(1.) On, upon; as, Epigram, an inscription; also as a preposition, with its complement; as, Epitaph, an inscription on a sepulcher. (2.) To, unto; as, Epistle, a writing sent to a person. ableness of sound. 13. Hama or a, Greek åμa, á, ȧ=Sanscrit sa, sam, Gothic sama. (1.) Together with, as a preposition, with its complement; as, Hamadryad, a wood nymph, feigned to live and die with its tree. (2.) Denoting sameness; as, Adelphic, relating to brethren, or those from the same womb. 14. Hyper, Greek nép-Sanscrit upari, Latin super, Gothic ufar, German über, English over. (1.) Over; as, Hyperaspist, one who holds a shield over another. (2.) Beyond, as a preposition, with its complement; as, Hyperborean, beyond the north. (3.) Denoting excess; as, Hypercritic, an over-rigid critic. 15. Hypo, Greek vлó Sanscrit upa, Latin sub, Gothic uf. (1.) Under; as, Hypothesis, a placing under, a supposition; also as a preposition, with its complement; as, Hypogeum, the parts of a building under ground. (2.) Denoting deficiency; as, Hyposulphurous, sulphurous, but having a less quantity of oxygen. 16. Is, Greek eis, (connected with Greek ev,) signifying into; as, Isagogic, introductory. 17. Meta, Greek perá German mit, (connected with Sanscrit madhya, Greek μéoos, Latin medius, English middle). (1.) With; as, Metalepsis, participation, the name of a figure of speech. (2.) After, of place or time, as a preposition, with its complement; as, Metacarpus, the part after or beyond the wrist; metachronism, a placing after the time. (3.) Over; as, Metaphor, a transfer; metabasis, a transi (4.) Denoting change; as, Metamorphosis, a change of form or shape. (5.) Denoting transposition; as, Metagrammatism, a transposition of letters; metathesis, a transposition. 18. Para before consonants, or par before vowels, Greek παρά, παρ парά, паρ = Sanscrit parâ, Gothic fra, English from. (1.) By, along with; as, Parabole, a comparison; paragraph, something written near; parathesis, apposition; also as a preposition, with its complement; as, Paranymph, a brideman; parallel, by or near each other. (2.) To, toward; as, Paraclete, one that calls upon or ex horts another. (3.) Beyond; as, Paraphrase, an extended explanation; paragoge, an addition to the end of a word; also as a preposition, with its complement; as, Parapherna, what is over and above the dower. (4.) Denoting error; as, Paraselene, a false moon; paradox, a false opinion. = 19. Peri, Greek Tеρí Sanscrit pari, Latin per, Gothic fair, German ver. (1.) Around, about; as, Periphery, the circumference of a circle; periphrasis, circumlocution; also as a preposition, with its complement; as, Pericranium, the membrane that invests the skull. (2.) Near, as a preposition, with its complement; as, Perigee, point nearest the earth. 20. Pro, Greek рó=Sanscrit pra, Latin pro, præ, Gothic faur, German vor, English for. (1.) Before, in place; as, Prostyle, a range of columns in front; also as a preposition, with its complement; as, Propolis, something before the city. (2.) Before, in time; as, Prodrome, a forerunner; prolepsis, anticipation; prophet; prologue; also as a preposition, with its complement; as, Prochronism, the antedating of an event. (3.) Before, forth, in a metaphorical sense; as, Problem, something set forth or proposed. 21. Pros, Greek Tрóç-Sanscrit prati. = (1.) Unto; as, Prosthesis, the addition of a letter or sylla ble to the beginning of a word; proselyte, one that comes over to another sect or party. (2.) In addition to; as, Prosenneahedral, having nine faces on two adjacent parts of a crystal. 22. Syn, before a labial sym, before I syl, before z or a double consonant sy, Greek oúv, ovμ, ovλ, ov=Sanscrit sam, Latin con, Gothic ga, German and Anglo-Saxon ge. (1.) With, in company with; as, Symbol, that which com pares with something else; sympathy, feeling with another; Syzygy, conjunction. (2.) Together, in a mass or body; as, Synagogue, a bring. ing together; synthesis, composition; syllable, a taking together of letters. THE FORMATION OF COMPOUND WORDS. § 360. 1. COMPOSITION, or the formation of compound words, is a special mode of forming new words and developing new ideas. 2. Composition, considered externally, is the combination of two words expressing distinct ideas, so as to form one word expressing one idea. The word thus formed is called a compound. This definition is sufficient for the merely practical grammarian. 3. Composition, considered in its internal nature, is, like many other linguistical processes, a development of the species from the genus; that is, the name of the genus, as boat, by prefixing the specific difference, as steam, (i. e., moved by steam,) now denotes the species, as steam-boat. This is the more philosophical definition. 