Etymology Word of the Week – As some of you know, in addition to working in the Admissions Office, I also teach Latin at Saint Ignatius and am something of a "word nerd." Thus, each week, I’ll sneak a vocabulary word (sometimes derived from Latin, sometimes not) into the e-blast. Here then is this week’s edition of the Etymology Word of the Week.
Chameleon
Definition: “Any of numerous Old World lizards, characterized by the ability to change the color of their skin, very slow locomotion, and a projectile tongue; OR, a changeable, fickle, or inconstant person.”
Origin/Derivation: From the Greek khamaileon meaning “earth or ground lion” from the Greek khamai meaning “on the ground, creeping, low, diminutive” and the Greek noun leon meaning “lion”.
Related Words: leonine (characterized by long hair like a lion’s mane), dandelion (literally “teeth of a lion”), leopard (lion + panther), Sierra Leone (mountain range + lion)
(All information is from www.wikipedia.org, www.etymonline.com and/or www.dictionary.com)
NEW! Trivia Question of the Week:
In what 3 U.S. states is Yellowstone National Park, home of the famous geyser “Old Faithful”, located?
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Answer:
Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho