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Why do many English scientific terms use Greek and Latin word parts?

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Global use of the English language — English language Map showing the use of English as a first language, as an important second language, and as an official language in countries around the world.

The use of Greek and Latin word parts in English scientific terminology is a direct result of the historical role these languages played as the foundation of Western civilization and scholarship.1

For centuries, Latin served as the international lingua franca for science, philosophy, and religion across Europe. Because it was the standard medium for scholarly communication, scientists naturally adopted Latin—and later Greek—to name new discoveries and concepts. This tradition persisted even as vernacular languages became more common in scientific writing.2314

The practice continues today because these classical languages provide a stable, universal resource for creating technical neologisms. By using established Greek and Latin roots, scientists can construct precise, descriptive terms—such as microbiology—that are easily understood by the international scientific community, regardless of a researcher's native language. This reliance on classical sources is also evident in binomial nomenclature, the system used to classify organisms, which ensures consistent identification across global scientific fields.14