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Ask-A-Linguist - Message details
Subject: Reverse Etymology Dictionary
Question:
First off, thank you for taking your time to read this. I came across the site today, and I am sure I will come back in the future. Lots of good stuff/links here.

I found your site while looking for a reverse etymology dictionary - but I am not even sure if one exists. I want to find a directory or search engine where I can type in an ancient greek word and then be told what english word(s) have eytmologic roots in the word I seached for.

As I said, I am not even sure one is available anywhere. If you are aware of one, please let me know. It would help me out immensely.

Ken

Reply:
Well, this isn't quite what you asked for, but if you can transliterate the Greek word, you can search for it in the American Heritage Dictionary of Indo-European Roots, at http://www.bartleby.com/61/IEroots.html

It helps, of course, if you have some idea of the forward etymology of English and Greek. Read the Users' Guide to the dictionary for help: http://www.bartleby.com/61/9.html 
-John Lawler http://www.umich.edu/~jlawler U Michigan Linguistics Dept 

"Our language can be seen as an ancient city: a maze of little streets 

and squares, of old and new houses, and of houses with additions from 

various periods; and this surrounded by a multitude of new boroughs." 

-- Ludwig Wittgenstein, Philosophische Untersuchungen
Reply From: John M. Lawler    click here to access email
Date: Oct-11-2006
Other Replies:
  1. Re: Reverse Etymology Dictionary Joseph F Foster    (Oct-11-2006)
  2. Re: Reverse Etymology Dictionary Anthea Fraser Gupta    (Oct-11-2006)
  3. Re: Reverse Etymology Dictionary Geoffrey Sampson    (Oct-12-2006)
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