Best Etymological Dictionary Apps

237+ iOS apps curated and reviewed

4.2 avg rating
9 free apps
Updated July 2026

Out of 237+ etymological dictionary apps on iOS, 9 are free and the rest sit in the paid tier. This page sorts them so you can compare both sides before you commit.

Compare top Etymological Dictionary Apps (July 2026)

#AppPriceRatingAdsIn-App PurchasesUpdated
1Etymology Dictionary OfflineEtymology Dictionary OfflineFree3.7★ (21)NoNoMay 2026
2Etymonline English DictionaryEtymonline English DictionaryFree4.9★ (11K)YesYesAug 2026
3Dictionary.com: English WordsDictionary.com: English WordsFree4.8★ (328K)YesNoAug 2026
4French Etymological DictionaryFrench Etymological Dictionary$1.991.0★ (1)NoNoJul 2026
5Dutch etymology dictionaryDutch etymology dictionary$1.99NoNoJul 2026
6Oxford Dictionary & ThesaurusOxford Dictionary & ThesaurusFree4.6★ (29K)NoYesAug 2026
7German Etymology DictionaryGerman Etymology Dictionary$2.995.0★ (3)NoNoMay 2026
8Advanced English Dictionary.Advanced English Dictionary.$2.994.7★ (241)NoNoAug 2026

Top Picks for Etymological Dictionary

Etymonline English Dictionary#2

Etymonline English Dictionary by 崇伟 柳

Dictionary to Build Vocabulary
Strong Contender
📚 Education
4.9😊(11K ratings)
FreeAdsIn-App Purchases
Etymonline English Dictionary screenshot 1
Etymonline English Dictionary screenshot 2
Etymonline English Dictionary screenshot 3
Etymonline English Dictionary screenshot 4
Etymonline English Dictionary screenshot 5
Etymonline English Dictionary screenshot 6

Explore the origins and history of English words with this comprehensive dictionary app. It offers instant search, related word suggestions, and an offline mode for premium users. Enhance your vocabulary and understanding of word roots.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Excellent app
  • 👍 Comprehensive and well-researched
  • 👍 Useful for understanding word origins
  • 👍 Informative and insightful

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 App version has incomplete entries
  • 🔒 Privacy concerns with data collection
  • 💰 Subscription fees too high
Dictionary.com: English Words#3

Dictionary.com: English Words by Curiosity Media

Dictionary, Thesaurus, Vocab
Worth Considering
🔍 Reference
4.8😐(328K ratings)
FreeAdsIn-App Purchases
Dictionary.com: English Words screenshot 1
Dictionary.com: English Words screenshot 2
Dictionary.com: English Words screenshot 3
Dictionary.com: English Words screenshot 4
Dictionary.com: English Words screenshot 5

Access over 2 million trusted definitions and synonyms for English words. Enhance your vocabulary with daily new words, example sentences, and audio pronunciations. This app provides grammar tips and editorial content to deepen your understanding of the English language.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Robust dictionary and thesaurus
  • 🤓 Helpful resources like blogs and articles
  • 💡 Useful word games and puzzles
  • 👍 Easy to use and navigate

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Inconsistent search results and missing definitions
  • 💸 Aggressive ads even after paid upgrades
  • 🤯 Frequent crashes and performance issues

More Etymological Dictionary apps to explore

4
French Etymological Dictionary
French Etymological Dictionary
French Etymological Dictionary
Leading French dictionary
$1.99

Explore the origins of French words with this comprehensive etymological dictionary. Discover surprising connections between words and delve into the historical and cultural context of the French language. Features advanced search, custom lists, and daily word learning.

Over 87,300 etymological entriesAdvanced search by headword or meaningCross-referencing of word roots
🔍 Reference
(1)
paid
5
Dutch etymology dictionary
Dutch etymology dictionary
Dutch etymology dictionary
etymological dictionary
$1.99
🔍 Reference
(0)
6
Oxford Dictionary & Thesaurus
Oxford Dictionary & Thesaurus
Oxford Dictionary & Thesaurus
Etymology & Offline Vocabulary
Free

Access a vast collection of dictionaries and thesauruses with definitions, pronunciations, and etymology. Features include offline access, advanced search options, and personalized word lists. Ideal for students, professionals, and word enthusiasts.

15 Oxford DictionariesThesaurus integrationAudio pronunciations
🔍 Reference
(29K)
free with in-app purchases
7
German Etymology Dictionary
German Etymology Dictionary
German Etymology Dictionary
etymological dictionary
$2.99

Explore the origins and meanings of over 40,000 German words. This comprehensive dictionary offers detailed etymology, pronunciation, and cross-references, making it an invaluable tool for English speakers learning German. Create custom word lists and discover prefixes and suffixes.

Detailed etymology and originPronunciation guideCross-referenced entries
🔍 Reference
(3)
paid
8
Advanced English Dictionary.
Advanced English Dictionary.
Advanced English Dictionary.
English Dictionary & Thesaurus
$2.99

This comprehensive English dictionary and thesaurus offers offline access to millions of words, definitions, pronunciations, and etymologies. Explore word connections, sample sentences, and discover new vocabulary with advanced search and unique features.

Extensive word database (4.9 million words)High-quality audio pronunciations (US, UK, AU)Advanced search technology
🔍 Reference
(241)
paid
9
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
by Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Free

Access America's most respected dictionary, updated with new words and meanings. This app offers offline access, voice search, daily vocabulary challenges, and a thesaurus. It's designed for English language reference, education, and vocabulary enhancement.

