not" + think (v.) + -able. Meaning "incapable of being framed by thought" is recorded from mid-15c.
unimpressed (adj.): 1861, "not awed," from un- (1) "not" + past participle of impress (v.). Used earlier in a sense of "not subjected to restraint" (1743). Unimpressive is recorded from 1796.
uninformed (adj.): 1590s, from un- (1) "not" + past participle of inform. Originally in reference to some specific matter or subject; general sense of "uneducated, ignorant" is recorded from 1640s.
uninterested (adj.): 1640s, "unbiased," from un- (1) "not" + past participle of interest (v.). It later meant "disinterested" (1660s); sense of "unconcerned, indifferent" is recorded from 1771. This is the correct word for what often is miscalled disinterested.
unjustified (adj.): mid-14c., "not punished or executed," from un- (1) "not" + past participle of justify (v.). Meaning "not proven to be right or proper" is attested from 1680s.
unaccompanied (adj.): 1540s, "not in the company of others, having no companions," from un- (1) "not" + past participle of accompany (v.). Musical sense "without instrumental accompaniment" is first recorded 1818.
undisciplined (adj.): late 14c., "untrained," from un- (1) "not" + past participle of discipline (v.). Similar formation in German undisciplinirt, Swedish odisciplinerad. Specific meaning "not subject to military discipline" is attested from 1718.
unfree (adj.): c. 1300, from un- (1) "not" + free (adj.). Similar formation in Middle Dutch onvri, Old High German unfri, German unfrei, Middle Danish ufri.
unmarked (adj.): c. 1400, "having been given no mark," from un- (1) "not" + past participle of mark (v.). Similar formation in Old Norse umarkaðr. Meaning "not noticed or observed" is recorded from 1530s.
unnatural (adj.): early 15c., "not in accord with physical nature," from un- (1) "not" + natural (adj.). Meaning "artificial" is attested from 1746; that of "at variance with moral standards" is from 1520s. Related: Unnaturally; unnaturalness.
unnamed (adj.): c. 1500, "not mentioned by name." from un- (1) "not" + past participle of name (v.). Similar formation in Old Frisian unnamed, Middle Dutch ongenaemt.
unmoved (adj.): late 14c., "not affected by emotion or excitement," from un- (1) "not" + past participle of move (v.). Meaning "fixed in position" is from mid-15c.
unoccupied (adj.): late 14c., "idle," from un- (1) "not" + past participle of occupy (v.). In reference to ground, etc., "not possessed, not made use of," from early 15c.