Body Parts: ped, pod (foot)

You're sure to get off on the right foot when you learn this list of words that derive from the Latin pes and the Greek podi, both meaning "foot."
13 words 8 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. expedition
    an organized group of people undertaking a journey
    Rondon thanked him, and the expedition headed back down the river. Death on the River of Doubt
  2. pedestal
    an architectural support or base
    Vases of flowers adorn marble pedestals around the edges of the restaurant. Warcross
    ped + stellein ("to arrange or order")
  3. pedestrian
    a person who travels by foot
    Portland’s Esplanade is a path for cyclists and pedestrians, and it goes along the Willamette River. Piecing Me Together
    pedes ("foot walker") + ian (suffix forming adjectives)
  4. pedigree
    the ancestry or lineage of an individual
    She's got a pedigree that goes back to Salem, but keeps her powers on the back burner; he's the scion of an old French line and a one-time pal of Charles Darwin. Los Angeles Times (Jan 15, 2019)
    ped + grus ("crane")
    The connection between the the Latin roots and the meaning of this word can be found in 15th-century manuscripts. To indicate descent, a forked line was used. This sign, in addition to looking like the branches of a genealogical chart, looked like a bird's footprint.
  5. pedal
    a lever that is operated with the foot
    The Google cars can operate without a steering wheel, accelerator pedal or brake pedal. Los Angeles Times (May 15, 2015)
    The word's original meaning as an adjective is hardly used anymore (unlike its counterpart, manual).
  6. quadruped
    an animal especially a mammal having four limbs
    As quadrupeds stride, they are able to spread the force of the impact across four sets of muscles. Slate (May 4, 2012)
    quadri (prefix meaning "four") + ped
  7. centipede
    a long, venomous insect-like creature with many pairs of legs
    I think of the centipedes that used to crawl over my bed last summer, and think we are like them, with so many legs. Blood on the River
  8. biped
    an animal that walks on two legs
    Humans are bipeds – we stand upright – which means our pelvises have evolved to be as narrow as possible. The Guardian (Jul 11, 2017)
  9. millipede
    an arthropod with a segmented body and many legs
    I felt terrified to be alone and I ran for the door, as though I’d seen a millipede skitter across the rug. The Line Tender
  10. podium
    a platform raised above the surrounding level
    And so there I was, on the podium, the names of my classmates having been recited, accomplishments categorized and recognized, protocols followed. Washington Post (May 15, 2015)
    podion (Greek: "foot of a vase"), podium (Latin: "base of a pedestal")
  11. tripod
    a three-legged rack used for support
    “Hurry,” she said, going to a camera standing ready on a tripod. The Light in Hidden Places
  12. arthropod
    invertebrate having jointed limbs and a segmented body
    A new study finds that insects, millipedes, and other arthropods consume thousands of kilograms of food litter every year, at least in New York City. Science Magazine (Dec 2, 2014)
    arthron ("joint") + pod
    A number of animals are named according to the the shapes or locations of their feet: gastropod (snail with foot near stomach), brachiopod (mollusk with a long spiral arm that acts like a foot to anchor it to the seabed), cephalopod (mollusk that's mostly head and feet, such as an octopus), ornithopod (dinosaur that had bird-like feet).
  13. podiatrist
    a specialist in care for the feet
    “Many travelers fail to recognize the importance of choosing the right socks,” says Jane Andersen, a Chapel Hill, N.C., podiatrist and president of the North Carolina Foot & Ankle Society. Washington Post (Oct 25, 2018)
    pod + iatry (suffix meaning "medical treatment") + ist (suffix meaning "one who does")
Created on Tue Feb 10 10:33:34 EST 2026 (updated Fri Mar 20 16:12:07 EDT 2026)

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