Roots-of-English-Words-in-Greek-Mythology

RootsofEnglishWordsinGreekMythologyGreeceGreeceisacountryinsoutheasternEuropeontheBalkanPeninsula.ItbordersthecountriesofTurkey,Albania,RepublicofMacedonia,andBulgaria.ItisalsoborderedbytheIonianSea,theMediterraneanSea,andtheAegeanSea.Greeceismadeupofaround1400islandsofwhich227areinhabited.MostofGreeceismountainous,withMountOlympusbeingthehighestpeak.AncientGreeceisthoughttobethebirthplaceofWesterncivilization,andassuch,hasgivenusmanythings,likephilosophy,democracy,theOlympicGames,mathematicalandscientificprinciples,anddrama(especiallytragedyandcomedy).GreekMythologyAncientpeoplewerecuriousaboutlife,theworld,andhowandwhythingshappen.Theywantedtoknowhowwegothere,whatthosepointsoflightintheskyare,whythereareseasons,andwhatisourpurpose.Mythologystartedasawaytoexplainallthesethingsandtoguidethebehaviorofpeople.Greekmythologyisamixtureofoldreligiousbeliefsandrituals,takenfromvariouscultures.Gradually,peoplecametobelievethattherewerepowerfulbeingsthatcontrolledthestars,seasons,weather,andplantandanimallife.ThesegodsruledfromMountOlympusandmanytempleswerebuilttothem.Thepeoplefeltthatifthegodswerehappy,theywouldenjoygoodhealth,cropswouldbeplentiful,andlifewouldbegood.Ifthegodsweredispleased,thentheywouldsendfamine,drought,earthquakes(fromPoseidon),storms,andlightning(fromZeus).RootsofEnglishWordsinGreekMythologyThenamesofthegodsliveonthroughtheirstoriesandlanguage.ManyEnglishwordshaveGreekrootsandalotofthemcomestraightfromthenamesofcertaingods.HerearesomerootsofEnglishwordsinGreekmythology.TheyarepresentedinthisorderwiththeGreekwordorname(followedbyadescription)>theEnglishword(followedbyadefinition).Atlas(condemnedtocarrytheheavensuponhisshoulders)>atlas(bookofmaps)Ceres(goddessofagriculture)>cereal(foodmadefromgrains)Clotho(theFatewhospunthethreadoflife)>cloth(materialmadebyweaving)Cronos(keeperoftime)>chronology(eventsinorderoftime)Er?s(godofloveandsexualdesire)>erotic(sexualinnature)Fortuna(goddessofluck)>fortune(chanceorluck)Hypnos(godofsleep)>hypnosis(asleep-likestateofconsciousness)Hêlios(godofthesunandguardianofoaths)>heliotrope(plantthatturnstowardsthesun)Jove(anothernameforJupiter)>jovial(jolly,merry)Khaos(thenothingnessfromwhichallsprang)>chaos(confusion,disorder)Mars(godofwar)>martial(relatingtooraboutwar)Mercury(messengertothegods)>mercurial(fastorchanging)Muses(goddessesofmusic)>musical(oforlikemusic)Narcissus(averyvaingodwhofellinlovewithhisownreflection)>narcissism(extremeloveofself)Nectar(drinkofthegods)>nectar,nectarine(fruitjuiceorsweetplantsecretion)Nymphe(beautifulmaidens,lesserdeitieswhocaredforplantsandanimals)>nymph(beautifulwoman)keanos(GodoftheriverOceanus,thesourceofalltheEarth'sfresh-water)>ocean(largebodyofwater)Typhon(fatherofallmonsters)>typhoon(hugerotatingtropicalstorm)Vulcan(godoffire)>volcano(openingintheearththroughwhichlavaerupts)Zephyrus(godofthewestwind)>zephyr(gentlewestwind)AncientGreekWordsManyEnglishwordsarederivedfromancientGreekwords.Hereisashortlistofsomeofthem.TheGreekwordislistedfirst;theEnglishrootwordissecond,followedbythedefinition:Angeion>angio-vesselBios>bio-lifeDeka>deka-tenEnergeia>energeia-energyGigas>gigant-huge,enormousGlossis>gloss-tongueHippos>hipp(o)-horseKūdos>kūd-glory,fameLogos>logo-thought,wordMetro>metr-tomeasureNeuron>neur(o)-nerve,sinewPetra>petra-rockPhōnē>phōnē-voicePseudo>pseud(o)-falseThermos>therm-hotToxicon>toxic-poisonZōnē>zōn-beltWemaynotalwaysnoticetheserootwordsandtheirdefinitionsbecausewearesousedtothembeinganormalpartofourlife.ManywordsthatweusestemfromaGreeknatureandareverycommoninourlanguage.CommonGreekRootWordsusedinEnglishTodayHerearecommonGreekrootwords(andtheirdefinitions)weuseinEnglish.Arch–chiefAuto–referringtotheselfBiblio–anythingpertainingtoabookBios–lifeorlivingthingsingeneralCosmos–orderorworldCracy–anytypeofgovernmententityDemos-pertainingpeopleDerma-referringtotheskinEthnos–raceornationGastro–pertainingtothestomachGeo–pertainingtotheearthHydro–pertainingtowaterHypno–pertainingtosleepIsos–equal,alikeoridenticalKilo-thousandLithos–referringtostoneLogos–wordorstudyMania–pertainingtomadnessMega–largeorpowerfulMonos–pertainingtooneNeuron–pertainingtothenerveNomos–laworscienceOcto-eightPan–pertainingtoalloreveryPhobia–fearordreadofsomethingPhone–referringtosoundorspeakingPsycho–pertainingtothesoulorthemindScopos–tospy,watchorseeStatic–causingtostandTele–referringtosomethingfaroffTherapy–pertainingtocuringThermo–pertainingtoheatThesis–apositionoropinionZoon–pertainingtoanimalsTheGreekAlphabetIfyouhaveeverjoinedafraternityorsorority,youmayhavebeenrequiredtolearntheGreekalphabet.Herearethenamesofthe24lettersoftheGreekalphabetandtheirEnglishequivalent.Ifpronunciationisneeded,itisinparenthesis:alpha-a(aw)beta-bgamma-gdelta-depsilon-e(shorte)zeta-zeta-e(longa)theta-thiota-I(shorti)kappa-klambda-lmu-mnu-nxi-ks(x)omikron-o(shorto)pi-prho-rsigma-stau-tupsilon-u(oo)phi-fchi-ch(k)psi-psomega=o(longo)