Language Arts: Etymology: Tracing Word Origins Worksheet

Question 1

The word biography comes from the Greek roots bio, meaning life, and graph, meaning write. Explain what a biography is based on its word parts.

Accepted Answer

A biography is a written account of a person's life. The root bio means life, and graph means write, so the word means life writing.

Question 2

The Latin prefix pre- means before. Use this information to explain the meaning of the word preview.

Accepted Answer

A preview is something seen before the main event or full version. The prefix pre- means before, and view means to see.

Question 3

Look at these words: transport, portable, export, import. The Latin root port means carry. Choose two words from the list and explain how port helps you understand their meanings.

Accepted Answer

Transport means to carry something from one place to another. Portable means able to be carried. In both words, the root port helps show the idea of carrying.

Question 4

The word telephone comes from Greek roots tele, meaning far, and phon, meaning sound or voice. Explain why telephone is a fitting name for the invention.

Accepted Answer

Telephone is a fitting name because it allows a voice or sound to travel over a distance. The roots tele and phon together suggest sound from far away.

Question 5

The suffix -ology comes from Greek and means the study of. Explain the meanings of biology, geology, and mythology using this suffix.

Accepted Answer

Biology means the study of life. Geology means the study of Earth or rocks. Mythology means the study of myths or traditional stories.

Question 6

English has borrowed many words from French. The word ballet came into English from French and refers to a type of dance. Explain why knowing a word's origin can help readers understand its meaning or history.

Accepted Answer

Knowing a word's origin can show where the word came from and what culture or subject it is connected to. Since ballet came from French, its origin helps explain its connection to a dance tradition developed in Europe.

Question 7

The Old English word cniht originally meant boy or servant. Over time, knight came to mean a mounted soldier of noble rank. What does this example show about how word meanings can change?

Accepted Answer

This example shows that word meanings can change over time. A word that once had a general meaning can become more specific or gain a new meaning as society changes.

Question 8

The word aquarium comes from the Latin word aqua, meaning water. Write two other English words that use aqua or aque and explain how they relate to water.

Accepted Answer

Aquatic relates to living or growing in water. Aqueduct is a structure that carries water from one place to another. Both words connect to the Latin root aqua, meaning water.

Question 9

The word manuscript comes from the Latin roots manus, meaning hand, and script, meaning write. What did manuscript originally mean, and how is that meaning connected to the word today?

Accepted Answer

Manuscript originally meant something written by hand. Today it often means an author's written or typed draft, but the word still connects to the idea of a written text.

Question 10

The word astronaut comes from Greek roots astro, meaning star, and naut, meaning sailor. Explain the literal meaning of astronaut and how it relates to the modern meaning.

Accepted Answer

Astronaut literally means star sailor. This relates to the modern meaning because an astronaut travels through space, as if sailing among the stars.

Question 11

Read the sentence: The student used a microscope to examine the tiny cells. The Greek root micro means small, and scope means look or see. Explain how the word microscope fits its meaning in the sentence.

Accepted Answer

A microscope is an instrument used to look at very small things. In the sentence, the student uses it to examine tiny cells, which matches the roots micro and scope.

Question 12

Choose one word you know that has a prefix, root, or suffix from another language. Write the word, identify one word part, and explain how that word part helps reveal the word's meaning.

Accepted Answer

One possible answer is bicycle. The prefix bi- means two, and cycle refers to a wheel or circle. Bicycle means a vehicle with two wheels.

Language Arts: Etymology: Tracing Word Origins

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