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KS3 English · Year 8Chapter 9 · Word origins, etymology and vocabulary choice
Year 8 · Chapter 9

Word origins, etymology and vocabulary choice

By the end of this chapter you will be able to

  • Name the language a word comes from, and what its origin tells us
  • Name a Greek or Latin root and its meaning, and build words from it
  • Spell a word family correctly, keeping the root spelling unchanged
  • Choose the correct homophone or near-homophone for a sentence
  • Explain how a word has changed its meaning, and what it means now

You should already know

  • Greek and Latin roots, prefixes and suffixes (Year 7, Chapter 9 of this book, roots tele, micro, phon, bio, graph and others)
  • Homophones and word families (Year 6 spelling work)

Where this leads

  • Writing narrative: sustained, planned and crafted (Chapter 10 of this book)
  • Writing for purpose and audience: articles, letters, reviews and speeches (Chapter 12 of this book)

National Curriculum for England, Key Stage 3 English, Year 8. Content: Trace English words to their origins: Old English, Old Norse, French, Latin and Greek (KS3 grammar, G6), Explain how word history explains meaning and spelling, and how words change meaning over time (KS3 grammar, G6), Use Greek and Latin roots that Year 7 did not use, and their word families (KS3 spelling, SP1), Choose between homophones and near-homophones, and spell word families accurately (KS3 spelling, SP1 and W5), Choose vocabulary for its connotation and lexical field in writing (KS3 writing, W5).

Exercise P  Do you remember?

1
FWrite the word that means the study of the earth, from the Greek root geo. Write one word.
2
FThe Greek root phon means sound. Write the word for the teaching of letter sounds. Write one word.
3
FWhich language does the word "beef" come from, through the Norman conquest? Write one word.
4
FWrite the root that means write in the word autograph. Write one word.
5
FWrite the word for a word that has the opposite meaning to another word. Write one word.
9.1

Etymology: where English words come from

Year 8
Trace English words to their origins: Old English, Old Norse, French, Latin and Greek (KS3 grammar, G6)
Video lesson: Etymology: where English words come fromComing soon
Story. A student is curious why English has so many words for meat and so many for church. Words arrived in layers, from the languages of the people who settled, ruled, traded and wrote in Britain. Their origins often explain their meaning and their spelling.
LanguagePeriod or sourceExample words
Old Englishthe language of the Anglo-Saxons, from about the 5th centurybread, house, water
Old Norsethe language of Viking settlerssky, egg, window, skin
Frenchafter the Norman conquest of 1066beef, pork, government
Latinthe language of Rome, and of the church and learningaqueduct, vehicle, dictionary
Greekthe language of science, medicine and philosophytelephone, hippopotamus, psychology

Key ideas

  • Etymology is the study of the origin and history of words.
  • Many English words came from Old English, then Old Norse, French, Latin and Greek.
  • A word's origin can explain its meaning, such as aqueduct, from Latin aqua (water) and ducere (to lead).
Worked example 9.1.1
Which language does "window" come from?

Method. Think about the Viking settlers and the word's form.

  1. Think about the history. The Vikings who settled in Britain spoke Old Norse.
    Old Norse
  2. Check the form. Window comes from the Old Norse word for wind-eye.
    wind-eye
  3. Name the source. Window comes from Old Norse.
    Old Norse
  4. Write the answer.
    Old Norse

Check. window comes from Old Norse. ✓

Worked example 9.1.2
Which word comes from Latin? Choose one: vehicle, bread or sky.

Method. Test each choice against the sentence or the text.

  1. Read what the question asks for. Decide what the sentence or the text needs.
  2. Test the choice. Vehicle comes from the Latin vehiculum, which means a thing that carries.
    vehicle fits
  3. Reject the other choices. Bread comes from Old English, and sky comes from Old Norse.
    bread and sky do not fit
  4. Write the answer.
    vehicle

Check. The choice fits the sentence or the text. ✓

Worked example 9.1.3
Why is "government" a French-influenced word?

Method. Think about the period when French influenced English.

