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From Latin to English Trivia Quiz

All of these English words came from Latin. How many do you know? For most questions, I'll give you an English word derived from Latin, and you give me the meaning, plus the Latin root and its meaning.

A multiple-choice quiz by broadwaygal. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
broadwaygal

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
221,368

Updated
Dec 14 23

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
8 / 10

Plays
837

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. What does the word "olfactory" mean, and what Latin word is it derived from? What is the Latin word's meaning? Hint

not smart; facto, factere - to know

relating to smell - olfactorius - relating to smell

busy; facio, facere-- to make

smart; facto, factere-- to know

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. Your English word is "imbibe". What is its definition, what Latin word does it come from, and what do they mean? Hint

to drink; imbibo, imbibere-- to drink in

to get dirty; bebo, bebere-- to clean

to read; bibo, bibere-- to read

to croak; imbebio, imbebere--to cough

NEXT>

Question 3 of 10

3. What Latin word(s) does "dormitory" come from? What do they mean? What is the literal definition of "dormitory"? Hint

place to sleep- dormitto, dormittere-- to sleep often

place to write- mito, mitare-- to think

place to live - dormiso, dormise--a small mouse

place to sleep- dormitorius, -a, -um-- for sleeping

NEXT>

Question 4 of 10

4. What does the word "duke" mean, and what Latin word is it derived from? What is the Latin word's meaning? Hint

College in the US; duci, duciere-- to learn

nobleman; dux, ducis-- leader

rich man; duco, ducere-- to have power

master; duco, ducere-- to teach

NEXT>

Question 5 of 10

5. What is the definition of servant? What is the Latin word that it comes from, and what does the Latin mean? Hint

slave; servus-- helper

a person who works for another; servus-- slave

waiter; servo-- one who serves food

coach; servus-- teacher

NEXT>

Question 6 of 10

6. What is "filial"'s definition? What Latin word does it come from, and what is the meaning of the Latin? Hint

of a son or daughter; filia/filius--daughter/son

moral; filia-- kindness

relating to family; filalia-- family

generous; filio, filiere-- to give

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. Habitat- What is its definition, and what Latin word does it come from? What is that word's meaning? Hint

house; habus-- building

place to learn; habo, habere-- to write

place to eat; bito, bitare-- to eat

natural home; habito, habitare-- to live

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. What does the word "legible" mean, and what Latin word is it derived from? What is the Latin word's meaning? Hint

neat; gibo, gibare- -to clean

readable; lego, legere-- to read

legal; legatus-- lawyer

local; lego, legere-- to attend

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. What does the word "petition" mean, and what Latin word is it derived from? What is the Latin word's meaning? Think of petition as a verb. Hint

to request or question; peto, petere-- to seek

to work; titio, titire--t o labor

to sign; petio, petire-- to write

to type, titeo, titere-- to inscribe

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. What does the word "amiable" mean, and what Latin word does it come from? What is the Latin word's meaning? Hint

excitable; amio, amire-- to jump

friendly; amo, amere-- to befriend

likable; amicabilis-- friendly

kind; amia, amius, amium-- nice

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What does the word "olfactory" mean, and what Latin word is it derived from? What is the Latin word's meaning?

Answer: relating to smell - olfactorius - relating to smell

Olfactorius is a Latin adjective, with the usual -us, -a, -um endings. It means 'nose-gay'. It wasn't actually used in Ancient times. It inspired an English word, olfactorious, which olfactory came from.

The word olfactorius comes from the fourth principal part of olfacere (to smell), which is olfactus. That word came from olere, to give off a smell, and facere, to make.

2. Your English word is "imbibe". What is its definition, what Latin word does it come from, and what do they mean?

Answer: to drink; imbibo, imbibere-- to drink in

In Latin, imbibo literally means to drink in, absorb, or inhale. It was first used in English around 1386 AD. It may have be derived from the Old French word embiber, which means to soak in.

3. What Latin word(s) does "dormitory" come from? What do they mean? What is the literal definition of "dormitory"?

Answer: place to sleep- dormitorius, -a, -um-- for sleeping

Dormitory does actually mean a place for sleeping. In modern American English it is also used to denote a place where students live while at college.

Dormitorius is a first and second declension adjective. It is derived from the verb 'dormire', which means to sleep.

4. What does the word "duke" mean, and what Latin word is it derived from? What is the Latin word's meaning?

Answer: nobleman; dux, ducis-- leader

Dux, ducis is a third declension Latin noun that shares an ancestor with Latin verb ducere, to lead. Duke refers to a high-ranking nobleman. (Note also 'Il Duce'). It may have reached English from the Old French word duc.

5. What is the definition of servant? What is the Latin word that it comes from, and what does the Latin mean?

Answer: a person who works for another; servus-- slave

Most wealthy Romans had slaves, many of whom were former prisoners of war from barbarian European lands. Some of the owners were cruel, but others were fond of their slaves, and treated them kindly. The word servant was also a French word.

6. What is "filial"'s definition? What Latin word does it come from, and what is the meaning of the Latin?

Answer: of a son or daughter; filia/filius--daughter/son

In ancient Roman times, sons were valued much more highly than daughters. In fact, males in general were valued more. Filial means of a son or daughter. "Filial love" is the love of a son or daughter.

7. Habitat- What is its definition, and what Latin word does it come from? What is that word's meaning?

Answer: natural home; habito, habitare-- to live

What a species' habitat is is where it is naturally found in the wild. A lion's habitat is the savannah; a polar bear's is the Arctic. The word habitare itself came from the word habere, to hold or have.

8. What does the word "legible" mean, and what Latin word is it derived from? What is the Latin word's meaning?

Answer: readable; lego, legere-- to read

Legible and illegible both come from legere. Illegible means unreadable. Often, legible is used as neat, especially when referring to handwriting. Near the end of the time Latin was used, there was a Latin adjective, legibiilis, which means the same time as legible.

9. What does the word "petition" mean, and what Latin word is it derived from? What is the Latin word's meaning? Think of petition as a verb.

Answer: to request or question; peto, petere-- to seek

Generallly, we think of 'petition' as a noun. Some people aren't aware that 'petition' can even be used as a verb. You often hear it regarding a lawyer's request to a court. 'The lawyer petitioned the court to lower bail'. The Latin word petitio also helped this word along.

10. What does the word "amiable" mean, and what Latin word does it come from? What is the Latin word's meaning?

Answer: likable; amicabilis-- friendly

Many words, in all different languages, come from 'amo'. 'Amor' is love in Spanish and Portuguese, and amour is love in French. Amore is Italian. The Latin word for friend, amicus, came from it, and from that came the word amicabilis.

Source: Author broadwaygal

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