greek or latin word for thesis

thesis (n.)

late 14c., "unaccented syllable or note, a lowering of the voice in music," from Latin thesis "unaccented syllable in poetry," later (and more correctly) "stressed part of a metrical foot," from Greek thesis "a proposition," also "downbeat" (in music), originally "a setting down, a placing, an arranging; position, situation" (from reduplicated form of PIE root *dhe- "to set, put").

The sense in logic of "a formulation in advance of a proposition to be proved or debated" is attested by 1570s (contrasted to hypothesis ; in rhetoric it is opposed to antithesis ); that of "dissertation presented by a candidate for a university degree" is from 1650s. The uncertainty of the prosodic sense might have kept it from being established in English. Related: Thetic ; thetical ; thetically .

Entries linking to thesis

*dhē- , Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to set, put."

It forms all or part of: abdomen ; abscond ; affair ; affect (v.1) "make a mental impression on;" affect (v.2) "make a pretense of;" affection ; amplify ; anathema ; antithesis ; apothecary ; artifact ; artifice ; beatific ; benefice ; beneficence ; beneficial ; benefit ; bibliothec ; bodega ; boutique ; certify ; chafe ; chauffeur ; comfit ; condiment ; confection ; confetti ; counterfeit ; deed ; deem ; deface ; defeasance ; defeat ; defect ; deficient ; difficulty ; dignify ; discomfit ; do (v.); doom ; -dom ; duma ; edifice ; edify ; efface ; effect ; efficacious ; efficient ; epithet ; facade ; face ; facet ; facial ; -facient ; facile ; facilitate ; facsimile ; fact ; faction (n.1) "political party;" -faction ; factitious ; factitive ; factor ; factory ; factotum ; faculty ; fashion ; feasible ; feat ; feature ; feckless ; fetish ; -fic ; fordo ; forfeit ; -fy ; gratify ; hacienda ; hypothecate ; hypothesis ; incondite ; indeed ; infect ; justify ; malefactor ; malfeasance ; manufacture ; metathesis ; misfeasance ; modify ; mollify ; multifarious ; notify ; nullify ; office ; officinal ; omnifarious ; orifice ; parenthesis ; perfect ; petrify ; pluperfect ; pontifex ; prefect ; prima facie ; proficient ; profit ; prosthesis ; prothesis ; purdah ; putrefy ; qualify ; rarefy ; recondite ; rectify ; refectory ; sacrifice ; salmagundi ; samadhi ; satisfy ; sconce ; suffice ; sufficient ; surface ; surfeit ; synthesis ; tay ; ticking (n.); theco- ; thematic ; theme ; thesis ; verify .

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit dadhati "puts, places;" Avestan dadaiti "he puts;" Old Persian ada "he made;" Hittite dai- "to place;" Greek tithenai "to put, set, place;" Latin facere "to make, do; perform; bring about;" Lithuanian dėti "to put;" Polish dziać się "to be happening;" Russian delat' "to do;" Old High German tuon , German tun , Old English don "to do."

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• 1.1 Etymology
• 1.2 Pronunciation
• 1.3.1 Inflection
• 1.3.2 Derived terms
• 1.3.3 Descendants
• 1.4 References

Ancient Greek [ edit ]

Etymology [ edit ].

Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information. From Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information. , although it could either have been formed in Greek or go back earlier. In the latter case, would be from a Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information. , from Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information. (root of Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information. ). Cognates include Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information. , Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information. , Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information. , and Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information. . More at deed .

Pronunciation [ edit ]

Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information.

Noun [ edit ]

• a setting , placement , arrangement
• adoption (of a child)
• adoption (in the more general sense of accepting as one's own)
• Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information. position , conclusion , thesis
• Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information. putting down the foot
• Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information. the last half of the foot
• Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information. affirmation
• Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information. stop

Inflection [ edit ]

Derived terms [ edit ], descendants [ edit ].

• Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information. ( see there for further descendants )

References [ edit ]

• Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information. Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information. Liddell & Scott (1940) Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information. , Oxford: Clarendon Press
• Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information. Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information. Liddell & Scott (1889) Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information. , New York: Harper & Brothers
• Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information. Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information. Bailly, Anatole (1935) Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information. , Paris: Hachette
• Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information. Bauer, Walter et al. (2001) Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information. , Third edition, Chicago: University of Chicago Press
• Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information. Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information. Slater, William J. (1969) Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information. , Berlin: Walter de Gruyter
• Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information. Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information. Trapp, Erich, et al. (1994–2007) Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information. [ Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information. ], Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften
• Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information. Woodhouse, S. C. (1910) Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information. ‎ [1] , London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Limited. Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information.
• Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information. Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information. (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN Lua error: not enough memory. See Wiktionary:Lua memory errors for more information.

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Definition of thesis noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

• Students must submit a thesis on an agreed subject within four years.
• He presented this thesis for his PhD.
• a thesis for a master's degree
• He's doing a doctoral thesis on the early works of Shostakovich.
• Many departments require their students to do a thesis defense.
• She completed an MSc by thesis.
• her thesis adviser at MIT
• in a/​the thesis
• thesis about

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thesis noun

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What does the noun thesis mean?

There are eight meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun thesis . See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

thesis has developed meanings and uses in subjects including

Entry status

OED is undergoing a continuous programme of revision to modernize and improve definitions. This entry has not yet been fully revised.

How common is the noun thesis ?

How is the noun thesis pronounced, british english, u.s. english, where does the noun thesis come from.

Earliest known use

Middle English

The earliest known use of the noun thesis is in the Middle English period (1150—1500).

OED's earliest evidence for thesis is from before 1398, in a translation by John Trevisa, translator.

thesis is a borrowing from Greek.

Etymons: Greek θέσις .

