Geo

/ˈdʒiːoʊ/ prefix

Definition

A prefix meaning earth or ground, commonly used in scientific and technical terms. Often appears in words related to geography, geology, or earth sciences.

Etymology

From Greek 'geo-' or 'ge' meaning earth or land. This prefix has been productive in English since the Renaissance, as scientific disciplines developed specialized vocabularies to describe earthly phenomena and measurements.

Kelly Says

The prefix 'geo-' appears in hundreds of English words, from 'geography' (earth writing) to 'geometry' (earth measurement), reflecting how our understanding of the world literally grew from the ground up. Modern terms like 'geolocation' and 'geocaching' show how this ancient Greek root continues to evolve with technology.

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