  1. Find the period. After the Norman conquest, French was the language of government.
    1066
  2. Find the change. Words for government came into English from French.
    French
  3. Explain. The word came into English through that influence.
    it came into English from French after 1066
  4. Write the answer.
    it came into English from French after 1066

Check. The origin is explained. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: a word can have more than one origin. "Telephone" is Greek in its roots, but it reached English through modern usage, so do not assume a single source.

Exam tip

Exam tip. Name the language, then say what its history tells you about the meaning or the spelling.

Exercise 9A  Practice: word origins

1
FWhich language does "bread" come from?
2
FWhich language does "sky" come from?
3
FWhich language does "pork" come from?
4
FWhich language does "aqueduct" come from?
5
FWhich language does "telephone" come from?
6
FWhich word is from Old English? Choose one: house, sky, beef or aqueduct.
7
FWhich language brought the word "egg" to English? Choose one: Old Norse, Latin, Greek or French.
8
PSWhich period is linked to the French words for meat such as beef and pork? Choose one: after the Norman conquest of 1066, before the Romans, in Viking times or in the Iron Age.
9
PSWhich word comes from Greek? Choose one: hippopotamus, bread, government or window.
10
RExplain how knowing the Latin origin of "aqueduct" helps with its meaning.
11
PSWhich language gave English the word "vehicle"? Choose one: Latin, Old Norse, French or Old English.
12
PSWhich is an Old Norse word? Choose one: skin, bread, beef or psychology.
13
RExplain why "beef" and "cow" both exist in English, in one sentence.
14
RWhich word comes from Old English but is still used today? Choose one: water, government, telephone or vehicle.
15
RChallenge: name two words from different languages that mean the same as one another, and say where each comes from.
9.2

Greek and Latin roots not used in Year 7

Year 8
Use Greek and Latin roots that Year 7 did not use, and their word families (KS3 spelling, SP1)
Video lesson: Greek and Latin roots not used in Year 7Coming soon
Story. A student is building a word bank. Each new root unlocks a family of words. Knowing the root tells the student the meaning of a new word, even if they have never met it before.
RootOriginMeaningExample words
chronGreektimechronology, chronic, synchronise, anachronism
metrGreekmeasuremetre, perimeter, diameter, thermometer
psychGreekmind, soulpsychology, psychic, psychiatrist
autoGreekselfautomatic, automobile, autonomy
anthropGreekhuman beinganthropology, misanthrope, philanthropy
nymGreeknamesynonym, antonym, anonymous, pseudonym
mitLatinsendsubmit, transmit, permit, mission
tractLatindrag or pullattract, extract, subtract, distract
ducLatinleadproduce, reduce, conduct, induce
facLatinmake or dofactory, manufacture, factor, factual
visLatinseevision, visible, invisible, evidence
posLatinplaceposition, deposit, compose, opposite
ventLatincomeevent, prevent, invention, convene

Key ideas

  • A root is the core of a word, which carries the main meaning.
  • A prefix or suffix is added to the root, and the root spelling does not change.
  • Use the root to work out a meaning, then check it in the context of the sentence.
Worked example 9.2.1
What is the root in "synonym", and what does it mean?

Method. Find the root, then its meaning.

  1. Find the root. The root in synonym is nym.
    nym
  2. Find the meaning. Nym comes from the Greek for name.
    name
  3. Put it together. Synonym is a word that shares a name, or meaning, with another.
    nym, meaning name
  4. Write the answer.
    nym, meaning name

Check. The root and meaning are given. ✓

Worked example 9.2.2
What does "automatic" mean, from its root?

Method. Split the word into its root and suffix, then give the meaning.

  1. Find the root. Auto means self.
    self
  2. Find the suffix. The suffix -ic makes an adjective.
    adjective
  3. Put it together. Automatic means working by itself.
    working by itself
  4. Write the answer.
    working by itself

Check. The meaning is built from the parts. ✓

Worked example 9.2.3
How does the root metr help with "perimeter"?

Method. Find the root and the meaning.

  1. Find the root. Metr means measure.
    measure
  2. Find the prefix. Peri means around.
    around
  3. Put it together. Perimeter is the measure around a shape.
    the measure around
  4. Write the answer.
    it means measure, so perimeter is the measure around

Check. The meaning is built from the parts. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: a word with a root does not always mean just the root. "Psychology" contains psych (mind), but the meaning is the study of the mind.

