| AFr. | Anglo-French. |
| allit. | alliterative; (in) alliterative verse, &c. |
| cf. | in etymologies indicates uncertain or indirect relation. |
| constr. | constructed with; construction. |
| Du. | Dutch. |
| E.; Mn.E. | (Modern) English. |
| E.D.D. | The English Dialect Dictionary. |
| Fr. | French. |
| Fris. | (Modern) Frisian (dialects). |
| from | is prefixed to etymologies when the word illustrated has additional suffixes, &c., not present in the etymon. |
| G. | German. |
| Goth. | Gothic. |
| Icel. | (Modern) Icelandic. |
| Kt.; OKt. | Kentish; Kentish dialect of Old English. |
| L.; Med.L. | Latin; Mediaeval Latin. |
| MDu. | Middle Dutch. |
| ME. | Middle English. |
| MHG. | Middle High German. |
| MLG. | Middle Low German. |
| N.E.D. | The Oxford (New) English Dictionary. |
| Nth; ONth. | Northumbrian; Northumbrian dialect of Old English. |
| NWM. | North West Midland. |
| OE. | Old English. |
| OFr. | Old French. |
| OFris. | Old Frisian. |
| OHG. | Old High German. |
| OIr. | Old Irish. |
| ON. | Old Norse, especially Old Icelandic. |
| ONFr. | Northern dialects of Old French. |
| OS. | Old Saxon (Old Low German). |
| prec. | preceding word. |
| red. | reduced; reduction. |
| Swed. | Swedish. |
| WS.; OWS. | West Saxon (dialect of Old English). |
| * | is prefixed where forms are theoretically reconstructed. |
| + | between the elements shows that a compound or derivative is first recorded in Middle English. |
