Grecism

/ˈɡriːsɪzəm/ noun

Definition

A word, phrase, or idiom borrowed from or characteristic of the Greek language; a Greek linguistic feature used in another language.

Etymology

From 'Greek' (the language) plus the suffix '-ism' (from Greek '-ismos', meaning system or practice), parallel to 'Latinism' for Latin borrowings.

Kelly Says

English is loaded with Grecisms—words like 'democracy', 'philosophy', and 'science' all have Greek roots, which is why English speakers of the Renaissance suddenly realized they could sound sophisticated just by using Greek-derived words instead of Germanic ones!

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