English has been shaped and enriched by a diverse range of languages and cultures throughout its history. Greek is one of the most significant contributors to the English language, with its rich culture and language leaving a lasting mark on Western civilization.
The 13 examples below spotlight English words with Greek origins, from myth and drama to medicine and astronomy.
1. Echo
In Greek mythology, Echo was a nymph known for her beautiful voice and her ability to entertain others with her conversational wit. Zeus, notorious for his many affairs, became enamored with Echo’s charm. However, his wife, Hera, suspecting that Echo was one of his mistresses, decided to take her revenge. She cursed Echo to only be able to repeat the words of others. The word echo, therefore, came to be associated with imitatio,n describing sound reflecting and returning to the listener.
2. Melancholy
The term melancholy originates from the ancient Greek concept of the four humors. This theory posited that the human body was composed of four fluids—blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile—each associated with a particular temperament.
An excess of black bile was believed to cause feelings of sadness and despair, and the Greek word μελαγχολία literally translates to “black bile.” Today, melancholy is a word that carries a poetic and literary weight, used to convey a mood or atmosphere of introspection and sadness.
3. Marathon
A marathon has become a symbol of extreme perseverance and physical fitness, commonly used to refer to a long-distance race. According to legend, in 490 BCE, the Greeks faced a formidable invasion by the Persian Empire. The Persian army had landed at the plain of Marathon, located a short distance from Athens.
The Athenians, realizing the imminent danger to their city, sent a messenger named Pheidippides to Sparta to request assistance. Pheidippides was a seasoned runner and undertook the formidable task of running the entire distance from Athens to Sparta, spanning over 150 miles, to deliver his crucial message. His body, however, gave way after this effort, and he collapsed and died from exhaustion. In honor of Pheidippides’ legendary feat of endurance, a race was established that traced the same route he had taken.
4. Barbarian
Barbarian, from βάρβαρος, meaning “foreign” or “strange,” was used by the Greeks to refer to anyone who did not speak their language. The term was onomatopoeic, mimicking the sound of foreign languages that the Greeks could not understand.
Over time, the meaning of the word “barbarian” evolved. The word came to signify more than just language differences; it also implied a lack of culture, education, and refinement. As the Greeks regarded themselves as the pinnacle of civilization, they viewed anyone who didn’t speak their language as inferior.
5. Galaxy
A galaxy is a colossal system of stars, planets, gas, and dust, all held together by gravity and spinning around a central point of mass. It’s a vast cosmic giant that houses billions of stars, many of which have their own planetary systems. Derived from γαλαξίας, which means “milky circle,” the word is a reference to the band of light that appears across the night sky, known as the Milky Way.
In Greek mythology, Zeus was said to have placed his infant son, Heracles, on Hera’s breast while she was asleep, allowing the baby to drink her divine milk. However, when Hera awoke and discovered the child suckling at her breast, she pushed him away, causing a jet of her milk to spray across the night sky. This was thought to have formed the Milky Way.
6. Alphabet
Commonly known, the word alphabet comes from the first two letters of the Greek alphabet, ἄλφα and βήτα. The English alphabet, like many other alphabets used in modern Western countries, ultimately derived from the Greek alphabet.
The ancient Greeks created the first true alphabet, which consisted of 24 letters and was adapted from the earlier Phoenician script. The Greeks’ contribution to the development of the alphabet had a profound impact on the evolution of Western civilization, enabling the written transmission of knowledge, literature, and culture across vast distances and through time.
7. Eureka
Eureka is an exclamation of joy or triumph that is used to express excitement or jubilation upon discovering or solving something. The word stems from the infamous story of the Greek scholar Archimedes.
According to legend, Archimedes had long been struggling to solve a specific problem. One day, as he was taking a bath, he suddenly came to a solution. He shouted eureka, which literally means “I have found it” in Greek.
8. Academy
The word academy originates from the Greek word Ἀκαδημία, which referred to a grove of trees located just outside the city, named after the Athenian hero Academus. The philosopher Plato was said to have purchased the grove and founded a school there, which became known as the Academy. This school was one of the most renowned institutions of learning in the ancient world, teaching subjects such as philosophy and mathematics.
Today, the term academy is still used to describe schools, colleges, and universities, as well as specialized institutions focused on specific fields, such as science or the arts.
9. Dinosaur
Mysterious, mighty, and fearsome, this group of prehistoric creatures roamed the earth over 150 million years ago. The word dinosaur itself is a combination of two Greek words: δεινός, meaning “terrible,” “fearful,” or “strange,” and σαῦρος, translating to “lizard.”
The term dinosaur was first introduced to the world by British paleontologist Richard Owen in 1842. His discovery of large, fossilized bones led him to recognize the unique characteristics of these creatures and distinguish them as a new group of reptiles.
10. Typhoon
A typhoon is a tropical cyclone that forms over the western Pacific Ocean. These storms can bring massive waves, torrential downpours, and devastating flooding to coastal communities, leaving destruction and chaos in their wake.
The word derives from τυφῶν, meaning “whirlwind,” which is thought to have stemmed from the mythical monster Typhon. This primordial deity was a gigantic creature with a hundred serpent heads, born from the union of Gaia and Tartarus. He was portrayed as a fearsome opponent of the Olympian gods, whom he challenged for control of the universe. In their struggle, Typhon was said to have unleashed a torrent of destruction, causing earthquakes and massive storms.
11. Panic
Panic can be defined as an intense feeling of sudden fear or anxiety that overwhelms an individual’s ability to think or act rationally. It is often accompanied by physical symptoms such as sweating, trembling, and rapid heartbeat.
The word derives from Pan, the god of the wild, shepherds, and fertility. He was known for having the power to strike sudden fear into those who crossed his path. This phenomenon was called πανικός, or “panic.” Interestingly, this word is also etymologically related to the English word pantry. Pan was associated with food and crops and was invoked to protect these valuable resources.
12. Ostracize
The word ostracize originates from the Greek practice of ostracism. This involved banishing or exiling a citizen from a city-state for a period of ten years. Ostracize came from ὄστρᾰκον, which translates to a fragment of a vessel or potsherd. This is because the procedure involved a public vote, where individuals would write the name of the person to be exiled on a piece of broken pottery.
As time passed, the word ostracize gained a broader meaning and came to be used to describe the act of excluding or shunning someone from a group or society.
13. Music
Originally, music stemmed from μουσική, which refers to any art or science produced under the inspiration of the Muses. The Muses were nine goddesses in Greek mythology who presided over various arts, including music, poetry, and dance. Each of the Muses had a specific domain of influence. Calliope is the Muse of epic poetry, Erato the Muse of love poetry, and Clio the Muse of history, among others.
The Muses were considered the personification of inspiration, and ancient poets and artists sought their guidance in their work. The word muse itself has come to mean a source of creativity for artists and creative individuals.
