Getting Started Flashcards
What is etymology?
Etymology is the study of the origin of words and how their meanings have changed throughout history.
True or False: Etymology only deals with the spelling of words.
False
Fill in the blank: The word ‘etymology’ comes from the Greek word ‘etymon’, meaning _______.
true sense
What does the term ‘morpheme’ refer to?
A morpheme is the smallest meaningful unit of language, which can be a word or a part of a word.
Which of the following is an example of a loanword? A) Computer B) Pizza C) Happy
B) Pizza
What is a cognate?
A cognate is a word that has a common etymological origin with another word, often in different languages.
True or False: The word ‘nice’ originally meant ‘ignorant’ in Middle English.
True
What is the term for the process of a word acquiring new meanings?
Semantic change
Fill in the blank: The study of prefixes and suffixes is part of _______.
morphology
What is the difference between etymology and lexicography?
Etymology is the study of word origins, while lexicography is the practice of compiling dictionaries.
Which of the following is an example of a prefix? A) -ing B) Love C) Pre-
C) Pre-
What does the Latin root ‘scrib’ mean?
To write
True or False: The word ‘alcohol’ has Arabic origins.
True
What is a prefix?
A prefix is a group of letters added to the beginning of a word to alter its meaning.
Fill in the blank: The word ‘television’ is formed from the Greek word ‘tele’, meaning _______.
far
What is a suffix?
A suffix is a group of letters added to the end of a word to change its meaning or grammatical function.
Which language contributed the most vocabulary to English?
French
What does the Greek root ‘bio’ mean?
Life
True or False: Etymology can help in understanding the meanings of words.
True
What is an example of a word that has undergone pejoration?
The word ‘knave’ originally meant ‘boy’ but now means ‘dishonest person’.
Fill in the blank: The term ‘onomastics’ refers to the study of _______.
names
What is the primary source of English vocabulary?
Latin and Greek roots
True or False: The word ‘genuine’ comes from the Latin word ‘genuinus’, meaning ‘natural’.
True
What does the root ‘graph’ mean?
To write or draw
Fill in the blank: The process of a word losing its original meaning is called _______.
semantic narrowing
