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energy

UK[ˈenədʒi]US[ˈenərdʒi]
n

The ability and strength to do active physical things and the feeling that you are full of physical power and life.

n

The power from sources such as electricity and coal that makes machines work or provides heat.

Morpheme Breakdown

en
erg
y
en

in, at

erg

work

y

noun suffix

Etymology

The word 'energy' entered English in the mid-16th century via Late Latin energia, which was directly borrowed from the Greek energeia. This Greek term was a philosophical construct by Aristotle, formed from the prefix en- (meaning "in, at") combined with ergon (meaning "work"), thus literally signifying "activity" or "operation in work". The modern scientific concept of energy as the capacity to do work, formalized in physics during the 19th century, directly preserves this original Greek compositional logic, transforming an abstract philosophical principle into a precise quantitative physical quantity.

Analysis

Structure: en (in, at) + erg (work) + y (noun suffix) en: From Greek en-, a prefix meaning "in, at, within". erg: From Greek ergon, meaning "work". y: A noun-forming suffix from Greek -ia or Latin -ia, indicating state, quality, or condition.

Examples

The children are always full of energy in the morning.

We need to invest more in renewable energy sources like solar and wind.

After a good night's sleep, I felt a renewed sense of energy.

energy – Meaning, Etymology & Word Origin | OpenEtymology