The English language has borrowed extensively from the Greek language beginning during the Germanic period when many words borrowed from Latin were originally borrowed into Latin from Greek. English continued to borrow from Greek through Latin during the Old English period. However, most of the Greek loanwords in English were borrowed during the Early Modern English period by scholars, scientists, writers, and other highly educated English speakers. Thus, although English is a Germanic language, many common and everyday words as well as the vocabulary of specialized domains such as science including linguistics are of Greek origin.
List of Greek Loanwords
With all the loanwords borrowed from Greek into English, an exhaustive list would be too lengthy to be possible. The following are some of the commonly used Greek loanwords in English:
A
- academia
- academy
- acoustics
- aesthetics
- amnesia
- analogy
- analysis
- analytic
- anatomy
- angel
- anonymous
- antagonist
- antarctica
- anthropology
- antibiotic
- antiseptic
- apathy
- apocalypse
- archaeology
- archipelago
- architecture
- arctic
- armageddon
- atmosphere
- atom
- autocracy
- autograph
B
- barbarian
- bible
- biology
- butter
C
- calligraphy
- cannabis
- catapult
- catastrophe
- category
- catharsis
- chamomile
- character
- charisma
- chord
- christ
- chronology
- clergy
- cleric
- clerk
- climate
- climax
- comedy
- contiguity
- critic
- cynic
D
- data
- democracy
- demography
- demon
- diagnosis
- diagonal
- dialect
- diameter
- diamond
- diaspora
- dichotomy
- dinosaur
- disaster
- dogma
- dolphin
- dragon
E
- ecology
- economics
- ecstasy
- eczema
- electron
- emblem
- embryo
- empathy
- emphasis
- encyclopedia
- energy
- ephemeral
- epicenter
- epilepsy
- epiphany
- epistemology
- ethics
- ethos
- etiology
- etymology
- eucharist
- euphoria
F
G
- galley
- genetics
- geography
- geometry
- giant
- grammar
- gymnasium
- gymnastics
H
- harmony
- hemisphere
- hermeneutics
- hero
- hierarchy
- hippopotamus
- history
- homonym
- hormone
- horoscope
- hydraulics
- hymn
- hypnosis
- hysteria
I
- idiot
J
- jealousy
K
- kaleidoscope
- kinesis
L
- lexicography
- lexicology
- lexicon
- lexis
- lion
- lithography
- logic
- lyrics
M
- mania
- maniac
- marble
- martyr
- mathematics
- mechanic
- melody
- mentor
- metamorphosis
- metaphor
- meteorology
- monarch
- monarchy
- monastery
- monk
- monogamy
- monotheism
- morpheme
- morphology
- museum
- music
- mythology
N
- nausea
- necromancy
- nemesis
- neurology
- nostalgia
O
- ocean
- oceanography
- octopus
- optics
- organ
- organism
- organization
- orgasm
- orthodoxy
- ostracize
P
- pain
- paranoia
- parasite
- pasta
- pathos
- patriarch
- phenomenon
- philology
- philosophy
- phobia
- phonograph
- phonology
- photograph
- photography
- piracy
- placenta
- plasma
- plastic
- pneumonia
- poetry
- prophet
- protagonist
- prototype
- psyche
- psychiatry
- psychology
- psychosis
- pyramid
Q
- quince
R
- rhetoric
- rhinoceros
- rhombus
- rhythm
S
- scandal
- schema
- schizophrenia
- school
- scorpion
- semantics
- skeleton
- sketch
- sphere
- stadium
- stereotype
- sycophant
- syllogism
- symbol
- sympathy
- symptom
- synonym
- syntax
T
- taxonomy
- theology
- theory
- thermodynamics
- thesaurus
- thesis
- tragedy
- typography
U
- urethra
V
W
X
- xenophobia
- xylophone
Y
Z
- zealot
- zoology
Resources
Loanwords: Major Periods of borrowing in the history of English: http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~kemmer/Words/loanwords.html
Wikipedia: Greek Loanwords: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/category:greek_loanwords
