Classics 22: Etymology

Lesson 15



example words using these roots
etymological meaning of examples
parthen-
virgin
Parthen-on, parthen-o-gene-sis
virgin-on, virgin birth action
patr-
father
patr-onym-ic, patr-o-log-y
father name adjective, father study of
petr-
rock
petr-o-log-y, petr-ol
rock study of, rock oil
pharmac-
drug
pharmac-y, pharmac-o-poe-ia
drug-ness, drug-make-abstract noun
phos-, phot-
light
phos-phor-us, phot-o-metr-y
light-carry-us, light-measure-abstractnoun
phren-
mind
schiz-o-phren-ia
split-mind-abstractnoun
phyl-
tribe, group
phyl-um, mon-o-phyl-etic
group-um, one-group-adj.
phyll-
leaf
chlor-o-phyll, phyll-o-xera
green-leaf, leaf-dry
phys-
nature
phys-ique, physi-o-gnom-y
nature-Frenchadj., nature-discern-abstractnoun
phyt-
plant
phyt-o-branchi-ate, zyg-o-phyte
plant-gill-adj., yoke-plant
polem-
war
polem-ic, polem-arch (an ancient Athenian official)
war-adj., war-leader
poli-
city-state
acr-o-polis, polit-ic-al, poliorcetics
tip/top-city, city-adj.-adj., city-enclose-adj.-plural
por-
passage
em-por-ium
in-passage-placefor
potam-
river
hipp-o-potam-us, Mes-o-potam-ia
horse-river-us, middle-river-abstractnoun
pyl-
gate
pro-pyl-on, Therm-o-pyl-ae
before-gate-on, hot-gate-plural
pyr-
fire
pyre, pyr-o-techn-ic
fire, fire-skill-adj.
rhiz-
root
rhiz-o-carp-ous, licorice
root-fruit-adj., sweet-root
rhythm-
rhythm
eu-rhythm-ic
good-rhythm-adj.
seism-
(earth)quake
seism-o-graph, micr-o-seism
quake-write, small-quake
sit-
food
Para-site, sit-o-log-y
beside-food, food-study
spir-
coil
spir-o-chete, spir-al
coil-bristle, coil-adj.
sphen-
wedge
sphen-oid
wedge-shaped
spher-
sphere, ball
spher-oid, atm-o-sphere
ball-shaped, breath-ball
spor-
seed
spore, spor-ang-ium
seed, seed-vessel-um
steg-
roof, covering
steg-o-my-ia, steg-o-saur
roof-fly (the insect), roof-lizard
sthen-
strength
neur-a-sthen-ia, hyper-sthen-ic
nerve-no-strength-abstractnoun, super-strength-adj.
syc-
fig
syc-o-phant, syc-osis
fig-eater, fig-inflammation
techn-
skill
poly-techn-ic, techn-ique
many-skill-adj., skill-Frenchadj.
thana(t)-
death
eu-thana-sia, Thanat-op-sis
good-death-abstractnoun, death-view/lookat-action
the-
god
poly-the-ism, The-o-gon-y
many-god-beliefsystem, god-birth-abstractnoun
thec-
 (related to the- put)
box
oö-thec-a, apo-thec-ary
egg-box-plural, away-box-placefor
theri-
beast
theri-anthrop-ic, pan-ther, mega-theri-um
beast-human-adj., all-beast, great-beast-um
thyr-
shield
thyr-oid, hyper-thyr-oid
shield-shaped, super-shield-shaped
top-
place
topography, u-top-ia
place-write-abstractnoun, good/no-place-abstract noun
tox-
poison, bow
tox-o-phil-ist, tox-odont, anti-tox-in
bow-love-agent, bow-tooth, against-poison-chemical
xen-
stranger
xen-o-phob-ia, xen-o-morph-ic
stranger-fear-abstractnoun, stranger-shape-adj.
xyl-
wood
xyl-o-phag-ous, xyl-o-phone
wood-eat-adj., wood-sound
zon-
belt
Ev-zone, zon-al
good-belt, belt-adj.
zym-
leaven
en-zyme, zym-o-gen-ic
in-leaven, leaven-birth-adj.

Exercises:

  1. Analyze the following:
    patroclinous
    petrogeny
    pharmacokinetic
    alexipharmic
    dysphotic
    hypophosphatemia
    pyrophosphate
    electrophrenic
    phylogenetic
    phyllotaxy
    spirogyra
    aporia
    anthropophuism
    diphyodont
    neophyte
    physiotherapy
    pyloric stenosis
    pyracantha
    malloseismic
    peneseismic
    crystosphene
    stratosphere
    sporozoan
    sporangiospore
    gnathostegite
    calisthenics
    technetium
    thanatocoenosis
    theanthropism
    podotheca
    thecium
    hypotheria
    ectopic
    isotope
    toxemia
    xylem
    lysozyme
    zymurgy
    zymology
  2. Create words whose etymologies mean the following:
    virgin fruit

    pertaining to rule by a father

    rock carving

    yellow leaf

    big city

    fire madness

    root ball

    coil writing

    place for all gods

    place name abstraction

    love of bows

  3. Analyze the following:
    patriot
    saltpeter
    parsley
    phossy jaw
    frenzy
    pore
    sophrosyne
    police
    phlorizin
    rhyme
    aspirin
    sporadic
    sycamore
    busycon
    techy
    tansy
    enthusiasm
    treacle
    topiary
    shingles

  4. What do these units of measurement measure and what is their etymology?
    phot
    stere
    erg
    cent
    dyne
    hedon
    bar
    biont
    carat
    caliber
    cord
    demos
    dol
    gram
    kilo
    mer
    meter
    micron
    morpheme
    phoneme
    nano-
    olfacty
    parsec
    rhe
    sthene
    stilb
    syntagm
    therm
    util

  5. Is there a difference between a eutopia and a utopia?