U.K. < an abbreviation
of United Kingdom.
U.N. < an abbreviation
of United Nations
[1946].
ubeity < modern latin ubietas < latin ubi
(= where) < I.E. *kwo-bhi- < *kwo-.
ubiquity < modern latin ubiquitas < latin ubique
(= everywhere) < ubi
(= where) (< I.E. *kwo-bhi- < *kwo-)
+ que
(= and) (< I.E. *kwe
(= and)).
udder < old english udder
< proto-germanic *udr-
{> old norse jugr, dutch
uijer, german Euter} < I.E.
*eue-dh-r (= udder) {> latin uber, ancient greek ούθαρ | outhar, sanskrit udhar).
UFO < [1953] an abbreviation of Unidentified Flying Object [1950].
ugly < middle english uglike
(= frightful) < scandinavian
source.
UHF < an abbreviation
of Ultra-High Frequency.
Ukraine < russian
/ polish Ukraina (= border, frontier) [so called from being as the southern frontier
of Russia or Poland] < u-
(= at) + krai (= edge).
ukulele < hawaiian ‘ukulele
(= leaping flea) [so called from the rapid motion of the fingers in playing it] < ‘uku (= louse, flea) + lele
(= to fly, jump, leap).
ulcer < middle english ulcer
< old french ulcere < vulgar latin *ulcerem < latin ulcus
[gen. ulceris] (= ulcer, sore).
Ulrich < old high german Uodalrich
(= of a rich home) < uodal (= home, nobility)
+ rihhi
(= ruler, rich).
ulterior < latin ulterior
(= more distant, farther), comparative of *ulter (= beyond) < I.E.
*al-
(= beyond).
ultimate < late latin ultimatus,
past participle of ultimo [inf. ultimare]
(= be final, come to an end) < latin
ultimus
(= last, final, farthest, extreme), superlative
of *ulter
(= beyond) < I.E. *al- (= beyond).
ultramarine < medieval latin ultramarinus
(= beyond the sea) [so called because this mineral was imported
from Asia] < latin ultra-
(= beyond) + marinus (= of the sea) <
mare
(= sea).
ululation < latin ululatio
(= a howling, a wailing) < ululo
[inf. ululare] (= to howl, yell, lament
loudly).
Ulysses < latin Ulysses
< Ulixes
(= Odysseus), king of island Ithaca in Greece.
umber < middle french ombre
/ italian ombra < 1. latin umbra
(= shade, shadow) or 2. latin Umbra, female of Umber
(= belonging to Umbria) < Umbria, a region in Italy [from which
this coloring matter first came] < Umbri, a nation in Italy.
umbilicus < latin umbilicus
(= navel, center) < I.E.
*ombh-alo-
< *(o)nobh- (= navel)
{> ancient greek ομφαλός | omphalos, persian naf, avestan
nafa, sanskrit nabhila}.
umbrage < middle english umbrage
< old french ombrage
(= shade, shadow) < latin
umbraticum,
neuter of umbraticus (= pertaining to shade) < umbra (= shade, shadow).
umbrella < italian ombrello < late latin umbrella
altered [by influence of umbra] < latin
umbella
(= sunshade, parasol), a diminutive of umbra (= shade, shadow).
umpire < middle english noumper < old french nonper
(= odd number, not even number) [in reference to a third person, as an arbiter between
two persons] < non (=
not) + per (= equal) (< latin par
(= equal)).
un- (= not) < proto-germanic *un- (= not) < I.E. *n-
< *ne- (= not)).
uncle < middle english uncle
< old french oncle < latin avunculus
(= mother’s brother), a diminutive of avus (= grandfather).
uncouth < old english uncuð
(= unknown, strange, unkind, rough) <
un-
(= not) (< proto-germanic *un- < I.E. *n-
< *ne- (= not)) + cuð, past participle of cunnan
(= to know).
unctuous < middle english unctuous
(= oily) < old french unctueus < medieval latin unctuosus (= greasy) < latin unctus
(= act of anointing) < ung(u)o [inf. ung(u)ere] (= to anoint).
under < old
english under (= beneath, among,
before) < proto-germanic
*under-
{> old norse undir, dutch onder, gothic undar,
german unter} < I.E.
