Online Etymology Dictionary

spittoon (n.): 1823, American English, from spit (n.1) + -oon. A rare instance of a word formed in English using this suffix (octoroon is another). Replaced earlier spitting box (1680s).
Spitz (n.): breed of small Pomeranian dog, 1842, from German Spitz (occasionally Spitzhund), from spitz "pointed" (see spit (n.)). So called from the shape of its muzzle.
spiv (n.): "petty crook who will turn his hand to anything so long as it does not involve honest work," 1934, British slang, probably dating back to late 19c. and connected with spiff (see spiffy) in one of its various senses. Being a flashy dresser was a spiv characteristic.
The spiv reached his apotheosis during World War II and the succeeding years, when the disrupted economic conditions allowed ample scope for unofficial trading (a pair of nylons here, a few packets of cigarettes there) and other petty crime. He became a stock figure in the English social comedy, represented on screen by such stereotypes as 'Flash Harry' (played by George Cole) in the St. Trinian's films and Pte. Walker in Dad's Army. [Ayto, "20th Century Words"]
splanchnic (adj.): 1690s, "pertaining to the viscera," from Greek splankhnon, usually in plural, splankhna "the innards, entrails" (heart, lungs, liver, kidneys); related to splen (see spleen).
splash (v.): 1715, probably an alteration of plash with an intensive s-. The noun is attested from 1736; meaning "striking or ostentatious display" is first attested 1804. Splashy "sensational" first attested 1836. Splash-down in the spacecraft sense is attested from 1961.
splat (v.): "to land with a smacking sound," 1897, probably of imitative origin.
splatter (v.): 1784, but earlier in splatterdash (1772), perhaps a blend of spatter and splash.
splay (v.): "to spread out," early 14c., shortened form of desplayen (see display). Pp. adjective splayed "spread out" is attested from 1540s.
spleen (n.): c.1300, from Old French esplen, from Latin splen, from Greek splen, from PIE *splegh- (cf. Sanskrit plihan-, Avestan sperezan, Armenian p'aicaln, Latin lien, Old Church Slavonic slezena, Lithuanian bluznis, Old Prussian blusne, Old Irish selg "spleen"). Regarded in medieval physiology as the seat of morose feelings and bad temper. Hence figurative sense of "violent ill-temper" (1590s).
splendid (adj.): 1620s, probably a shortening of earlier splendidious (early 15c.), from Latin splendidus "magnificent, brilliant," from splendere "be bright, shine, gleam, glisten," from PIE *(s)plend- "bright" (cf. Lithuanian splendziu "I shine," Middle Irish lainn "bright"). An earlier form was splendent (late 15c.).
splendiferous (adj.): considered a playful elaboration since its re-birth in 1843, but it was a perfectly good 15c. word, from Medieval Latin splendorifer, from splendor (see splendor) + ferre "to bear" (see infer).
splendor (n.): mid-15c., from Middle French esplendour, from Latin splendor "brilliance," from splendere "be bright, shine" (see splendid).
splenetic (adj.): 1540s, "pertaining to the spleen," from Late Latin spleneticus, from splen (see spleen). Meaning "irritably morose" is from 1590s.
splenomegaly (n.): enlargement of the spleen, 1900, from spleno-, comb. form of Greek splen (see spleen) + megas "great" (fem. megale; see mickle).
splice (v.): 1520s, originally a sailors' word, from Middle Dutch splissen "to splice," ultimately from PIE *(s)plei- "to split, splice" (see flint). The Dutch word was borrowed in French as épisser. Used of motion picture film from 1912; of DNA from 1975. Related: Spliced; splicing.
spliff (n.): conical cannabis cigarette, 1936, a West Indian word, of unknown origin.
spline (n.): "long, thin piece of wood or metal," 1756, from East Anglian dialect, perhaps from older Danish splind or North Frisian splinj.
splint (n.): c.1300, "plate of armor," probably from Middle Low German splinte, splente "thin piece of iron," related to Middle Dutch splinte "splint," probably ultimately from PIE *(s)plei- "to split, splice" (see flint). Cognate with Danish splint "splinter," Swedish splint "wooden peg, wedge." Meaning "slender flexible slip of wood" is recorded from early 14c.; specific surgical sense is attested from c.1400.
splinter (n.): late 14c., from Middle Dutch splinter, splenter "a splinter," related to splinte (see splint). The adjective (as in splinter party) is first recorded 1935, from the noun.
splinter (v.): 1580s, from splinter (n.). Figurative sense from c.1600. Related: Splintered; splintering.
split (v.): 1580s, from Middle Dutch splitten, from Proto-Germanic *spl(e)it- (cf. Danish and Frisian splitte, Old Frisian splita, German spleißen "to split"), from PIE *(s)plei- "to split, splice" (see flint).

