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Extraordinary [ EXTRA beyond + ORDINARY normal ] scene !!
LOGY -- study of
- LOGY at the end of the a word usually means study of. Biology [ BIO life ] is the study of plant and animal life. Geology [ GEO earth ] is the study of the history of the Earth, especially as recorded in rocks. Etymology [ ETYM true ] is the study of the origin (true meaning) and development of words. In this book you are getting an introduction to etymology. Almost all such words have in front of the -LOGY -genealogy and mineralogy.
Archeology [ ARCH ancient + - LOGY study of ] the study of ancient cultures based on artifacts.
Astrology [ ASTRO star + - LOGY study of ] a pseudoscience claiming to foretell the future by a
study the stars.
Ecology [ ECO home + - study of ] the study of relationship between organisms and their
environment (home).
Embryology the study of the formation and development of embryos.
Entomology [ EN in + TOM to cut + - LOGY study of ] the study of insects (whose bodies are
cut in three segments.) Atom [ A not + TOM cut]
Psychology [ PSYCH mind + - LOGY study of ] the study of mental processes and behavior.
LOQU, LOC -- to speak
A soliloquy [ SOL alone + LOQU to speak ] is a speech given by an actor, aloe on the stage, to
reveal private thoughts and emotions. The most famous soliloquy, of course, is Hamlet's
" To be or not to be, " when Hamlet reveals his feelings to audience. Another soliloquy from
a Shakesperean play is the opening speech of Richard III,
" Now is the winter of our discontent ... "
Colloquial [ COL together + LOQU to speak ] like the language used when people speak
together informally; informed or conversational.
Eloquent [ E out + LOQU to speak ] fluent; persuasive.
Grandiloquent [ GRAND grand + LOQU to speak ] marked by a lofty, extravagantly colorful
style.
Loquacious talkative.
Ventriloquist [ VENTR stomach + LOQU to speak ] one who speaks from the stomach.
MAL -- bad
In the medieval calendar, two days in each month were marked as dies mali (evil days)
January 1 and 25. February 4 and 26, March 1 and 28, April 10 and 20, ...
Any enterprise begun on one of these bad days was certain to end in failure. Our word dismal
comes form dies mali, but today a dismal day is merely gloomy or depressing.
Was he really ill when he stayed at home from work during the week of the World Series, or was
he just malingering ?? Malinger originally meant to be in bad health, but, as with many words, it
has changed over the years and now means to pretend to be ill in order to avoid duty or work.
If you stay home from work pretending to be ill, you're malingering. If you claim you have a bad
back when the walks need shoveling, if you develop a headache when you're supposed to go to
a boring meeting, if you are too weary after dinner to help with the dishes -- you could be
malingering. A number of words beginning with MAL are easy to understand because MAL
simply gives the word a " bad " meaning.
malnutrition is bad nutrition.
maltreated means badly treated.
maladjusted means badly adjusted to the circumstance of one's life.
malfunction means to function badly, as an engine malfunctions.
malpractice means improper treatment of a patient by a physician.
Maladroit not adroit; not skillful, awkward; clumsy.
Malady bad condition; a disease.
Malaise [ MAL bad + AISE ease ] a vague felling of illness or depression.
Malapropism badly appropriate; a ludicrous misuse of a word that sounds somewhat like the
word intended.
Malaria [ MAL bad + AER air ] a disease once though to be caused by bad air from the
swamps.
Malcontent one who is badly contented.
Malediction [ MAL bad + DICT to speak ] a curse (opposite if benediction.)
Malevolent [ MAL bad + VOL to wish ] wishing evil toward others.
Malfeasance [ MAL bad + FAC to do ] wrongdoing, especially by a public official.
Malice actice bad feeling or illwill.
Malicious intentionally bad or harmful.
Malign to speak evil of.
Malignant bad or harmful
METER, METR -- measure
Although for years Americans have used the root METER in such words as thermometer,
barometer, speedometer, and odometer, we are dragging our feet in adopting the
metric system. Only two other countries in the world don't use metric : Liberia and Myanmar.