*ndher-
(= under).
underneath < old english underneoðan < under (q.v.) + neoðan
(= below) (< proto-germanic
*niþar
(= lower, farther down)).
understand < old english understandan
(= comprehend) < under
(q.v.) + standan (= to stand) (< proto-germanic *standanan).
undies < a diminutive of underwear
< under + wear.
UNESCO < an acronym of
United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization [1945].
ungual < latin unguis
(= claw, nail).
unguent < middle english unguent
< latin unguentem (= ointment) < ung(u)o [inf. ung(u)ere] (=
to anoint).
Uniate < russian uniyat < unia (= unity, union) < latin unus
(= one).
UNICEF < an acronym of
United Nations
International Children’s Emergency Fund [1946].
unicorn < middle english unicorn
< old french unicorne < late latin unicornus < latin unicornis (= having one horn) < uni-
(< latin unus
(= one)) + cornus (= horn).
uniform < middle french uniforme
< latin uniformis
(= having only one form) < uni-
(< latin unus
(= one)) + forma (= form).
unify < middle french unifier
/ late latin unificio [inf. unificare] (= make one) <
latin uni- (< latin
unus
(= one)) + facio [inf. facere] (=
make, do).
unilateral < modern latin unilateralis < unus (= one) + latus
[gen. lateris] (= the side, flank, lateral surface).
union < middle english union
< anglo-french unioun
/ old french union < late latin unio (= unity) < unus (= one) < I.E.
*oi-no-
(= one, unique).
unique < middle french unique
< latin unicus
(= only, single, sole) < unus
(= one) < I.E. *oi-no- (= one, unique).
unison < middle french unisson
(= unison, accord of sound) / medieval latin unisonus (= having one
sound) < late latin unisonius
(= monotonous) < latin uni-
(< latin unus
(= one)) + sonus (= sound).
unit < unity [on the model of digit] < middle english unity
< anglo-french unite / old french unite
(= uniqueness) < latin unitas
(= oneness, sameness) < unus (= one) < I.E.
*oi-no-
(= one, unique).
unitarian < modern latin unitarius
< latin unitas
(= oneness, sameness) (<
unus
(= one)) + [suffix] -ian.
unite < middle english unite
< late latin unitus, past participle of unire (= to
unite, make into one) < latin
unus
(= one) < I.E. *oi-no- (= one, unique).
unity < middle english unity
< anglo-french unite / old french unite
(= uniqueness) < latin unitas
(= oneness, sameness) < unus (= one) < I.E.
*oi-no-
(= one, unique).
universe < old french univers
< latin universum
(= all things, everybody, all people, the whole world) < universum,
neuter of universus (= all in one, whole, entire) < unus (= one) + versus, past participle of verto
[inf. vertere] (= to turn).
university < middle english university
< anglo-french université / old frenchuniversite
(= universality, academic community) <
medieval latin universitas (= the whole, aggregate) < late latin universitas
(= corporation, society) < universus (= all in one, whole,
entire) < unus (= one) + versus,
past participle of verto [inf. vertere] (=
to turn).
unkempt < un-
(= not) (< proto-germanic *un- < I.E. *n-
< *ne- (= not)) + kempt (= well-combed, neat), past participle of middle english
kemben
(= to comb) (< old english cemban (= to comb) < proto-germanic *kambijan < *kamb- (= comb)).
unless < middle english unless
< onlesse < [not] on lesse [than] (= [not] on a less [than]).
until < middle english until
< un- (= as far as, up to)
(< old norse *und
(= as far as) < proto-germanic
*und-)
+ till (< 1. middle english till
< anglo-french tylle (= compartment) / old
french tille (= compartment) < (?) old norse þilja
(= plank) < proto-germanic
*theljon
or 2. middle english tillen (= to draw) < old english -tyllan
(= to draw).).
up < old english up
/ uppe < proto-germanic *upp-
(= up) {> old norse upp, danish op, dutch op, german auf, ob} < I.E. *upo
(= under, over).
upholsterer < middle english upholdester
< upholder
(= dealer in small goods) (< upholden
(= to repair, uphold) < up
+ hold)
+ [diminutive suffix] -ster.
upon < middle english upon < old english uppan
(= upon, up to, against) < up + on.
upward(s) <
old english upweard(es) (= up, upward, toward
heaven) < up + [suffix] -ward
(< old english -weard (= toward) < proto-germanic *werda-).
Ural < (?) 1. vogul urala (= mountain peak)
< ur
(= mountain) + ala (= peak, roof) or 2. tatar
ural
(= boundary).
