Greek and Latin roots
Encyclopedia
The following is an alphabetical list of Greek
and Latin
roots
, stems
, suffix
es, and prefix
es commonly used in English.
Some of those used in medicine and medical terminology are not listed here but instead in Wikipedia's List of medical roots, suffixes and prefixes.
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
and Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
roots
Root (linguistics)
The root word is the primary lexical unit of a word, and of a word family , which carries the most significant aspects of semantic content and cannot be reduced into smaller constituents....
, stems
Word stem
In linguistics, a stem is a part of a word. The term is used with slightly different meanings.In one usage, a stem is a form to which affixes can be attached. Thus, in this usage, the English word friendships contains the stem friend, to which the derivational suffix -ship is attached to form a new...
, suffix
Suffix
In linguistics, a suffix is an affix which is placed after the stem of a word. Common examples are case endings, which indicate the grammatical case of nouns or adjectives, and verb endings, which form the conjugation of verbs...
es, and prefix
Prefix
A prefix is an affix which is placed before the root of a word. Particularly in the study of languages,a prefix is also called a preformative, because it alters the form of the words to which it is affixed.Examples of prefixes:...
es commonly used in English.
Some of those used in medicine and medical terminology are not listed here but instead in Wikipedia's List of medical roots, suffixes and prefixes.
A
| Root | Meaning in English | Origin language | Etymology (root origin) | English examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ab-, a-, abs- | away | Latin | ab "away" | abnormal, abrasion Abrasion (mechanical) Abrasion is the process of scuffing, scratching, wearing down, marring, or rubbing away. It can be intentionally imposed in a controlled process using an abrasive... , absent, abstract, aversion, abstain |
| ac- | sharp or pointed | Latin | acere | acupuncture Acupuncture Acupuncture is a type of alternative medicine that treats patients by insertion and manipulation of solid, generally thin needles in the body.... |
| acid- | sour or acid | Latin | acidus | acidosis Acidosis Acidosis is an increased acidity in the blood and other body tissue . If not further qualified, it usually refers to acidity of the blood plasma.... |
| acu- | sharp | Latin | acutus, past participle of acuere "to sharpen", from acus "needle" | acute Acute Acute may refer to:* Acute accent* Acute angle* Acute * Acute * Acute toxicity... , acupuncture Acupuncture Acupuncture is a type of alternative medicine that treats patients by insertion and manipulation of solid, generally thin needles in the body.... , acutifoliate |
| acr(i)- | sharp, pungent, bitter | Latin | acer, acris | acrid, acrimony |
| acr(o)- | height, summit, tip | Greek | ἄκρος (ákros) "high", "extreme" | acrobatics Acrobatics Acrobatics is the performance of extraordinary feats of balance, agility and motor coordination. It can be found in many of the performing arts, as well as many sports... , acromegaly Acromegaly Acromegaly is a syndrome that results when the anterior pituitary gland produces excess growth hormone after epiphyseal plate closure at puberty... , acronym, acrophobia Acrophobia Acrophobia is an extreme or irrational fear of heights. It belongs to a category of specific phobias, called space and motion discomfort that share both similar etiology and options for treatment.Most people experience a degree of natural fear when exposed to heights, especially if there is little... , |
| ad-, a-, ac-, af-, ag-, al-, ap-, ar-, as-, at- | movement to or toward; in addition to | Latin | ad "to", "toward" | adapt, affect, ascend, accept |
| adip- | fat | Latin | adeps, adipis "fat" | adipose |
| aer-, aero- | air, atmosphere | Greek | ἀήρ (aer) "air" | aeronautics Aeronautics Aeronautics is the science involved with the study, design, and manufacturing of airflight-capable machines, or the techniques of operating aircraft and rocketry within the atmosphere... , aerosol |
| aesthet- | feeling, sensation | Greek | aisthētikos "of sense perception" from αἰσθάνεσθαι (aisthanesthai) "to perceive" | aesthetics Aesthetics Aesthetics is a branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of beauty, art, and taste, and with the creation and appreciation of beauty. It is more scientifically defined as the study of sensory or sensori-emotional values, sometimes called judgments of sentiment and taste... , anaesthetic |
| agri-, -egri- | field | Latin | ager, agris "field, country" | agriculture Agriculture Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the... , peregrine |
