- ecology
- 1873, "branch of science dealing with the relationship of living things to their environments, coined by German zoologist Ernst Haeckel (1834-1919) as Okologie, from Gk. oikos "house, dwelling place, habitation" (see villa) + -logia "study of" (see -logy). In use with reference to anti-pollution activities from 1960s.
- metic
- "resident alien in an ancient Greek state," 1808, from L.L. metycus, from Gk. metoikos, lit. "one who has changed his residence," from meta- "change" (see meta-) + -oikos "dwelling," from oikein "to dwell" (see villa).
- ecumenical
- late 16c., "representing the entire (Christian) world," formed in English as an ecclesiastical word, from L.L. oecumenicus "general, universal," from Gk. oikoumenikos, from he oikoumene ge "the inhabited world (as known to the ancient Greeks); the Greeks and their neighbors considered as developed human society," from oikoumenos, present passive participle of oikein "inhabit," from oikos "house, habitation" (see villa).
- diocese
- early 14c., from O.Fr. diocese (13c., Mod.Fr. diocèse), from L.L. diocesis "a governor's jurisdiction," later, "a bishop's jurisdiction," from Gk. dioikesis "government, administration; province," originally "economy, housekeeping," from dioikein "control, govern, administer, manage a house," from dia- "thoroughly" (see dia-) + oikos "house" (see villa).
- economy (n.)
- 1530s, "household management," from L. oeconomia, from Gk. oikonomia "household management, thrift," from oikonomos "manager, steward," from oikos "house" (cognate with L. vicus "district," vicinus "near;" O.E. wic "dwelling, village;" see villa) + nomos "managing," from nemein "manage" (see numismatics). The sense of "wealth and resources of a country" (short for political economy) is from 1650s.
- parish
- late 13c., from Anglo-Fr. paroche, parosse (late 11c.), from O.Fr. paroisse, from L.L. parochia "a diocese," alteration of Late Gk. paroikia "a diocese or parish," from paroikos "a sojourner" (in Christian writers), in classical Gk. "neighbor," from para- "near" + oikos "house" (see villa). Sense development unclear, perhaps from "sojourner" as epithet of early Christians as spiritual sojourners in the material world. In early Church writing the word was used in a more general sense than Gk. diokesis, though by 13c. they were synonymous. Replaced O.E. preostscyr, lit. "priest-shire."
- villa
- 1610s, from It. villa "country house, villa, farm," from L. villa "country house, farm," related to vicus "village, group of houses," from PIE *weik- "clan" (cf. Skt. vesah "house," vit "dwelling, house, settlement;" Avestan vis "house, village, clan;" O.Pers. vitham "house, royal house;" Gk. oikos "house;" O.C.S. visi "village;" Goth. weihs "village;" Lith. viešpats "master of the house").