JoinSenior managing editor and logophile Andy Hollandbeck reveals the sometimes surprising roots of common English words and phrases. Remember: Etymology tells us where a word comes from, but not what it means today. Parasites aren’t something we normally like to think about, unless you’re a parasitologist or a fan of Bong Joon Ho movies. A lot of English words use the Greek prefix para-, which can mean “beside” (as in parable and paraphernalia) or “against or outside of” (as in paradox and parachute). Subscribe TodayThe second half of the word comes from the Greek sitos “grain, bread, food.” That isn’t a root we see much of in English.