Exam tip

Exam tip. Split the word, find the root, then check the meaning fits the sentence.

Exercise 9B  Practice: Greek and Latin roots

1
FWhich Greek or Latin root is in chronology? It means time. Write the root.
2
FWhich Greek or Latin root is in metre? It means measure. Write the root.
3
FWhich Greek or Latin root is in psychology? It means mind, soul. Write the root.
4
FWhich Greek or Latin root is in automobile? It means self. Write the root.
5
FWhich Greek or Latin root is in philanthropy? It means human being. Write the root.
6
FWhich Greek or Latin root is in anonymous? It means name. Write the root.
7
FWhich Greek or Latin root is in transmit? It means send. Write the root.
8
FWhich Greek or Latin root is in attract? It means drag or pull. Write the root.
9
FWhich Greek or Latin root is in produce? It means lead. Write the root.
10
FWhich Greek or Latin root is in factory? It means make or do. Write the root.
11
FWhich Greek or Latin root is in invisible? It means see. Write the root.
12
FWhich Greek or Latin root is in deposit? It means place. Write the root.
13
FWhich Greek or Latin root is in prevent? It means come. Write the root.
14
PSWhat does "chronic" mean, from its root chron? Choose one: lasting a long time, very quick, very small or in a line.
15
PSWhat does "metric" mean, from its root metr? Choose one: relating to measurement, relating to money, relating to the sea or relating to the body.
16
PSWhich word has the root auto, meaning self? Choose one: autonomy, biology, telephone or chronic.
17
PSWhat does "antonym" mean, using its root nym? Choose one: a word with the opposite meaning, a word with a similar meaning, a word that is a name or a word for time.
18
RExplain how the root tract helps you work out the meaning of "distract", in one sentence.
19
RBuild a word from the Latin root pos (place) with the prefix com (together), and say what it means.
20
RWhich word has the Greek root anthrop? Choose one: anthropology, vehicle, factory or produce.
21
RWhich word is from the Latin root vis, meaning see? Choose one: visible, automatic, metric or deposit.
22
RWhat does "invention" come from, in its root vent? Choose one: come up, a thing that comes into being, to pull, to see or a human being.
23
RExplain why "psychology" and "psychiatrist" share a root, and what that root means.
24
RChallenge: use two new roots in one sentence about a science lesson, and underline each root in your sentence.
9.3

Word families and homophones

Year 8
Spell word families accurately, and choose between homophones and near-homophones (KS3 spelling, SP1 and W5)
Video lesson: Word families and homophonesComing soon
Story. Two word families are easy to muddle: produce and product, and evidence and evident. A homophone is a word that sounds the same but has a different spelling and meaning. A near-homophone is a word that sounds almost the same.
PairMeaning, and an example
principal / principleprincipal: the head of a school; principle: a rule or belief
stationary / stationerystationary: not moving; stationery: paper and pens
council / counselcouncil: a group of people who run a town; counsel: advice
practice / practisepractice is the noun; practise is the verb (UK spelling)
affect / effectaffect is usually a verb; effect is usually a noun

Key ideas

  • Keep the root of a word family spelled the same: produce, product, production.
  • A homophone sounds the same but is spelled differently, such as principal and principle.
  • In UK English, practice is the noun and practise is the verb: We practise every day, but it is good practice.
Worked example 9.3.1
Choose principal or principle for the gap: "The ___ of the school spoke to the council." Write the word.

Method. The head of a school is the principal.

  1. Find the meaning. The sentence means the head of a school.
    head of a school
  2. Choose the spelling. The head of a school is spelled principal.
    principal
  3. Check the other word. Principle is a rule, so it does not fit.
    rule
  4. Write the answer.
    principal

Check. Principal is correct. ✓

Worked example 9.3.2
Which spelling is correct: "I will ___ the piano every night."? Choose one: practise, practice or practis.

Method. Test each choice against the sentence or the text.

  1. Read what the question asks for. Decide what the sentence or the text needs.
  2. Test the choice. Practise is the verb, used for doing an activity in UK English.
    practise fits
  3. Reject the other choices. Practice is the noun, and practis is not a word.
    practice and practis do not fit
  4. Write the answer.
    practise

Check. The choice fits the sentence or the text. ✓

Worked example 9.3.3
Spell the word family of "evidence" with the root vis: write the adjective.

