Search found 611 matches
- Mon Dec 16, 2019 12:43 pm
- Forum: Good Word Suggestions
- Topic: Pharmacy
- Replies: 2
- Views: 7453
Pharmacy
From French, from Medieval Latin from Greek. A preparer of drugs and poison and a sorcerer. Not dissimilar to present day.
- Sun Dec 15, 2019 9:36 am
- Forum: Good Word Suggestions
- Topic: Homunculus
- Replies: 1
- Views: 6545
Homunculus
The ending produces the diminutive, causing Homo (man) to become little person.
- Wed Dec 11, 2019 8:19 am
- Forum: Good Word Suggestions
- Topic: Iron
- Replies: 2
- Views: 7942
Re: Iron
Interesting that. Also that the Latin ferro, may have a Semitic origin.
- Tue Dec 10, 2019 8:29 am
- Forum: Good Word Suggestions
- Topic: Prebendal
- Replies: 1
- Views: 6069
Prebendal
Where did this come from?
- Mon Dec 09, 2019 2:21 pm
- Forum: Good Word Suggestions
- Topic: Township
- Replies: 1
- Views: 6101
Township
Seems like an oxymoron...how can a town be a ship? However, from my limited research the suffix appears to denote quality, condition, position. The PIE root for town has many progeny, all meaning or alluding to hill fort.
- Fri Dec 06, 2019 5:24 pm
- Forum: Good Word Suggestions
- Topic: Spontaneous
- Replies: 1
- Views: 6203
Spontaneous
From Latin, of ones free will. The legal term sua sponte. Usually an action taken without prompting by another party.
- Fri Dec 06, 2019 11:46 am
- Forum: Good Word Suggestions
- Topic: caudillo
- Replies: 1
- Views: 5721
caudillo
Does this spanish word, meaning dictator, have any credibility as an English word yet? It comes from Latin for head. Franco loved it.
- Wed Nov 27, 2019 2:27 pm
- Forum: Good Word Suggestions
- Topic: Grab
- Replies: 1
- Views: 5748
Grab
A distinctly Germanic word with PIE origins. It appears in most, if not all, indoeuropean languages. Grab lunch, grab the door, grab a nap...
- Sun Nov 24, 2019 3:07 pm
- Forum: Good Word Suggestions
- Topic: Holocaust
- Replies: 1
- Views: 6016
Holocaust
From Greek, meaning whole burning. The Jewish tradition of wholly burning a sacrificial offering.
- Tue Oct 29, 2019 9:51 pm
- Forum: Good Word Suggestions
- Topic: Prehensile
- Replies: 1
- Views: 3969
Prehensile
To grasp or seize. Apprehend, I imagine comes from the same root. But does the French word “prendre” have the same root? My guess is yes.
- Mon Oct 28, 2019 11:42 am
- Forum: Good Word Suggestions
- Topic: Amidst
- Replies: 2
- Views: 4783
Amidst
In the middle. It appears middle is strictly Germanic in origin. But is the suffix “st” used anymore or even necessary? Really...who says: amongst, betwixt, whilst, alongst? However, There is against.
- Fri Oct 25, 2019 9:52 am
- Forum: Good Word Suggestions
- Topic: Patently
- Replies: 1
- Views: 7510
Patently
The adverb IS related to patent. From Latin, meaning open. Combined with letter, it means open letter or document from some authority. Thus a patent is a letter issued by an authority giving certain rights to a product. The adverb means openly, as in patently false.
- Wed Oct 23, 2019 9:57 am
- Forum: Good Word Suggestions
- Topic: Cum
- Replies: 1
- Views: 4128
Cum
Direct from Latin, with.
- Wed Oct 23, 2019 9:55 am
- Forum: Good Word Suggestions
- Topic: Bovarism
- Replies: 2
- Views: 5880
Re: Bovarism
I’m thinking of one prominent real estate mogul cum politician especially.
- Tue Oct 15, 2019 8:39 am
- Forum: Good Word Suggestions
- Topic: Morsel
- Replies: 1
- Views: 3690
Morsel
Yesterday, while studying French, I ran across the old French word, morsel. The modern French spelling is morceau. Meaning a small bite, portion, helping. Naturally, there is a Latin origin, Morsus, meaning a bite. Mordant, meaning biting as in caustic also comes from this root.