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Fun with Etymology Trivia Quiz

Where do these words come from?

A multiple-choice quiz by maggie99. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
maggie99

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
4,481

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
1632

Last 3 plays: Guest 172 (3/10), Guest 68 (5/10), Guest 78 (7/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Italian 'carne' (meat) and Latin 'vale' (farewell) may be the roots of: Hint

Caravan

Butcher knife

Gravel

Carnival

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. Femto-, a prefix denoting ten to the negative fifteenth power, comes from Danish or Norwegian 'femten', which means: Hint

ten to the negative fifteenth power

really little

fifteen

this is a fake number

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Question 3 of 10

3. What group uses verbs, nouns, adjectives, and interjections rooted in the ethnic name of the group? Hint

Inuits

Arabs

The Irish

The Smurfs

NEXT>

Question 4 of 10

4. 'Gnat' is ultimately related to Old English 'gnagen', meaning what? Hint

to graze

to gnaw

to swarm

to paint

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Question 5 of 10

5. 'Algebra' comes from the Arabic 'al jabara', meaning: Hint

to consolidate

to babble

to torture adolescents

to sketch

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Question 6 of 10

6. The Nahuatl words 'ahuacatl' (avocado) and 'molli' (sauce) combine to form: Hint

guacamole

a kind of paste

a wicked good appetizer

liquor

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Question 7 of 10

7. 'Robot' comes from Czech 'robota', meaning: Hint

energy

tin

labor

without thought

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Question 8 of 10

8. 'Cobalt' comes from German 'Kobalt', which is a dialectical variation of a word meaning: Hint

Blue

Danish

Magnet

Goblin

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Question 9 of 10

9. 'Cochlea' is derived from Greek 'kochlos', meaning: Hint

ear

sound

cartilage

spiral shell

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Question 10 of 10

10. Which does not mean ten? Hint

dieci

nyet

zehn

dix

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Most Recent Scores

Apr 10 2025 : Guest 172: 3/10
Feb 25 2025 : Guest 68: 5/10
Feb 21 2025 : Guest 78: 7/10
Feb 20 2025 : Guest 31: 8/10

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Italian 'carne' (meat) and Latin 'vale' (farewell) may be the roots of:

Answer: Carnival

A carnival is the big celebration held right before Lent, when one stops eating meat for a time.

2. Femto-, a prefix denoting ten to the negative fifteenth power, comes from Danish or Norwegian 'femten', which means:

Answer: fifteen

3. What group uses verbs, nouns, adjectives, and interjections rooted in the ethnic name of the group?

Answer: The Smurfs

You really smurfed that one!

4. 'Gnat' is ultimately related to Old English 'gnagen', meaning what?

Answer: to gnaw

5. 'Algebra' comes from the Arabic 'al jabara', meaning:

Answer: to consolidate

Al-jabr refers to bone setting and was first used before 1400 in the medical field. It was used mathematically after the Arabic mathematical work 'Rules of Reintegration and Reduction' was published.

6. The Nahuatl words 'ahuacatl' (avocado) and 'molli' (sauce) combine to form:

Answer: guacamole

Guacamole is thus literally "avocado sauce".
Ahuacatl also means testicle.

7. 'Robot' comes from Czech 'robota', meaning:

Answer: labor

Robot was first coined in the Czech play 'R.U.R.' (Rossum's Universal Robots) after its mechanical men.

8. 'Cobalt' comes from German 'Kobalt', which is a dialectical variation of a word meaning:

Answer: Goblin

Miners believed that goblins left cobalt in the mines when they stole silver because they experienced the ill effects of sulfur and arsenic.

9. 'Cochlea' is derived from Greek 'kochlos', meaning:

Answer: spiral shell

Compare conch shells.

10. Which does not mean ten?

Answer: nyet

Source: Author maggie99

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor agony before going online.
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