The Odyssey of words Fifth unit: sky – space 1. αστροναύτης The word astronaut, meaning space-traveler, is a compound word. It comes from the Greek noun «ἄστρον» (astron) = “star” and the noun «ναύτης» (nautes) = "sailor ". 2. ατμόσφαιρα The word atmosphere is also a compound word. It comes from the Greek noun «ἀτμός» (atmos) = “vapor, steam” and the noun «σφαῖρα» (sphaira) = "sphere ". 3. οξυγόνο The word oxygen is another compound word. It comes from the Greek adjective «ὀξύς» (oxys) = “sharp, acid” and the word «-γονος» from the Greek verb «γίγνομαι» (gignomai) = become, be produced, formed. 4. ορίζοντας The word horizon is a Greek word, «ὁρίζων» (horizon) which means bounding (circle). It comes from the verb «ὁρίζω» (orizo) meaning "bound, limit, divide, separate" which comes from the noun «ὅρος» (horos) = "boundary, landmark, marking stones." 5. μετεωρίτης Μeteorite is a rock that falls to earth, after streaking across the sky as a meteor. It comes from the noun “meteor” and the suffix “–ite”. The word meteor comes from the Greek adjective «μετέωρος» (meteoros) meaning “high up, raised from the ground, hanging," from the preposition «μετά» (meta) "by means of" and the verb «ἀείρω» (eiro) + = "to raise". 6. γαλαξίας The word galaxy comes from Greek «γαλαξίας» (galaxias) literally meaning "milky circle," from «γάλα» (gala) = "milk". One legend explains how the Milky Way was created by Heracles when he was a baby.His father, Zeus, was fond of his son, who was born of the mortal woman Alcmene. He decided to let the infant Heracles suckle on his divine wife Hera's milk when she was asleep, an act which would endow the baby with godlike qualities. When Hera woke up and realized that she was breastfeeding an unknown infant, she pushed him away and the spurting milk became the Milky Way. Tintoretto’s painting titled The Origin of the Milky Way. The national Gallery London
Linda Alexopoulou – Theodoros Tomaras
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The Odyssey of words 7. πλανήτης The word planet comes from Greek «πλανήτης» (planetes) litteraly meaning "wandering star". The word comes from the verb «πλανῶμαι» (planomai) = "to wander". 8. αστεροειδής The word asteroid meaning "one of the planetoids orbiting the sun, found mostly between Mars and Jupiter," comes from Greek «ἀστεροειδής» (asteroeides). Αστεροειδής means "star-like," from the noun «ἀστήρ» (aster) = "star" (see astro-) and the noun «είδος» (eidos) = "form, shape". 9. τηλεσκόπιο The word telescope comes from Greek «τηλέσκοπος» (teleskopos) meaning "far-seeing," from «τηλε» (tele) = "far" + «-σκοπος» (-skopos) = "watcher". 10. αεροδρόμιο The word aerodrome is a compound word from the Greek noun «αέρας» (aeras) = “air” and the noun «δρόμος» (dromos) having one of the themes of the verb «τρέχω» (trecho), past tense «ἔδραμον» (edramon) = run. Aerodrome litteraly means “running through the air”. 11. πιλότος The word pilot is said to be from Medieval Greek «πηδώτης» (pidotis) = "rudder, helmsman," from Greek «πηδόν» (pedon) = "steering oar," related to «ποῦς» (pous) = "foot". 12. ελικόπτερο The word helicopter is a compound word. It comes from the Greek noun «ἕλιξ» (helix) (genitive helicos) ="spiral" + the noun «πτερόν» (pteron) = "wing". 13. μονοπλάνο Monoplane is a hybrid coined from «μόνο-» mono- and the second element of aeroplane. In old planes the wings formed a single surface running across the fuselage.
Linda Alexopoulou – Theodoros Tomaras
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