* Historical Evolution: English has borrowed words from many languages over centuries. Some words have retained their original pronunciations, while others have changed due to influences from other languages and evolving pronunciation patterns.
* "Great" comes from Old English "grēat", while "greet" comes from Old English "grētan". While they share a common root, they have evolved differently over time.
* Silent "e": The silent "e" at the end of "great" plays a role in its pronunciation, making the vowel sound long. The "e" in "greet" is also silent, but it doesn't have the same lengthening effect on the vowel.
In short, while the words share a similar spelling, their pronunciation differences are due to historical changes and the subtle impact of silent letters.