| agro- | field | Greek | ἀγρός (agros) "field" | agronomy Agronomy Agronomy is the science and technology of producing and using plants for food, fuel, feed, fiber, and reclamation. Agronomy encompasses work in the areas of plant genetics, plant physiology, meteorology, and soil science. Agronomy is the application of a combination of sciences like biology,... |
| alb- | dull white White White is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light that stimulates all three types of color sensitive cone cells in the human eye in nearly equal amounts and with high brightness compared to the surroundings. A white visual stimulation will be void of hue and grayness.White light can be... |
Latin | albus | albedo Albedo Albedo , or reflection coefficient, is the diffuse reflectivity or reflecting power of a surface. It is defined as the ratio of reflected radiation from the surface to incident radiation upon it... , albino, albumen |
| am-, amat-, amor- | love, loved | Latin | amor "love" from amāre "to love" | amateur Amateur An amateur is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science, without pay and often without formal training.... , amorous |
| ambi- | both, on both sides | Latin | ambi "on both sides" | ambidexterity Ambidexterity Ambidexterity is the state of being equally adept in the use of both left and right appendages . It is one of the most famous varieties of cross-dominance. People that are naturally ambidextrous are rare, with only one out of one hundred people being naturally ambidextrous... , ambivalent |
| amic-, -imic- | friend | Latin | amicus | amicable, inimical |
| amphi- | around, about, both, on both sides of, both kinds | Greek | ἀμφί amphi "on both sides" | amphibian Amphibian Amphibians , are a class of vertebrate animals including animals such as toads, frogs, caecilians, and salamanders. They are characterized as non-amniote ectothermic tetrapods... , amphibolic Amphibolic The term amphibolic is used to describe a biochemical pathway that involves both catabolism and anabolism. The citric acid cycle is a good example. The first reaction of the cycle, in which oxaloacetate condenses with acetate to form citrate is typically anabolic... |
| ampl- | ample | Latin | amplus | amplification |
| an-, a- | not, without | Greek | Greek ἀν-/ἀ- "not" | anhydrous Anhydrous As a general term, a substance is said to be anhydrous if it contains no water. The way of achieving the anhydrous form differs from one substance to another... , atypical |
| ana-, an- | again, against, back, up | Greek | from Greek prefix ἀνά- ana- "again", "against" | anabaptist Anabaptist Anabaptists are Protestant Christians of the Radical Reformation of 16th-century Europe, and their direct descendants, particularly the Amish, Brethren, Hutterites, and Mennonites.... , anaphylaxis Anaphylaxis Anaphylaxis is defined as "a serious allergic reaction that is rapid in onset and may cause death". It typically results in a number of symptoms including throat swelling, an itchy rash, and low blood pressure... , anion, anode Anode An anode is an electrode through which electric current flows into a polarized electrical device. Mnemonic: ACID .... |
| andro- | male, masculine | Greek | ἀνδρός andros | android Android (disambiguation) Android commonly refers to:* Android , designed to resemble a human* Android , for mobile devices, produced by GoogleAndroid may also refer to:* Android , published by Fantasy Flight Games... , androgen Androgen Androgen, also called androgenic hormone or testoid, is the generic term for any natural or synthetic compound, usually a steroid hormone, that stimulates or controls the development and maintenance of male characteristics in vertebrates by binding to androgen receptors... |
| anemo- | wind | Greek | ἄνεμος anemos | anemometer Anemometer An anemometer is a device for measuring wind speed, and is a common weather station instrument. The term is derived from the Greek word anemos, meaning wind, and is used to describe any airspeed measurement instrument used in meteorology or aerodynamics... |
| anima- | breath | Latin | anima "breath" | animal Animal Animals are a major group of multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and... , animation Animation Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways... |
| ann-, -enn- | year, yearly | Latin | annus "year" | anniversary Anniversary An anniversary is a day that commemorates or celebrates a past event that occurred on the same day of the year as the initial event. For example, the first event is the initial occurrence or, if planned, the inaugural of the event. One year later would be the first anniversary of that event... , annual, biannual, millennium Millennium A millennium is a period of time equal to one thousand years —from the Latin phrase , thousand, and , year—often but not necessarily related numerically to a particular dating system.... |
| ant-, anti- | against, opposed to, preventive | Greek | ἀντί anti "against" | antagonist Antagonist An antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend... , antibiotic Antibiotic An antibacterial is a compound or substance that kills or slows down the growth of bacteria.The term is often used synonymously with the term antibiotic; today, however, with increased knowledge of the causative agents of various infectious diseases, antibiotic has come to denote a broader range of... , antipodes Antipodes In geography, the antipodes of any place on Earth is the point on the Earth's surface which is diametrically opposite to it. Two points that are antipodal to one another are connected by a straight line running through the centre of the Earth.... |
| ante-, anti- | before, in front of, prior to | Latin | ante "before", "against" | antebellum Pre-war The term pre-war or prewar is usually applied to the most recent or significant war in a culture's history.Antebellum is most often used to denote the period before the American Civil War while pre-war typically refers to the period before WWII.In real estate the term refers to buildings from the... , antediluvian Antediluvian The antediluvian period meaning "before the deluge" is the period referred to in the Bible between the Creation of the Earth and the Deluge . The narrative takes up chapters 1-6 of Genesis... , anticipate, antiquarian Antiquarian An antiquarian or antiquary is an aficionado or student of antiquities or things of the past. More specifically, the term is used for those who study history with particular attention to ancient objects of art or science, archaeological and historic sites, or historic archives and manuscripts... |
| anth-, antho- | flower | Greek | ἄνθος anthos "flower" | anther, anthology Anthology An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts... |
| anthropo- | human | Greek | ἄνθρωπος anthropos "man" | anthropology Anthropology Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German... , anthropomorphic |
| apo- | away from, separate, at the farthest point | Greek | ἀπό apo "from, away, un-, quite" | apogee, apostasy Apostasy Apostasy , 'a defection or revolt', from ἀπό, apo, 'away, apart', στάσις, stasis, 'stand, 'standing') is the formal disaffiliation from or abandonment or renunciation of a religion by a person. One who commits apostasy is known as an apostate. These terms have a pejorative implication in everyday... , apocrine Apocrine Apocrine is a term used to classify exocrine glands in the study of histology. Cells which are classified as apocrine bud their secretions off through the plasma membrane producing membrane-bound vesicles in the lumen. This method is also called decapitation secretion... |
| aqu- | water | Latin | aqua | aquamarine, aquarium Aquarium An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants... , aqueduct Aqueduct An aqueduct is a water supply or navigable channel constructed to convey water. In modern engineering, the term is used for any system of pipes, ditches, canals, tunnels, and other structures used for this purpose.... |
| ar- | plow, till | Latin | ărāre | arable Arable land In geography and agriculture, arable land is land that can be used for growing crops. It includes all land under temporary crops , temporary meadows for mowing or pasture, land under market and kitchen gardens and land temporarily fallow... |
| ar- | be dry | Latin | ārēre "be dry or parched" | arid Arid A region is said to be arid when it is characterized by a severe lack of available water, to the extent of hindering or even preventing the growth and development of plant and animal life... |
| arche-, archi- | ruler | Greek | ἀρχή arche "rule" (in compounds: ἀρχε-, ἀρχι-) | archangel Archangel An archangel is an angel of high rank. Archangels are found in a number of religious traditions, including Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Michael and Gabriel are recognized as archangels in Judaism and by most Christians. Michael is the only archangel specifically named in the Protestant Bible... , archetype Archetype An archetype is a universally understood symbol or term or pattern of behavior, a prototype upon which others are copied, patterned, or emulated... |
| archaeo-, archeo- | ancient | Greek | ἀρχαῖος arkhaios "ancient" from arkhē "beginning" | archaeology Archaeology Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes... or archeology, archaic |
| arct(o)- | Relating to the North Pole or the region near it; relating to cold; used as the scientific name of some bear species, e.g. Ursus arctos horribilis Grizzly Bear The grizzly bear , also known as the silvertip bear, the grizzly, or the North American brown bear, is a subspecies of brown bear that generally lives in the uplands of western North America... |
Greek | ἄρκτος arktos "bear" | Arctic Ocean Arctic Ocean The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic north polar region, is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major oceanic divisions... |
