Minor Roots: -NAUT

Sail away to adventure

Saturdays are perfect days for intrepid surprises. Surprise—we’re talking about the minor affix -NAUT today!

Most English speakers readily recognize words formed from the root NAU- meaning boat. The jump from navy or nautical to common words like astronaut is simple. However, the suffix -NAUT meaning sailor lends itself to all sorts of clever applications and new words, including the following:

aeronaut​ (noun) - someone who travels in a hot-air balloon or airship
BREAKDOWN: AERO- (air) + -NAUT (sailor)

argonaut​ (noun) - one of the fabled Greek heroes who sailed with Jason on the Argo; an adventurer or quest seeker
BREAKDOWN: ARGO- (Argo) + -NAUT (sailor)

aquanaut (noun) - an undersea explorer, scuba diver, or skin diver
BREAKDOWN: AQUA- (water) + -NAUT (sailor)

astronaut​ (noun) - someone who trained for or engaged in spaceflight (also cosmonaut​)
BREAKDOWN: ASTRO- (star) + -NAUT (sailor)

cybernaut​ (noun) - someone who explores the internet
BREAKDOWN: CYBER- (computer) + -NAUT (sailor)

gastronaut (noun) - someone who explores cuisine or fine food; a foodie
BREAKDOWN: GASTRO- (stomach) + -NAUT (sailor)

hydronaut​ (noun) - someone who trained for or engaged in deep-sea work or exploration
BREAKDOWN: HYDRO- (water) + -NAUT (sailor)

psychonaut (noun) - someone who explores altered states of consciousness through meditation, deprivation, drugs, or other means
BREAKDOWN: PSYCH- (mind) + -NAUT (sailor)

One of my favorite -NAUT words doesn’t describe a sailor at all, but rather an unstoppable force of nature. The word juggernaut has Hindi origins, based on a huge wagon bearing an image of the god Krishna, an avatar of Vishnu also known as Jagannat.

“Astronauts are inherently insane. And really noble.” ―Andy Weir