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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