Word origins – the literal meaning of the word photography.

Introduction / Context:
This question tests your knowledge of word origins, also called etymology. Understanding where technical words come from can help you guess meanings when you meet new vocabulary in science and technology. Photography is a familiar term in daily life, but its parts photo and graphy come from Greek and have very specific meanings.

Given Data / Assumptions:

The word photography is formed from two Greek roots often used in scientific English.
Photo comes from the Greek word for light.
Graphy comes from a Greek root that relates to writing, drawing, or recording.
The literal meaning should combine these roots directly, not describe general art or science.

Concept / Approach:
In many English technical terms, photo indicates light, as in photon or photosynthesis. The component graph or graphy appears in words like autograph, telegraph, and cartography, where it consistently relates to writing, drawing, or recording. When you combine light with drawing or writing, the literal sense of photography becomes drawing with light. Modern cameras record images by capturing light on film or a digital sensor, which matches this original root meaning quite well.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Break the word into its Greek roots: photo plus graphy. Step 2: Recall that photo means light. You see the same root in photosynthesis, which is the process by which plants use light to make food. Step 3: Recall that graphy comes from a Greek root meaning writing, drawing, or recording, as seen in words like biography and geography. Step 4: Combine these meanings to obtain light drawing or drawing with light as the literal sense. Step 5: Check the options and see that Light drawing is the only one that matches this direct combination.

Verification / Alternative check:
We can test the other options against known words. If graphy meant crowning, we would expect similar meanings in geography or typography, but we do not. Geography is writing or describing the earth, and typography is the style or appearance of printed text. Light art and light creations are more general phrases and do not reflect the specific Greek root graphy. Photography in practice is exactly the process of using light to create images on a medium, which feels very close to drawing with light. This confirms that Light drawing is the literal translation of the term.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A Light crowning introduces the idea of a crown, which has no connection to the Greek root graphy.
Option C Light creations is vague and does not connect directly to the idea of writing or drawing; it describes results rather than the method.
Option D Light art sounds pleasant but again fails to include the concept of recording or drawing that graphy adds to the word.
Option E Light science would be better expressed by terms like optics or photonics, and it does not reflect the actual root meaning of photography.

Common Pitfalls:
Some learners choose Light art because photography is indeed an art form. However, the question specifically asks for the literal meaning in terms of the word parts, not the modern usage. When dealing with etymology questions, always break the word into known roots and translate each one carefully. This strategy can also help you guess the meanings of unfamiliar scientific words in exams and in future study.

Final Answer:
The word photography literally means light drawing or drawing with light.