Meaning "leave, depart" first recorded 1954, U.S. slang. Of couples, "to separate, divorce" from 1942. To split the difference is from 1715; to split (one's) ticket in the U.S. political sense is attested from 1842. Splitting image "exact likeness" is from 1880. Split screen is from 1953; split shift is from 1955; split personality first attested 1919. Split-level as a type of building plan is recorded from 1952. Split-second first attested 1884, in reference to a type of stopwatch with two second hands that could be stopped independently; adjectival meaning "occurring in a fraction of a second" is from 1946.
split (n.): 1861 as the name of the acrobatic feat, from split (v.). Meaning "sweet dish of sliced fruit with ice cream" is attested from 1920, American English.
splotch (n.): c.1600, perhaps a blend of spot, blot, and/or botch. Related: Splotchy; splotchiness.
splurge (n.): 1828, "ostentatious display," American English, a Western (i.e. Kentucky) word, perhaps a blend of splash and surge. The meaning "extravagant indulgence in spending" is first recorded 1928.
splurge (v.): "to make an ostentatious display, to put on a splurge" (in the older sense of the noun), by 1848, from splurge (n.). Thornton's "American Glossary" has an 1848 citation defining splurge (v.) as "to expatiate at large, to appeal to broad and general principles." Meaning "to spend extravagantly" is by 1934. Related: Splurged; splurging.
splutter (n.): 1670s, perhaps a variant of sputter, intensified by the consonant cluster of splash, splatter, etc.
splutter (v.): 1728, from splutter (n.). Related: Spluttered; spluttering.
Spock: half-alien character in the "Star Trek" U.S. entertainment franchise, developed and named 1964 by series creator Gene Roddenberry, who later said he was simply searching for an alien-sounding word and not thinking of popular baby doctor and author Benjamin Spock, whose name is of Dutch origin.
Spock-marked (adj.): 1967, "affected by upbringing in accordance with the principles of Dr. (Benjamin M.) Spock" (1903-1998), U.S. physician and child-care specialist, author of "Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care" (1946).
spode (n.): fine sort of porcelain, 1869, named for first maker, Josiah Spode (1754-1827), potter in Stoke-on-Trent, England.
spoil (v.): c.1300, from Old French espoillier "to strip, plunder," from Latin spoliare "to strip of clothing, rob," from spolium "armor stripped from an enemy, booty;" originally "skin stripped from a killed animal," from PIE *spol-yo-, perhaps from root *spel- "to split, to break off" (cf. Greek aspalon "skin, hide," spolas "flayed skin;" Lithuanian spaliai "shives of flax;" Old Church Slavonic rasplatiti "to cleave, split;" Middle Low German spalden, Old High German spaltan "to split;" Sanskrit sphatayati "splits").

Sense of "to damage so as to render useless" is from 1560s; that of "to over-indulge" (a child, etc.) is from 1640s (implied in spoiled). Intransitive sense of "to go bad" is from 1690s. To be spoiling for (a fight, etc.) is from 1865, from notion that one will "spoil" if he doesn't get it. Spoil-sport attested from 1801.
spoil (n.): "goods captured in time of war," c.1300; see spoil (v.). Spoils system in U.S. politics attested by 1839, commonly associated with the administration of President Andrew Jackson, on the notion of "to the victor belongs the spoils."
spoiler (n.): 1530s, "one who robs or plunders," agent noun from spoil. Meaning "one who mars another's chance at victory" is attested from 1950 in U.S. politics, perhaps from boxing. Aeronautics sense is from 1928, because it destroys the "lift" on the plane; transferred to structures serving a similar purpose on speedboats (1957) and motor vehicles (1963). Meaning "information about the plot of a movie, etc., which might 'spoil' it for one who has not seen it" is attested by 1982.
