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