log

Log In!

The Greek root word log means ‘word,’ and its variant suffix -logy means ‘study (of).’

The captains on Star Trek, whether Kirk or Picard or Janeway, are constantly entering data or ‘words’ into their captain’s log, telling about their journeys through space. A catalog is similar in idea, for it contains a thorough listing of ‘words’ which describe items for sale.

A dialogue consists of the ‘words’ spoken between two people. A monologue, on the other hand, is those ‘words’ spoken by one person alone, usually as part of a play or stand-up comedy routine.

Many literature students have read Chaucer’s “General Prologue,” which are those ‘words’ spoken before the main poem begins. An epilogue, on the other hand, contains those ‘words’ written after a novel or play has ended, giving a little more information as to the future lives of the characters.

Let’s tackle two harder words. A logophile is someone who loves ‘words.’ Someone who is afflicted with logorrhea, on the other hand, loves to hear himself speaking ‘words’ and just won’t shut up!

Now on to a few of the many English words which end in -logy, ‘study (of).’ Biology is the ‘study’ of life. In turn, zoology is the ‘study’ of animals. Etymology is the study of the origin of words. And genealogy is the ‘study’ of your origins, that is, the people to whom you are related. I could go on forever with the thousands of words that use the suffix -logy—humans love to ‘study’ things!

Now would be the logical time to stop! Wait! There was another one! I’ll leave you with that epilogue to end our discussion of the ‘study’ of the ‘word’ log! Log out!

1. log: book of ‘words’
2. catalog: listing of ‘words’
3. dialogue: ‘words’ between people
4. monologue: ‘words’ of one person
5. prologue: ‘word’ beforehand
6. epilogue: after’word’
7. logophile: ‘word’ lover
8. logorrhea: ‘word’ diarrhea
9. biology: ‘study’ of life
10. zoology: ‘study’ of animals
11. etymology: ‘study’ of the origin of words
12. genealogy: ‘study’ of one’s family history

Usage

• homologous

  Things that are homologous are similar in structure, function, or value; these qualities may suggest or indicate a common ancestor or origin.

• neologism

  A neologism is a new word or expression in a language or an existing word used with a new meaning.

• analogous

  If one thing is analogous to another, a comparison can be made between the two because they are similar in some way.

• eulogy

  A eulogy is a speech or other piece of writing, often part of a funeral, in which someone or something is highly praised.

• chronological

  A chronological history arranges events in the order that they happened.

• pathological

  If you have a pathological condition, you are extreme or unreasonable in something that you do.

• apologia

  An apologia is a formal defense or justification of a belief, an idea, or a mode of conduct.

• syllogism

  A syllogism is a form of deductive reasoning that uses two premises to arrive at a logical conclusion.

• apology

  An apology is admitting that you did something to someone else that was not right—and saying that you're sorry for doing so.

• analogy

  an inference that if things agree in some respects they probably agree in others

• anthologize

  compile an anthology

• apologetic

  offering or expressing apology

• catalog

  make a catalogue, compile a catalogue

• dialogue

  a conversation between two persons

• epilogue

  a short speech (often in verse) addressed directly to the audience by an actor at the end of a play

• log

  enter into a log, as on ships and planes

• logic

  the branch of philosophy that analyzes inference

• logistics

  handling an operation that involves providing labor and materials be supplied as needed

• logo

  a company emblem or device

• monologue

  speech you make to yourself

• ontological

  of or relating to ontology

• phraseology

  the manner in which something is expressed in words

• scatological

  dealing pruriently with excrement and excretory functions