The Root of the Word

Bill was going through Carter's spelling list, asking the kids to spell the words and seeing if they knew what the words mean. Carter is learning words with Latin and Greek roots, and this week's words include number prefixes. Bill asked, "What do you think quintessence means?" Preston answered, "Like five kids? Or if twins turned five, then they would be quins." Carter responded, "Probably a kind of toothpaste."

Later, we were reading scriptures, and we read something that said, "I am Alpha and Omega."

Bill: What do you think of when you hear the word Alpha? (He was going for alphabet so he could explain that alpha was the beginning and omega was the end of a different alphabet.)
Avery: I don't know.
Bill: What about you, Preston? What does Alpha make you think of?
Preston: A dog.
Bill: What other word does it sound like?
Preston: Maybe alfalfa. You know, hay is just dried alfalfa.
Bill: What do you think of when you hear the word Alpha?
Carter: I don't think anything. I don't even know what it means.
Bill: Well, what word does is sound like?
Carter: Alvin and the Chipmunks?

I thought of the alpha male of a wolf pack. Okay, a werewolf pack. I read too many paranormal books.