You Won’t Believe How Much of English Vocabulary Is Greek!

The English language, enriched with words from various origins, owes a significant portion of its vocabulary to Greek. From everyday terms to specialized jargon in disciplines like medicine, philosophy, and science, Greek roots are embedded throughout English. This article explores the influence of Greek on English vocabulary, presenting 50 examples to highlight this linguistic impact.

How Greek Words “inflated” the language

The incorporation of Greek words into English started through various channels, especially during the Renaissance when scholars resurrected Greek ideas and texts. This revival introduced numerous Greek-rooted words into English literature and academia. As science and philosophy advanced, many new terms were created from Greek roots to encapsulate emerging concepts and discoveries.

Understanding Greek Roots in English

Greek roots are not just remnants of language; they serve as keys to unlocking the meanings of complex terms. Grasping these roots can significantly enhance vocabulary acquisition and understanding, especially in areas rich with Greek-derived terminology.

List of English Words with Greek Roots and Their Greek Equivalents

1. Academy – Ἀκαδημία (Akadēmía): Originally pertaining to the school where Plato taught.
2. Biology – Βιολογία (Biología): Derived from “βίος” (bios, meaning life) and “λόγος” (logos, meaning study).
3. Cinema – Κίνημα (Kínēma): Meaning movement, reflecting the moving pictures.
4. Democracy – Δημοκρατία (Dēmokratía): From “δῆμος” (dēmos, meaning people) and “κράτος” (kratos, meaning power).
5. Economy – Οἰκονομία (Oikonomía): From “οἶκος” (oikos, meaning house) and “νόμος” (nomos, meaning law).
6. Geography – Γεωγραφία (Geographía): From “γῆ” (gē, earth) and “γράφω” (graphō, write).
7. Telephone – Τηλέφωνο (Tēléphōno): From “τῆλε” (tēle, far) and “φωνή” (phonē, voice).
8. Philosophy – Φιλοσοφία (Philosophía): From “φιλέω” (phileō, love) and “σοφία” (sophia, wisdom).
9. Psychology – Ψυχολογία (Psychología): From “ψυχή” (psychē, soul) and “λόγος” (logos, study).
10. Dinosaur – Δεινόσαυρος (Deinósavros): From “δεινός” (deinos, terrible) and “σαῦρος” (sauros, lizard).
11. Catastrophe – Καταστροφή (Katastrophē): From “κατά” (kata, down) and “στρέφω” (strephō, turn).
12. Hyperbole – Ὑπερβολή (Hyperbolḗ): From “ὑπέρ” (hyper, over) and “βάλλω” (ballō, throw).
13. Synopsis – Σύνοψις (Súnopsis): From “σύν” (syn, together) and “ὄψις” (opsis, view).
14. Technology – Τεχνολογία (Technología): From “τέχνη” (technē, art, skill) and “λόγος” (logos, word, study).Thermometer – Θερμόμετρο (Thermómetro): From “θερμός” (thermos, warm) and “μέτρον” (metron, measure).Character – Χαρακτήρ (Charaktēr): Originally meaning a stamping tool.
15. Melancholy – Μελαγχολία (Melancholía): From “μέλας” (melas, black) and “χολή” (cholē, bile).
16. Cynic – Κυνικός (Kynikós): From “κύων” (kyōn, dog), referring to the dog-like shamelessness or simplicity.
17. Astronomy – Αστρονομία (Astronomía): From “ἄστρον” (astron, star) and “νόμος” (nomos, law).
18. Chromatic – Χρωματικός (Chromatikós): From “χρῶμα” (chrōma, color).
19. Anthropology – Ανθρωπολογία (Anthropología): From “ἄνθρωπος” (anthrōpos, human) and “λόγος” (logos, study).
20. Dermatology – Δερματολογία (Dermatología): From “δέρμα” (derma, skin) and “λόγος” (logos, study).
21. Epidemic – Ἐπιδημία (Epidēmía): From “ἐπί” (epi, upon) and “δῆμος” (dēmos, people).
22. Hydraulic – Υδραυλικός (Hydraulikós): From “ὕδωρ” (hydōr, water) and “αὐλός” (aulos, pipe).
23. Kaleidoscope – Καλειδοσκόπιο (Kaleidoskópio): From “καλός” (kalos, beautiful), “εἶδος” (eidos, form), and “σκοπέω” (skopeō, look at).
