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In English, you will find many words with the same suffix<\/strong>, or word ending. Three of the most common suffixes sound somewhat alike, and are often confused with each other. Here\u2019s how to tell them apart, and some of the most common examples of each.<\/p>\n Ology<\/strong> is a real word, a noun taken from the common 5-letter suffix meaning a field or branch of study<\/em>. It is the comprehensive, usually scientific, study of a particular subject, and there are many of them. The word is derived from the ancient Greek word logia<\/strong>, meaning the study of<\/em>. In English, we use o <\/strong>as a connector to form compounds<\/strong>. More on that later. The plural of ology is ologies<\/strong>.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s an expert in one of the ologies, I just can\u2019t remember which one.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n You may be wondering about the common English word apology<\/strong>. Is it a science of something? It even has the same plural ending -ologies. However, apology has a very different origin. It is a compound from the Greek apo<\/em>, meaning away from<\/em>, and logos<\/em>, meaning speech<\/em>. Here, the o isn\u2019t a connector, as it is a part of the word itself.<\/p>\n Here are some common ologies:<\/p>\n Here are some of the more unusual, but real, ologies:<\/p>\n Now that you\u2019re all wondering why anyone would want to study some of those things, let\u2019s consider the suffix -ography<\/strong>. Earlier I wrote that \u201cIn English, we use o <\/strong>as a connector to form compounds<\/strong>.\u201d Graphy is the actual suffix, with o serving as the connector, and it comes from the French word graphie<\/em>, meaning written form<\/em>. Words with this suffix, then, are also fields of study but often done in writing or some form of artistic method. As with all things in the English language, this can be misleading, and there are exceptions. Here are some common -ographies<\/strong>:<\/p>\n Some -ographies are lists:<\/p>\n And some -ographies are just, well, odd:<\/p>\n If an ology is the study of a particular subject, an -onomy is the body of knowledge, and rules surrounding a subject of study. Once again coming to us from the ancient Greeks, it is derived from nomos<\/em>, meaning law<\/em>.<\/p>\n The most commonly confused pair of these words is probably astrology<\/strong> and astronomy<\/strong>, and they perfectly serve to explain the differences in the two suffixes. Astronomy<\/strong> is a field of science concerned with the physical universe. Astrology<\/strong> is the study of how the planets in the night sky affect our lives. While they were once considered similar, astrology was dismissed as a serious field of scientific study about 400 years ago. However, it remains a popular pastime and hobby for many. So, astronomy has genuine known rules and facts, and astrology is just a field of interest and study, with no actual scientific basis.<\/p>\n Some other -onomies include:<\/p>\n And one very odd -onomy:<\/p>\n Do you know of any other examples?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In English, you will find many words with the same suffix, or word ending. Three of the most common suffixes sound somewhat alike, and are often confused with each other. Here\u2019s how to tell them apart, and some of the most common examples of each. Ology Ology is a real word, a noun taken from…<\/p>\nOlogy<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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-Ography<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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-Onomy<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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