The Odyssey of words Third unit: mathematics 1.
mathematics
The word mathematics comes from the Greek expression "μαθηματικαί τέχναι" [mathematike tekhne] = "mathematical science". It’s the feminine of the adjective "μαθηματικός" [mathematikos] = "relating to mathematics, scientific, astronomical; disposed to learn", from «μάθημα» [mathema] (genitive «μαθήματος» mathematos) = "science, knowledge, mathematical knowledge; a lesson", literally "that which is learnt". 2.
cycle
The word cycle comes from the Greek word «κύκλος» (kyklos) = "circle, wheel, any circular body, circular motion, cycle of events," (See also the words "cyclothymia" and "tricycle"). 3.
rhombus
The word rhombus comes from the Greek word «ρόμβος» (rhomvos) = "rhombus, rhomb, lozenge; spinning top, maghic wheel used by sorcerers; a spinning motion". Specifically "rhombus" comes from the ancient Greek verb «ρέμβομαι» (rhemvome) = "to spin, whirl," "to turn, twist, bend". 4.
polygon, pentagon, hexagon, heptagon, octagon
Polygon comes from the Greek word "πολύγωνον" (polygonon) meaning "many-angled". It’s a compound word of the adjective "πολύς" (polys) = "many" and the noun "γωνία" (gonia) = "angle". Substituting the first part with the Greek numbers "πέντε" (pente) = five, "έξι" (exi) = six, "επτά" (epta) = seven and "οκτώ” (okto) = eight, we can create the following words: pentagon, hexagon, heptagon, octagon. 5.
parallel
Parallel = "παράλληλος" is a compound word. It consists of the Greek preposition "παρά" = "beside” and the word "αλλήλοις" (allelois) = "each other" (which comes from the word "άλλος" (allos) = "other"). 6.
parallelogram
Parallelogram comes from the Greek word "παραλληλόγραμμο" meaning "bounded by parallel lines". It is a compound word of the adjective "παράλληλος" (parallelos) = parallel and the verb "γράφω" (grapho) = to write. 7.
isosceles
Isosceles means "having two equal sides", and comes from the Greek word "ισοσκελές" (isoskeles) which means "with equal legs". It's a compound word. It consists of the Greek adjective "ίσος" (isos) = "equal, identical" and the noun "σκέλος" (skelos) = "leg". Linda Alexopoulou – Theodoros Tomaras
Page 1
The Odyssey of words 8.
diameter
Diameter comes from the Greek word "διάμετρος" (diametros) which means "diagonal of a circle". It’s a compound word of the Greek preposition "δια" (dia) = "across, through" and the noun "μέτρο " (metro) = "meter, a measure" 9.
diagonal
Diagonal which means "from angle to angle", is also a compound word. It’s composed of the Greek preposition "διά" (dia) = "across" and the noun "γωνία" (gonia) = "angle". 10. hypotenuse Hypotenuse is the side of a right triangle that is opposite to the right angle. The word comes from the Greek word "υποτείνουσα" (hypoteinousa) which means "stretching under" (the right angle). It’s a compound word, composed by the Greek preposition "υπό " (ypo) = "under" and the verb "τείνω" (tino) = "to stretch". 11. sphere Sphere = "σφαίρα" which means "globe, ball, terrestrial globe", is a word of unknown origin. 12. cone The word cone comes from the Greek "κώνος" (conos). The original meaning of the word in Greek was "pine cone". 13. cube The word cube = "κύβος" in ancient Greek means "a six-sided dice". Used metaphorically means dice-shaped objects. The word is of uncertain origin. Alea iacta est ("The die is cast") is a Latin phrase attributed by Suetonius (as iacta alea est) to Julius Caesar on January 10, 49 BC as he led his army across the Rubicon river in Northern Italy. With this step, he entered Italy at the head of his army in defiance of the Senate and began his long civil war against Pompey and the Optimates. The phrase, either in the original Latin or in translation, is used in many languages to indicate that events have passed a point of no return. 14. pyramid The word pyramid comes from the word "πυραμίς" (pyramis). It’s apparently an alteration of the Egyptian word pimar = "pyramid". 15. cylinder The word cylinder comes from the ancient Greek verb "κυλίνδω" (cylindo) which means "to roll". Its origin is unknown.
Linda Alexopoulou – Theodoros Tomaras
Page 2
The Odyssey of words 16. prism Prism is a type of solid figure. It comes from the Greek word "πρίσμα" (prisma) and literally means "something sawed" by the ancient Greek verb "πρίω" (prio) = "to saw". 17. symbol Symbol is a Greek word composed by the preposition "συν" (syn) = "together" and the verb "βάλλω" (valo) = "to throw" (see ballistics). 18. theorem A theorem is a way for mathematicians to make a general mathematical statement. These statements can be used to help you solve all sorts of problems! The word literally means "spectacle, sight" and comes from the ancient Greek verb "θεωρώ" (theoro) = "to look at". 19. problem The word problem is Greek and means "a task, that which is proposed, a question". Literally means "thing put forward". It’s composed by the preposition "προ " (pro) = "forward" and the verb "βάλλω" (vallo) = "to throw". 20. statistics Statistics is the "science dealing with data about the condition of a state or community". The word means "numerical data collected and classified" and exists fr om 1829; Hence the study of any subject by means of extensive enumeration. The word comes from the Latin "status" which comes from the verb "sto". 21. meter Meter is unit of length, from the ancient Greek verb "μετρώ" (metro) "to measure". This word is a second component in many European languages. 22. geometry The word geometry is ancient Greek and means "measurement of earth and land". It's a compound word. The first component is "γεω" (geo) = "earth, land" and the second is the word "μέτρο " (merto) = meter. 23. symmetry The word symmetry is a compound word by the Greek preposition "συν" (syn) = "together" and the noun "μέτρο " (metro) = meter.
Linda Alexopoulou – Theodoros Tomaras
Page 3
The Odyssey of words 24. asymmetry The word asymmetry means "want of symmetry or proportion" and comes from the Greek word "ασυμμετρία" which is composed of three words: from "α" = no, from the preposition "συν" (syn) = "togetrer" and the noun "μέτρο " (metro) = meter. 25. trigonometry Trigonometry is a "branch of mathematics that deals with the relations between the sides and angles of triangles." It’s a compound word. It consists of the Greek noun "τρίγωνο" = triangle (from "τρι" [tri] = "three" + "γωνία" [gonia] = "angle") and the noun "μέτρο ". 26. arithmetic The word arithmetic comes from the Greek expression "αριθμητικαί τέχναι" (arithmetike tekhne) = "counting art". It’s the feminine of the adjective "αριθμητικός" [arithmetikos] = "arithmetic" which comes from the Greek noun "αριθμός" (arithmos) = "number, counting, amount". 27. algebra The word algebra comes from the Arabic word "al jabr" used by the mathematician Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi as the title of his famous treatise on equations, which introduced Arabic numerals to the West. 28. algorithm Algorithm is an Arabic word. It’s an "Arabic system of computation". An algorithm is a procedure or formula for solving a problem, based on conductiong a sequence of specified actions. It’s transliteration of the Arabic "al-Khwarizmi", surname of the mathematician whose works introduced sophisticated mathematics to the West. The connection with the Greek word «αριθμός» (arithmos) = "number" is wrong.
Linda Alexopoulou – Theodoros Tomaras
Page 4