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My goal is pretty much simple nonetheless challenging; I'm going to try and find as many English words as possible that are Greek. Challenge accepted. And trust me, there's a lot of them.


Friday, December 28, 2012

E - Echo, Elephant, Epic, Ethics, Etymology, Energy, Epilepsy, Erotic, Electric, Eccentric, Ebony.


Echo. From Ancient Greek ἠχώ, ēkhō, from ἠχή, ēkhē, sound.A reflected sound that is heard again by its initial observer.

Derived or related words: echogenic, echogram etc.




Elephant. From Ancient Greek ἐλέφας, eléphās. The known mammal.

Derived or related words: elephantiasis.




 

Epic. From Ancient Greek ἐπικός, epikos, from ἔπος, epos, meaning a word, a story. An extended narrative poem in elevated or dignified language, celebrating the feats of a deity or demigod or other hero. Also as an adjective, meaning momentously heroic, grand in scale or character.

Derived or related words: epically.
 


 

Ethics. From Ancient Greek ἠθική, ēthike, from ἠθικός, ēthikos, from ἦθος, ēthos, character, moral nature. The study of principles relating to right and wrong conduct.

Derived or related words: ethical, unethical, ethically, ethicist.



 

Etymology. From Ancient Greek ἐτυμολογία, etumologia, from ἔτυμον, etumon, true sense and -λογία, -logia, the study of something. An account of the origin and historical development of a word.

Derived or related words: etymological, etymologically.




Energy. From Ancient Greek ἐνέργεια, energeia, action, act, work. From ἐνεργός, energos, active, from ἐν, en, in + ἔργον, ergon, work. The force behind all motion and all activity.

Derived or related words: energetic, energetically, energize.






Epilepsy. From Ancient Greek ἐπιληψία, epilēpsia, from ἐπιλαμβάνω, epilambanō, I seize. From ἐπί, epi, upon + λαμβάνω, lambanō, I take. A medical condition in which the sufferer experiences seizures and blackouts.

Derived or related words: epileptic.





Erotic. From Ancient Greek ἐρωτικόςerōtikos, from ἔρως, erōs, sexual love. Relating to or tending to arouse sexual desire or excitement.

Derived or related words: erotically, eroticism, erotica.





Electric. From Ancient Greek ἤλεκτρον, ēlektron, amber, related to ἠλέκτωρ, ēlektor, shining sun. Of, relating to, produced by, operated with, or utilising electricity; electrical.

Derived or related words: electrical, electrically, electricity.





Eccentric. From Ancient Greek ἔκκεντρος, ekkentros, from ἐκ, ek, out + κέντρον, kentron, point. Having a different center. (Of a person) deviating from the normal, behaving unexpectedly or differently. 

Derived or related words: eccentricity, eccentrically.






Ebony. From Ancient Greek ἔβενος, ebenos. A hard, heavy, deep black wood from various subtropical and tropical trees. Also a deep, dark black colour.

Eco... - Economy, Ecology, Ecotourism, Ecosystem

All words starting with the prefix Eco- are Greek. Eco- comes from Ancient Greek οἶκος, oikos, which means house, household. A few examples are:


 

Economy. From Ancient Greek οἰκονομία, oikonomia, management of a household, administration. From οἶκος, oikos + νόμος, nomos, law. Effective management of the resources of a community or system.
 
Derived or related words: economic, economical, economist, economize, economically  etc.





Ecology. From Ancient Greek οἰκολογία. From οἶκος, oikos + -λογία, -logia, study of something. The branch of biology dealing with the relationships of organisms with their environment and with each other.

Derived or related words: ecologic, ecological, ecologist, ecologically.




 

Ecotourism. From οἶκος, oikos + tourism. Responsible travel to natural areas supporting the fauna, flora, and local economy.






Ecosystem. From οἶκος, oikos +  σύστημα, sustēma,, organised whole, body. From σύν, syn, with, together + ἵστημι, histēmi, I stand. A system formed by an ecological community and its environment that functions as a unit. 
 
Derived or related words: ecosystemic.