pedo-
1Origin of pedo-
1Other definitions for pedo- (2 of 2)
Origin of pedo-
2WORDS THAT USE PEDO-
What does pedo- mean?
Pedo– is a combining form used like a prefix that has two distinct senses.
The first of these senses is “child,” and this form of pedo– is occasionally used in a variety of scientific and technical terms. The form pedo– in this sense comes from Greek paîs, meaning “child.”
The second of these senses is “soil,” and this form of pedo– is used very rarely in some scientific terms. The form pedo– in this sense comes from Greek pédon, meaning “ground” or “earth.”
What are variants of pedo– with the sense “child”?
When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, pedo– becomes ped–, as in pedagogue, from Greek paidagōgós. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use article on ped-.
In British English, pedo– in this sense is chiefly spelled paedo–, as in paedology. Another variant spelling of pedo– is paido-, as in paidophobia.
What are variants of pedo– with the sense “soil”?
When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, pedo– becomes ped-, as in pedon. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use article on ped-.
Not every word that begins with the exact letters pedo-, such as pedograph or pedometer, is necessarily using the combining form pedo– to denote “child” or “soil.” In these cases, pedo– is used as a variant of pedi–, meaning “foot,” in words from French. Learn more at our entries for the words pedograph and pedometer.
Examples of pedo- with the sense “child”
One example of a word that features pedo– to mean “child” is pedology, or paedology, meaning “the study of the character, growth, and development of children.” (Note that pedology can also be used to mean “soil science”; see the section below on the sense “soil.”)
The pedo– part of the word means “child,” as we have seen, but what about the –logy part of the word? It is used to name sciences or bodies of knowledge, from Greek logía. Pedology literally means “the science of children.”
What are some words that use the combining form pedo-?
- pedobaptism
- pedogenesis
- pedomorph
- pedophilia (using the equivalent form of pedo- in Latin)
- pedophile
What are some other forms that pedo– may be commonly confused with?
Break it down!
The combining form –morph means “form, structure.” With this in mind, what does pedomorph literally mean?
Examples of pedo- with the sense “soil”
One word that features the combining form pedo– to mean “soil” is pedocal, “a soil rich in carbonates, especially those of lime.”
Here, pedo– means “soil,” but what about the –cal part of the word? This comes from Latin calx, meaning “lime.” Pedocal literally means “lime soil.”
What are some words that use the combining form pedo-?
What are some other forms that pedo– may be commonly confused with?
Break it down!
The combining form –logy is used to name sciences or bodies of knowledge. With this in mind, what does pedology mean?
How to use pedo- in a sentence
But the creepy “Uncle Terry” pedo act is beginning to wear awfully thin.
Revenge on the Pervs: Why the Tide Is Finally Turning Against Dov Charney and Terry Richardson|Amanda Marcotte|June 20, 2014|DAILY BEASTLam'pedo of Lacedaemon was daughter, wife, sister, and mother of a king.
Character Sketches of Romance, Fiction and the Drama, Vol 1|The Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LL.D.If you are a Baptist and your wife a Pedo-Baptist, do not go to splashing water into each other's faces!
The Wedding Ring|T. De Witt TalmageMartial professes to be of the school of Catullus, Pedo, and Marsus, and admits his inferiority only to the first.