List of analogous Greek- and Latin-derived words in English
Much of English vocabulary derives ultimately from Greek and/or Latin root words. This page is a collection of words analogous between those two sources.
What I’m dubbing “analogs” are not necessarily cognates (though they may be cognate as well), but rather words that have essentially the same “literal” interpretation from each language. That is, each of their etymologies might be accurately explained using the same English term(s), regardless of possibly divergent semantics of the words themselves. Many have arrived in English via e.g. French or New Latin, but what matters for these purposes is the ultimate etymological source as either Hellenic or Latinate.
I intend to include only one word per potential set of derivations (different parts of speech, plurals, verb inflections, etc.), usually the most common or recognizable form.
Greek | Latin | Literal etymology |
---|---|---|
metaphor | transfer; transport | carry across |
phosphor | Lucifer | light-bearer |
sarcophagus | carnivore | flesh-eater |
pantophagous | omnivorous | eating all |
hyper | super | over |
hypodermic | subcutaneous | below the skin |
hypocritical | histrionic | of acting |
diaphanous | transparent | appearing through |
cosmetic | ornate | adorned |
monastic | solitary | alone |
monologue | soliloquy | speak alone |
prologue | anteloquy | speak before |
exotic | exterior; extraneous | outside |
myrmecoid | formic | of ants |
planet | vagrant | wanderer |
syndrome | concourse | run together |
periphery | circumference | carry around |
pericope | circumcision | cut around |
periscope | circumspection | look around |
perigraph | circumscribe | write around |
peripatetic | circumambulatory | walk around |
syntax | coordination | arrange together |
tactic | order | arrangement |
hypotaxis | subordination | arrange below |
ataxia | inordination | not arranged |
technique | art | skill |
crypt | ceiling | hidden |
axon | axis | axle |
epic | diction | speech |
cacoepy | malediction | bad speech |
metamorphosis | transfiguration | form across |
dysplastic | malformed | bad molding |
sphere | globe | ball |
psilosis | nudity | baring |
actinism | radiation | beam |
arctic | ursine | of bears |
zone | cincture | belt |
symbiotic | convivial | living together |
genesis | generation | creation |
gonad | genital | of creation |
gene | genus; gender; gentle; genteel; genial; genius; genuine | creation; kind |
endogenous | indigenous | originating within |
melanism | negritude | state of being black |
physalis | vesica | bladder |
h(a)emal | sanguine | of blood |
pneumonic | pulmonary | of the lung |
somatic | corporal; corporeal; corporate | of the body |
disomic | bicorporal | having two bodies |
trisomic | tricorporal | having three bodies |
ectosomal | extracorporeal | outside the body |
cyan | cerulean | blue |
eczema | fervor | boiling |
osteoid | osseous | bonelike |
endosteal | interosseous | inside the bone |
osteoclast | ossifrage | bone-breaker |
trepan | foramen | drilled opening |
abyss | foundation; fund | bottom |
proton | prime | first |
Anatolian | Oriental | eastern |
anacoluthon | nonsequitur | not following |
horizon | terminal | bounding |
aorist | interminate | not bounded |
toxin | arc; arch | bow |
adelphic | fraternal | brotherly |
clade | rammel | branch |
cladic | ramous | branched |
cladogenesis | ramification | branch-making |
sternal | mammary | of the breast |
clastic | fractal; fractious; fragile; route; routine; rupture | breaking |
synclastic | corrupt | broken together |
pneumatic | animate; spiritual | of breath |
anapnoic | respiratory | breathing again |
brachyurous | brevicaudate | short-tailed |
cautery | arson | burning |
caustic | ardent | burning |
parable; parabola | juxtaposition | placing side by side |
syndesis | colligation | binding together |
tetrapod | quadruped | four-footed |
ecclesiastic | exciting | calling forth |
symphony | consonant | sounding together |
glyph | sculpture | carving |