Nearby entries

• thesaurus, n. 1823–
• thesaury, n. a1639–1708
• these, n. a1600–48
• these, pron. & adj. Old English–
• Thesean, adj. 1815–
• Theseid, n. 1725–
• Theseium, n. 1819–
• these-like, adj. 1644–
• thesial, adj. 1654
• thesicle, n. 1863–
• thesis, n. a1398–
• thesis-novel, n. 1934–
• thesis-play, n. 1902–
• thesmophilist, n. 1644–
• Thesmophorian, adj. 1891–
• Thesmophoric, adj. 1788–
• thesmothete, n. 1603–
• thesocyte, n. 1887–
• thesp, n. 1962–
• Thespian, adj. & n. 1675–
• Thespianism, n. 1914–

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Meaning & use

Pronunciation, compounds & derived words, entry history for thesis, n..

thesis, n. was first published in 1912; not yet revised.

thesis, n. was last modified in March 2024.

Revision of the OED is a long-term project. Entries in oed.com which have not been revised may include:

• corrections and revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
• new senses, phrases, and quotations which have been added in subsequent print and online updates.

Revisions and additions of this kind were last incorporated into thesis, n. in March 2024.

Earlier versions of this entry were published in:

OED First Edition (1912)

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Citation details

Factsheet for thesis, n., browse entry.

Thesis etymology

English word thesis comes from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁-, Proto-Indo-European - -tis, and later Proto-Indo-European *dʰédʰeh₁ti (To be doing. To be putting, placing.)

Etymology of thesis

Detailed word origin of thesis, words with the same origin as thesis, descendants of *dʰeh₁-, descendants of - -tis.

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• Meaning of θέσις

θέσις ( Ancient Greek)

Origin & history.

• a setting , placement , arrangement
• adoption (of a child)
• adoption (in the more general sense of accepting as one's own)
• ( philosophy ) position , conclusion , thesis
• ( dancing ) putting down the foot
• ( metre ) the last half of the foot
• ( rhetoric ) affirmation
• ( grammar ) stop

▾  Derived words & phrases

• ἀντεπίθεσις
• ἀντιμετάθεσις
• ἀντιπαράθεσις
• ἐπιπρόσθεσις
• ἐπισύνθεσις
• ἡμισύνθεσις
• προδιάθεσις
• συγκατάθεσις
• συναντίθεσις
• συνεπίθεσις

▾  Descendants

• Latin: thesis

▾  Dictionary entries

Entries where "θέσις" occurs:

thesis : thesis (English) Origin & history From Latin thesis, from Ancient Greek θέσις ("a proposition, a statement, a thing laid down, thesis in rhetoric, thesis in prosody") Pronunciation IPA: /ˈθiːsɪs/ Pronunciation example: Audio (US) Rhymes:…

deed : …action"), Swedish and Danish dåd ("act, action"). The Proto-Indo-European root is also the source of Ancient Greek θέσις ("setting, arrangement"). Related to do. Pronunciation IPA: /diːd/ Pronunciation example: Audio (US) Rhymes:…

tes : …Origin & history I Noun tes Indefinite genitive singular of te Origin & history II From Latin thesis and Ancient Greek θέσις ("a proposition, a statement"), used in Swedish since 1664. Noun tes (common gender) a thesis, a statement…

Tat : …Low German Daat‎, Dutch daad‎, English deed‎, Danish dåd‎, Gothic 𐌳𐌴𐌸𐍃‎, and Ancient Greek θέσις ‎ ("arrangement"). Pronunciation IPA: /taːt/ Rhymes: -aːt Homophones: tat Noun Tat (fem.) (genitive Tat…

antithesis : antithesis (English) Origin & history From Ancient Greek ἀντί ("against") + θέσις ("position"). Surface analysis anti- + thesis. Pronunciation (Amer. Eng.) IPA: /ænˈtɪ.θə.sɪs/ Pronunciation example: Audio (US) Examples:…

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θέσκελος (Ancient Greek)

θές (Ancient Greek)

θέτης (Ancient Greek)

θέτο (Ancient Greek)

θέτω (Greek)

θέω (Ancient Greek)

θέων (Ancient Greek)

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English > Greek (Woodhouse)

substantive

P. θέσις , ἡ.

Latin > English

thesis thesis N F :: proposition , thesis

Latin > English (Lewis & Short)

thĕsis : is, f., = θέσις ,> in rhetoric , I a proposition , thesis ( pure Lat. propositum ), Quint. 3, 5, 11; 3, 5, 14; 2, 4, 24; 7, 10, 5; 12, 2, 25; Sen. Contr. prooem.— II In prosody, the falling of the voice , the thesis (opp. arsis ), Mart. Cap. 9, §§ 974 and 985.

Latin > French (Gaffiot 2016)

thĕsis , is, f. ( θέσις ), acc. in, 1 sujet, proposition, thèse, thème : Quint. 2, 4, 24 ; 3, 15, 11, etc. 2 temps frappé [dans la mesure] : Capel. 9, 974 3 dépôt d’argent que l’on perd, si le vœu qu’on forme est exaucé : CIL 14, 2854.

Latin > German (Georges)

thesis, is, Akk. in, Abl. ī, f. ( θέσις ), I) als rhetor . t.t. = der angenommene Satz , die Annahme , Sen. rhet. u. Quint. – II) als metr. t.t., das Senken der Stimme , rein lat. positio od. depositio vocis (Ggstz. arsis ), Gramm. – III) = παρακαταβολή , das Sukkumbenzgeld bei Gelübden, Corp. inscr. Lat. 14, 2854.

