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The etymology of a word is the study of where it came from and how its meaning has changed.
If we know the origin of a word and what it used to mean it can help us to understand and spell it.
The English language has a lot of words that originally came from other languages, especially Latin and Greek.
For example, the English prefix therm- comes from a Greek word meaning 'heat'. If we know this it helps us to understand and spell words like thermal and thermometer.
Look at the table below.
It contains words (or parts of words) that have come from Latin or Greek. They are often used as prefixes and suffixes, and can sometimes be found in the middle of modern words, too.
Try to memorise their spellings and what they mean, as you will need them to complete this activity.
| Greek or Latin word | Etymology |
| graph (Greek) | draw or write |
| photo (Greek) | light |
| spect (Latin) | look |
| dorm (Latin) | sleep |
| tele (Greek) | far away |
Ready to have a go?
