Looking up English words derived from Greek

[Jonathan Robie]

Writing lessons, I often encounter a text like ἐν δακτύλῳ θεοῦ, and think of an English word like pterodactyl, πτερο-δάκτυλος, which I add to the lesson as a mnemonic.

Surely someone has done a really good list of the English words that are most useful to help remember Greek words? Are there books, web sites, or other resources that would let me look this kind of thing up if I don't think of a good one on my own?

[Louis L Sorenson]

Randall Buth sent me a file one called GreekCognates.pdf. It has 11 pages of Συγγενικαὶ Λέξεις. But the English gloss is only filled out for the alphas. That is the only list I know of....

[cwconrad]

I found a pretty good list at http://everything2.com/title/Greek+Cognates. The greek words from which the English words are derived aren't listed but can readily be guessed or found. In my quick skimming over the list, I found only one error: "satire" derives from Latin; so far as I know it has no authentic cognate in Greek.

[Louis L Sorenson]

So I looked at Buth's list and the one Carl referenced. I cannot find a reference to ἰατρός doctor. This is the word for 'doctor' from which we have the suffix -iatric and -iatrist.. Bariatric,Pediatric, Podiatrist, ktl. So I believe that this subject needs an update. I cannot believe that in 2015, we still do not have a good list of English-Greek cognates (words that share the same root).

[Stephen Hughes]

You could try the list on Wiki.

[Jonathan Robie]

You could try the list on Wiki.

This is a really terrific list! Thanks for finding it.

And since it's a Wiki, we can add to it if we find things that are missing.

[Barry Hofstetter]

Just for the record, cognates are words in different languages descended from the same root in a parent language, such as the various forms of "father" in multiple I-E languages. What you are mostly talking about are derivatives.

[Michael W Abernathy]

I have two suggestions for you. First, if your copy of the Greek New Testament includes a short lexicon just read through it. You'll be surprised how many Greek words are nearly identical to their English counterpart. Second, You might want to look at an older book by Charles Barrett Brown called The Contribution o Greek to English with Special to Medical and Other Scientific Terms . Its an older book a little over 300 pages published in 1942. The Greek words are all transliterated with translation and examples of the how that root is found in English. The section on iatrikos reads:
iatrikos of or for the art of healing; medical treatment;
iatreia healing: c.f.: -iatrics, -iatry
gyniatrics [gyne woman] Med.
iatric Relating to medicine or physicians.
neuropsychiatry [neuron, nerve]
orthopsychiatry [orthos correct]
pediatrician, paed- [pais child] -iatrcs, -iatric, -iatrist
podiatry [pous foot] Med. -iatrist
psychiatry [pysche mind] Med. -iater, -iatric, -iatrist
You can purchase this from Amazon for about $15.
Sincerely,
Michael Abernathy

[Jonathan Robie]

I have two suggestions for you. First, if your copy of the Greek New Testament includes a short lexicon just read through it. You'll be surprised how many Greek words are nearly identical to their English counterpart.

Right. This came up because when I teach a lesson, I often point this kind of thing out. Last week, the word was δάκτυλος, I thought of the word ptero-dactyl, wrote it down, and wondered if someone had a good list of this.

Second, You might want to look at an older book by Charles Barrett Brown called The Contribution o Greek to English with Special to Medical and Other Scientific Terms . Its an older book a little over 300 pages published in 1942. The Greek words are all transliterated with translation and examples of the how that root is found in English. The section on iatrikos reads:
iatrikos of or for the art of healing; medical treatment;
iatreia healing: c.f.: -iatrics, -iatry
gyniatrics [gyne woman] Med.
iatric Relating to medicine or physicians.
neuropsychiatry [neuron, nerve]
orthopsychiatry [orthos correct]
pediatrician, paed- [pais child] -iatrcs, -iatric, -iatrist
podiatry [pous foot] Med. -iatrist
psychiatry [pysche mind] Med. -iater, -iatric, -iatrist
You can purchase this from Amazon for about $15.

Cool! The Wiki lists psychiatrist, geriatrics.

[Stephen Hughes]

If someone wanted to go beyond using the derivatives as a teaching resource and were to make completeness of lists a pet project, then they could do searches like iatr or neur, though there are more in those searches than should qualify as derivatives from Greek.