Wikipedia EN

In music and prosody, arsis (/ˈɑːrsɪs/; plural arses, /ˈɑːrsiːz/) and thesis (/ˈθiːsɪs/; plural theses, /ˈθiːsiːz/) are respectively the stronger and weaker parts of a musical measure or poetic foot. However, because of contradictions in the original definitions, writers use these words in different ways. In music, arsis is an unaccented note (upbeat), while the thesis is the downbeat. However, in discussions of Latin and modern poetry the word arsis is generally used to mean the stressed syllable of the foot, that is, the ictus.

Since the words are used in contradictory ways, the authority on Greek metre Martin West recommends abandoning them and using substitutes such as ictus for the downbeat when discussing ancient poetry. However, the use of the word ictus itself is very controversial.

The ancient Greek writers who mention the terms arsis and thesis are mostly from rather a late period (2nd-4th century AD), but it is thought that they continued an earlier tradition. For example, it is believed that Aristides Quintilianus (3rd or 4th century AD) adopted much of his theory from Aristotle's pupil Aristoxenus (4th century BC), who wrote on the theory of rhythm.

Arsis ("raising") and thesis ("putting down or placing") originally seem to have meant the raising and lowering of the foot in marching or dancing. A Greek musicologist, Bacchius or Baccheios (c. 4th century AD), states: "What do we mean by arsis? When our foot is in the air, when we are about to take a step. And by thesis? When it is on the ground." Aristides Quintilianus similarly writes: "Arsis is the upwards motion of a part of the body, while thesis is the downwards motion of the same part." And in general Aristotle (4th century BC) wrote: "All walking (poreia) consists of arsis and thesis."

Because of the association between rhythm and stepping, the parts of a rhythmic sequence were referred to as "feet". Aristides Quintilianus (3rd or 4th century AD) writes: "A foot is part of an entire rhythm from which we recognise the whole. It has two parts: arsis and thesis."

Aristoxenus appears to be the first writer in whose surviving work the word arsis is used specifically in connection with rhythm. Instead of thesis, he uses the word basis ("step"). However, in other Greek writers from Plato onwards, the word basis referred to the whole foot (i.e. the sequence of arsis and thesis).

More frequently Aristoxenus refers to arsis and thesis respectively as the "up time" (ὁ ἄνω χρόνος, ho ánō khrónos) and the "down time" (ὁ κάτω χρόνος, ho kátō khrónos), or simply the "up" (τὸ ἄνω, tò ánō) and the "down" (τὸ κάτω, tò kátō). The division of feet into "up" and "down" seems to go back at least as far as the 5th-century Damon of Athens, teacher of Pericles.

Stefan Hagel writes: "Although the significance of the ancient conception [of upbeat and downbeat] and the applicability of the modern terms are disputed, there is no doubt that arsis and thesis refer to some type of accentuation actually felt by the ancients. Especially in instrumental music, this must have included a dynamic element, so that it makes good sense to transcribe the larger rhythmical units by means of modern bars."

• This page was last edited on 10 June 2023, at 10:30.
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Definition of 'thesis'

Video: pronunciation of thesis

thesis in American English

Thesis in british english, examples of 'thesis' in a sentence thesis, related word partners thesis, trends of thesis.

View usage over: Since Exist Last 10 years Last 50 years Last 100 years Last 300 years

In other languages thesis

• American English : thesis / ˈθisɪs /
• Brazilian Portuguese : tese
• Chinese : 论点
• European Spanish : tesis
• French : thèse
• German : These
• Italian : tesi
• Japanese : 主張
• Korean : 논지
• European Portuguese : tese
• Spanish : tesis
• Thai : ข้อสมมุติ, ข้อวินิจฉัย

Browse alphabetically thesis

• thesis play
• thesmothete
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Related terms of thesis

• academic thesis
• central thesis
• doctoral thesis
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Whats the Plural of Thesis: Understanding Singular and Plural Forms

• The plural of “thesis” adheres to the Greek-rooted pattern, changing the singular -is to a plural -es.
• Accurate use of “thesis” and “theses” reflects scholarly precision in both written and oral communication.
• Awareness of correct pluralization extends to other similar nouns ending in -sis, emphasizing the importance of understanding language origins.

It is crucial to use the word correctly in both singular and plural contexts to maintain the integrity of written and spoken communication. In the realm of academics, precision in language reflects the rigor of one’s research and argumentation. As such, understanding the transformation from “thesis” to its plural counterpart is more than a trivial detail; it reflects a deeper appreciation for the structure and history of the English language.

What’s the Plural of Thesis?

The proper plural of thesis is “theses.” This transformation is part of a broader pattern in the English language where certain nouns change their ending to reflect a plural state.

Below, a comparison is made to illustrate the standard singular to plural transformation for nouns ending in -is:

Key Points about the pluralization of “thesis”:

• The plural follows a specific rule of changing the ‘-is’ ending to ‘-es’.
• This pattern is consistent with other Greek-derived words.
• The pronunciation changes with the plural form, ending in “-eez.”

To clarify usage, consider these examples:

• Singular: The student’s thesis was commended for its clarity.
• Plural: The professor read all the submitted theses before the conference.

Singular Form of Thesis

The singular form of ‘thesis’ is of notable interest due to its origins and distinct pluralization.

Origination and Definition:

• Etymology : Derived from the ancient Greek word τίθημι (tithēmi), which means “to put” or “to place.”
• Meaning : It is a statement or theory put forward to be maintained or proved.

Usage in Academia:

• A significant piece of writing prepared by a student to obtain a university degree or diploma.
• Often involves original research and substantiates a particular view or argument.

