Etymology Quizzes: Explore Word Origins and Language Evolution

Question 1

What prefix indicates 'again' or 'back'?

Accepted Answer

re-

Answer

ante-

Answer

retro-

Answer

pro-

Question 2

The word 'laptop' is a combination of which two words?

Accepted Answer

desktop and computer

Answer

desk and top

Answer

laptop and computer

Answer

personal and computer

Question 3

The suffix '-ism' typically indicates:

Accepted Answer

a belief or system

Answer

a state or condition

Answer

a person or thing

Answer

a time or place

Question 4

Which of the following words has primarily Germanic roots?

Accepted Answer

flower

Answer

computer

Answer

justice

Answer

rendezvous

Question 5

The word 'selfie' is an example of which type of word formation?

Accepted Answer

Clipping

Answer

Blending

Answer

Compounding

Answer

Derivation

Question 6

What is a synonym for 'etymology'?

Accepted Answer

History of words

Answer

Origin of language

Answer

Study of grammar

Answer

Meaning of words

Question 7

The word 'avocado' originates from which indigenous language?

Accepted Answer

Nahuatl

Answer

Quechua

Answer

Maya

Answer

Incan

Question 8

Which prefix means 'before' or 'in front of'?

Accepted Answer

pre-

Answer

post-

Answer

inter-

Answer

trans-

Question 9

The term 'computer' originates from the Latin word 'computare', which means:

Accepted Answer

To calculate

Answer

To remember

Answer

To communicate

Answer

To create

Question 10

Which word is NOT a cognate of the Spanish word 'madre'?

Accepted Answer

Sisterhood

Answer

Mother

Answer

Madre

Answer

Mutter

Question 11

The word 'etymology' has roots in Greek words that mean:

Accepted Answer

true word

Answer

good word

Answer

bad word

Answer

important word

Question 12

Which word has experienced a semantic shift, originally meaning 'to compose' but now meaning 'to make unhappy'?

Accepted Answer

compose

Answer

elude

Answer

audacious

Answer

magnanimous

Question 13

The term 'syllable' originates from a Greek word meaning:

Accepted Answer

taken together

Answer

taken away

Answer

taken above

Answer

taken below

Question 14

Which of these is an example of a folk etymology?

Accepted Answer

hangnail < Old English angnaegl

Answer

chimney < Old French cheminée

Answer

alphabet < Greek alpha + beta

Answer

curfew < French couvre-feu

Question 15

The word 'xenophobia' has its roots in which Greek words?

Accepted Answer

xenos + phobos

Answer

ethos + phobos

Answer

pathos + phobos

Answer

mythos + phobos

Question 16

Which prefix means 'not'?

Accepted Answer

Prefix 'anti-'

Answer

Prefix 'pro-'

Answer

Prefix 'sub-'

Answer

Prefix 'super-'

Question 17

The word 'etymology' comes from the Greek words 'etymon' and 'logos'. What does 'etymon' mean?

Accepted Answer

'Etymon' means 'original form'

Answer

'Etymon' means 'true meaning'

Answer

'Etymon' means 'false meaning'

Answer

'Etymon' means 'current form'

Question 18

Combining existing words to create new words is called:

Accepted Answer

Compounding

Answer

Derivation

Answer

Blending

Answer

Clipping

Question 19

Which word is a cognate of the Spanish word 'casa'?

Accepted Answer

Word 'house'

Answer

Word 'dog'

Answer

Word 'tree'

Answer

Word 'car'

Question 20

The Greek word 'palin' in the word 'palindrome' means:

Accepted Answer

'Back'

Answer

'Forward'

Answer

'Up'

Answer

'Down'

Question 21

The root word of 'psychology' is:

Accepted Answer

psyche

Answer

logos

Answer

bios

Answer

nomos

Question 22

The study of word origins is known as:

Accepted Answer

Etymology

Answer

Philology

Answer

Lexicology

Answer

Semantics

Question 23

The word 'quarantine' originates from an Italian word meaning:

Accepted Answer

Forty days

Answer

Isolation period

Answer

Medical treatment

Answer

Health precaution

Question 24

Which of the following words has a Latin root meaning "to speak"?

Accepted Answer

Loquacious

Answer

Etymology

Answer

Ignominy

Answer

Parable

Question 25

The word "pedagogy" derives from a Greek term meaning:

Accepted Answer

The art of teaching

Answer

The study of feet

Answer

The love of knowledge

Answer

The science of language

Question 26

Which of the following is an example of onomatopoeia?