24. Metaphor – Μεταφορά (Metaphorá): From “μεταφέρω” (metapherō, to transfer).
25. Neolithic – Νεολιθικός (Neolithikós): From “νέος” (neos, new) and “λίθος” (lithos, stone).
26. Orthodox – Ορθόδοξος (Orthódoxos): From “ὀρθός” (orthos, correct) and “δόξα” (doxa, opinion).
27. Pneumatic – Πνευματικός (Pneumatikós): From “πνεῦμα” (pneuma, air).
28. Symbiosis – Συμβίωσις (Symbíōsis): From “σύν” (syn, together) and “βίος” (bios, life).
29. Cataclysm – Κατακλυσμός (Kataklysmós): From “κατά” (kata, down) and “κλύζω” (klyzō, wash away), referring to a large-scale and violent event in nature.
30. Dichotomy – Διχοτομία (Dichotomía): From “δίχα” (dicha, in two) and “τομή” (tomē, cutting), meaning a division into two parts.
31. Ephemeral – Ἐφήμερος (Ephēmeros): From “ἐπί” (epi, on) and “ἡμέρα” (hēmera, day), lasting only a day or a very short time.
32. Hyperactive – Ὑπερακτινικός (Hyperaktinikós): From “ὑπέρ” (hyper, over) and “ἀκτίνα” (aktina, ray), referring to excessive activity.
33. Isobar – Ἰσόβαρος (Isóbaros): From “ἴσος” (isos, equal) and “βάρος” (baros, weight), lines on a map connecting points of equal atmospheric pressure.
34. Macroscopic – Μακροσκοπικός (Makroskopikós): From “μακρός” (makros, large) and “σκοπεῖν” (skopein, to look), visible to the naked eye.
35. Necropolis – Νεκρόπολις (Nekrópolis): From “νεκρός” (nekros, dead) and “πόλις” (polis, city), a large cemetery of an ancient city.
36. Oligarchy – Ολιγαρχία (Oligarchía): From “ὀλίγοι” (oligoi, few) and “ἀρχή” (archē, rule), a government run by a small group.
37. Panorama – Πανόραμα (Panórama): From “πᾶν” (pan, all) and “ὅραμα” (horama, view), a comprehensive view.
38. Paradox – Παράδοξος (Parádoxos): From “παρά” (para, against) and “δόξα” (doxa, opinion), a statement that contradicts itself but may be true.
39. Rhetoric – Ῥητορική (Rhētorikē): From “ῥήτωρ” (rhētōr, orator), the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing.
40. Sarcophagus – Σαρκοφάγος (Sarkophágos): From “σάρξ” (sarx, flesh) and “φαγεῖν” (phagein, to eat), originally meant “flesh-eating”.
41. Tachometer – Ταχύμετρο (Tachýmetro): From “ταχύς” (tachys, fast) and “μέτρον” (metron, measure), a device measuring the speed of rotation.
42. Xenophobia – Ξενοφοβία (Xenophobía): From “ξένος” (xenos, stranger) and “φόβος” (phobos, fear), fear or dislike of people from other countries.
43. Cytology – Κυτολογία (Kytología): From “κύτος” (kytos, cell) and “λόγος” (logos, study), the study of cells.
44. Hemisphere – Ημισφαίριο (Hemisphaírio): From “ἥμισυς” (hēmisys, half) and “σφαῖρα” (sphaira, sphere), half of a spherical object.
45. Monolith – Μονόλιθος (Monólithos): From “μόνος” (monos, single) and “λίθος” (lithos, stone), a large single upright block of stone.
46. Orthopedics – Ορθοπεδική (Orthopedikē): From “ὀρθός” (orthos, straight) and “παῖς” (pais, child), originally pertaining to correcting deformities in children.
47. Phenomenon – Φαινόμενον (Phainómenon): From “φαίνειν” (phainein, to show), an occurrence, condition, or fact that is perceptible by the senses.
48. Synergy – Συνεργία (Synergía): From “σύν” (syn, together) and “ἔργον” (ergon, work), the interaction or cooperation of two or more organizations to produce a greater effect.
49. Choreography – Χορειογραφία (Choreiografía): From “χορός” (choros, dance) and “γράφω” (graphō, write), referring to the art of creating and arranging dances.
50. Cryptography – Κρυπτογραφία (Kryptografía): From “κρυπτός” (kryptos, hidden) and “γράφω” (graphō, write), the practice of secure communication in the presence of adversaries.