| argent- | silver | Latin | argentum | argent, Argentina Argentina Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires... |
| arist(o)- | excellence | Greek | ἀρετή, ἄριστος arete, aristos | aristocracy Aristocracy Aristocracy , is a form of government in which a few elite citizens rule. The term derives from the Greek aristokratia, meaning "rule of the best". In origin in Ancient Greece, it was conceived of as rule by the best qualified citizens, and contrasted with monarchy... |
| arthr(o)- | joint | Greek | ἄρθρον arthron | arthritis Arthritis Arthritis is a form of joint disorder that involves inflammation of one or more joints.... , arthropod Arthropod An arthropod is an invertebrate animal having an exoskeleton , a segmented body, and jointed appendages. Arthropods are members of the phylum Arthropoda , and include the insects, arachnids, crustaceans, and others... |
| astr-, astro- | star, star-shaped | Greek | ἄστρον astron "star" | asterisk Asterisk An asterisk is a typographical symbol or glyph. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a star. Computer scientists and mathematicians often pronounce it as star... , astrology Astrology Astrology consists of a number of belief systems which hold that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world... , astronomy Astronomy Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth... , disaster Disaster A disaster is a natural or man-made hazard that has come to fruition, resulting in an event of substantial extent causing significant physical damage or destruction, loss of life, or drastic change to the environment... |
| athl- | prize | Greek | ἄθλος athlos "contest, feat" | athlete, pentathlon |
| aud(i)- | hearing, listening, sound | Latin | audire "to hear" | auditorium Auditorium An auditorium is a room built to enable an audience to hear and watch performances at venues such as theatres. For movie theaters, the number of auditoriums is expressed as the number of screens.- Etymology :... , auditory |
| aug-, auct- | grow, increase | Latin | augēre, auctus "to increase" | augmentation Augment Augment or augmentation may refer to:*Augment , a syllable added to the beginning of the word in certain Indo-European languages*Augmentation , heraldic modifications... |
| aur- | relating to gold, or gold-colored | Latin | aurum "gold" | aureole |
| auri- | relating to the ear | Latin | auris "ear" | auricle |
| aut- , auto- | self; directed from within | Greek | αὐτός (autos) "self", "same" | automobile Automobile An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor... , autonomy |
| avi- | bird | Latin | avis | aviary Aviary An aviary is a large enclosure for confining birds. Unlike cages, aviaries allow birds a larger living space where they can fly; hence, aviaries are also sometimes known as flight cages... , aviation |
| axi- | axis | Latin | axis | axisymmetry |
| axio- | merit | Greek | ἄξιος (axios) "worth" | axiology Axiology Axiology is the philosophical study of value. It is either the collective term for ethics and aesthetics—philosophical fields that depend crucially on notions of value—or the foundation for these fields, and thus similar to value theory and meta-ethics... |
B
| Root | Meaning in English | Origin language | Etymology (root origin) | English examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| bac- | rod-shaped | Latin | from baculum "rod" | bacilla, bacteria Bacteria Bacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals... |
| baro- | weight Weight In science and engineering, the weight of an object is the force on the object due to gravity. Its magnitude , often denoted by an italic letter W, is the product of the mass m of the object and the magnitude of the local gravitational acceleration g; thus:... , pressure Pressure Pressure is the force per unit area applied in a direction perpendicular to the surface of an object. Gauge pressure is the pressure relative to the local atmospheric or ambient pressure.- Definition :... |
Greek | βάρος (baros) | barometer Barometer A barometer is a scientific instrument used in meteorology to measure atmospheric pressure. Pressure tendency can forecast short term changes in the weather... , barograph, baroreceptor |
| basi- | at the bottom | Greek | from βαίνω, I walk, march, βάσις "step" | basic, basis |
| bathy-, batho- | deep, depth | Greek | βαθύς (bathús, bathýs) | batholith Batholith A batholith is a large emplacement of igneous intrusive rock that forms from cooled magma deep in the Earth's crust... , bathyscaphe Bathyscaphe A bathyscaphe is a free-diving self-propelled deep-sea submersible, consisting of a crew cabin similar to a bathysphere, but suspended below a float rather than from a surface cable, as in the classic bathysphere design.... |