But now, with many states requiring metric instruction in the schools, perhaps we will eventually
go along with the rest of the metric world.
MIT, MIS MISS -- to send
The MIT, MIS, MISSs root has to do with sending. A mission is a task that one is sent to do.
The missionary is someone sent out to do religious work. A message is a communication
sent to someone, and the person who carries the message is a messenger.
Dismiss [ DIS away + MISS to send ] to send away.
Emissary [ E out + MISS to send ] a person sent out in a specific mission.
Intermittent [ INTER between + MIT to send ] sent between intervals.
Missile a weapon that is fired or otherwise sent toward a target.
Missive a letter or message that is sent.
Omit [ OB away + MIT to send ] send away
Permit [ PER through + MIT to send ] to send through; to allow.
Premise [ PRE before + MIS to send ] a statement sent before; an initial statement that is
assumed to be true and upon which an argument is based.
Promise [ PRO forth + MIS to send ] to send forth.
MONO -- one
There are two roots meaning one -UNI (as in unanimous, unify, unison) and MONO. MONO
is found is such words monoplane (having only one pair of wings), monarchy (having one
ruler), and monotheism (belief in one God). Two words we don't usually think of as containing
MONO are monk and monastery. A monk was originally one religious man living alone, and a
monastery was dwelling place for monks living in seclusion from the world.
Monarchy [ MONO one + ARCH ruler ] a government with one hereditary ruler.
Monocle [ MONO one + OCUL eye ] an eleglass for one eye.
Monogamy [ MONO one + GAM marriage ] marriage to only one person at a time.
Monolith [ MONO one + LITH stone ] monument or a statue.
Monopoly [ MONO one + POLY to sell ] exclusive control by one group of a commodity.
Monotonous [ MONO one +TON tone ] having no vibration.
MORPH -- form
MORPH meaning form is an easy root to spot and will help clarify some difficult words. For
example, amorphous [ A without + MORPH form ] refers to something that is without form,
such as a speech that has not yet been organized, a poem that is still in an unformed state, a
plan that has not yet taken shape, or some clay that is ready for the potter's wheel.
Morphology [ MORPH form + - LOGY study of ]
PAN -- all
Panacea [ PAN all + AKOS remedy ] a remedy for all ills or difficulties.
Panchromatic [ PAN all + CHROM color ] sensitive to light of all colors
Panorama [ PAN all + HORAMA sight ] a view in all directions.
Pantheism [ PAN all + THE god ] the doctrine that God is all the laws and forces of nature and
the universe.
PATH -- feeling, suffering
Do you feel sympathy or empathy when the boy on stage has forgotten his speech ?? And do
you feel apathy or antipathy toward the ideas a lecture is presenting ?? All four words --
sympathy, empathy, apathy, and antipathy --describe feelings because they all certain the root
PATH feeling. Sympathy [ SYM together + PATH feeling ] is literally feeling together with
someone. Empathy [ EM in + PATH feeling ] is a stronger word, indicating that you identify with
someone so closely that you feel in that person's position. Apathy [ A without + PATH feeling ]
means lack of feeling., indifference. Antipathy [ ANTI against + PATH feeling ] means a feeling
against someone or something, a strong dislike.
You will of course feel sympathy foe the boy who is having stage fright, but if he happens to be
your child, you will also feel empathy -- identifying with him and participating in his suffering.
If the ideas lecturer is presenting are boring, you'll feel apathy or indifference. You'll be apathetic,
without feeling. But if you strongly disagree with the ideas, then you'll feel antipathy toward them and perhaps even toward the lecturer.
Pathology [ PATH suffering + - LOGY study of ] the study of suffering; the scientific study of
the nature of disease, especially the structural and functional changes caused
by disease.
Psychopathic [ PSYCH mind + - Logy study of ] suffering in the mind.
PED -- foot
Two words containing PED were originally concerned with getting one's foot in an entanglement.