spoke (n.): (of a wheel), Old English spaca "spoke," related to spicing "large nail," from Proto-Germanic *spaikon (cf. Old Saxon speca, Old Frisian spake, Dutch spaak, Old High German speicha, German speiche "spoke"), probably from PIE *spei- "sharp point" (see spike (n.1)).
spoken (adj.): in compounds, "speaking" (in a certain way), late-15c., from past participle of speak (v.).
spokesman (n.): 1510s, "an interpreter," 1530s in the sense of "person who speaks for another or others." Irregular formation from spoke, past tense of speak (actually a back-formation from spoken). Spokeswoman is from 1650s; spokesperson is from 1972. Spokesmodel is attested from 1990.
spoliation (n.): c.1400, from Latin spoliationem (nominative spoliatio) "a robbing, plundering, pillaging," noun of action from spoliare "to plunder, rob" (see spoil).
spondee (n.): late 14c., "metrical foot consisting of two long syllables," from Old French spondee, from Latin spondeus, from Greek spondeios (pous), the name of the meter originally used in chants accompanying libations, from sponde "solemn libation," related to spendein "make a drink offering," from PIE root *spend- "to make an offering, perform a rite," hence "to engage oneself by a ritual act" (cf. Latin spondere "to engage oneself, promise," Hittite shipantahhi "I pour out a libation, I sacrifice").
spondulicks (n.): 1856, American English slang, "money, cash," of unknown origin, said to be from Greek spondylikos, from spondylos, a seashell used as currency (the Greek word means literally "vertebra"). Used by Mark Twain and O. Henry and adopted into British English, where it survives despite having faded in American English.
spondylitis (n.): 1849, Modern Latin, from Latin spondylus, from Greek spondylos, variant of sphondylos "vertebra" + -itis.
spondylolisthesis (n.): from Greek spondylos, variant of sphondylos "vertebra" + oliothesis "dislocation, slipping."
spondylosis: from Greek spondylos, variant of sphondylos “vertebra” + -osis.
sponge (n.): Old English sponge, spunge, from Latin spongia "a sponge," also "sea animal from which a sponge comes," from Greek spongia, related to spongos "sponge," borrowed from an unknown source. The Latin word is the source of Old Saxon spunsia, Middle Dutch spongie, Old French esponge, Spanish esponja, Italian spugna. To throw in the sponge "quit, submit" (1860) is from prizefighting, in reference to the sponges used to cleanse the faces of combatants between rounds (cf. later throw in the towel). Sponge-cake is attested from 1808.
sponge (v.): late 14c., "to soak up with a sponge," from sponge (n.). The slang sense of "to live in a parasitic manner" is attested from 1670s; sponger (n.) in this sense is from 1670s. Originally it was the victim who was known as the sponge (c.1600), because he or she was being "squeezed." Related: Sponged; sponging.
spongiform (adj.): "resembling a sponge," 1805, from Latin spongia "sponge" (see sponge (n.)) + forma "form, shape" (see form (n.)).
spongy (adj.): "soft, elastic," 1530s, from sponge (n.) + -y (2). Related: Sponginess.
sponsor (n.): 1650s, from Late Latin sponsor "sponsor in baptism," in Latin "a surety, guarantee," from sponsus, past participle of spondere "give assurance, promise solemnly" (see spondee). Sense of "person who pays for a radio (or, after 1947, TV) program" is first recorded 1931. The verb is attested from 1884, "to favor or support;" commercial broadcasting sense is from 1931.
spontaneity (n.): 1650s; see spontaneous + -ity.
spontaneous (adj.): 1650s, from Late Latin spontaneus "willing, of one's free will," from Latin (sua) sponte "of one's own accord, willingly;" of unknown origin. Related: Spontaneously. Earliest use is of persons and characters. Spontaneous combustion first attested 1795. Spontaneous generation (the phrase, not the event) attested from 1650s.
spoof (n.): "hoax, deception," 1884, spouf, name of a game invented by British comedian Arthur Roberts (1852-1933); sense of "a parody, satirical skit or play" is first recorded 1958, from verb in this sense, attested from 1914.