| be-, beat- | bless | Latin | beare, beatus | beatification Beatification Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process... |
| bell(i)- | war | Latin | bellum, belli | antebellum, bellicose, belligerent Belligerent A belligerent is an individual, group, country or other entity which acts in a hostile manner, such as engaging in combat. Belligerent comes from Latin, literally meaning "to wage war"... |
| ben- | good, well | Latin | bene (adverb) | benefit, benignity Benignity Benignity [from Latin benignus , from bonus + genus ] is a medical term used to describe a condition that is harmless... |
| bi- | two | Latin | bis, "twice"; bini, "in twos" | binary Binary - Mathematics :* Binary numeral system, a representation for numbers using only two digits * Binary function, a function in mathematics that takes two arguments- Computing :* Binary file, composed of something other than human-readable text... , binoculars Binoculars Binoculars, field glasses or binocular telescopes are a pair of identical or mirror-symmetrical telescopes mounted side-by-side and aligned to point accurately in the same direction, allowing the viewer to use both eyes when viewing distant objects... , bigamy Bigamy In cultures that practice marital monogamy, bigamy is the act of entering into a marriage with one person while still legally married to another. Bigamy is a crime in most western countries, and when it occurs in this context often neither the first nor second spouse is aware of the other... , biscotti Biscotti Biscotti more correctly known as biscotti di Prato , also known as cantuccini , are twice-baked biscuits originating in the Italian city of Prato... |
| bib- | drink | Latin | bibere, bibitus | imbibe |
| bibl- | book Book A book is a set or collection of written, printed, illustrated, or blank sheets, made of hot lava, paper, parchment, or other materials, usually fastened together to hinge at one side. A single sheet within a book is called a leaf or leaflet, and each side of a leaf is called a page... |
Greek | βιβλίον (biblíon) "book" | bibliography Bibliography Bibliography , as a practice, is the academic study of books as physical, cultural objects; in this sense, it is also known as bibliology... , bible |
| bi(o)- | life Life Life is a characteristic that distinguishes objects that have signaling and self-sustaining processes from those that do not, either because such functions have ceased , or else because they lack such functions and are classified as inanimate... |
Greek | βίος (bíos) "life" | biology Biology Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines... , biologist, biosphere, biography |
| blenn(o)- | slime | Greek | βλέννος (blennos) | blennophobia, blennosperma Blennosperma Blennosperma is a genus of plants which contains only three species. They are known commonly as stickyseeds; indeed, the name Blennosperma is Greek for "slimy seed." Two of these species are endemic to California in the United States... |
| blast- | germ Germ cell A germ cell is any biological cell that gives rise to the gametes of an organism that reproduces sexually. In many animals, the germ cells originate near the gut of an embryo and migrate to the developing gonads. There, they undergo cell division of two types, mitosis and meiosis, followed by... , embryo, bud, cell with nucleus |
Greek | βλασταίνω, "I put forth shoots" | sideroblast, fibroblast Fibroblast A fibroblast is a type of cell that synthesizes the extracellular matrix and collagen, the structural framework for animal tissues, and plays a critical role in wound healing... , osteoblast Osteoblast Osteoblasts are mononucleate cells that are responsible for bone formation; in essence, osteoblasts are specialized fibroblasts that in addition to fibroblastic products, express bone sialoprotein and osteocalcin.Osteoblasts produce a matrix of osteoid, which is composed mainly of Type I collagen... , blastula Blastula The blastula is a hollow sphere of cells formed during an early stage of embryonic development in animals . The blastula is created when the zygote undergoes the cell division process known as cleavage. The blastula is preceded by the morula and is followed by the gastrula in the developmental... |
| bon(i)- | good | Latin | bonus | bonify, bonitary |
| bor- | north North North is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.North is one of the four cardinal directions or compass points. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west.By convention, the top side of a map is north.... |
Greek / Latin (boreas) | Greek βορρᾶς (borras) "the north wind" | borealis |
| botan- | plant Plant Plants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Precise definitions of the kingdom vary, but as the term is used here, plants include familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The group is also called green plants or... |