Impede [ IM in + PED foot ] meant to get one's foot into an entanglement and thus hinder one's
progress. Through the years it has lost the meaning of the foot in an entanglement and now has
come to mean merely to hinder the progress. Expedite [ EX out + PED foot ] originally meant to
get one's foot out of an entanglement and thus to speed one's progress. Expedite too has lost
the meaning of the foot in an entanglement and today means merely to speed the progress of,
to help along. You might say that a poor vocabulary will impede your progress in college whreras
a large vocabulary will expedite your progress by helping you read with more understanding.
Expedient [ EX out + PED foot ] foot out of entanglement.
Pedestrian [ PED foot ]
Pedigree [ from the French PIED foot + DE of + GRUE crane ] the foot of a crane, so called
because the three-line diagram used to indicate descent looks like a crane's foot;
a record of ancestry.
PHIL -- to love
A word containing PHIL will have something to go with love.
Philosophy [ PHIL to love + SOPH wise] is the love of wisdom. A bibliophile
[ BIBL book + PHIL to love ] is one who
Bibliophile [ BIBL book + PHIL to love ] one who loves books.
Philatelist [ PHIL to love + ATAELEIA tax exemption (the stamp showed that the postage had
been prepaid, and the receiver was exempt from further charge.)] one who love the
stamps.
PHOB -- fear
Do you refuse to stand on the observation platform of a tall building ?? If so, perhaps you have
acrophobia, an excessive fear of high places. Do you avoid elevators ?? If so, you may be
suffering from claustrophobia, an excessive fear of closed places.
Hydrophobia [ HYDR water + PHOB fear ] an abnormal fear of water.
Phobic an excessive or illogical fear of some particular thing or situation.
Xenophobia [ XENO foreigner + PHOB fear ] fear or hated of foreigners or strangers.
PHON -- sound
Any word containing PHON always has something to do with sound. A symphony
[ SYM together + PHON sound ] is literally sounds together, presumably pleasant sounds.
If a sound is harsh or unpleasant, it is called cacophony [ CACO bad + PHON sound ] whereas
smooth and harmonious sounds, especially words or phrases that please the ear, are called
Euphony [ EU good + PHON sound ].
Telephone [ TELE remote + PHON sound ]
POST -- after
Preposterous is made up of [ PRE before + POST after ] originally meant having the before
part where the after part should be, as a horse with its head where its tail should be. Such a
before-after animal would be preposterous or absurd. And so today anything contrary to nature,
reason, or common sense is called preposterous.
Postdate [ POST after + DATE date ] to date a check or other document with a future date
rather than the actual date.
Posterior located behind (as opposed to anterior, located in front)
Posterity those who come after; future generations.
Posthumously after the death of the father, as a child born posthumously; after the death of the
author, as a book published posthumously.
Postlude [ POST after + LUD to play ] a piece of music played after church service.
Postpone [ POST after + PON to put ] to put off until afterward.
PRE -- before
PRE at the beginning of a word means before and is easy to understand in such words as
preschool, premature, prehistoric, premeditate, prejudge, and precaution. But sometimes
the meaning is not so obvious. For example, precocious [ PRE before + COQUERE to cook ]
originally applied to fruit that ripened early (before time). Today it describes someone who has
matured eariler than usual, particularly mentally. Children who are unusually smart for their years
are called precocious. They have ripened early !!
Preamble [ PRE before + AMBUL to walk ] a walking before; a preliminary statement to a
document.
Precedent [ PRE before + CED to go ] an act that goes before and may serve as an example
for later acts.
Precipitate [ PRE before + CAPIT head ] to dash head first; to hasten the occurrence of.
Precise [ PRE before + CIS to cut ] to cut off unnecessary oarts beforehand; sharply defined
and exact.
Predilection [ PRE before + DILIGERE to love ] to love before others; a preference.
Preeminent [ PRE before + EMUNERE to stand out ] standing out before all others.