4. In reference to the mental process in composition just described, the compound consists of two parts, viz., the gen eral, or that which denotes the genus; and the special, or that which denotes the specific difference. The latter, which is the leading member of the composition, usually precedes, and has the tone or accent. 5. The unity of the word consists in the tone or accent, which binds together the two parts of the composition. The mere orthography is an uncertain criterion, being sometimes entirely arbitrary. 6. The unity of the idea consists in its referring to a specific thing well known as having a permanent existence. 7. Every composition is binary, or every compound consists properly of only two members, although these may themselves be compounded. Compare household-stuff, deputyquarter-master-general, which must be analyzed conformably to this principle. The most plausible exception is Latin suovitaurus, (whence suovitaurilia,) "a swine, sheep, and bull.” 8. Composition is an original process in language, distinct, on the one hand, from derivation, that is, the formation of words by internal change of vowel and by suffixes, and on the other, from the mere syntactical combination of ideas. 9. Composition differs essentially from the formation of words by internal change of vowel and by suffixes, in this, that derivation gives us different forms of ideas; as, Drink, (noun,) drinker, drinking, (noun,) to drench, all forms or modifications of the radical idea to drink; to set, to settle, sitter, setter, seat, sitting, (noun,) all from the radical idea to sit; while composition gives us species of idea; as, Schoolhouse, state-house, alms-house, all species under the general term house; door-key, chest-key, watch-key, species of keys. 10. As a mode of forming words, composition is later in its origin than derivation, and has arisen from the inadequacy of derivation to express the definite ideas which become necessary in language. Thus, mere derivation would be insufficient to express the different kinds of keys; as, Door-key, chest-key, watch-key; or the different kinds of glasses; as, Beer-glass, wine-glass, etc. 11. Notwithstanding which, there is some common ground for derivation and composition, and the two forms may alternate. In such a case the derivative is the most forcible, and the compound is the most precise in its import. Thus we have in English, (neglecting accidental differences of usage,) Hunter and huntsman, speaker and spokesman, trader and tradesman, plower and plowman, hatter and hat-maker, steamer and steam-boat, bakery and bake-house, brewery and brew-house, patchery and patch-work, treasury and treasurehouse, deemster and domesman; so also where the words are radically distinct; as, Fowler and bird-catcher, Hollander and Dutchman, journal and day-book, marine and seaman, navigating and sea-faring, propitiatory and mercy-seat, vintage and grape-gathering, vintner and wine-seller. These coincidences take place only when the second part of the compound is a very general or indefinite term, or has become so by use. In this way words originally compound acquire much of the character of derivatives. 12. Composition differs, also, from the mere syntactical combination of ideas. Composition is a development of words for constant, not merely for occasional use. It is not an ar bitrary process in language, or a process to be adopted at pleasure. A proper compound must express a specific idea formed for permanent use in the language. Wherever it takes place, there should be an adequate cause or occasion. Not every combination of two ideas into one is properly expressed by a compound. Ideas combined at the moment of speaking or writing, for the first time, do not form compound words. It is owing to this principle that we have deathwound, not life-wound; father-land, not son-land; foxhunter, not sheep-hunter; earthquake, not sea-quake; brown bread, not fresh bread; sea-sick, not terror-sick, because the latter terms of these couplets are not called for. 13. The difference between the compound word and the mere syntactical construction may be seen, (1.) By comparing black-bird, a species of bird, with a black bird; so red-bird, black-berry, mad-house. 2.) By comparing fox-tail, a plant so named from resemblance, with the tail of a fox; so bear's-ear, goat's-beard, lady's-finger. (3.) By comparing rat's-bane, a substance so called from its nature, with the bane of a rat; so catch-fly, king's evil, liver-wort. 14. The unity of the compound is further evident by considering, (1.) That in many words the members of the composition do not appear at first view, nor are they generally understood; as, Biscuit, curfew, daisy, kerchief, quinsy, squirrel, surgeon, verdict, vinegar. (2.) That in many words the meaning has so altered that |