Colorful Words from the Greek

Colorful Words from the Greek Colorful Words from the Greek Colorful Words from the Greek By Maeve Maddox Several Greek color words have enriched the English vocabulary. Black We get the combining form melano from the Greek word meaning dark or black. melancholy: a gloomy mental state; according to ancient physiology, a humor called â€Å"black bile† was secreted by the kidneys and the spleen, and was thought to cause melancholia. melanoma: a skin tumor containing a dark pigment. melanin: any dark brown or black pigments of animal or plant structures, for example, hair, or the surface of a raw potato when exposed to air. White The element leuk in certain medical terms is from the Greek word for white. leukemia: a chronic disease characterized by an abnormal increase in the number of white blood cells. leukocyte: a white blood cell. Red The Greek word for red gives us the combining form erythro, which is used in the specialized terminology of medicine, chemistry, and mineralogy. erythrophyll: the red coloring matter of leaves in autumn. erythroretin: a resinous constituent of rhubarb root. erythroscope: an optical contrivance, by which the green of foliage is caused to appear red, while all other green objects retain their natural color. erythrocyte: a red blood corpuscle. Blue Cyan is the Greek word for dark blue, but what artists call â€Å"cyan blue† is a color midway between green and blue. cyanide: an extremely poisonous crystalline solid. It got its name because it was first obtained by heating the dye pigment known as Prussian blue. cyanin: the blue coloring matter of certain flowers (e.g., violets and cornflowers). cyanosis: blueness of the skin owing to the circulation of imperfectly oxygenated blood. Green The Greek word from which we get the combining form chlor described a pale green. chloroform: volatile liquid used as an anesthetic. Chloroform is colorless; it got its name as the result of combining the words chlorine and formic, as in formic acid. chlorophyll: the coloring matter of the leaves and other green parts of plants. chlorine: a yellowish-green heavy gas. Finally, the Greek word for color gives us the combining form chromo, which creates nouns and adjectives that denote colored objects, coloring processes, and coloring agents: chromatic: full of color. polychrome: art executed in many colors. chromium: a metallic element remarkable for the brilliant colorsred, yellow, or greenof its compounds. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:When to use "on" and when to use "in"Email EtiquetteThe Difference Between e.g. and i.e.?

Trouble with Vigorously and Vicariously

Trouble with Vigorously and Vicariously Trouble with Vigorously and Vicariously Trouble with Vigorously and Vicariously By Maeve Maddox So far I havent found it in an article by a professional journalist (thank goodness), but in the course of my web browsing I have discovered the created word vigariously. It is enjoying wide use among bloggers and readers who post comments. Vigariously occurs in contexts that call for either vigorously or vicariously. vigorously with intense energy and force vicariously at second hand; in place of A word vagariously exists in the dictionary: vagariously marked by vagaries However, I dont think that anyone can be confusing this rarely used word with vigorously or vicariously. I understand how vigariously could be a misspelling of vicariously, but its substitution for vigorously puzzles me. Here are a few of the many examples of vigariously I have come across. I watched the whole Rehab marathon on The Reality Network to live vigariously through the people on TV. [I plan] to work up to only taking practice tests vigariously about a month to two months before the September test. (student preparing for LSAT) I have tried vigariously plunging (hand plunger) many times with no results. With these shows, the viewers are able to forget their problems and live vigariously thru those on the shows! I blamed you for sending mixed messages about wanting him in and then arguing so vigariously that he shouldnt be in! Im a Daddy, and Ive been very careful about not living vigariously through my children. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Great Similes from Literature to Inspire YouSocial vs. SocietalThe 7 Types of Possessive Case