Preponderant [ PRE before + PONDER weight ] out-weighting having more power.
Prerequisite something required beforehand.
Presage [ PRE before + SAGIRE to perceive ] predict.
PRO -- forward, before, for, forth
Do you tend to put off unpleasant tasks until a future time ?? If so, you probably have a
propensity [ PRO forward + PENS to hang ] (a hanging forward or inclination) to
procrastinate [ PRO forward + CRAS tomorrow ] (to push tasks forward until tomorrow).
When it comes to studying, many students have a propensity to procrastinate.
Proceed [ PRO forward + CEEd to go ] to go forward.
Proclaim [ PRO forth + CLAM to cry out ] to announce officially and publicly.
Proclivity [ PRO forward + CLIVUS slope ] a slope forward; an inclination toward something
especially toward something objectionable.
Profuse [ PRO forth + FUS to pour ] pouring forth freely; generous.
Promontory [ PRO forward + MONT mountain ] a high peak of land or rock (mountain) jutting
forward into the sea.
Propensity [ PRO forward + PENS to hang ] a hanging forward; a natural inclination.
Protuberant [ PRO forth + TUBER swelling ] bulging.
Provident [ PRO before + VID to see ] seeing forehand; making provision for the future.
Provision [ PRO before + VIS to see ] a seeing forehand; a preparation for the future.
RE -- back, again
What would you do with a recalcitrant child ?? First you might have to figure out the meaning of
recalcitrant. Since RE means back and CALC means heel, recalcitrant means literally kicking
back the heels. Once used in referring to horses and mules, it now applied to human beings.
Therefore a recalcitrant child would be one who is kicking back, obstinate, stubbornly rebellious.
The meaning of many words that begin with RE are simple: return is simply to turn again,
recall is to call again, and reconstruct is to construct again.Here are some more familiar
words for which you won't need pronunciation help or example sentences.
Recede [ RE back + CED to go ] to go back.
Receive [ RE again + CAP to take ] to take again.
Recreation [ RE again + CREAT to create ] a creating again; the refreshment of mind or body
through some form of play or amusement.
Referee [ RE back + FER to carry ] one to whom questions are carries back;
Remit [ RE back + MIT to send ] to send back.
Reside [ RE back + SID to sit ] to sit back.
Residue [ RE back + SID to sit ] that which sits backs.
Retain [ RE back + TEN to hold ] to hold back or keep in one's possession.
Revenue [ RE back + VEN to come ] money that comes from an investment or other source/
Revert [ RE back + VERT to turn ] to turn 3C/b> [ RE again + VIV to live ] to cause to live again.
And here are some less familiar words.
Recant [ RE back + CANT to sing ] to renounce a belief formerly held, especially in a formal
or public manner.
Recession [ RE back + CESS to go ] a period of reduced economic activity.
Recluse [ RE back + CLUS to shut ] one who lives shut back from the world.
Remiss [ RE back + MISS to send ] sent back; negligent; lax in attending to duty.
Renaissance [ RE again + NASC to be born ] a rebirth; the revival of classical art, literature,
and learning in Europe in the fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth centuries.
Resilient [ RE again + SIL to sleep ] to leap again; the ability to recover quickly from illness,
property for taxation.
Obsess [ OB against + SESS to sit [ack; to return to a former habit or condition.
SCRIB, SCRIPT -- to write
In Europe, during the fifth century, a monk copied a manuscript, thus becoming the first
European scribe. Before long, entire monasteries were devoted to copying scriptural and
literary texts. The scribes copies the texts laboriously in black, glossy letters; then other monks
illuminated the capital letters with red pigment and gold leaf. Sometimes the making of a single
book would occupy many years or even the lifetime of a monk.
Ascribe [ AD to + SCRIB to write ] to attribute.
Conscription [ CON together + SCRIB to write ] name written together; an enforced enrollment
or military draft
Inscribe [ IN in + SCRIB to write ] originally, to engrave words in stone; now, to write in, as the
dedication of a book.