Table 1: Notable Features of ‘Thesis’

Table 2: Contextual Examples

Definition of Thesis

A thesis is a substantial piece of scholarly writing that is typically required to obtain a master’s or doctoral degree. It represents the author’s research and findings in their chosen field of study. A thesis serves as evidence that the student has acquired the knowledge necessary to be considered a scholar in the field. Here, two key aspects of a thesis will be described through tables:

Purpose and Composition of a Thesis:

Characteristics of a Thesis:

• Focused : It should have a clear, concise premise or central argument.
• Researched : Employs rigorous methodologies to gather and analyze data.
• Structured : Contains defined sections that present information logically.
• Cited : Includes proper citations of sources that support or contrast the thesis.
• Reviewed : Undergoes scrutiny by academic peers or supervisors.

Other Irregular Plural Nouns Ending in -sis/ses

Below you will find two tables categorized by common and less common irregular plurals that follow this pattern.

Common Irregular Plurals:

This pattern is often observed with words that have Greek origins.

Less Common Irregular Plurals:

It is important to recognize these forms to maintain grammatical accuracy in writing and speech. Below is a list of examples used in sentences:

• When multiple scientific hypotheses are tested, the results can lead to important discoveries.
• During the editing process, Jane had to review all the parentheses to ensure clarity in her writing.
• Geographers study multiple oases in the desert to understand these unique ecosystems.
• His thesis on renewable energy was well-received, and many theses on the subject reference his work.

Examples of Thesis (Singular) in Sentences

Here are examples that demonstrate its usage in various sentences.

In Academic Context

In everyday discourse.

Informal setting : During the debate, his thesis was that space exploration is no longer just a dream but a necessity.

• Discussing beliefs : Her thesis is that all public spaces should offer free Wi-Fi.
• Opinion : They argued the thesis that high taxes discourage spending.

Examples of Theses (Plural) in Sentences

Here are some examples of how “theses” can be used in sentences:

Education Setting : Graduate students often struggle to find unique topics for their theses as most ideas have been extensively explored.

• Evaluating the structure and arguments of different theses can help one build a stronger dissertation.

Origin of the Word Thesis

The term thesis originates from the ancient Greek word θέσις (thésis), which means “a proposition” . Historically, this term has played a crucial role in both rhetorical and academic contexts. It denotes a statement that a writer intends to support and prove. In academic circles, thesis often refers to a document that presents the author’s research and findings and is submitted in support of candidature for a degree or professional qualification.

Etymological Background

The journey of the word from its Greek roots to the modern English language reflects the changing dynamics of educational and scholarly practices over the centuries.

As a carryover from Greek to Latin, the word made its way into English, maintaining its original Greek plural form:

Usage in Academia

In academia, the word has been used since the late Middle Ages to denote a scholarly work written by students aiming to obtain a university degree. Over time, the use of thesis expanded from merely referring to a proposition to a lengthy document providing evidence of comprehensive research.

Historical Evolution:

• Middle Ages : Referred to propositions for a degree.
• Renaissance : Emphasized individual research.
• Modern Usage : Extensive research documents for higher education degrees.

Areas of Impact:

• Rhetoric : Considered as a premise to be argued.
• Academic Research : Reflects comprehensive study in a field.

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Greek Roots

Many Greek roots have entered English, both directly (especially in medical and scientific vocabulary) and by way of Latin. Recognizing a few of their common bases (combined with a few prefixes) will increase your reading comprehension. Besides, they’re fun!

A large percentage of English words for math, sciences and social sciences (as well as music and other performance arts) come originally from Greek.

There's a list of some very common Greek roots below, followed by more individual words with Greek origins,

Common Greek Roots for English Words

Here’s a list of some of the most common Greek roots, in their usual combining form. (Most end in ‘o.’ You just drop the ‘o’ if the following syllable begins in a vowel.) 

• anthropo- man, human : anthropology, anthropomorphic, philanthropy
• bio- life : antibiotic, biology, biosphere, probiotic, symbiosis
•  chrono- time : chronic, chronology, chronometer
•  cris, crit- judge or decide : crisis, criteria (standards to use to judge something), critical, hypocrisy
•  geo- earth : geologist, geometry,  geographic
•  graph (from graphein - to write or draw, & graphia - a description of) : calligraphy, demographic, digraph, graph, (a chart showing information in the form of a picture), graphic, photograph
• hydro- water: dehydrate, hydraulic, hydroelectric, hydrogen, hydrophobia, hydrothermal
•  logo- (often logy- study of, from logia - a speaking about, logos - word or thought) : biological, cardiology, dermatologist, ecology, ideology, logic, mythology, psychological, theological
• lexis- word: lexical, lexicography (dictionary writing)
•  metron- measure : metric, speedometer, thermometer
•  morpho- form or shape : metamorphosis,  morphology
• patho- feeling ,  suffering, disease : antipathy, apathetic, empathy, pathogen, pathological, sympathetic
•  philo- love (of) : philanthropy, philosophical, technophile
•  phobia- fear : agoraphobia, hydrophobia, technophobia
• phone- sound : phonics, phonological, phonograph, symphony, telephone
•  photo- light : photography, photosynthesis
•  polis- city : metropolis, policy, political, politician
•  psych- (via Latin)-soul, mind : psychiatrist, psychic, psychology
•  scope- to look at : microscopic, scope (now the breadth and size of a project or vision, enough space to work), stethoscope, telescope
•  sphere- ball : atmosphere, hemisphere, sphere, spherical
•  techno- art, skill : technique, technology
•  tele- far : telegram, telegraph, telephoto, telescope
•  thermo- hot : thermal, thermodynamic, thermostat
• thesis (plural theses) - a proposition (idea proposed for debate) : antithesis, hypothesis, synthesis, thesis

More English Words from Greek Roots

Here are some more English words and their relatives that came from Greek (often via Latin):

• chorus (& choir)

Practice with Greek Roots

Two Greek suffixes and a few prefixes that you might need:

• -ic, -al = pertaining to, related to;
• a- = without, 
• anti- = against, 
• hemi- = half, 
• hypo- = under, 
• sym- or syn- = with

Instructions :  Choose the best answer to each question, then press the right arrow to move to the next question.

