# Latin/Greek: Do "-ide" and "-oid" have the same Indo-European prefix?



## toscairn

I just read that the Latin suffix "-*ide*" and the Greek suffix "-*oid*" have the common Indo-European prefix "*weid*-," which is the forefather of "video, idea, vision, wise, wissen and so on." I'd like to make sure if explanation is really true. I'm sorry, I failed to ask her what language  "weid-" is. 

In the context of chemistry, that explanation is a bit of a surprise, because both suffixes appear to be quite different from each other. For example, "-ide" as in "oxide" means "that which changes something into something," while "-oid" as in "lanthanoid" means "that which resembles something."


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## anthodocheio

Sorry I can't help more but I can only say that the words you have used for example, both seem Greek to me (for me this is positive)

"oxide" *οξείδιο* comes from the word *οξύ* (acid) but an oxygen is missing (it's chemistry)

"lanthanoid" *λανθανοειδές* I have no idea what it means but -ειδές like in "asteroid" *αστεροειδές* it is what is of the same kind (*είδος*, also meaning _species_). Which resembles, as you said.

I hope that helps


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## ireney

Let's see if I can help

-*oid* which in Greek is indeed, as anthodocheio already mentioned, "*-ειδές*." This comes from Είδος. Είδος meant originally "form", "shape". So in this case it means something that 'looks' like sth else. A humanoid is not a human but something that 'looks' like a human, resembles one.

I googled _Lanthanoid_ a bit (interesting name by the way since it's first compound comes from a word meaning 'hidden' 'easy to escape notice') and it seems that it refers to "any element of the lanthanide series".
In this case it means all the bits of rare earth that have the 'form' of this series (I have no idea whatsoever what it actually means so I can't really give a better explanation)

"Είδος"  comes from the same root as many hindoeuropean languages' term for "_see_" (I remember Latin "video" and German "wissen" [though I am not sure of the second]). If you want me to, I can get my etymological dictionary and search for some more details.


Now about the *-ide*. Are you sure that chemistry has taken the *-ide *from latin and not from Greek? The ending -ίδιο (-idio) means smallish.

As anthodocheio mentioned, oxyde is a smallish so to speak oxid.

What with me not remembering much of my chemistry, I would need more examples if you want me to answer more fully, but I hope I have helped you guys a bit and now you and anthodocheio can go ahead without my going (and I am NOT going to try to translate that!!!)

"εν για μονο, αν για διπλό, ιν για τριπλό ή τα μπέρδεψα?" "Και πώς ήταν αυτή η καταραμένη η σειρά μεθ,αιθ, βουτ κλπ?"


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## optimistique

ireney said:
			
		

> "Είδος" comes from the same root as many hindoeuropean languages' term for "_see_" (I remember Latin "video" and *German "wissen" [though I am not sure of the second]*). If you want me to, I can get my etymological dictionary and search for some more details.


 
You're doubt was not misplaced. German "wissen" means "to know". In Germanic languages 'to see' is = '_see_/_se_/_zie_n/_sehe_n', so nothing with 'id/oid'.


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## ireney

optimisque if 'wissen' is related to 'wise' then they are both etymologically (although not semantically) related to '-oid'. However, since I don't know any German (knowing such things as 'mit' means 'with' doesn't count), I can't be positive.

All I _do_ know is that words such as '(F)οίδα' (which means 'know' in ancient Greek) and similar words such as 'wise' in English are related wish each other and with "-oid". German I'm afraid is not my strong suit to say the least . I can always open my etymological dictionary as I said before and give you a more scientific explanation and I can explain further myself but I don't think that's what toscairn asked for originally so I'd rather I didn't at the moment.


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