Greek | βοτάνη, βότανον (botanē, botanon) | botany Botany Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses... |
| bov- | cow, ox Ox An ox , also known as a bullock in Australia, New Zealand and India, is a bovine trained as a draft animal. Oxen are commonly castrated adult male cattle; castration makes the animals more tractable... |
Latin | bos, bovis | bovine |
| brachi(o)- | arm Arm In human anatomy, the arm is the part of the upper limb between the shoulder and the elbow joints. In other animals, the term arm can also be used for analogous structures, such as one of the paired forelimbs of a four-legged animal or the arms of cephalopods... |
Greek | βραχίων (brakhíōn) | brachial artery Brachial artery The brachial artery is the major blood vessel of the arm.It is the continuation of the axillary artery beyond the lower margin of teres major muscle. It continues down the ventral surface of the arm until it reaches the cubital fossa at the elbow. It then divides into the radial and ulnar arteries... , brachiosaurus Brachiosaurus Brachiosaurus is a genus of sauropod dinosaur from the Jurassic Morrison Formation of North America. It was first described by Elmer S. Riggs in 1903 from fossils found in the Grand River Canyon of western Colorado, in the United States. Riggs named the dinosaur Brachiosaurus altithorax,... |
| brachy- | short | Greek | βραχύς (brakhús, brakhýs) | brachydactyly Brachydactyly Brachydactyly , is a medical term which literally means "shortness of the fingers and toes" . The shortness is relative to the length of other long bones and other parts of the body. Brachydactyly is an inherited, usually dominant trait... |
| brady- | slow | Greek | βραδύς (bradús, bradýs) | bradycardia Bradycardia Bradycardia , in the context of adult medicine, is the resting heart rate of under 60 beats per minute, though it is seldom symptomatic until the rate drops below 50 beat/min. It may cause cardiac arrest in some patients, because those with bradycardia may not be pumping enough oxygen to their heart... |
| branchi- | gill Gill A gill is a respiratory organ found in many aquatic organisms that extracts dissolved oxygen from water, afterward excreting carbon dioxide. The gills of some species such as hermit crabs have adapted to allow respiration on land provided they are kept moist... |
Greek | βράγχιον (brágkhion, bránkhion) | branchiopod, nudibranch Nudibranch A nudibranch is a member of what is now a taxonomic clade, and what was previously a suborder, of soft-bodied, marine gastropod mollusks which shed their shell after their larval stage. They are noted for their often extraordinary colors and striking forms... |
| brev(i)- | brief, short (time) | Latin | brevis, breviare | abbreviation Abbreviation An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase. Usually, but not always, it consists of a letter or group of letters taken from the word or phrase... , brevity |
| briz- | nod, slumber | Greek | βρίζω (brizō) | |
| brom- | oats OATS OATS - Open Source Assistive Technology Software - is a source code repository or "forge" for assistive technology software. It was launched in 2006 with the goal to provide a one-stop “shop” for end users, clinicians and open-source developers to promote and develop open source assistive... |
Greek | βρόμος, βρόμη (brómos, bróme) "oats" | Bromus ramosus |
| brom- | stench | Greek | βρόμος (brómos) "stench, clangor" | bromide Bromide A bromide is a chemical compound containing bromide ion, that is bromine atom with effective charge of −1. The class name can include ionic compounds such as caesium bromide or covalent compounds such as sulfur dibromide.-Natural occurrence:... |
| bronch- | windpipe | Greek | βρόγχος (brógkhos, brónkhos) | bronchitis Bronchitis Acute bronchitis is an inflammation of the large bronchi in the lungs that is usually caused by viruses or bacteria and may last several days or weeks. Characteristic symptoms include cough, sputum production, and shortness of breath and wheezing related to the obstruction of the inflamed airways... , bronchus, bronchiole |
| bront- | thunder Thunder Thunder is the sound made by lightning. Depending on the nature of the lightning and distance of the listener, thunder can range from a sharp, loud crack to a long, low rumble . The sudden increase in pressure and temperature from lightning produces rapid expansion of the air surrounding and within... |
Greek | βροντή (brontē) | Brontosaurus Apatosaurus Apatosaurus , also known by the popular but scientifically deprecated synonym Brontosaurus, is a genus of sauropod dinosaur that lived from about 154 to 150 million years ago, during the Jurassic Period . It was one of the largest land animals that ever existed, with an average length of and a... |
| bucc- | cheek, mouth Mouth The mouth is the first portion of the alimentary canal that receives food andsaliva. The oral mucosa is the mucous membrane epithelium lining the inside of the mouth.... , cavity |
