Aries 11: The president of the country

T h e w o r d p r e s i d en t i s c o mp r i se d o f t h e p r e f i x p r e - , t he b a se s i d , a n d t h e s u f f i x - e n t . T h e p re f i x descends from the Indo-European (IE) root per1 which is the base of over 120 words wi th the basic meaning of forward (and) through as well as a wide range of extended senses such as b e f o r e , e a r l y , f i r st , c h i e f , t o w a r d , a g a i n s t , n e a r, a t , around.1 Among its paronyms are found before, forth, from, further, premier, p r id e , p r i ma r y , p r i m e , p r in c e , p r in c i p l e , p r i n c ip a l , p r i e st , p r o be , proof, proud, and proton. T h e b a se d e s ce n ds f r o m t h e IE r oo t s e d - 1 which means to sit.
2

A m o n g i t s p a r o n y m s a r e a s s e s s , b e s e t , c a t he d r a l ,

n e st , n i c h e , o b s e s s , p o s s e s s , r e si d e , sa d d l e , se a t , s e d ime n t , s e s s io n , s e t , s e t t l e , si e g e , se w e r , s i t , s o il , so o t , s u b s i d y , a n d su p e r se d e . T h e w o r d c o u nt r y d e s c e n d s f r o m k om - w h i c h m e a n s b e s i d e , n e a r, b y, a n d w i t h. 3 I t s p a ro n y m s i n c l u d e c u m ( t o g e t he r w i t h, p l u s ), c o n t r a r y , c o u n t e r , a n d c e n o b i t e ( a m e mb e r o f a c o n v e n t or o t h e r r e l i g i o us community). T H E M E S : T w o t h e m e s w h i c h a re e v i d e n t a m on g t h e a b o v e k e y w o r d s, r o o t s , a n d p a r o n ym s i n c l u d e N E A R NE S S o r p r o x i m i t y a n d R E L I G I O N .

Theme NEARNESS NEARNESS NEARNESS RELIGION RELIGION

Keywords president country president president president

Roots (definition) per1 (near) kom- (near) per1 per1 sed-1

Paronyms (definition)

approximate, approaching, proximal priest cathedral

1 Watkins, C. (2000), The American Heritage Dictionary of Indo European Roots, pp. 65 -6 2 Watkins, C. (2000), The American Heritage Dictionary of Indo European Roots, pp . 73-4 3 Watkins, C. (2000), The American Heritage Dictionary of Indo European Roots, p. 43 Starling Hunter 2011 1

RELIGION

country

country

cenobite (a member of a convent or religious community)

Starling Hunter 2011