Word Usage

“Every word in our language has a history, and each word develops and changes as new languages adopt it.”

Word History Assignment, Part 1

Write each of the following words in your notebook. Use a dictionary to find the correct spelling, definition, and part of speech of each word:fosphorusgewulrywairwithallimaskulateseej

Word History Assignment, Part 2

Using the provided entries on the next slide, respond to the following questions:Which has the most languages in its etymology?Which comes from a word related to knowledge?Which word comes from a word consisting of a

root word and a prefix?Which word has a reference to Middle English?What is the oldest known form of the word

“science”?

Dictionary Samples

investigate v. 1. search into carefully; examine closely. <L investigare <in- in + vestigare track, trace>

science n. 1. knowledge of general facts, laws, and relationships that is obtained through systematic observation and experimentation. <ME <OF <L scientia knowledge <scire know>

Word History Assignment, Part 3

Look up each word below and find which language the word originally came from and give the word’s original form and meaning:calisthenicsdevastatepneumoniatangfrolicramblegarret