Aristotle Coined Energy for Being at Work
Energy is the capacity to do work. Aristotle invented the Greek word, and physics gave it a precise definition much later.
Energy is the capacity to do work. Aristotle coined *energeia* from *ergon*, work, to mean being active or at work as opposed to merely having a potential. Physics later borrowed the word and made the distinction quantitative: potential energy is stored, kinetic energy is in motion, and the two convert into each other.
- The capacity to do work. *Kinetic energy.*
- Vitality. *Full of energy.*
- Power resources. *Renewable energy.*
- Energetic — vigorous. *An energetic campaign.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | energy | Solar energy. |
| Plural | energies | Devote her energies. |
| Adjective | energetic | Energetic effort. |
| Verb | energise | Energise the circuit. |
| Related | ergonomics | Office ergonomics. |
How it is used in a sentence
- Energy cannot be created or destroyed.The first law of thermodynamics.
- She threw her energies into it.Plural: efforts.
- Ergonomics is the study of work.Same Greek root.
Forms of energy
- Kinetic — energy of motion
- Potential — stored energy, as in a raised weight
- Thermal — the random motion of particles
- Chemical — stored in molecular bonds
- Conservation — total energy in a closed system stays constant
From Greek *energeia*, activity, from *en*, in, and *ergon*, work. Thomas Young gave it its modern physical sense in 1807.
Who coined the word?
Aristotle, as *energeia*, meaning being at work. Physics adopted it as a technical term in the nineteenth century.
Are energy and ergonomics related?
Yes. Both build on Greek *ergon*, work. Ergonomics is the study of work and the tools used for it.