Show all questions

•   ?     apathy
•   ?     antipathy
•   ?     empathy
•   ?     sympathy
•   ?     calligraphy
•   ?     criteria
•   ?     hypotheses
•   ?     techniques
•   ?     writes well
•   ?     feels deeply
•   ?     thinks clearly
•   ?     studies the mind intensely
•   ?     north of Europe in geography books
•   ?     a geographic line on the globe
•   ?     the northern half of the earth
•   ?     the Americas
•   ?     antithesis
•   ?     logic
•   ?     synthetic
•   ?     thesis
•   ?     chronometer
•   ?     stethoscope
•   ?     thermometer
•   ?     thermostat
•   ?     pathetic
•   ?     pathologist
•   ?     psychiatrist
•   ?     psychologist
•   ?     fears technology
•   ?     studies technology
•   ?     loves technology
•   ?     works with technology
•   ?     the study of money
•   ?     the love of philosophy
•   ?     the love of mankind
•   ?     the study of mankind
•   ?     the whole living world
•   ?     a representation of life together with death
•   ?     anything that works against life
•   ?     two forms of life working together for mutual benefit

Practice these Greek roots more with the Greek and Latin Roots Quiz .

Related Root & Prefix Pages

This is a useful list of the English meanings and then the Latin prefixes and Greek prefixes that mean the same thing.

Find the pages to study or practice over 100 root words on EnglishHints. This reference table gives meanings, examples, & links.

You know words made from these roots. Learn the Latin  word roots themselves for a big boost in vocabulary!

See also Medical Prefixes , Medical Suffixes , (both almost all from Greek) & Medical Vocabulary .

Still want more? For stories about unexpected words that come from Greek (as well as some from above), see this article from Babble .

Home >  Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes > Greek Roots.

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Greek and Latin Roots: Part I - Latin

Peter Smith, University of Victoria

Copyright Year: 2016

Publisher: BCcampus

Language: English

Formats Available

Conditions of use.

Learn more about reviews.

Reviewed by Kirsten Day, Associate Professor of Classics, Augustana College on 11/14/18

Smith provides an impressively thorough overview of the many ways Latin has made an imprint on the English language. In doing so, he includes the grammatical principles of Latin that are essential to understanding how a knowledge of Latin roots,... read more

Comprehensiveness rating: 3 see less

Smith provides an impressively thorough overview of the many ways Latin has made an imprint on the English language. In doing so, he includes the grammatical principles of Latin that are essential to understanding how a knowledge of Latin roots, prefixes, and suffixes can greatly enhance one’s fluency in English, but leaves out the aspects of the language that are extraneous in this context. This book will give native English speakers enhanced appreciation for the vocabulary they use everyday, while providing them the tools necessary to analyze and understand a vast number of words with which they are unfamiliar. Sections on the historical development of the English language are useful in understanding how language is transferred and transformed. Diligent students will undoubtedly complete this text with a much richer appreciation for their own language, as well as some basic understanding of the grammar and vocabulary of Latin. In light of the book’s title, however, I did expect to find more specific focus on specialized roots used in scientific terminology. In large part, this text seemed more appropriate to an English linguistics course than to one primarily catering to students in either the sciences or the social sciences. The book provides appendices at the back with answers to the exercises and vocabulary charts, but no index or glossary.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

I did not see any errors in subject matter, and very few typographical or proofreading errors (the few I did notice include “ADN” for “AND” in §26 (p. 70); a space in the first bullet point of the second box in §38 (p. 96) that results in an awkward comma at the beginning of a line; in §78 (p. 188), “armée” is rendered “arme!e”; and §87 (p. 212) note 3 refers to §74 number 4, while the bullet points in this section are not numbered). Overall, however, this is a well-edited and polished text.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

The overall subject of this text is timeless and will be useful indefinitely, and for the most part, the author has done a good job in keeping his discussion of word development up to the moment. There are a few references, however, that will make this 2016 text seem dated to today’s students: in §31 (p. 77), “Present-Day English” is described as referring to the 19th and 20th centuries (despite the fact that many of today’s students were not even born until the 21st century); references to Ben Cartwright’s ranch (§42, p. 105) or to Perry Mason (§65, p. 155) will likely be lost entirely upon most students, as too might an excerpt from the Pirates of Penzance (§93, p. 223); while most students will not have heard of actor Lee Marvin (§49, p. 123), the reference might be considered more relevant (though it might need Googling).

Clarity rating: 4

Most explanations are clear and accessible to those who have no Greek or Latin (and indeed, few assumptions are made about students’ familiarity with English grammatical terms). For me, the explanation of the Latin pronunciation of vowels in §7 (pp. 17-18) might be cleaned up a bit (that E = “English” is not necessarily to be taken for granted when vowel sounds are being discussed). Some other of the abbreviations that are used in giving the shorthand of etymologies are not explained (like the E); these usually can be figured out, but a key would be nice (modF = modern French: see §23, p. 63).

Consistency rating: 5

Smith’s book impressed me with its consistency in treatment and comprehensiveness across sections.

