List of 161 English Words That Originated From Greek
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Want to find English words that originated from Greek? Check out this useful list of such terms. Here you'll find a range of words that entered English from your chosen language.
The Greek language has persevered through the ages since Ancient Greece’s prominence, influencing many other languages. Many cities, like Athens, Thessaloniki, Larissa, and Heraklion, have spoken Greek since ancient times.
| Word | Origin |
| acrobat | akróbatos |
| air | aēr |
| anatomy | anatomē |
| angel | angelos |
| anti | anti |
| archaeology | archaiologia |
| architect | architektōn |
| aroma | árōma |
| astronaut | ástron + naútēs |
| athlete | athlētēs |
| atlas | Átlas |
| atom | atomos |
| auto | autós |
| bacterium | baktērion |
| bible | byblos |
| biography | biographia |
| box | pyxis |
| cemetery | koimētērion |
| center | kéntron |
| chair | kathedra |
| chaos | chaos |
| character | charaktēr |
| chorus | choros |
| chronology | chronologia |
| cinema | kinēma |
| climate | klima |
| clinic | klinikē |
| comedy | kōmōidia |
| cosmos | kosmos |
| cube | kybos |
| cycle | kyklos |
| cynic | kynikos |
| decade | dekas |
| democracy | dēmokratía |
| devil | diábolos |
| diagram | diagramma |
| dialogue | dialogos |
| diet | diaita |
| dinosaur | deinós + saúros |
| disc | diskos |
| drama | drama |
| dynasty | dynasteía |
| echo | ēchō |
| economy | oikonomia |
| ecstasy | ékstasis |
| electric | ēlektron |
| energy | energeia |
| enthusiasm | enthousiasmós |
| episode | epeisodion |
| erotic | erōtikos |
| ethics | ēthikós |
| Europe | Eurṓpē |
| fantasy | phantasía |
| galaxy | galaxías |
| genesis | génesis |
| geography | geōgraphia |
| geometry | geōmetria |
| giant | gigas |
| grammar | grammatikē |
| guitar | kithara |
| harmony | harmonia |
| helicopter | hélix + pterón |
| hero | hērōs |
| hippopotamus | hippopótamos |
| history | historía |
| horizon | horizōn |
| hormone | hormōn |
| horoscope | hōroskopos |
| hour | hōra |
| hydro | húdōr |
| hymn | hymnos |
| hyper | hyper |
| hypnotic | hypnōtikos |
| hypo | hypo |
| idea | idea |
| idiot | idiōtēs |
| idol | eidōlon |
| irony | eirōnia |
| jealous | zêlos |
| kinetic | kinētikos |
| lion | leōn |
| logic | logikē |
| logo | logos |
| lyric | lyrikos |
| machine | mēchanē |
| macro | makrós |
| magic | magikós |
| marathon | Marathṓn |
| marmalade | melimēlon |
| mega | megas |
| melancholy | melancholía |
| meta | meta |
| metaphor | metaphorá |
| metropolis | mētropolis |
| micro | mikrós |
| music | mousikē |
| mystery | mystḗrion |
| myth | mŷthos |
| narcissism | Narcissus |
| nectar | nektar |
| neon | néon |
| nine | ennea |
| ocean | Ōkeanós |
| olympic | Olumpikós |
| orchestra | orchēstra |
| orgasm | orgasmos |
| panic | panikos |
| panther | panthēr |
| paper | papyros |
| paradise | parádeisos |
| patriot | patriōtēs |
| pause | pausis |
| pepper | peperi |
| period | periodos |
| phase | phasis |
| philosophy | philosophia |
| physic | physikē |
| physics | physika |
| planet | planḗtēs |
| poem | poiēma |
| pole | polos |
| pro | pro |
| program | programma |
| pseudo | pseudḗs |
| rhapsody | rhapsōidia |
| rhinoceros | rhinokerōs |
| rhythm | rhythmos |
| sarcasm | sarkasmós |
| scene | skēnē |
| schizophrenia | skhízō + phrḗn |
| school | scholē |
| sphere | sphaira |
| star | astēr |
| strategy | stratēgia |
| sycophant | sȳkophántēs |
| syllable | syllabē |
| symbol | symbolon |
| symmetry | symmetros |
| sympathy | sympatheia |
| symphony | symphōnia |
| syntax | súntaxis |
| system | systēma |
| tactic | taktikós |
| talent | talanton |
| technology | technología |
| telephone | têle + phōnḗ |
| telescope | tēleskopos |
| theater | théātron |
| theme | thema |
| theory | theōria |
| therapy | therapeia |
| therm | thermē |
| third | tritos |
| tone | tónos |
| tragedy | tragōidia |
| triumph | thríambos |
| type | typos |
| utopia | ou + tópos |
| zone | zṓnē |
| zoo | zṓō |
| zoology | zôion + lógos |