Manuscript [ MANU hand + SCRIB to write ] originally, something written by hand.
Subscribe [ SUB under + SCRIB to write ] to write one's name on an agreement, as to subcribe
to a magazine; also, to support or give approval to an ideal.
Transcribe [ TRANS over + SCRIB to write ] to write over again, as to transcribe notes.
SED, SID, SESS -- to sit
If you have a sedentary job, you probably sit at a desk all day. If you work assiduously, you
literally sit at your work until it is finished. And if you have an insidious habit, it is one that does
not seem very bad at first but that sits in wait for you, ready to become more and more harmful.
Assess [ AD to + SESS to sit ] to sit near to a judge (as an assistant); to estimate the value of
&nbsnder prices to hold them up; government financial
support.
Supersede [ SUPER abot + SESS to sit ] to sit against, to besiege like an evil spirit; to preoccupy
the mind abnormal.
Preside [ PRE before + SID to sit ] to sit before a meeting to conduct it.
Sedative a medicine that makes one sit down or quiet down; a medicine that calms
nervousness or excitement.
Sediment material that sits at the bottom if a liquid, as the sediment in a stream.
Session the sitting together of a group.
Siege sitting down before a town with the intention of capturing it; a prolonged attack.
Subside [ SUB under + SID to sit ] to sit under, to sink to a lower level; to settle down.
Subsidiary [ SUB under + SID to sit ] sitting under; serving to assist or supplement.
Subsidy [ SUB under + SID to sit ] sitting under prices to hold them up; government financial
support.
Supersede [ SUPER above + SED to sit ] to sit above; to take the place of; to displace.
SPEC, SPIC SPECT -- to look
In ancient Rome, certin men were appointed to look at the flight of birds from omens or signs.
The kind of birds, their position in the sky, and the direction of their flight determined whether the
time was auspicious [ AVI bird + SPIC to look ] for any new under taking. Auspicious came
to mean " full of good omens ", and today we still speak of an auspicious time to ask a favor or
to suggest a few policy.
Aspect [ AD to + SPECT to look ] the way something looks from a certain point of view.
Conspicuous [ CON intensive + SPIC to look ] easy to notice (look at); obvious.
Despicable [ DE down + SPIC to look ] looked down on; deserving to be despised.
Expect [ EX out + SPECT to look ] to look out for; to anticipate.
Inspect [ IN into + SPECT to look ] to look into carefully.
Introspect [ INTRO within + SPECT to look ] a looking within one's own mind.
Perspective [ PER through + SPECT to look ] the ability to look at things in their true
relationship; point of view.
Perspicacious [ PER through + SPIC to look ] having the ability to look through something and
understand it; perceptive.
Prospect [ PRO forward + SPECT to look ] a looking forward; the outlook for something, as a
prospect for a good crop.
Respect [ RE back + SPECT to look ] to look on again; to look on with regard or esteem.
Retrospect [ RETRO backward + SPECT to look ] a looking backward.
Specious looking good on first sight but actually not so.
SpecterSubliminal [ SUB under + LIMIN threshold ] below the threshold of consciou a series of colored bands seen when light passes through a prism.
Speculate to look at; to reflect on or ponder.
Suspect [ SUB under + SPECT to look ] to look under outward appearances.
SUB -- under
Prisoners in Rome times were forced to crawl under a yoke (like the yoke put on oxen) formed
from three trees, thus showing that from that time forward they were the subjects of their
conquerors. They were brought under (SUB) the yoke (JUGUM) or subjugate. We still use the
word subjugate today to mean subdue or make subservient.
Many SUB words are easy to understand when we know that SUB26nbsp; ubstandard,Subservient [ SUB under + SERV to serve ] serving under someone; submissive.
Subsistence under-existence.
Subsume [ SUB under + SUM to take ] to include under a more general category.
Subterfuge [ SUB under + FUG to flee ] fleeing under cover; an action used to avoid an
&nbstrict diet.
