What does pan mean?
Name:__________________
OBJECTIVES: Students will be discover ways to figure out the parts of words
based on each part’s meaning and other clues. More specifically, they will learn
that even though roots may be spelled the same, they can have different
meanings. This exercise will help them identify Latin and Greek roots of words
and will expand their vocabulary.
STEP 1: REVIEW
Remember that words with the root pan in them can be related to the Greek root
pan.
Pan -- god of fields, forests, wild animals. Part man/part goat, he often
caused serous trouble. When he was nearby, people ran in terror.
Pan is the root of the English words pandemonium and panic, because the
meanings of these words are related to the meanings associated with the god’s
name, meanings that have to do with being scared or terrified.
There are, however, a lot of other words in English that have the root word pan in
them, and these roots don’t have the same meaning, even though they are all
spelled the same.
STEP 2: ANOTHER PAN
Each of the following words has the root pan in it, but this pan is not the same
root as the god’s name pan.
Separate each word into parts. The first example is done for you.
a. pandemic = widespread, general. A pandemic disease affects a wide range of
people.
pan + _demic______
b. panacea = a remedy for all diseases
pan + ____________
c. panchromatic = sensitive to all colors
pan + ____________
d. panHellenic = of or pertaining to all Greek people
pan + ____________
e. panhuman = relating to all of humanity
pan + ____________
f. panorama = an unlimited view of all visible objects over a wide area
pan + ____________
g. pantheism = belief in the worship of all gods
pan + ____________
h. panophobia = fear of everything
pan + ____________
i. panophilia = love of everything
pan + ____________
j. pantheon = a structure or building that houses all the gods
pan + ____________
STEP 3. What does pan mean in these words? Write down a definition.
______________________________
STEP 4. WHAT DO THE OTHER ROOTS MEAN?
Now let’s see if we can figure out the meanings of the other parts of the words in
STEP 2. There is a hint given (in bold) for each underlined root word. Write
down any words you think might be related in meaning to that root. The first
example is done for you.
a. pandemic = widespread, general. A pandemic disease affects a wide range of
people.
pan + _demic__
WORDS WITH THE ROOT DEMIC:
democracy, democratic, democrat
b. panacea = a remedy for all diseases (begins with a c!)
pan + _acea___
WORDS WITH THE ROOT CEA: _______________
c. panchromatic = sensitive to all colors
pan + __chromatic__WORDS WITH THE ROOT CHROMO: _______________
d. panHellenic = of or pertaining to all Greek people
pan + __Hellenic
WORDS WITH THE ROOT HELE: _______________
(this one’s a proper name)
e. panhuman = relating to all of humanity
pan + __human
WORDS WITH THE ROOT HUMAN: _______________
f. panorama = an unlimited view of all visible objects over a wide area
pan + ___orama_
WORDS WITH THE ROOT ORAMA: _______________
g. pantheism = belief in the worship of all gods
pan + __theism_
WORDS WITH THE ROOT THEOS: _______________
h. pantheon = a structure or building that houses all the gods
pan + __theon__
WORDS WITH THE ROOT THEOS: _______________
i. panophobia = fear of everything
pan + ___ophobia_ WORDS WITH THE ROOT PHOBIA: _______________
j. panophilia = love of everything
pan + _ophilia__
WORDS WITH THE ROOT PHILIA: _______________
STEP 5. YET ANOTHER PAN
There are even more pan roots in English than the two we’ve discussed so far. Is
the following pan root one of the Greek ones you already know?
panfry (to fry in a pan)
pancake
panfish (fish fried in a pan)
a. What does pan mean here? ______________________________________
The word panhandle is actually related to the ones above. Why do you think that
is? What does panhandle have to do with a frying pan?
panhandle = to beg for money or food, with arm outstretched
b. How is this word related to pan in frying pan?
_______________________________________________
STEP 6:
You now have three meanings for the root pan. Are the uses of pan in the
following words related to any of those three meanings?
a. pan = the Greek god
b. pan = all
c. pan = frying pan
1. My vacation plans didn’t pan out.
2. The movie got panned.
3. We panned for gold up in the mountains this weekend.
4. The camera panned across the valley.
5. My family goes to Panama every year.
6. Pandas are native to China.
7. The wall has cedar paneling.
8. Jeans are the most popular kind of pants.
STEP 9. Please summarize what you have learned in this lesson.