pedo-, paedo-, ped-, paed-, paido-, paid-

(Greek: child, boy; infant)

The British tend to use paed- while those in the United States tend to use ped-. Remember that the Greek ped- means "child" while the Latin ped- means "foot". Don't confuse this Greek element with another Greek pedo- which means "ground, soil, earth".

Ancestors or Greek origins for the English words referring to child or boy

Any time a student refers to a teacher as a pedagogue he or she is not suggesting that the teacher has feet which are a foot-and-a-half (sesquipedalian) long.

The Greek ped used in English is a shortened form of the Greek pais (paid-), which means a "child", usually a "boy" because, in old Grecian times, boys were considered "more important" than girls.

Actually, pedagogue means "a child's guide" or "guiding a child". In ancient Athens, the pedagogue was a slave who led his master's children (boys) to school or provided private tutoring. In the U.S., the equivalent of "guiding a child" is now "home schooling". In time, the word became known as a "teacher".

This Greek ped is used primarily in technical terms; such as pedagogics, which refers to the "science of teaching". There is more information about pedoagogue, pedagog on this page.

Another derivative from the Greek ped is a word meaning "education" or the results of "education"; such as, "knowledge" or "learning". The Greek element pedia is found in other Greek words; such as, cyclopedia and encyclopedia, "circles of knowledge".

callipedia (s) (noun), callipedias (pl)
A desire to give birth to or to bear a beautiful child: Kent and Sally were convinced that their desire to have a callipedia was achieved when their daughter was born.
cyclopedia, cyclopaedia (s) (noun); cyclopedias; cyclopaedias (pl)
1. The circle of learning; the whole body of arts and sciences_ Ruth found out that a cyclopedia was a very old word that originally referred to the seven alleged liberal arts and sciences.
2. A book containing extensive information about all branches of knowledge: A cyclopedia can give facts about all of the areas of some particular art, science, and can also give detailed and specialized information, all of which are arranged alphabetically.
cyclopedic, cyclopaedic (adjective); more cyclopedic, more cyclopaedic; most cyclopedic, most cyclopaedic
Pertaining to or of the nature of a reference work, often in several volumes containing articles about various topics that are often arranged in alphabetical order: A cyclopedic publication deals with the entire range of human knowledge or with some particular contents.
encyclopedia, encyclopaedia (s) (noun); encyclopedias; encyclopaedias (pl)
1. The written circle of learning; a general course of instruction: An encyclopedia is a literary work containing extensive information about all branches of knowledge which are normally arranged in alphabetical order.
2. An elaborate and exhaustive repertory of information on all the branches of some particular art or department of knowledge: Albert's teacher told her students that they could find lots of information for their projects in encyclopedias at the local library.
3. Etymology: from Greek egkukiopaideia, "general education"; from egkuklios, "general" + paideia, "education"; from pais, "boy, child"; however, literally "training in a circle" from enkyklios, "circular" + paideia, "education, child-rearing", from pais, "boy, child".

The term encyclopedia is said to be an erroneous form (a false reading) occurring in manuscripts of Quintilian, Pliny, and Galen, for "encyclical education", the circle of arts and sciences considered by the Greeks as essential to a liberal education.

encyclopedian (adjective), more encyclopedian, most encyclopedian
A reference to a whole spectrum of learning that comprises a wide range of subjects; encyclopedic: At the library, Adam found a whole section of encyclopedian sources to peruse for his project in school.
encyclopedic, encyclopaedic (adjective); more encyclopedic, most encyclopedic; more encyclopaedic. most encyclopaedic
Pertaining to, or resembling a very large work of reference, usually presented in several volumes: An encyclopedic work strives to present information about all branches of learning and relates to universal knowledge.
encyclopedist (s) (noun), encyclopedists (pl)
A compiler of or a writer for an encyclopedia: John, an encyclopedist, spent much of his life time on a reference work compiling articles on his particular speciality-
gymnopedium, gymnopaedium (noun); gymnopedia; gymnopaedia (pl)
The dances or exercises performed by unclad boys at public festivals in ancient Greece: The gymnopaedia on festive occasions in Greece included boys who were not wearing any attire because it was a tradition in those days.
hypnopedia (s) (noun), hypnopedias (pl)
1. Instruction in a subject, such as a foreign language, during sleep, usually with the use of recordings and a pillow-speaker: In other words, hypnopedia is "sleep-learning".
2. Etymology: from Greek hypnos, "sleep" + paideia "child".
macropedia (s) (noun), macropedias (pl)
A company that supplies multimedia and interactive television services including digital arts software tools: The macropedia firm presented the information in the form of extended articles.
micropedia (s) (noun), micromedias (pl)
1. A system in which information is presented in a condensed or shortened formats: The term Micropedia, a neologism meaning "brief lessons", was created by Mortimer J. Adler.
2. Etymologe: from Greek meaning "small" and "instruction".
misopedia, misopaedia (s) (noun); misopedias; misopaedias (pl)
A morbid hatred of or an aversion to children, sometimes including one's own child: Kathy has a feeling of misopedia which was intensified when her neighbor's son accidentally hit a baseball through her living room window and denied doing it even though she saw him do it while she was outside working in her garden.

Obviously there are many examples of misopedias taking place in some societies, because every once in a while, there are news reports that reveal information about some adults being prosecuted for not taking care of their children or because they were mistreating them.

A strong dislike or hatred of children.
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misopedist (s) (noun), misopedists (pl)
Someone who has a fear and a strong dislike about being around children which may include his or her own child or children: Mary was a misopedist who sometimes went to visit her older sister who had a baby, but she tried to avoid letting the child touch her because she couldn't tolerate such contact.
A woman simply can't tolerate babies or children touching her .
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orthopedic, orthopaedic (adjective), more orthopedic, most orthopedic; more orthopaedic, most orthopaedic
1. Relating to or concerned with the cure of deformities in children, or of bodily deformities in general: Orthopedic health issues relate to problems affecting a person's joints and spine.
2. A special bed in a ward for those people with disorders of the bones, joints, and associated muscles: An orthopedic bed is normally one individually designed to relieve specific skeletal symptoms and generally with a very firm mattress or board.

It also refers to orthopedic bedding, divan, etc.
3. Special footwear designed to ease or to correct deformities of the feet: Dr. Toe told Raymond that he needed orthopedic shoes to relieve pain in his feet and to correct the disorder in his arches.