Glossary
Greek and Latin roots of mathe-
matical words
acute<Lacutus, sharp-pointed (perf.partic. of
acuere, to sharpen).
addition<Ladditio, an adding to (addere,to
add).
angle<Langulus, corner<Gkagkylos,bent.
area<Larea, a vacant space.
arithmetic<Gkarithmetike(sc.tekhne), the art
of counting (arithmein, to count;
arithmos, number).
axiom<Gkaxioma, self-evident principle (ax-
ioun, to consider worthy;axios, worthy).
calculate<Lcalculatus, reckoned (perf.
partic. ofcalculare<calculus, pebble).
centre <Gkkentron, sharp point (kentein,to
spike).
chord<Gkkhorde, string of gut.
circle<Lcirculus, ring-shaped figure (related to
Gkkyklos, ring;kirkosorkrikos, ring).
congruent<Lcongruens(gen.congruentis),
agreeing with (pres. partic. ofcongruere,
to agree with).
curve<Lcurvus(curvare, to bend).
decimal<L(Med)decimalis,oftenths(decima
(sc.pars), tenth part;decem,ten).
degree<OFdegre<Ldegredi, descend (de,
down;gradi,tostep).
diagonal<Ldiagonalis, diagonal<Gkdiago-
nios, from angle to angle (dia,
through ;gonia, angle).
diagram <Gkdiagramma, plan, figure indicated
by lines (dia, through;gramma, a thing
which is drawn;graphein,
to draw).
diameter <Gk diametros, diametrical (dia,
through ;metron, measure).
distance<Ldistantia, remoteness (distare,to
stand apart).
divide<Ldividere, to separate.
equal<Lequalis, equal (aequare,to
make equal;aequus, equal).
example<Lexemplum,sample<eximere,to
take out.
exponent<Lexponens(gen.exponentis), set-
ting forth (pres. partic. ofexponere,toset
forth;ex, out;ponereto place).
factor <Lfactor, maker, doer (facere, to make).
focus <Lfocus, hearth.
fraction <Lfractio, a breaking into pieces (fran-
gere, to break).
geometry<Gkgeometria, measuring of land
(ge,
land;metrein, to measure).
graph <Gkgraphos, drawing, picture
(graphein,todraw).
hypotenuse<Gkhypoteinousa(sc.
gramme), the line extending underneath
(pres. partic. ofhypoteinein, to extend un-
der;gramme, line).
hypothesis<Gkhypothesis,
supposition, assumption (hypotithenai,to
place beneath).
inclination<Linclinatio, a leaning to one side
(inclinare, to cause to lean).
induction<Linductio, a leading into (inducere,
to lead in).
isosceles<Gkisoskeles, having equal legs (isos,
equal;skelos,leg).
line<Llinea, a linen thread (linum,flax<Gk.
linon).
logic<Gklogike(sc.techne), the art of reason-
ing (logos, reason;logikos, endowed with
reason;techne, art).
magnitude <Lmagnitudo, size, greatness (mag-
nus, great).
mathematics<Gkmathematika, things
that require mathematical or scientific
reasoning (mathema, lesson;mathemat-
/ikos, mathematical or scientific;manthan-
ein, to learn).
measure<Fmesure<Lmensura, measure (me-
tiri, to measure).
minus<Lminus, less.
multiply<Lmultiplicare, multiply
(multus, much;plicare, to lay together).
negative<Lnegativus, denying (negare,to
deny).
number<Fnombre<Lnumerus, number.