Subliminal [ SUB under + LIMIN threshold ] below the threshold of conscious perception.
Submerge [ SUB under + MERG to plunge ] to plunge under water.
Submit [ SUB under + MIT to send ] to put (send) oneself under the authority of.
Subpoena [ SUB under + POENA penalty (the first two words of the older) ] a legal order
requiring a person to appear in court to give testimony.
Sub rosa [ SUB under + ROS rose ] under the rose (from an ancient custom of hanging a rose
over the council table to indicate that all present were sworn secrecy); in confidence.
Subservient [ SUB under + SERV to serve ] serving under someone; submissive.
Subsistence under-existence.
Subsume [ SUB under + SUM to take ] to include under a more general category.
Subterfuge [ SUB under + FUG to flee ] fleeing under cover; an action used to avoid an
unpleasant situation.
Subversive [ SUB under + VERS to turn ] to turn under; tending to undermine or overthrow.
SUPER -- above, over
How do yo describe people who raise their eyebrows and look down on others in haughty way ?
Two roots -- SUPER above and CILIUM eyelid combined to form the Latin word supercilium
meaning eyebrow. Eventually, anyone who raised their eyebrows in a haughty way came to be
called a supercilious person, a raised-eyebrows person.
Insuperable [ IN not + SUPER over ] not capable of being overcome.
Soprano one having a voice range above the other voices.
Superb above ordinary quality; excellent.
Supercilious [ SUPER over + CILIUM eyelid ] above the eyelid; eyebrows raised in a haughty
way.
Superfluous [ SUPER over + FLU to flow ] overflow what is needed; extra.
Superimpose to lay something over something else.
Superstition [ SUPER above + STA to stand ] a belief standing above other beliefs; a belief
that is inconsistent with the known laws of science.
Supervise [ SUPER over + VIS to see ] to oversee others.
Supreme above all others; highest in rank.
Surplus [ SUPER above + PLUS more ] above more.
SYN, SYM, SYL -- together
Among the ancient Greeks, a symposium was a drinking together party
[ SYM together + POS to drink ], especially after a banquet. Through the years the meaning has
changed until today a symposium is no longer a drinking party but a meeting or conference at
which several speakers come together to deliver opinions on a certain topic.
In preceding pages, we have seen that the root SYN, SYM, SYL means together in such words
as symmetrical, sympathy, symphony and , synchronize. Whether the word will begin with
SYN, SYM, or SYL often depends on what letter follows. For instance, it would be difficult to
pronounce SYN metrical; therefore SYN becomes SYM.
Syllogism [ SYL together + LOG word ] words together; a form of argument or reasoning
consisting of two statements and a conclusion drawn from them.
Symbol [ SYN together + BOL to throw ] things thrown together for comparison.
Synopsis [ SYN together + OP sight ] a seeing things together; a belief general summary.
Syntax [ SYN together + TAX arrangement ] the way words are arranged together to form
sentences.
Synthesis [ SYN together + THES to put ] a putting together.
TELE -- far
Any word containing TELE will have far in its meaning. Such words as telephone and
telegraph and television have become so common that we say them without thinking what they
really mean.
Telescope [ TELE far + SCOP to look ] an instrument for looking at far objects.
TORT -- to twist
If you are driving along a little-traveled mountain road, you will certainly understand the meaning
of tortuous. It comes form the root TORT to twist and means full of twists and turns. You can
speak of a tortuous road, a tortuous path through the woods, a tortuous climb down a mountain,
a tortuous career with advances and reverses all along the way, or tortuous arguments that
wander all over rather moving directly toward a goal. Tortuous may also mean morally twisted,
deceitful, not straightforward. Tortuous explanations may twist the truth, and tortuous deals may
be twisted or crooked. Tortuous may not be confused with torturous, which is related to torture
and means inflicting physical or mental pain.
Distort [ DIS away + TORT to twist ] to twist away;
Extort [ EX out + TORT to twist ] to twist something out;
Retort [ RE back + TORT to twist ] a twisting back on the givers;a reply to an insult or a
criticism.
