Exploring vocabulary - Muschla Gary R. 2012

Planets of our Solar system
Words based on names

An eponym is a word that comes from the name of a person. A toponym is a word that comes from the name of a place. Some words are based on the names of gods and goddesses of mythology.

1. cereal (n): a food made from grain, such as wheat, oats, or corn often eaten for breakfast

The word cereal comes from Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture.

2. Braille (n): a system of writing with raised dots used by blind people for reading

Louis Braille, a blind French teacher, invented Braille.

3. saxophone (n): a musical instrument

Antoine Sax, a Belgian instrument maker, invented the saxophone.

4. frankfurter (n): a sausage made of beef or beef and pork, commonly called a hot dog

The frankfurter is named after the German city of Frankfurt.

5. limerick (n): a humorous poem of five lines with the rhyme pattern AABBA

The limerick is named for the county of Limerick in Ireland.

6. sandwich (n): slices of bread with meat, cheese, or another food between them

The sandwich is named after Englishman John Montagu, the Earl of Sandwich.

7. volcano (n): a mountain formed by lava that rises through openings in the earth’s surface

The word volcano comes from Vulcan, the Roman god of fire.

8. Ferris wheel (n): a big upright, turning wheel with hanging seats; a ride at amusement parks

George Ferris invented the Ferris wheel in 1893.

9. Fahrenheit (adj): pertaining to a temperature scale with the freezing point of water at 32 degrees and the boiling point at 212 degrees

Gabriel Fahrenheit, a German scientist, invented the Fahrenheit thermometer.

10. Celsius (adj): pertaining to a temperature scale with the freezing point of water at 0 degrees and the boiling point at 100 degrees

Anders Celsius, a Swedish scientist, invented the Celsius thermometer.

Vocabulary tip

Eponyms, toponyms, and words based on mythology have interesting origins.

26.1 Planets of our Solar system

The eight planets of our solar system are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Four of the planets are made mostly of gas and are not solid. The other four are solid, rocky bodies. Which planets in our solar system are rocky bodies?

To answer the question, find the word that matches each definition below. Choose your answers from the words after the definitions. Write the letter of each answer in the space above its definition number at the bottom of the page. You will need to divide the letters into words. Some letters are provided.

1. pertaining to a temperature scale that shows water freezing at 32 degrees and boiling at 212 degrees _____

2. a humorous poem of five lines with the rhyme pattern AABBA _____

3. two or more slices of bread with meat, cheese, or another food between them _____

4. a system of writing with raised dots used by blind people for reading _____

5. a big upright, turning wheel with hanging seats _____

6. a mountain formed by lava that rises through openings in the earth’s surface _____

7. a food made from grain such as wheat, oats, or corn _____

8. a musical instrument _____

9. pertaining to a temperature scale that shows water freezing at 0 degrees and boiling at 100 degrees _____

10. a sausage commonly called a hot dog _____

Answers

U. cereal

R. frankfurter

E. limerick

H. saxophone

N. Fahrenheit

Y. volcano

A. Braille

M. Celsius

V. Ferris wheel

S. sandwich