Κυριακή 27 Φεβρουαρίου 2011

Etymology of cinnamon

Origin of the word cinnamon
The word cinnamon comes from the old French cinnamone from the Latin cinnamomum/cinnamum (cinnamon) [also used as a term of endearment], which is a transliteration of the Greek cinnamomon (cinnamon; Gr.: κιννάμωμον).


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OED

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Παρασκευή 18 Φεβρουαρίου 2011

Etymology of disaster

Origin of the word disaster

The word disaster comes from the Middle French désastre from the old Italian disastro, which in turn comes from the Greek pejorative prefix dis- (bad; Gr: δυσ-) + aster (star; Gr: ἀστήρ). So disaster lit. means "bad star" in Greek. The sense is astrological, of a calamity blamed on an unfavorable position of a planet.
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Note: Some etymologize dis- from the Greek dis [twice, bis-, bi-; Gr.: δις] from dyo [the number two, duo; Gr.: δύο].




In modern Greek:
a) asteri or aster: star [Gr: αστέρι or αστήρ]

OED
WKP


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Etymology of chameleon

Origin of the word chameleon
The word chameleon comes from the Latin chamaeleon, which is a transliteration of the Greek chamaileon from chamai (on the ground; Gr: χαμαί] + leon [lion; Gr: λέων].



In modern Greek:
a) hameleon: chameleon [Gr: χαμαιλέων]
b) hamo: on the ground [Gr: χάμω]
c) leon or liontari: lion [Gr: λέων or λιοντάρι]

OED
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