Torch a portable light produced by a flammable material twisted around the end of a stick and
ignited (early torches were made of twisted flax dipped in tallow).
Torment to annoy.
Torture any severe physical or mental pain.
Torturous inflicting physical or mentanvert [ CON together + VERT to turn ] to turn together to the same belief.
Divert [ DI away + VERT to turn ] to turn away.
Inadvertent [ IN not + AD to + VERT to turn ] not turning one's mind to a matter.
Obverse [ OB toward + VERS to turn ] turned toward the observer.
Perverse [ PER intensive + VERS to turn ] turned away from what is right or good; obstinately
disobedient or difficult.
Versatile able to turn easily from one subject or occupation to another; competent in many
fields.
Verse [ VERS to turn] turning from one line to the next in poetry, like a plow turning to make
>Aversion [ AB away + VERs to turn ] a turning away; extreme dislike.
Avert [ AB away + VERT to turn ] to turn away.
Controversy [ CONTRA against + VERS to turn ] opinions turned against each other.
Convert [ CON together + VERT to turn ] to turn together to the same belief.
Divert [ DI away + VERT to turn ] to turn away.
Inadvertent [ IN not + AD to + VERT to turn ] not turning one's mind to a matter.
Obverse [ OB toward + VERS to turn ] turned toward the observer.
Perverse [ PER intensive + VERS to turn ] turned away from what is right or good; obstinately
disobedient or difficult.
Versatile able to turn easily from one subject or occupation to another; competent in many
fields.
Verse [ VERS to turn] turning from one line to the next in poetry, like a plow turning to make
parallel furrows.
Version [ VERS to turn ] a translation or turning of one language into another.
VIA -- way
In Roman times, a place where three roads met was called the three-way place, or trivia
(TRI three + VIA way). When people on their way to market gathered at that place to chat about
unimportant matters, their talk came to be called trivia, or three-way talk. Eventually any talk
about unimportant things was called trivial. So today, when we talk about trivial things, we are
reminded of those Romans who did likewise.
Deviate [ DE from + VIA way ] to turn away from an established way.
Impervious [ IN not + PER through + VIA way ] no way through.
Obviate [ OB against + VIA way ] to come against something in the way and dispose of it.
Previous [ PRE before + VIA way ] under way beforehand.
Viaduct [ VIA way + DUC to lead ] a bridge leading a road (way) over a valley.
VOC, VOKE -- to call, voice
A convocation [ CON together + VOC to call ] is a calling together, an assembly. It may begin
with an invocation [ IN in + VOC to call ], a calling for divine aid; and if the convocation is a
college graduation, then the graduates will be looking forward to their vocations, or callings.
Later, after they are settled in their jobs, they will no doubt be thinking of avocations, or callings
away from their jobs.
Advocate [ AD to + VOC to call ] one called to give evidence; a person who pleads on
another's behalf or for a cause.
Evoke [ E out + Voc to call ] to call out, as a memories or feelings.
Invoke [ IN in + VOC to call ] to call in; to call upon for aid or support.
Provoke [ PRO forth + VOC to call ] to call forth; to bring about;
Revoke [ RE back + VOC to call ] to call back.
Vocabulary the words one can speak.
Vocation a calling; an occupation or profession.
Vociferous [ VOC voice + FER to carry ] carrying a loud voice; noisy.
Word Roots continues this tradition by presenting 55 of the most commonly occurring Latin and
Greek found in the English language.
The following websites provide very educational materials.
This is a map of the wheel-rut of modern English. Etymologies are not definitions; they're
explanation of what our words meant and how they sounded 600 or 2,000 years ago.
The dates beside a word indicate the earliest year for which there is a surviving written record
of that word in English. This should be taken as approximate, especially before about 1700,
since a word may have been used in conversation for hundreds of years before it turns up in a
manuscript that has had the good fortune to survive the centuries.
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