By the Roots: Via-, Vio- : road, way

Amy B.
In Latin, the word for "road" or "way" is "via." True to our roots, in English, we say that we go from New York to Florida via Interstate Highway 95. We use "via" as a word to mean "by way of."
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  1. envoy
    someone on a mission to represent another's interests
    Ambassadors and envoys regularly get briefings by officials in host countries to keep up to date on political affairs.
    An envoy is a kind of ambassador, a representative. Envoys are sent out on the road to do something, not for themselves, but for someone else.
  2. impervious
    not admitting of passage or capable of being affected
    They always seemed impervious to flooding but no longer are.
    Because the prefix "im-" is one of the many prefixes meaning "not," to be impervious is to have the ability to block the way through. Glass, for example, is impervious to water; cement, however, has tiny little roadways that permit water to flow through.
  3. devious
    characterized by insincerity or deceit
    “In workplace bullying,” she says, “you’re talking about adults who have a certain degree of self-control, so they are more devious and calculating.” BusinessWeek (Nov 21, 2012)
    Because the prefix "de-" means, in this case, "to separate," ("deliver," "defrost," "deport"), to be devious is about separating, or moving away, from the "road," or the "way," and onto another road, one which the victim of the deviousness is unaware of. To be devious is to be sneaky, and, as such, it has the negative connotation of words such as "crafty," "cagey," "scheming," and just plain old dishonest. Deviousness is dishonesty enhanced by brains and a plan.
  4. deviate
    be out of line with
    "They deviated from traditional lab practice in this particular case," Smith said. Scientific American (Oct 11, 2011)
    Because the prefix "de-" means, in this case, "to separate," ("decide," "detain,", "deposit")to deviate is to take a turn on the road, or to travel a different road altogether. This word often appears in mathematics, when talking about statistics. A "standard deviation" which has to do with how measurement statistics are distributed over a range of numbers.
  5. previous
    of the immediate past
    He had three hits in his previous 31 at-bats. Seattle Times (Apr 30, 2013)
    Because the prefix "pre-" means "before,"("preview," prepare," "preheat") that which is previous is just before where you are now on the road of time.
  6. obvious
    easily perceived by the senses or grasped by the mind
    Remember, I'm looking for solutions that go beyond the obvious.
    The road that has taken this word to its current meaning is not obvious. The prefix "ob-" means "to block." Now, if a road is blocked, you can easily see that roadblock, right? It would be obvious!
  7. obviate
    prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening
    There are many factors which inhibit sleep that must be removed or at least obviated. Walsh, James J. (James Joseph)
    Because the prefix "ob-" means "to block," to obviate something is to block something from happening. In effect, when you eliminate the means of getting someplace (block the road), you prevent it.
  8. trivial
    of little substance or significance
    He faced multiple felony counts and years in prison for what were, at worst, trivial transgressions of law.
    Because the prefix "tri-" means "three," ("tricycle," "triangle," "triple") the word "trivia" actually refers to the junction of three roads. In ancient times, it is said that folks would gather at such crossroads and exchange small talk, hence, the word "trivial" has come to mean "petty or unimportant," just like the conversations that people would engage in as they passed each other briefly on the junction of three road.
  9. deviant
    markedly different from an accepted norm
    Of course, in addition to sexual deviants, there are lots of idiots out there.  Forbes (Nov 7, 2011)
    This word is used with a negative connotation, as it usually refers to a sexual predator, or a person whose sexual behavior is illegal.
  10. convoy
    a procession of land vehicles traveling together
    Oil and refined petroleum were flowing across the Turkish border in long convoys of tanker trucks.
    Because the prefix "con-" means "together," ("contract," "continent," "contact") and "voy" is a form of "via," meaning "road," a convoy is a bunch of vehicles, usually trucks, following each other like a line of ants along a road, usually an Interstate Highway.
Created on Sat May 04 09:02:09 EDT 2013 (updated Sat May 04 10:09:03 EDT 2013)

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