Method. Use the root and the adjective ending.

  1. Find the root. Vis means see; the family includes visible and evident.
    see
  2. Find the adjective. Evident is the adjective from evidence.
    evident
  3. Check the spelling. Evident keeps the root spelling.
    evident
  4. Write the answer.
    evident

Check. Evident is the adjective. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: homophones are not always the same length or the same word class. Check the meaning in the sentence, not just the sound.

Exam tip

Exam tip. Ask: what is the meaning I need? Then check the spelling matches that meaning, and the word class fits the sentence.

Exercise 9C  Practice: word families and homophones

1
FWrite the noun from the root duc: the thing made. Write the word.
2
FWrite the noun for the act of reducing, from the root duc. Write the word.
3
FWrite the noun for a person who manufactures, from the root fac. Write the word.
4
FWrite the adjective from evidence, with the root vis. Write the word.
5
FWhich spelling is correct for the noun of "produce"? Choose one: product, prodect, produckt or prodouct.
6
FWhich is the correct spelling of the plural of "attraction"? Choose one: attractions, attractionz, attracions or attractiones.
7
PSWhich word is the head of a school? Choose one: principal, principle, principel or prinsipal.
8
PSWhich word means a rule or belief? Choose one: principle, principal, principel or principall.
9
PSWhich is the correct word for paper and pens? Choose one: stationery, stationary, stationry or stationarry.
10
PSWhich word means not moving? Choose one: stationary, stationery, stationry or stationarry.
11
PSWhich is the correct word? "The town ___ met on Monday." Choose one: council, counsel, concil or councel.
12
PSWhich is the correct word? "She asked for ___ from her teacher." Choose one: counsel, council, concil or counsell.
13
RWhich is the correct verb? "We need to ___ our spellings every night." Choose one: practise, practice, practis or practiss.
14
RWhich is the correct noun? "The team needs more ___." Choose one: practice, practise, practis or practiss.
15
RWhich is the correct word? "The new rule had a big ___ on the school." Choose one: effect, affect, effekt or affekt.
16
RWhich is the correct spelling of the adjective for a word meaning able to be seen? Choose one: visible, visable, visibel or visibal.
17
RChoose the correct homophone and explain your choice: "The ___ of the school gave a speech about the school's ___."
18
RChallenge: write one sentence using both practice and practise correctly, and explain why each is correct.
9.4

How words change meaning, and vocabulary choice

Year 8
Explain how a word has changed its meaning, and choose vocabulary for its connotation and lexical field (KS3 grammar, G6; KS3 writing, W5)
Video lesson: How words change meaning, and vocabulary choiceComing soon
Story. Words change meaning as language and society change. A word once meant foolish may now mean pleasant. A writer must know what a word means now, and what it used to mean, so that the reader is not confused.
WordOlder meaningMeaning now
nicefoolish or ignorantpleasant or kind
sillyblessed or happyfoolish
awfulfull of awevery bad
villaina farm servanta wicked person

Key ideas

  • Semantic change is a change in a word's meaning over time.
  • A lexical field is a group of words that share a topic, such as weather words: rain, drizzle, storm, gale.
  • Choose a word for its connotation, not only its literal meaning: slender and skinny describe the same thing with different feelings.
Worked example 9.4.1
What did "silly" originally mean?

Method. Compare the older meaning with the meaning now.

  1. Read the table. Silly once meant blessed or happy.
    blessed or happy
  2. Read the meaning now. Silly now means foolish.
    foolish
  3. Name the change. The meaning has moved from happy to foolish.
    blessed or happy
  4. Write the answer.
    blessed or happy

Check. The older meaning is named. ✓

Worked example 9.4.2
Which word belongs to the lexical field of weather? Choose one: gale, pencil or chronic.

Method. Test each choice against the sentence or the text.

  1. Read what the question asks for. Decide what the sentence or the text needs.
  2. Test the choice. A gale is a strong wind, which is a weather word.
    gale fits
  3. Reject the other choices. A pencil is a school object, and chronic is a word about time and illness.
    pencil and chronic do not fit
  4. Write the answer.
    gale

Check. The choice fits the sentence or the text. ✓

Worked example 9.4.3
Choose between slender and skinny for a compliment about a dancer. Which is more positive?