Modularity rating: 5

This text seems very useful in terms of modularity. The reading sections are short, and would allow an instructor much flexibility in terms of how much to assign in each class. While concepts necessarily build on one another, links within each section lead students to appropriate places to fill in or review the concepts that have been covered previously. In addition, there are some sections that might be regarded as supplemental and thereby excluded, depending on the needs of the course and time constraints.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

While I understand the reasons behind dedicating the first volume to Latin (accessibility/familiarity, volume of material) and the second to Greek, this seems an odd choice to me in terms of chronology. Within the volume itself, the organizational logic and breakdowns of section are usually clear and logical. I did have a few quibbles within chapters: for example, on the first set of exercises, it would be useful to reiterate the numbering scheme rather than referring back to a chart much earlier in the text (§17, p. 45 #3). And while Smith’s exhaustive list of examples of words for analysis or consideration is useful, it might be a bit overwhelming in its presentation for many students (i.e. §83, p. 200).

Interface rating: 4

The online version is fairly easy to navigate, but the sections are fairly short: this results in a lot of clicking, but is useful in other ways. The downloadable PDF has a lot of blank pages. §19 (p. 53) has a spacing issue within a paragraph, which also appears in the online version. In both cases, there seem to be some reference errors: for instance, we are told to “consult the Bestiary” in §41 (p. 94), but this should read §42.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The breadth and depth of Dr. Smith’s language expertise is impressive. I did not find any grammatical errors in this text.

Cultural Relevance rating: 3

There are potentially minor slights to Smith’s fellow Canadians in §18 (p. 51) n. 1, and a comment that seems to equate “ardent feminists” with man-haters who are unable to set aside their biases to study language as objectively as male linguists in §42 (p. 105) might best be omitted. And although minor, making light of terms associated with abortion as a political issue (p. 225) also might sit badly with some in today’s divisive political climate.

The text will provide students far more information about the history of English, its relationship to Latin (and other languages), and about the grammar of Latin than many other texts on this subject. In places, I would like to see citations for references (i.e., the references to Juvenal on p. 71 and to Plautus in n. 1 in §56 (p. 137). There are many interesting cultural tidbits (such as the relationship of the political term “fascist” to the Roman fasces (§56, p. 137). Occasionally, the text offers a tease, which in some cases can prompt to further study (the etymology of “vanilla” might make you blush: again, §56, p. 137), but in other cases seems just to assume too much (as with the above noted reference to Lee Marvin and the origin of the word “palimony”). Overall, I think this text is highly useful for a course on English linguistics, but less useful as a stand alone text for a course that focuses on equipping those in the sciences and social sciences with an arsenal of word roots pertinent to their field (though as a supplemental text, for this sort of course, I think it could be very useful indeed).

Table of Contents

• Chapter 1: Introduction
• Chapter 2: The Latin Noun (Declensions 1 & 2)
• Chapter 3: The Latin Noun (Declensions 3, 4, 5)
• Chapter 4: Simple Latin Adjectives
• Chapter 5: Turning Latin Nouns into Adjectives
• Chapter 6: Turning Latin Adjectives into Latin Nouns
• Chapter 7: Latin Diminutives
• Chapter 8: Latin Prefixes
• Chapter 9: The Latin Verb System
• Chapter 10: Turning Latin Verbs into Latin Nouns
• Chapter 11: Turning Latin Nouns into Latin Verbs
• Chapter 12: Latin Present Participles and Gerundives
• Chapter 13: Turning Latin Verbs into Latin Adjectives
• Chapter 14: Compound Words in Latin
• I. Key to Exercises (Latin)
• Key to Exercises (Latin)
• II. Summary of Vocabulary Tables (Latin)
• Appendix II
• Summary of Vocabulary Tables (Latin)

Ancillary Material

About the book.

Greek and Latin Roots: Part I - Latin is part one of a two part series. This series examines the systematic principles by which a large portion of English vocabulary has evolved from Latin and (to a lesser degree) from Greek. This book focuses on Latin roots. A link to the second part focusing on the Greek roots can be found below. Part I will try to impart some skill in the recognition and proper use of words derived from Latin. There is a stress on principles: although students will be continually looking at interesting individual words, their constant aim will be to discover predictable general patterns of historical development, so that they may be able to cope with new and unfamiliar words of any type that they have studied. They will be shown how to approach the problem by a procedure known as “word analysis,” which is roughly comparable to the dissection of an interesting specimen in the biology laboratory. The text assumes no previous knowledge of Latin, and does not involve the grammatical study of this language—except for a few basic features of noun and verb formation that will help students to understand the Latin legacy in English. Although there will be some attention paid to the historical interaction of Latin with English, this text is definitely not a systematic history of the English language. It focuses on only those elements within English that have been directly or indirectly affected by this classical language. In order to provide the broadest possible service to students, the text emphasizes standard English vocabulary in current use. The more exotic technical vocabulary of science and medicine can be extremely interesting, but is explored in only summary fashion. Nevertheless, this text should be of considerable value, say, to a would-be botanist or medical doctor, if only by providing the foundation for further specialized enquiry.

About the Contributors

Peter Smith (1933 – 2006) was founding Chair of the Classics Department (now named Greek and Roman Studies) and later served as Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts, both at the University of Victoria.

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a proposition stated or put forward for consideration, especially one to be discussed and proved or to be maintained against objections: He vigorously defended his thesis on the causes of war.

a subject for a composition or essay.

a dissertation on a particular subject in which one has done original research, as one presented by a candidate for a diploma or degree.

Music . the downward stroke in conducting; downbeat. : Compare arsis (def. 1) .

a part of a metrical foot that does not bear the ictus or stress.

(less commonly) the part of a metrical foot that bears the ictus. : Compare arsis (def. 2) .

Philosophy . See under Hegelian dialectic .

Origin of thesis

Word story for thesis, other words for thesis, words that may be confused with thesis.

