A lesson in Etymology (read and contribute).

[Ithaya]

Etymology - The origin of words.

I thought it might be good if we compiled a list of words and phrases with interesting backgrounds.

I suppose I should start you off.

Chortle - laugh - invented by Reverend Dodgson (Lewis Carrol) in Alice Through the Looking Glass - portmanteau of chuckle and snort.  

[lola_siannodel]

I know ones! Fraterinity comes from the italian word for brother, like sorority comes from teh word for sister. Alot of words in medicine and the such are rooted from latin, and phobias all have latin (Phobia is latin for fear, and let's take the fear of blood, hemophobia for exsample. Hemo means blood). I know I can think of alot more, just not right now. Mainly latin.  

[Ithaya]

lola_siannodel

I know ones! Fraterinity comes from the italian word for brother, like sorority comes from teh word for sister. Alot of words in medicine and the such are rooted from latin, and phobias all have latin (Phobia is latin for fear, and let's take the fear of blood, hemophobia for exsample. Hemo means blood). I know I can think of alot more, just not right now. Mainly latin.

Frater and soror come from Latin, I'm afraid, not Italian. As do pater and mater (patricide and matricide, also fratricide and sororicide).

Phobia is Greek.

And cide means killing in Latin (at least I think it's Latin).  

[lola_siannodel]

BlackRavenFeathers

lola_siannodel

I know ones! Fraterinity comes from the italian word for brother, like sorority comes from teh word for sister. Alot of words in medicine and the such are rooted from latin, and phobias all have latin (Phobia is latin for fear, and let's take the fear of blood, hemophobia for exsample. Hemo means blood). I know I can think of alot more, just not right now. Mainly latin.

Frater and soror come from Latin, I'm afraid, not Italian. As do pater and mater (patricide and matricide, also fratricide and sororicide).

Phobia is Greek.

And cide means killing in Latin (at least I think it's Latin).

Well, I heard that from my italian teacher. I thought it was truely latin, but I wasn't sure. The italian word for brother is fratello, and sorella means sister. Italian is rooted from latin. In fact, my italian teacher even mentioned that her friend was taking an exam for medical college, and she looked at it, and knew half of the answers because the words are rooted from latin and look so similare to Italian words. And i knew cide ment killing. I thought I was forgeting something. And thanks for correcting me on Phobia.  

[Doombringer50]

Note the root of many words are not obvious, English stemming from three main languages, Latin, German, and Greek. Many words find there origin in theese texts. By the way, hemo is for hemoglobin, the normal type of red blood cell. segragation is from segres, murder is slang for homicide. the truth is, many words we commonly use are slang, the total words in the English language are more than one million, we only use about three thousand in common speech, almost all of the regular words are slang.  

[Ithaya]

Yep, Italian, Latin, French, Spanish and English have many words rooted from Latin.

As for homicide, homo means man, cide, killing, so it literally means man-killing. More -cide words come from Latin.

Like I'm guessing uxoricide (wife-killing) has Latin roots, as someone mentioned uxoicious (or similar) in the word of the day thread, which means being unsually submissive to one's wife.  

[Ame Yuki Kaze]

The word "umbrella" comes from "umbria" which means "shade" and -ella which means "little". Umbrella = "little shade".  

[Ithaya]

Shinobi 1977

The word "umbrella" comes from "umbria" which means "shade" and -ella which means "little". Umbrella = "little shade".

^_^ Wow. What language? Latin?  

[P u p s i c l e]

Oh, Jesus, I love these! heart

Here's a nice little (not really) list, if you don't mind...(The only reason I ask is because it might stretch the page...should I do them a little at a time?) 4laugh  

[P u p s i c l e]

Here are a few of the many that I know:

sangfroid-- French, meaning a person who has the ability to remain cool and composed in danger or other difficult situations.

nepotism-- (somehow) Both French and Italian, the practice among those with powewr or influence of favoring family or friends (usually by giving them jobs)

lionize-- Latin, meaning to give someone public attention or treat him/her as a celebrity.

valedictorian-- Latin, usually a student having the highest grades in a class, who delivers the farewewll speech for graduation.  

[Ithaya]

Latrate - to bark as a dog. From Latin latratus - bark.  

[Ithaya]

Genuflect - to kneel as in reverence or worship. From Latin genu (knee) and flecto (to bend).

Hehe. ^^ I just used a Latin dictionary for that one.  

[JTequila]

The etymology of the english language comes from the French, the Anglos, the Saxons, the Jutes, Latin, and Celtic languages.

So.. y'know, the roots of most-all words are quite different. Except for the french-introduced ones. Those are more recent.  

[Eurykleia]

Hippopotamus - Derived from the Greek words 'ippos' (horse) and 'potamos' (river). Literally: 'riverhorse'

Mesopatomia - Derived from the Greek words 'mesos' (middle, between) and 'potamos' (river). Literally: between rivers

***** - Derived from the Greek words 'paidos' (child) and 'philios' (love, lover). Literally: Child lover

Necrophilia - Derived from the Greek words 'necros' (dead body) and 'philios' (love, lover). Literally: Dead body lover

lola_siannodel

Alot of words in medicine and the such are rooted from latin, and phobias all have latin (Phobia is latin for fear, and let's take the fear of blood, hemophobia for exsample. Hemo means blood).

Hemo isn't derived from Latin, it's derived from the Greek word 'Aimos', blood smile  

[Jill_Frost]

Sophomore-

Latin, I believe

Sopho - Wise
More - Fool

Thus a sophomore is a "wise fool".