Urania < latin Urania < ancient greek Ουρανία
| Ourania < ουρανία, female of ουράνιος | ouranios (= heavenly) < ουρανός
| ouranos (= heaven, sky).
uranium < modern latin uranium
[named in 1789 for the recently found (1781) planet Uranus] < latin Uranus
< ancient greek Ουρανός
| Ouranos (= heaven, sky), a god, father of the Titans.
Uranus < latin Uranus
< ancient greek Ουρανός | Ouranos (= heaven, sky), a
god, father of the Titans.
urban < latin urbanus
(= pertaining to a city) < urbs
[gen. urbis] (= city, walled town).
urchin < middle english yrichon
(= hedgehog) < old french
*irechon
< old french herichun
(= hedgehog) < vulgar latin *hericio < latin ericius (= hedgehog).
uremia < modern latin uremia
< ancient greek ούρον | ouron (= urine) + ‘αίμα | haema (= blood).
urethra < late latin urethra < ancient greek ουρήθρα
| ourēthra (= the passage for urine)
< ουρώ | ourō (= to urinate) < ούρον | ouron (= urine).
urge < latin urg(u)eo [inf. urgere] (= to press hard, push forward, force).
urine < middle english urine
< old french orine
/ urine
< latin urina (= urine) < I.E. *ur- {> ancient greek ούρον | ouron}.
url < [1990] an acronym
of uniform resource
locator.
urn < middle english urn
(= vase to preserve the ashes of the dead)
< latin urna (= jar, water-jar; vessel for the
ashes of the dead).
Ursa < old
english Ursa < latin ursa (= she-bear).
ursprache < german Ursprache (=
proto-language) < ur- (= out of) + sprache
(= speech).
Ursula < latin Ursula,
a diminutive of ursa (= she-bear).
Uruguay < spanish Uruguay,
a river < american indian uru (= bird) + guay (= tail).
us < old
english us, accusative and dative plural of we < I.E. *nes-(2) (= we).
U.S.A. < an abbreviation
of United States
of America.
usb < [1994] an acronym
of universal serial bus.
use < middle english use < old french user
(= employ, make use of, practice) <
vulgar latin *uso [inf. usare] (= use) < latin utor [inf. uti] (= make use of, profit by, enjoy,
apply).
usher < middle english usher
< anglo-french usser
/ old french u(i)ssier (= porter, doorman) < vulgar latin *ustiarius
(= doorkeeper) < latin ostiarius (= door-keeper) < ostium (= door, entrance) < os [gen. oris] (= mouth) < I.E. *os- (= mouth).
U.S.S.R. < an acronym of
Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics.
usufruct < late latin usufructus
< usus
et fructus (= use [and] enjoyment) < latin usus
(= a use) (< utor [inf. uti] (= make
use of)) + fructus (= fruit, enjoyment).
usurp < middle english usurp < old french usurper
(= to wrongfully appropriate) < latin
usurparo
[inf. usurpare] (= make use of, seize
for use) < usus (= a use) (< utor
[inf. uti] (= make use of)) + rapio
[inf. rapere] (= to seize).
utensil < middle english utensil < old french utensile
(= implement) < latin utensilia
(= materials, things for use) < utensilia, neuter plural of utensilis
(= fit for use, useful) < utor [inf. uti] (= make use of).
uterus < middle english uterus
< latin uterus
(= womb, belly) < I.E. *udero-
(= abdomen, womb, stomach).
utile < middle english utile
< old french utile
(= useful) < latin utilis
(= useful, beneficial) < utor
[inf. uti] (= make use of).
utopia < modern latin Utopia
(= nowhere) [coined and used as title
of his book by Thomas More (1516)] <
ancient greek ου | ou (= not) + τόπος | topos (= place).
utter < middle english utter
(< middle dutch uteren / middle low german
utern
(= to turn out, show, speak) < uter
(= outer), comparative of ut (= out)) + middle english
outen
(= to disclose) (< old english utan (= to put out) < ut (= out)).
UV < an abbreviation
of UltraViolet
[1928].
uvula < middle english uvula
< late latin uvula < latin uvola
(= small bunch of grapes), a diminutive of uva (= grape) [so called from resemblance of this organ to small grape].
uxorious < latin uxorius
(= pertaining to a wife, devoted to a wife, ruled by a wife) < uxor [gen. uxoris] (= wife).