• 1. antithesis , synthesis , thesis
• 2. dissertation , thesis

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use thesis in a sentence

We have already seen (p. xxi) that this was one of the important theses of the Muʿtazilite Kalam.

In 1597 he maintained public theses in Mathematics, Philosophy, and Law with the highest applause.

The theses on indulgences having brought him to the knowledge of the truth, he had forthwith made a bold profession of the faith.

He went to Wittenberg, in his innocence, intending to tack on the church-door there his theses.

I think it in very bad taste, always impertinent, and often pedantic, to attempt to prove theses by writing stories.

British Dictionary definitions for thesis

/ ( ˈθiːsɪs ) /

a dissertation resulting from original research, esp when submitted by a candidate for a degree or diploma

a doctrine maintained or promoted in argument

a subject for a discussion or essay

an unproved statement, esp one put forward as a premise in an argument

music the downbeat of a bar, as indicated in conducting

(in classical prosody) the syllable or part of a metrical foot not receiving the ictus : Compare arsis

philosophy the first stage in the Hegelian dialectic, that is challenged by the antithesis

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for thesis

The central idea in a piece of writing, sometimes contained in a topic sentence .

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

CLA 030 Word Roots Sec 1-2

CLA 030 Word Roots

In this course, we will learn Latin and Greek word roots to help us better understand, use, and appreciate the English language. Approximately 65% of English vocabulary comes from Greek and Latin; if we consider the specialized terminology of law, medicine, biology, and other sciences, this share goes as high as 90%. By learning the ancient elements that combine to form English words, students will dramatically expand their understanding of the English language and their ability to use it effectively in speaking and writing.

As we build these skills over the quarter, we will also consider English’s historical trajectory and discover why it is that Latin and Greek have come to play such a significant role within it. Throughout, we’ll keep our eyes on the ways in which the English language is a living and constantly changing organism and discuss how best to appreciate its many different forms.

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Greek and Latin Vocabulary Research

Despite universal consensus among reading-researchers regarding the effectiveness of teaching and learning Greek and Latin morphology (the phonological, semantic, and orthographic connections of affixes (prefixes and suffixes) and roots, some  of the existing research regarding which to teach and which not to teach has never trickled down into the classroom. The following article will explore why this  may  be the case and will remedy this deficit with two resources: 1. The latest and greatest Greek and Latin word parts lists 2. My carefully crafted 25 Greek and Latin Power Words, which include the 60 highest frequency Greek and Latin word parts according to these research-based lists.

Of course, this is only one example of the disconnect between academia and teachers in terms of educational research; however, by taking a look at the one, perhaps the many can also be addressed. My take is that both institutional and cultural norms and biases share equal responsibility for this failure.

Why Relevant Educational Research Does Not Show up in the Classroom: Who’s to Blame?

A quick Google search for “Greek and Latin word lists” brings 18,700,000 search results. Each list varies greatly and, because the Internet remains the Wild, Wild, West, no quality control in the search rankings differentiates among Ms. Peabody’s favorite word parts list, a paid ad for a list used to promote a commercial product, and a research-based list. It’s overly simplistic to expect teachers to have the  crap detector  expertise and time to sort the wheat from the chaff.

Here, the Google algorithms fail us. Older, established websites and articles with popularity come up higher in the search rankings. Newer articles, such as this one, will be fortunate to crack the Google Top 50. Even diligent educators will wind up with commercially purposed Greek and Latin word part lists or sources based upon old research, for example Thorndike’s 1941 suffix word list.

Teachers and School Districts

Teachers and their school districts share some of the blame as well. Although the former are generally exposed to some educational research in teacher credential programs, little decision-making in the classroom is based upon objective research studies. Teachers are busy, generally adverse to change, and peer-pressured. If they have a  hard copy class set list of Greek and Latin word parts or a PDF of such in their vocabulary folder, it would take a rare teacher to take the time to get to search ranking #65 to find the best resource for her students. Additionally, teachers all succumb to a  herd mentality . If their grade-level or department colleagues agreed to each a certain vocabulary list years ago, it would take an act of God to change that same list. Greek and Latin word lists. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is the widely-accepted teacher mantra. Strike out on your own and you might receive the death penalty label: “She’s not a team player.”

School district leaders crave uniformity and exert various degrees of control over curriculum. Many Google searches with “district” added into the search bar, provide consensus lists of Greek and Latin prefixes, bases, and suffixes, all neatly divided into grade level expectations. I’ve yet to find any district lists which are based upon the best and most recent research on Greek and Latin word part utility and frequency.

Comprehensive Vocabulary

I must start with the disclaimer. I am one: a teacher-publisher. Publishers and their authors have diverse motivations for what they produce. Despite many good intentions, both are limited by one factor: their paying audiences. Supply is driven by demand and not the converse. The status quo, if it is profitable, is the decision-making benchmark.

University Professors

In the educational hierarchy, university professors are perceived to have the expertise and access to the  latest and greatest  educational research. They should know better, but often choose not to know. Unlike teachers and school district leaders, ignorance is not a valid excuse for these folks.

Why do American university professors tend to cherry pick  certain Greek and Latin morphological research studies and avoid others? I won’t pretend to provide a comprehensive answer, and many professors will not fit the following generalization. However, if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, it just might be…

Ethnocentrism

Why don’t American teachers get the latest and greatest  research to guide their instruction? I fear that ethnocentrism rears its ugly head. I will cite three examples in the field of vocabulary research.

