It's All Greek To Me! Trivia Quiz

A light-hearted quiz on some Modern Greek words and phrases.

A multiple-choice quiz by gtho4. Estimated time: 3 mins.

Author
gtho4

Time
3 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
52,514

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
5

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
3 / 5

Plays
3493

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

Last 3 plays: Guest 95 (5/5), Grosshaus93 (4/5), Guest 98 (3/5).

This quiz has 2 formats: you can play it as a or as shown below.
Scroll down to the bottom for the answer key.

1. The alarm rings, you race downstairs and greet the other members of your family with the word or phrase "kalimera": what have you said? Hint

I'm starving!

good morning!

what's for breakfast?

it's cold!

NEXT>

2. The most commonly used Greek word for breakfast is "proino".

True

False

NEXT>

3. The word "Philadelphia" is derived from two Greek words.

True

False

NEXT>

4. Etymology: the roots of the English word "hippopotamus" are Greek?

True

False

NEXT>

5. Quote: 'Those that understood him smiled at one another and shook their heads; but for mine own part, it was Greek to me.' This line is from which Shakespearean tragedy? Hint

Othello

Hamlet

Coriolanus

Julius Caesar

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The alarm rings, you race downstairs and greet the other members of your family with the word or phrase "kalimera": what have you said?

Answer: good morning!

As kids mum'd give us a clout over the ear if we were uncivil.

2. The most commonly used Greek word for breakfast is "proino".

Answer: True

The Greek language, just like the English language and almost all others, is full of synonyms.

3. The word "Philadelphia" is derived from two Greek words.

Answer: True

The word "Philadelphia" is derived from "philos" (friend) and "adelphos" (brother) hence, Philly, the city of brotherly love.

4. Etymology: the roots of the English word "hippopotamus" are Greek?

Answer: True

"(h)ippo" is the Ancient Greek word for "horse", and "po-ta-mos" is the Greek word for "river", hence hippopotamus - "horse of the river", an animal that spends most of its day having a bath in a river.

5. Quote: 'Those that understood him smiled at one another and shook their heads; but for mine own part, it was Greek to me.' This line is from which Shakespearean tragedy?

Answer: Julius Caesar

In an earlier work another Elizabethan playwright, Thomas Dekker, had used a similar phrase: 'I'll be sworn he knows not so much as one character of the tongue. Why, then it's Greek to him'. There is a Medieval Latin proverb 'Graecum est, non potest legi' (It is Greek, it cannot be read).

The Spanish version of this proverb is 'hablar en griego', which is commonly said to be the origin of the word gringo, so somebody who is called a gringo is literally accused of speaking Greek and hence being unintelligible. (see www.quinion.com)

Source: Author gtho4

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Most Recent Scores

Mar 24 2023 : Guest 95: 5/5
Mar 24 2023 : Grosshaus93: 4/5
Mar 23 2023 : Guest 98: 3/5
Mar 23 2023 : Guest 90: 3/5
Mar 22 2023 : Guest 90: 3/5
Mar 21 2023 : Kcmcyc: 5/5
Mar 20 2023 : Guest 202: 3/5
Mar 15 2023 : Guest 24: 3/5
Mar 13 2023 : Guest 194: 3/5

Score Distribution