English Words from Latin and Greek Elements

Since its first publication in 1965, English Words from Latin and Greek Elements by Donald M. Ayers has empowered thousands of students to expand their vocabulary by uncovering the classical roots embedded in modern English. Now in its enduring second edition, this trusted resource proves that vocabulary is most effectively learned through understanding―not memorization.

Why dedicate an entire book to this approach? Because Ayers goes beyond the basics. Students are introduced to a broad spectrum of Latin and Greek roots, encounter new vocabulary in meaningful context, and reinforce their learning through targeted exercises. This method equips learners with lifelong tools to decode unfamiliar words and deepen their command of English.

Written for English learners―not classical language scholars―this book requires no prior knowledge of Latin or Greek. It’s proven effective across high school and college classrooms, and adaptable for both remedial and accelerated programs.

Donald M. Ayers received both his B.A. and M.A. in classics from Stanford University and his doctorate in classics from Princeton. One of his special concerns was the classical background of the English vocabulary and the value of a knowledge of this in vocabulary building for both technical and general studies. He taught classics at Vanderbilt University before joining the Classics Department at the University of Arizona in 1951. He was also a graduate of Navy Japanese Language School (Boulder, Colorado) and was on active duty with the U.S. Naval Reserve for three years. He published several articles on technical terminology in addition to his book Bioscientific Terminology, published by the University of Arizona Press in 1972.

Owing to Dr. Ayers’s untimely death in 1969, the revision of this book became incumbent upon Thomas D. Worthen, who received his M.A. and Ph.D. in classics from the University of Washington and has been teaching classics at the University of Arizona since 1965. R.L. Cherry is the author of the Instructor’s Manual that accompanies this textbook.