Etymology - Study of the Meaning and History of Words |
Mark Merlino - Home page |
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Place Names & Personal Names |
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Ankara - (Turkish) from the Greek name for the city, Ankyra, meaning anchor. Canada - (English) from the Algonquian word k'anata meaning little settlement or village. Cappadocia - (Latin) from Persian Katpatuka said to mean land of well-bred horses. Chrysostom - (Greek) from Chrysos + Stoma meaning golden mouth - having the significance of speaking golden words. Constantinople - (English) from the Greek name for the city, Konstantinou polis, meaning Constantine's city. Friuli - (Italian) from the Latin name Forum Iulii, the modern city of Cividale, meaning Julian's Forum. Hadrian - (English) from Latin Hadrianus meaning of Hadria, a town in Northern Italy, the name of a 2nd c. Roman Emperor. Istanbul - (Turkish) from the Byzantine Greek expression eis tan polin meaning to the city. London - (English) from Latin Londinium meaning the place belonging to Londinos Londinos, a Celtic name = the Wild One Malta - (Maltese) from Latin Melite derived from the Phoenician word melita meaning a place of refuge, literally "he escaped" Mark - (English) from the Latin name Marcus, derived from Mars, the Roman god of war. Merlino - (Italian) diminuitive form of the Italian word Merlo, in Latin merula, meaning blackbird. Porphyrogenitus - (Greek & Latin) meaning Born in Purple given to those born in a certain room in Constantinople's Palace. Turkey - (English) from modern Latin Turchia, derived from turk, a national name of unkown origin said to mean strength. Vancouver - (English) last name of explorer George Vancouver. It is a Ducth name meaning from Coevorden. Venice - (English) from the Italian Venezia from Latin Venetia. Derived from Veneti, an ancient Illyrian tribe from the region. |
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Other Words |
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Art - (English) from Latin Ars meaning skill or craft dervied from proto-Indo-European ar-ti = manner or mode. Belief - (English) from Old English geleafa Germanic root galaub meaning dear or esteemed. Castle - (English) from Latin castellum meaning a fortified village related to castrum = fort. Contemplate - (English) from Latin contemplationem meaning to gaze attentively or observe. Related to temple. Crucify - (English) from Latin crucifigere meaning to fasten to a cross. cruci=to a cross, figere=to fasten. Devil - (English) from Greek diabolos meaning accuserer or slanderer, dia=across, ballein=to throw. Divine - (English) from Latin divus meaning a god, origionally the god of daylight. It is related to the verb shine. Easter - (English) Northumbrian Eostre the goddess of fertility & sunrise whose festival was in the Spring. Eternal - (English) from Latin aeternus meaning of great age, aevum= age. Eucharist - (English) from the Greek eukharistia meaning thanksgiving from stems eu= well and haris=grace. Father - (English) from proto-Indo-European pater presumably from baby speach "pa". Garden - (English) from proto-Germanic gardo meaning enclosure related to yard. God - (English) from Germanic root gheu meaning the one invoked or the one sacrificed to. Incarnation - (English) from Latin incarnatus meaning to make flesh, in=in, carno=flesh. Life - (English) from proto-Germanic liba meaning continue, persevere and live. Miracle - (English) from Latin miraculum meaning an object of wonder, related to the word smile. Mosaic - (English) from Latin mosaicum from Greek mouseion meaning of the muses or work of the muses. Nature - (English) from Latin natura origionally from natus meaning birth. One - (English) from Old English an from proto-Germanic ainaz & proto-Indo-European oinos meaning unity related to only, alone. Orphan - (English from Latin orphanus, from Greek orphanos meaning deprived. From proto-Indo-European orbho=bereft of father. Peace - (English) from Latin pax meaning tranquility. The root pak- means an agreement. Practical - (English) from Greek praktikos meaning fit for action. Related to practice. Race - (English) from Old Norse ras meaning the running or rush of water from proto-Germanic raes = rage or rave. Redemption - (English) from Latin redemptus meaning buying back or releasing, re + emere = to take, to buy. Religion - (English) from Latin religio meaning reverance & respect for what is sacred, literally means rely. Sacred - (English) from Latin sacrare meaning to make holy from the root saq- meaning bound or protected. Scripture - (English) from Latin scriptura meaning writing, character or inscription, scribere = to write. Simple - (English) from Latin simplus meaning single from Proto-Indo-European sem = one or together. Skeptic - (English) from Greek skeptikos meaning inquiring or reflective. It is related to the word scope. Story - (English) from old French estorie meaning history from Latin historia, Greek historein, to inquire. Supernatural - (English) from Latin supernaturalis meaning above or beyond nature, super=above or beyond. Theology - (English) from Greek theologia meaning an account of the gods, Theos=god logos=an account of. Tower - (English) from the Old English torr from Latin turris meaning a high structure. |
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June 1, 2006 |
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