# 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:** 2
### Author:  [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2002, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/21 "2002-08-24T03:24:59Z")
Puppy!!
---
### Author:  [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2002, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/22 "2002-08-24T03:32:57Z")
“Puppy” is come from Greek word [symbol]papi[/symbol] (_papi_), means “duckling,” extended it came to mean young of animal, then just young of dog. There you go.
---
### Author:  [@Batsinma\_Belfry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batsinma_Belfry)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2002, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/23 "2002-08-24T03:55:17Z")
I stumped the Greek word guy!
---
### Author:  [@Horseflesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horseflesh)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2002, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/24 "2002-08-24T04:05:31Z")
I have a great need to have the following words etymologized from Greek:
Deoxyribonucleic acid
Starfleet
Pornography
Modem
al-Qaeda
Greek
---
### Author:  [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2002, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/25 "2002-08-24T04:25:45Z")
“Bootylicious” is come from Greek word [symbol]boutia[/symbol] _voutia_), means “dive”, and [symbol]lusi[/symbol] (_lisi_), means “dissolve”. Dive in and dissolve. There you go.
---
### Author:  [@nashiitashii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nashiitashii)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2002, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/26 "2002-08-24T04:30:30Z")
Riboflavin
Mustard
Varnish
entrepreneur
---
### Author:  [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2002, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/27 "2002-08-24T04:53:20Z")
Amok
---
### Author:  [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2002, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/28 "2002-08-24T05:12:43Z")
“Deoxyribonucleic acid”? Easy! Is come from Greek words [symbol]de[/symbol] (_de_), means “on the other hand”, [symbol]oxu[/symbol] (_oxi_), means “sharp”, [symbol]rew[/symbol] _reo_, means “flow,” [symbol]nouV[/symbol] (_nous_), means “mind,” [symbol]kleio[/symbol] (_klio_), means “shut,” and [symbol]ashmi[/symbol] (_asimi_), means “silver.” If your mind is sharp, shut off the flow, otherwise, cost too much silver (money) for water bill. Sharp mind hereditary.
“Starfleet”? Is come from Greek word [symbol]stari[/symbol] (_stari_), means “wheat” and [symbol]fili[/symbol] (_fili_), means “kiss”, because wheat makes bread, bread means money, takes a lot of money to run space program, and kiss is make Lt. Uhura famous.
“Pornography” is come from Greek word [symbol]pornh[/symbol] (_porni_), means “prostitute” and [symbol]grafh[/symbol] (_ghrafi_), means “writing”. So, _porno-graphy_ is writing about prostitutes. There you go.
“Modem” is from Greek word [symbol]moutro[/symbol] (_moutro_), means “face”, and [symbol]dema[/symbol] (_dema_), means “cord.” Because modem lets you face cyber world through phone cord.
“Al-Qaeda” is from Greek word [symbol]alkh[/symbol] (_alki_), means “strength,” and [symbol]idea[/symbol] (_idea_), means “idea.” Because they want to give idea of strength.
“Greek” is come from Greek name [symbol]GraikoV[/symbol] (_Graikos_), name of ancient Greek tribe who was writing philosophy while you were still swinging in trees!
---
### Author:  [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2002, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/29 "2002-08-24T06:48:07Z")
‘Toboggan’
‘Hammock’
‘Succotash’
‘Sacajawea’
‘New Jersey’
Tripler
This I gotta see. . .
---
### Author:  [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2002, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/30 "2002-08-24T06:57:23Z")
Hey **Jomo,** you really are bored aren’t you! But at least you are in the right forum. This is certainly mundane, pointless AND silly…😃
OK, how about ‘ **KANGAROO** ’ ???
---
### Author:  [@Horseflesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horseflesh)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2002, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/31 "2002-08-24T07:22:30Z")
Okay, a few more if you please:
Shit
Pie
Jomo Mojo
Chocolate
Fart
Please hurry, this is important.
---
### Author:  [@Genseric](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Genseric)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2002, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/32 "2002-08-24T07:23:02Z")
Ok, here’s a few stumpers…
Microscope
Telegraph
Psychokinesis
Geology
Astronomy
Dodecahedron
Iconoclast
Heterogeneous
Necromancy
Democracy
Orthodox
Apostasy
Autotroph
Philatelist
Hydrostatic
Thermodynamic
Thanatopsis
Apocalyptic
Misanthropy
Heiroglyphics
Metaphor
Synchronicity
Metropolitan
---
### Author:  [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2002, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/33 "2002-08-24T07:54:01Z")
“Dweeb”
---
### Author:  [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2002, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/34 "2002-08-24T08:21:05Z")
**Spoofe,** is that an exclamation, or a request for the derivation? 😃
---
### Author:  [@techchick68](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/techchick68)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2002, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/35 "2002-08-24T11:37:21Z")
Dude.
As in Dude like that’s a gnarly tube, sure you wanna hang ten in those waters?
---
### Author:  [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2002, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/36 "2002-08-24T16:12:23Z")
“Riboflavin” is come from Greek word [symbol]rew[/symbol] (_reo_), means “flow,” and [symbol]fleba[/symbol] (_fleva_), means “vein.” Because you take vitamin, it absorb in blood, flow in vein.
“Mustard” is from Greek word [symbol]mousaka[/symbol] (_mousaka_), means a type of Greek food, sometime maybe seasoned with mustard.
“Varnish” is from Greek word [symbol]baru[/symbol] (_vari_), means “heavy,” and [symbol]nhsi[/symbol] (_nisi_), means “island.” Because it was invented on Greek island in Aegean, you put it on furniture, ever try to move furniture? Is heavy!
“Entrepreneur” is from Greek word [symbol]entribh[/symbol] (_entrivi_), means “massage,” and [symbol]prhnh[/symbol] (_prini_) “lying prone”. Because the original entrepreneur was Greek masseur, you lie down and get massage, people like! Built big massage business, franchises all over Peloponnesus. “And there you go.”
---
### Author:  [@occ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/occ)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2002, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/37 "2002-08-24T20:25:09Z")
Cromulent.
---
### Author:  [@Mushono](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mushono)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2002, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/38 "2002-08-25T07:46:54Z")
website
---
### Author:  [@Inky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inky_1)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2002, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/39 "2002-08-25T08:01:34Z")
Funky!
---
### Author:  [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2002, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315/40 "2002-08-25T08:20:47Z")
How 'bout **Jomo Mojo?** 😉
[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315.md?page=1)
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-any-word-i-show-you-how-it-come-from-greek-roots/125315.md?page=3)