Etymology Terms

Question 1

Degeneration

Answer 1

meaning of word becomes more contemptible

- monster, rococo, demon

Question 2

Elevation

Answer 2

meaning of word becomes more pleasant

- utopia, angel, progress

Question 3

Abstract

Answer 3

expressing a thought apart from any material or particular object
- beauty, truth, justice

Question 4

Concrete

Answer 4

having a material perceptible existence, specific, tangible

-

Question 5

Concrete to Abstract

Answer 5

word changes from specific to general, without the addition of a suffix
- have guts, have a good ear, suffer a tragedy

Question 6

Abstract to Concrete

Answer 6

word changes from general to specific, without the addition of a suffix
- allowance, generation, ordnance

Question 7

Hyperbole

Answer 7

exaggeration

- overkill, mammoth olives, very unique

Question 8

Weakening

Answer 8

overuse of hyperbole leads to the weakening of a words meaning
- mortify, unique, atom

Question 9

Changing Concepts

Answer 9

change resulting from changes in the understanding of the world around us

• sanguine (full of blood) - cheerful
• melancholy (state of black bile) - depression

Question 10

Euphemism

Answer 10

replacing a disagreeable or unpleasant word with one that is less so
- the underprivileged, see someone, fix the cat

Question 11

Circumlocution

Answer 11

indirect or lengthy way of expressing a simple or concrete idea (military)
- neutralize, visit a site, dysfunctional

Question 12

Folk Etymology

Answer 12

mistaken assimilation to another word form which it resembles (laxadaisical from ‘a lack the day’)
- humble pie, female, hangnail

Question 13

Clip

Answer 13

a word that had lost its initial or final part but retains the same general meaning
- lab, prep, memo

Question 14

Inchoative

Answer 14

a word or word unit denoting the beginning of an action state or occurrence (to become, to begin)
- coalesce, acquiesce, effervesce

Question 15

Acronym

Answer 15

abbreviation that spells a pronounceable word

- laser, zip, wasp

Question 16

Affix

Answer 16

a collective term for prefixes, suffixes, infixes

Question 17

Apheresis

Answer 17

elimination of the first letter or syllable of a word

- light < alight

Question 18

Assimilation

Answer 18

adjacent sounds, usually consonants, acquire similar characteristics
- allusion, suffuse, oppress

Question 19

Back Formation

Answer 19

creation of simpler forms, removal of an affix

- lase/lasing < laser, orientate, respirate

Question 20

Blend

Answer 20

combining two or more parts to create a new word

- affluenza, palimony, hazmat

Question 21

Hybrid

Answer 21

a word composed of elements from different languages

- superman (Latin/English), speedometer, off-color

Question 22

Suffix

Answer 22

word endings that modify meaning - change part of speech

- adjective, verb, noun endings

Question 23

Base/Root

Answer 23

central element of a word which is left after the removal of all affixes

Question 24

Substantive

Answer 24

an adjective functioning as a noun

• the good, the bad, the ugly
• Christians, the rich, an adolescent

Question 25

Dissimilation

Answer 25

similar sounds diverge for easier pronunciation | - lunar, turtle, piety

Question 26

Semantic Change

Answer 26

modification of meaning in a word | basic process - similitude > metaphor > new meaning

Question 27

Metaphor

Answer 27

implied comparison of two things | - he's an old goat, a toothless lion

Question 28

Specialization

Answer 28

word moves from general to specific | - radish, undertaker, rape

Question 29

Generalization

Answer 29

word moves from specific to general | - assassin, comedy, triumph

Question 30

Functional Change

Answer 30

word function changes | - wolf down, chicken out, cat around

Question 31

Cognates

Answer 31

two or more words in different languages that have the same root - mother/madre/mere/moeder

Question 32

Derivative

Answer 32

a word borrowed from another word or root usually from another language - rivus (Latin for river bank) > rival

Question 33

Doublets

Answer 33

two words of the same language which are derived from the same original word - banjo/mandolin, hostile/host, dainty/dignity

Question 34

Etymology

Answer 34

the study of the real meaning of words

Question 35

Diminutive

Answer 35

smaller | - morsel, cubicle, capsule

Question 36

Homonym

Answer 36

words pronounced the same with different meaning | - air, heir, err

Question 37

Loan Word

Answer 37

a word in one language that has been borrowed from another language and then naturalized - jihad, autobahn, hors d'ouevre

Question 38

Metathesis

Answer 38

brid>bird

Question 39

Onomatopoeia

Answer 39

spelled like imitation of sound | - bzzz, splash, zip

Question 40

Participle

Answer 40

verb used as an adjective | - signed, sealed, delivered

Question 41

Prefix

Answer 41

one or more letters or syllables placed at the beginning of a word to modify it's meaning - prefix

Question 42

Reduplication

Answer 42

tom-tom, memory, bruhaha

Question 43

Vowel Gradation

Answer 43

a change in the internal vowel of the base | - infect, continent, inception