Accepted Answer

Buzz

Answer

Melancholy

Answer

Ethereal

Answer

Serene

Question 27

The word "technology" initially referred to:

Accepted Answer

The application of knowledge

Answer

The art of discourse

Answer

The study of plants

Answer

The science of astronomy

Question 28

Which suffix typically conveys a negative or opposite meaning?

Accepted Answer

-less

Answer

-ment

Answer

-ity

Answer

-ful

Question 29

When two words share the same etymology, we can say:

Accepted Answer

They have a similar origin.

Answer

They are antonyms.

Answer

They have the same spelling.

Answer

They are pronounced alike.

Question 30

From which animal does the word 'arachnid' derive its name?

Accepted Answer

Spider

Answer

Insect

Answer

Bird

Answer

Reptile

Question 31

Which of the following is not a recognized method of word origination?

Accepted Answer

Metaphors

Answer

Indo-European roots

Answer

Onomatopoeia

Answer

Acronyms

Question 32

From which literary work does the word 'serendipity' originate?

Accepted Answer

The Book of Serendip

Answer

The Tales of 1001 Nights

Answer

The Arabian Nights

Answer

The Persian Nights

Question 33

Which word has undergone a significant shift in its original meaning?

Accepted Answer

Literally

Answer

Nice

Answer

Awful

Answer

Homework

Question 34

What does the suffix '-itis' generally indicate in medical terminology?

Accepted Answer

A condition or inflammation

Answer

A disease or illness

Answer

A treatment or cure

Answer

A symptom or characteristic

Question 35

Which factor does NOT influence the etymology of a word?

Accepted Answer

Random coincidence

Answer

Historical events

Answer

Geographical location

Answer

Cultural customs

Question 36

The word 'etymology' is derived from Greek terms meaning:

Accepted Answer

Study - origin

Answer

True - speak

Answer

False - speak

Answer

Word - account

Question 37

Which of these is a cognate of 'amigo' (Spanish)?

Accepted Answer

Friend

Answer

Enemy

Answer

Neighbor

Answer

Stranger

Question 38

Combining existing words to create a new word is known as:

Accepted Answer

Compounding

Answer

Affixation

Answer

Derivation

Answer

Inflection

Question 39

Which word is a palindrome?

Accepted Answer

Racecar

Answer

Computer

Answer

Beautiful

Answer

Alphabet

Question 40

Which of the following is NOT a major source of English vocabulary?

Accepted Answer

Japanese

Answer

Old Norse

Answer

French

Answer

Greek

Question 41

What is the term used to describe the study of word origins and history?

Accepted Answer

Etymology

Answer

Lexicography

Answer

Semantics

Answer

Morphology

Question 42

Words can undergo changes in form and meaning as they spread through different languages. What does this illustrate about word evolution?

Accepted Answer

Words are dynamic and influenced by cultural exchange.

Answer

The original meaning of a word always remains the same.

Answer

The spelling of a word is always consistent across languages.

Answer

Words are created independently in each language.

Question 43

The word 'laptop' is formed from the words 'lap' and 'top'. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Compounding

Answer

Affixation

Answer

Derivation

Answer

Clipping

Question 44

The prefix 'anti-' typically means:

Accepted Answer

Against

Answer

With

Answer

Before

Answer

After

Question 45

Which word originates from the Greek for 'water carrier'?

Accepted Answer

Aqueduct

Answer

Aquarium

Answer

Hydrant

Answer

Dam

Question 46

The word 'computer' comes from a Latin word meaning:

Accepted Answer

To calculate

Answer

To measure

Answer

To count

Answer

To estimate

Question 47

Which of the following is NOT typically a source language for English words?

Accepted Answer

Japanese

Answer

Greek

Answer

Latin

Answer

French

Question 48

The word 'evolution' has changed in meaning since its origin in Latin. Which of the following meanings is closest to its original sense?

Accepted Answer

Unfolding

Answer

Development

Answer

Progress

Answer

Change

Question 49

Who coined the word 'serendipity'?

Accepted Answer

Horace Walpole

Answer

William Shakespeare

Answer

Geoffrey Chaucer

Answer

Jane Austen

Question 50

The word 'etymology' is derived from which two Greek roots?

Accepted Answer

etumos + logos

Answer

etymos + graphein

Answer

graphein + logos

Answer

logos + anthro

Question 51

Which word has undergone the most significant change in meaning over time: **computer**, **book**, **table**, or **dog**?

Accepted Answer

computer

Answer

book

Answer

table

Answer

dog

Question 52

The gradual change in a word's pronunciation over time is known as:

Accepted Answer

phonetic decay

Answer

metathesis

Answer

assimilation

Answer

elision