Etymology
Most vocabulary words are derived from Latin or Greek etymologies. Here you will find access to
phobias (fears, terrors, dreads), manias, and many other words listed in thematic
units of English vocabulary words.
Why learn about word origins or etymologies?
The etymology of a word traces its existence and development throughout history
and usually through multiple languages. Simply put, etymology can be seen as the
study of word origins. You can study word origins to gain a better understanding
of language in general. When you know the meaning of a Latin or Greek root, prefix,
or suffix, you can better understand, and more easily remember, all of the vocabulary
words built on this Latin or Greek element that exist in English words. Knowing
etymologies will also help you decipher the meanings of newly encountered words.
Learn one root and you have the key that will unlock the meanings of up to ten,
twenty, or even hundreds of English words in which that Latin and/or Greek element
(prefix, root, and suffix) appears; for example, learn ego (from Latin, meaning
I) and you will immediately have a grasp of the meanings of egocentric, egomaniac,
egoist, egotist, and alter ego, all of which will expand your vocabulary.
Again, learn anthropos (from Greek, meaning mankind) and you will
quickly understand anthropology, misanthropy, anthropoid, anthropocentric,
anthropomorphic, anthropophobia, and philanthropy. Meet any
word with -anthropo- in it and you will have at least some idea of its meaning
when presented in a vocabulary list.
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In the etymological approach to building vocabulary words:
- You will learn about Latin and Greek prefixes, roots, and suffixes.
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You will be able to figure out unfamiliar English words by recognizing their etymological
structure, the building blocks from which they are constructed. -
You will be able to construct many English words correctly by learning to put these
building blocks together in the proper way. - You will develop a keen interest in English words.
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You will obtain a greater insight to language as you explore Latin and Greek words
and appreciate and experience the wonder of these words. - You will acquire many
new words and remember them much longer than
you can by just learning unrelated word lists. - If you are preparing for an examination in which questions about English vocabulary
words are a significant part of your score, you will find that learning the etymologies
of words is a much better way to learn most
of the English words you will encounter.
Learn how to deal with etymologies of English words and you will feel comfortable
with such words—you will use new words with self-assurance, you will be able
to figure out the meanings of the English vocabulary words you hear or read, even
if you have never heard or seen these words before.
That is why the best approach to learning new vocabulary words is through their
etymologies. You can discover this for yourself, as soon as you start to work with
the lists of Latin and Greek Cross References available for your use on this website.
Etymology Index
If you really want to have a better understanding of some well-known words that you think you know
and some important, but not so commonly known words, take the time to read and experience
the wonder of each of the words shown in the lists below. We live in an age of constant oral and written expressions. In a time when our knowledge
is increasing with breathless speed, particularly in specialized areas, it is important
that we understand each other by having a better comprehension of some “old”
words, “new” words, most of which are “borrowed,” but always
with every possible effort to present the “true” origins and current usages
of those words. This is what Words for Our Modern Age is all about.
English-Latin-Greek Cross References |
Completed lists of word units. |
Achilles Heel |
Greek hero who was invincible–except for part of his heel. |
Anesthesia |
Induced loss of sensation or feeling. |
Arena |
Entertainment structure. |
Auspicious |
Favorable, unfavorable. |
Bankrupt |
Unable to pay what one owes. |
Bariatrics |
Medical field dealing with control of obesity. |
Berserk |
Suddenly violently wild or crazy. |
Biometrics |
Use of one’s anatomy for identification purposes. |
Blog |
A sort of online journal. |
Calendar |
Record of days, months, and years. |
Capnomania |
The urge to smoke. |
Capnophobia |
The fear of smoking. |
Dictionaries |
A reference book containing definitions of words. |
Dinosaur |
Prehistoric lizards. |
Dismal |
Bleak or gloomy. |
Epitaph |
Brief writing or poem about the dead. |
Filibuster |
A hindrance, especially in politics. |
Jet |
Thrust and propulsion. |
Kleptomania |
Uncontrollable urge to steal. |
Malapropism |
Ridiculous misuse of words. |
Mnemonics |
Memorizing techniques that work. |
Mosquitoes |
Pesky blood-consuming bug. |
Narcolepsy |
Uncontrollable sleep anytime, anywhere. |
Obesity |
Condition of being overweight. |
Phobia |
Fear of rain, railroads, and more! |
Planets |
Venus, Earth, Mars, and more! |
Polygamy |
Being married to more than one person at a time. |
Portmanteau |
A blend of several things. |
Robot |
A machine programmed to do tasks when commanded. |
Sandwich |
Putting meat, cheese, and/or vegetables between two pieces of bread. |
Sesquipedalian |
A long word for “long.” |
Stalactite |
Deposits of calcium carbonate. |
Steganography |
Hiding a secret message in a larger message. |
Symbiosis |
Beneficial interdependency. |
Tribology |
Study of the effects of friction on moving objects. |