# Tell me any word, I show you how it come from Greek roots
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [August 24, 2002, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315 "2002-08-24T00:28:19Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2002, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/1 "2002-08-24T00:28:19Z")
Take for example: “xenophobia.” Is come from Greek word [symbol]xeno[/symbol] (_xeno_), means “foreign,” and [symbol]jobia[/symbol] (_fovia_), means “fear.” So _xeno-phobia_ means “fear of the foreign.” You see?
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### Author:  [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2002, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/2 "2002-08-24T00:31:43Z")
How about “booger”?
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### Author:  [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2002, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/3 "2002-08-24T00:32:35Z")
marzipan? tambourine?
(OK, I’m just messing with you. I remember seeing those in a list of words that came from the arabic.)
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### Author:  [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2002, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/4 "2002-08-24T00:33:08Z")
kimono.
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### Author:  [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2002, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/5 "2002-08-24T00:46:33Z")
Atanarjuat.
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### Author:  [@DougAB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougAB)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2002, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/6 "2002-08-24T00:50:11Z")
“Hacienda?”
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### Author:  [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2002, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/7 "2002-08-24T01:03:49Z")
**Jomo** , please. You forgot the “And there you go” at the end of it.
Take a stab at “chili”.
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### Author:  [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2002, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/8 "2002-08-24T01:08:09Z")
Coffee!
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### Author:  [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2002, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/9 "2002-08-24T01:23:15Z")
Igloo.
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### Author:  [@xcheopis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xcheopis)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2002, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/10 "2002-08-24T01:27:57Z")
Molokai.
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### Author:  [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2002, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/11 "2002-08-24T01:47:17Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by DougAB \*
> \*\*“Hacienda?” \*\*
Probably best to stay away from words with origins in Latin. Unless you were serious.
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### Author:  [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2002, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/12 "2002-08-24T01:50:27Z")
“Booger” is come from [symbol]Boulgaria[/symbol] (_Voulgharia_), is country north of Greece. We make fun those people picking their noses.
“Marzipan” and “Tambourine” from [symbol]xeno[/symbol] Arabic? Ha, you fool with me. I know is Greek. “Marzipan” is from Greek [symbol]marazi[/symbol] (_marazi_), “pining” because is so good tasting, you pine away for it. “Tambourine” is from Greek [symbol]tampako[/symbol] (_tambako_) “tobacco” because those musicians playing tambourine, you see them in nightclubs, always smoking.
“Kimono”? Mmm. Ahh. Hmm… Oh, of course! Is from Greek word [symbol]ceimwna[/symbol] (_khimona_), means “winter.” In winter is cold, you put on robe, kimono is robe, there you go.
“Atanarjuat” ??? Sorry, is not word! Just kidding. Eskimo movie named from Greek word [symbol]ataxia[/symbol] (_ataxia_), “irregularity” and (_narkh_) (_narki_) “numbness”, because strange movie run long time, make butt numb.
“Hacienda”, oh, of course, from Greek word [symbol]cash[/symbol] (_khasi_), “waning of moon” and [symbol]endo[/symbol] (_endo_), “inside.” You know, moon is waning, so is dark at night, too dark to go out have to have place to go inside and stay. Where to stay? In hacienda.
“Chili” is from Greek word [symbol]cilioi[/symbol] (_chilii_), means “thousand.” Because original chili recipe for big, big wedding reception on hacienda with big Greek family make so much chili they have to put 1,000 beans.
“Coffee” is from Greek word [symbol]kofa[/symbol] (_kofa_), means “basket.” Because in Greek market they sell coffee beans in big basket.
“Igloo” is from Greek word [symbol]hgoumai[/symbol] (_igoumai_) “To command” and [symbol]louw[/symbol] (_louo_) “to wash”. Because staying in igloo, no running water, you get too dirty, so boss of igloo, he command everybody to go wash.
“Molokai” is come from Greek word [symbol]molubdi[/symbol] (_molivdhi_) “lead” and [symbol]oci[/symbol]
And there you go.
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### Author:  [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2002, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/13 "2002-08-24T01:53:30Z")
(_okhi_) means “no”. So “no lead” because in Hawaii, leaded gasoline not allowed.
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### Author:  [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2002, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/14 "2002-08-24T02:05:51Z")
How about “ketchup” and “yoghurt”, Cousin Balki?
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### Author:  [@dreamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dreamer)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2002, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/15 "2002-08-24T02:07:28Z")
“disaster”
Thank You.
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### Author:  [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2002, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/16 "2002-08-24T02:15:02Z")
Jackelope.
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### Author:  [@ThatGuyWithPants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThatGuyWithPants)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2002, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/17 "2002-08-24T02:21:21Z")
Actually, If I’m not mistaken, the vast majority of English (not our present day mixing pot American English) comes from latin. I hate latin, so I wont bother to answer where words come from in it. bah. stupid Romans…
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### Author:  [@Batsinma\_Belfry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batsinma_Belfry)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2002, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/18 "2002-08-24T02:23:26Z")
bootylicious
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### Author:  [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2002, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/19 "2002-08-24T02:28:49Z")
“Ketchup” is come from Greek word [symbol]ketseV[/symbol] (_ketses_), means “coarse felt”, and [symbol]oph[/symbol] (_opi_), means “hole”. In old country, for homemade ketchup, you have to strain it to get seeds out. Strain through coarse felt, keep in hole.
“Yoghourt” is Greek word, [symbol]iaourti[/symbol], you can see in Greek dictionary or cookbook.
“Disaster” is from Greek word [symbol]diV[/symbol] (_dis_), means “twice”, and [symbol]astro[/symbol] (_astro_), means “star.” If you get disaster like hit on head, you see double, see stars.
“Jackelope” ??? Is no word! Ha!
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### Author:  [@JavaMaven1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JavaMaven1)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2002, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/20 "2002-08-24T02:28:57Z")
Seems there’s quite a few people that haven’t seen My Big Fat Greek Wedding yet. 😉
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