Dr. Averil Coxhead, senior lecturer  at the Victoria University of Wellington  School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies developed and evaluated  The Academic Word List  (AWL) for her MA thesis. The list has 570 word families (roots) which were selected according to an exacting research criteria. Her thesis was published in 2000, but is just now gaining acceptance and traction among English-language arts and reading intervention teachers interested in teaching Tier 2 academic words. My take? Her study has taken so long to get into the hands of teachers because Dr. Coxhead teaches in an Australian University. By the way, I’ll put on my publisher’s hat for a moment. If you want Dr. Coxhead’s word families list of academic words, divided into grade levels by frequency, read Common Core Academic Language Words and download these grade level lists for free.

As a second example, Dr. Zheng Wei (Yes, she’s Chinese) contributed her carefully designed and implemented study on the efficacy of teaching and learning Greek and Latin word parts, including a useful high utility and high frequency bases list, for her 2012 doctoral thesis at the same University of Wellington  as Dr. Coxhead. A Chinese professor publishing her groundbreaking work at an Australian university? The odds are stacked against this research filtering its way down to teachers.

My last example includes the 2015 research study regarding knowledge of prefixes and suffixes. “The Word Part Levels Test (WPLT) was developed to measure three aspects of affix knowledge: form (recognition of written affix forms), meaning (knowledge of affix meanings), and use (knowledge of the syntactic properties of affixes)” as cited in the 2017 SAGE Journals Language Teaching Research abstract. You guessed it: Researchers Dr. Yosuke Sasao of Toyohashi University of Technology, Japan and Dr. Stuart Webb of the University of Western Ontario, Canada contributed this study with the British corpus used as the source for their affixes.

—————————————————

Now that I’ve wagged my finger across the educational spectrum, it’s time to share what I perceive to be the most useful educational research in providing the resources teachers need to teach Greek and Latin word parts to their students.

• Wei, Z. (2011). Word roots in English – Learning English words through form and meaning similarity . PhD Thesis, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.
• Honig, Diamond, and Gutlohn (2000). Teaching Reading Sourcebook: For Kindergarten Through Eighth Grade © 2000 by CORE.
• Stahl, S.A. and Shiel, T.G. (1992). Reading and Writing Quarterly: Overcoming Learning Disabilities , 8, 223-241; “Commonly Occurring Greek and Latin Roots.”
• White, Sowell, and Yanagihara (1989) Ranked by Carroll et al (1971). The Reading Teacher , 42, p. 306; “Most Common Prefixes and Suffixes in Academic Texts.”
• More Words (Word Counts)

25 Greek and Latin Power Words © 2018 Pennington Publishing

If you are still teaching from the same old Greek and Latin word part list, it’s time to update your instruction with the latest computer-generated word lists aggregated from the most recent and highest regarded Greek and Latin word part studies. Download the FREE 25 Greek and Latin Power Words list and forward this article to your colleagues.

For full-year vocabulary programs which include multiple meaning words (L.4.a.), Greek and Latin morphology with Morphology Walls (L.4.a.), figures of speech (L.5.a.), words with special relationships (L.5.b.), words with connotative meanings (L.5.c.), and academic language words (L.6.0), check out the assessment-based   grades 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 Comprehensive Vocabulary.

Reading , Spelling/Vocabulary , Study Skills , Writing Common Core Vocabulary , Common Core Vocabulary Toolkit , Greek and Latin , Greek and Latin prefixes , Greek and Latin roots , Greek and Latin suffixes , Greek and Latin vocabulary , Greek and Latin vocabulary research , high frequency word parts , Mark Pennington , research-based vocabulary word lists

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300 Commonly Used Greek & Latin Root Words, Prefixes, & Suffixes

Many words in the English language are formed by taking base words or root words and adding combinations of prefixes and suffixes to them.

A  root word  is the primary form of a word. While root words may contain the core meaning of the word, they cannot stand alone. For example, “bene” is the root in the word “beneficial.”

A  base word  is slightly different from a root because a base is the basic form of a word that  can  stand on its own. For example, “commit” is the base in the word “commitment.” To differentiate the two, just remember that a base can have affixes attached to it, but it does not have to; a root must have an affix (prefix or suffix), or another root, attached to it in order to make it a whole word. 

A  prefix  is a word part that is placed at the beginning of a word to change or enhance its meaning. For example, “dis—” is the prefix of the word “disagree.”

A  suffix  is a word part that is placed at the end of a word to change or enhance its meaning. For example, “—ful” is the suffix of the word “thankful.”

Most English words are actually derivatives of ancient Greek and Latin words. Knowing Greek and Latin roots is an essential reading comprehension strategy for students because they could determine the meaning of an unknown word if they were familiar with any of the prefixes, suffixes, or root words attached to it. When context clues fail, breaking down words into their smallest parts can ensure your students will be successful.

 For example, students might not know what the word “contradict” means, but if they know that “contra” means  against  and “dict” means  speak , they can determine that  contradict  means: to assert the opposite against what someone has said. Another example is the word “incredulous.” If students know that “in” means  not , “cred” means  believe , and “ous” means   having , then they could conclude  incredulous  means: not having a readiness to believe things easily.

Greek and Latin word parts are a tool you want your students to have in their academic tool belt because having a strong vocabulary helps students tremendously with reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. Below you can find a FREE, downloadable copy of the 300 most commonly used Greek and Latin root words, suffixes, and prefixes. You can choose particular word parts from the list below to use in your classroom or provide students with this comprehensive list to keep for reference. 

3 thoughts on “300 Commonly Used Greek & Latin Root Words, Prefixes, & Suffixes”

Most helpful for my ESOL students. Have been searching for a resource such as this for ages.

Thank you very much it is helpful for my TOEFL students as it helps learn their vocabulary . I do word formation recognizing prefixes/roots/ suffixes and this is very nice. Thank you

I’m so in love with this. You did a great job!!

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