Offline dictionary accessVoice search for wordsDaily Word of the Day
🔍 Reference
(324K)
free with in-app purchases
10
Dictionary.
Dictionary.
Dictionary.
by TheFreeDictionary.com
Free

Access a comprehensive dictionary, thesaurus, and translation tool with millions of definitions and synonyms. Explore specialty dictionaries, learn new words daily, and play word games. This app offers offline access and integrates seamlessly with other applications.

Offline dictionary and thesaurusMillions of definitions and synonymsWord of the Day and Idiom of the Day
🔍 Reference
(15K)
free with in-app purchases
11
Advanced English Dictionary HD
Advanced English Dictionary HD
Advanced English Dictionary HD
English Dictionary & Thesaurus
$3.99

Access a vast English dictionary and thesaurus with millions of words, definitions, and pronunciations. Explore word origins, sample sentences, and discover connections with a unique conceptual thesaurus. Enjoy offline access and an ad-free experience.

Extensive word database (4.9 million words)High-quality audio pronunciations (US, UK, AU)Advanced search technology
🔍 Reference
(59)
paid
12
Merriam-Webster Dictionary+
Merriam-Webster Dictionary+
Merriam-Webster Dictionary+
Premium Ad-free Dictionary
$9.99

Access America's leading dictionary with over 15,000 extra entries for people and places. Enjoy offline access, voice search, and daily vocabulary builders. This app offers expert word guidance with a thesaurus and example sentences.

Ad-free experience15,000+ premium entriesOffline dictionary access
🔍 Reference
(22K)
freemium
13
Latin Etymology Dictionary
Latin Etymology Dictionary
Latin Etymology Dictionary
Latin words, names, roots
$2.99
🔍 Reference
(0)
14
Modern English Etymology
Modern English Etymology
Modern English Etymology
etymological dictionary
$3.99
🔍 Reference
(0)
15
Heron Derivation Dictionary
Heron Derivation Dictionary
Heron Derivation Dictionary
by Synthesized Software, LLC
$19.99

Explore the history and origins of common English words with clear, concise derivations. This reference tool is ideal for learners and anyone curious about word etymology, offering over 11,000 entries and easy cross-referencing.

Simple, concise derivations11,450+ word entriesGlossary of etymological terms
🔍 Reference
(6)
paid
16
Dictionary - Word Search Lex
Dictionary - Word Search Lex
Dictionary - Word Search Lex
Dictionary for normal Language
Free

Access a professional multilingual dictionary for English, Japanese, and Korean. Get detailed definitions, pronunciations, and example sentences. Save your search history and favorites for offline language learning.

Multilingual definitionsPronunciations and examplesAuto-save history
🔧 Utilities
(1)
ad-supported
17
Spanish Etymology Dictionary
Spanish Etymology Dictionary
Spanish Etymology Dictionary
Etymology of Spanish Language
$0.99

Explore the origins and development of Spanish words. This reference tool traces etymologies to their earliest sources, highlights connections to Spanish and English, and organizes words by Indo-European roots. It's ideal for anyone studying the evolution of the Spanish language.

Trace word originsShow Spanish/English kinshipOrganize by Indo-European roots
🔍 Reference
(0)
paid
18
Etymologos
Etymologos
Etymologos
Discover the origin of words
Free

Explore the origins and evolution of words with an AI-powered etymology dictionary. Discover word histories, visualize their development over time, and save your favorites. Perfect for language lovers and students seeking deeper linguistic understanding.

AI-powered etymology dictionarySearch word originsTimeline visualization of word evolution
📚 Education
(1)
free
19
Greek Etymology Dictionary
Greek Etymology Dictionary
Greek Etymology Dictionary
by Trang Hoai
$1.99

Explore the origins of Ancient Greek words with this comprehensive dictionary. It covers 2000 years of linguistic history, offering detailed etymologies, variants, and first attestation dates for over 7500 entries. Enhance your understanding of the Greek language and its vocabulary.

2000 years of Ancient Greek history7500+ revised etymologiesFirst attestation dates
🔍 Reference
(1)
paid
20
Morpheme Dictionary
Morpheme Dictionary
Morpheme Dictionary
by Alexander Stein
Free

Explore word origins and structures with a clean interface. This app offers over 1000 entries, including allomorphs, definitions, and usage examples, with continuous updates. It's ideal for quick lookups for writers and language enthusiasts.

Over 1000 entries (growing)Allomorphs and morpheme definitionsUsage examples
📚 Education
(3)
free with in-app purchases

FAQ about Etymological Dictionary

What are the best etymological dictionary apps for iPhone?
Etymology Dictionary Offline tops our etymological dictionary apps ranking as of July 2026, with a 3.7-star average from 21 App Store ratings, and it's free to download.
Yes — 9 of the top etymological dictionary apps we rank are free to download, including Etymology Dictionary Offline and Etymonline English Dictionary.
Etymology Dictionary Offline has no ads and has no in-app purchases, according to its App Store listing as of July 2026.
We track 237+ etymological dictionary apps on the iOS App Store as of July 2026, ranked by rating, recency, and analysis of real user reviews.
The app focuses on understanding word origins and historical meaning changes through definitions and a quiz feature to reinforce learning.
While there isn't explicit progress tracking for a formal certification, users can bookmark favorite terms and test their knowledge with the built-in quiz.