Chapter 22: Greek Verbs and their Derivatives
§136. Greek Verb Roots and English Derivatives
This section will consist of a series of Greek verb roots, presented in tabular form. Try to relate each verb’s original meaning to the semantic force of its English derivatives—the connection may not always be apparent. Don’t be surprised if a Greek verb has more than one root form; often these are different ABLAUT grades, as in English swim, swam, swum.
| Table 22.2: OTHER GREEK VERBS AND THEIR DERIVATIVES | |
| VERB ROOT (English meaning) | ENGLISH DERIVATIVES |
| gen-,[1] genē-, gon- (be born) | genesis, dysgenesis, genetic, gene, eugenics, gonad, gonorrhoea, cosmogony, theogony, oxygen, hydrogen, pathogen(ic), carcinogen(ic), parthenogenesis (< παρθενος, “virgin”) |
| path-, pathē- (suffer, feel) | pathos, pathetic, sympathy, empathy, apathy, apathetic, antipathy, antipathetic(al), pathology, psychopath, etc. |
| pher-, phor-, (bear, carry) | periphery, euphoria, dysphoria, semaphore, phosphorus, phosphorescence (form?) |
| leg-, log-, (speak; gather) | -logy (-λογια, §110), dialect, dialectic, eclectic, dialogue (διαλογος > L dialogus), monologue, prologue, epilogue, apology, eulogy, anthology |
| graph-, gram- (write) | -graph and -graphia (-γραφος, -γραφια, §110); gram, anagram, diagram, epigram, program(me), programmatic, telegram, grammatical, grammar |
| skop-, skep- (watch, examine) | -scope and -scopia (-σκοπος, -σκοπια, §110); sceptic (skeptic), scepticism, episcopal, bishop < ἐπισκοπος (“overseer”) |
| trop- (turn) | trope, tropic(al), tropism, heliotrope |
| stroph-, streph- (turn, twist) | strophe, antistrophe, apostrophe, catastrophe, streptococcus |
| stol- (send) | apostle, apostolic, epistle, diastole |
| kryp-, kryph- (hide) | crypt (κρυπ-τος), cryptic (κρυπ-τικος), apocryphal cryptogram |
| phy- (grow) | neophyte; G φυσις = L natura; physics, physical, metaphysical, physio- |
| aisthē- (feel, perceive) | aesthete, (a)esthetic, anaesthetic, anaesthesia |
| agōg- (lead) | synagogue, demagogue (δημ-αγωγος), pedagogue |
| ball-, bol-, blē- (throw) | ballistics (via Latin), symbol, problem, emblem, hyperbole, hyperbola, parabola, parable, diabolic(al), anabolism, embolism, metabolism |
| pha-, phē- (speak) | aphasia, dysphasia, euphemism, dysphemism, prophet (προφητης > L prophēta), prophetic, prophecy (προφητεια), prophesy, blaspheme |
| pha(i)n, pha- (show, appear) | phase, emphasis, emphatic, phenomenon (pl. -a), epiphany, theophany, diaphanous, phantasy (fantasy and fantastic show Latinized spelling) |
| hora-, op(t)– (see) | optic (ὀπ-τικος), synopsis, synoptic, autopsy, biopsy, optometrist, optician (hybrid), panorama, cyclorama, diorama |
| rheu-, rho-, rheo- (flow) | rheum, rheumatic, rheumatoid, rheostat, catarrh, diarrhoea (diarrhea), gonorrhoea |
| tak- (arrange) | syntax (συνταξις < *sun-tak-sis), tactic(al), tactician, taxidermy |
- cf. Latin gen-, as in genus, generis; progeny and progenitor are Latin derivatives. ↵