Method. Compare the connotations of the two words.

  1. Compare the words. Both mean thin.
    thin
  2. Look at the feeling. Skinny often suggests too thin and unhealthy.
    unhealthy
  3. Choose the word. Slender suggests graceful and positive.
    slender
  4. Write the answer.
    slender

Check. The connotation is used. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: an older meaning is not wrong now, but the reader needs the meaning used in the sentence. Check the context.

Exam tip

Exam tip. When you choose a word, ask what it suggests as well as what it means.

Exercise 9D  Practice: meaning change and vocabulary choice

1
FWhat did "nice" originally mean? Choose one: foolish or ignorant, pleasant, kind or careful.
2
FWhat does "awful" mean now? Choose one: very bad, full of awe, very quick or very small.
3
FWhich word once meant a farm servant? Choose one: villain, silly, awful or nice.
4
FWhich word is in the lexical field of the sea? Choose one: tide, pencil, gale or harvest.
5
PSWhich word is in the lexical field of school? Choose one: register, tide, gale or harvest.
6
PSWhich word is in the lexical field of farming? Choose one: harvest, metre, chronic or antonym.
7
PSWhich word has a more negative connotation? Choose one: scruffy, relaxed, casual or easy-going.
8
PSWhich word has a more positive connotation? Choose one: confident, arrogant, cocky or conceited.
9
RExplain why a writer might choose "slender" rather than "thin" in a description, in one sentence.
10
RWhich word has gained a new meaning in recent times, alongside its older meaning? Choose one: mouse, which now also names a computer device, tree, which has stayed the same, water, which has stayed the same or bread, which has stayed the same.
11
RExplain how a lexical field helps a writer describe a storm, in one sentence.
12
RWhich word connects to the lexical field of time? Choose one: chronicle, gale, metre or venom.
13
RWrite one sentence that uses two words from the same lexical field, about a school trip.
14
RChallenge: explain how a word can change its connotation as well as its meaning, using one example.

Chapter summary

SkillMethod

Can you…?

    Key terms

    Exercise 9Z  Check-up

    1
    Which language does "window" come from?
    2
    Which language does "aqueduct" come from?
    3
    Which Greek or Latin root is in chronicle? It means time. Write the root.
    4
    Which Greek or Latin root is in synonym? It means name. Write the root.
    5
    Write the noun from the root duc: the thing made. Write the word.
    6
    Which spelling of the head of a school is correct? Choose one: principal, principle, principel or principall.
    7
    Which word means "paper and pens"? Choose one: stationery, stationary, stationry or stationarry.
    8
    What did "silly" originally mean? Choose one: blessed or happy, foolish, angry or cold.
    9
    Which word belongs to the lexical field of weather? Choose one: gale, pencil, metre or chronic.
    10
    Which is the correct noun? "The team needs more ___." Choose one: practice, practise, practis or practiss.

    Total 16 marks. Allow about 16 minutes.

    Exercise 9X  Practice test questions

    1
    FName the language that the word "sky" comes from. Write one word.[1 mark]
    2
    FExplain what the Latin root duc means, and give one word from it.[2 marks]
    3
    FSpell the noun from the root duc that means the thing made by a factory. Write one word.[1 mark]
    4
    RExplain how the root tract helps with the meaning of "attract", in one sentence.[2 marks]
    5
    FChoose the correct spelling for the head of a school: principal or principle. Write the word that is correct.[1 mark]
    6
    FChoose the correct word: "We must ___ the rules every day." Use practise or practice. Write the word.[1 mark]
    7
    RExplain how the word "awful" has changed its meaning. Give the older and the newer meaning.[3 marks]
    8
    FName the lexical field that the words gale, thunder and rain belong to. Write one phrase.[1 mark]
    9
    RChoose the better word for a compliment about a dancer, slender or skinny, and explain why in one sentence.[2 marks]
    10
    PSWrite one sentence that uses the homophones principal and principle correctly.[2 marks]
    ← Chapter 8: Tense, aspect, mood, cohesion and register in writingChapter 10: Writing narrative: sustained, planned and crafted →

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