Latin | bucca | buccal, buccinator muscle Buccinator muscle The buccinator is a thin quadrilateral muscle, occupying the interval between the maxilla and the mandible at the side of the face.-Action:Its purpose is to pull back the angle of the mouth and to flatten the cheek area, which aids in holding the cheek to the teeth during chewing.It aids whistling... |
| bulb- | bulbous | Latin | bulbus | bulbous, bulbule |
| bull- | bubble, flask | Latin | bulla, "bubble" | ebullient, ebullism Ebullism Ebullism is the formation of gas bubbles in bodily fluids due to reduced environmental pressure, for example at high altitude. It occurs because a system of liquid and gas at equilibrium will see a net conversion of liquid to gas as pressure lowers, for example, liquids reach their boiling point... |
| burs- | pouch Pouch Pouch may refer to:* A small bag such as a pocket, teabag, money pouch, sporran, etc* Cadaver pouch, body bag * Diplomatic pouch* Electric heating pouch, medical apparatus, electric heating device for curative treatment... , purse |
Latin | bursa | bursar Bursar A bursar is a senior professional financial administrator in a school or university.Billing of student tuition accounts are the responsibility of the Office of the Bursar. This involves sending bills and making payment plans with the ultimate goal of getting the student accounts paid off... , bursary Bursary A bursary is strictly an office for a bursar and his or her staff in a school or college.In modern English usage, the term has become synonymous with "bursary award", a monetary award made by an institution to an individual or a group to assist the development of their education.According to The... , disburse, bursa |
C
| Root | Meaning in English | Origin language | Etymology (root origin) | English examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| cac(o)- | bad | Greek | κακός (kakos) | cacophony |
| cad-, -cid-, cas- | fall | Latin | cadere, casus | accident, cadence Cadence (music) In Western musical theory, a cadence is, "a melodic or harmonic configuration that creates a sense of repose or resolution [finality or pause]." A harmonic cadence is a progression of two chords that concludes a phrase, section, or piece of music... , case Grammatical case In grammar, the case of a noun or pronoun is an inflectional form that indicates its grammatical function in a phrase, clause, or sentence. For example, a pronoun may play the role of subject , of direct object , or of possessor... |
| caed-, -cid-, caes-, -cis- | cut | Latin | caedere, caesus | caesura Caesura thumb|100px|An example of a caesura in modern western music notation.In meter, a caesura is a complete pause in a line of poetry or in a musical composition. The plural form of caesura is caesuras or caesurae... , incisor Incisor Incisors are the first kind of tooth in heterodont mammals. They are located in the premaxilla above and mandible below.-Function:... , caesarean |
| calc- | stone Rock (geology) In geology, rock or stone is a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids.The Earth's outer solid layer, the lithosphere, is made of rock. In general rocks are of three types, namely, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic... |
Latin and Greek | from Latin calx "lime", and from Greek χάλιξ (khalix) "pebble" "limestone" | calculus Calculus Calculus is a branch of mathematics focused on limits, functions, derivatives, integrals, and infinite series. This subject constitutes a major part of modern mathematics education. It has two major branches, differential calculus and integral calculus, which are related by the fundamental theorem... , calcite Calcite Calcite is a carbonate mineral and the most stable polymorph of calcium carbonate . The other polymorphs are the minerals aragonite and vaterite. Aragonite will change to calcite at 380-470°C, and vaterite is even less stable.-Properties:... , calcium Calcium Calcium is the chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. It has an atomic mass of 40.078 amu. Calcium is a soft gray alkaline earth metal, and is the fifth-most-abundant element by mass in the Earth's crust... |
| calli- | beautiful Beauty Beauty is a characteristic of a person, animal, place, object, or idea that provides a perceptual experience of pleasure, meaning, or satisfaction. Beauty is studied as part of aesthetics, sociology, social psychology, and culture... |
Greek | from Greek κάλλος kallos "beauty" | calligraphy Calligraphy Calligraphy is a type of visual art. It is often called the art of fancy lettering . A contemporary definition of calligraphic practice is "the art of giving form to signs in an expressive, harmonious and skillful manner"... |
| calor- | heat | Latin | calor "heat" | calorie Calorie The calorie is a pre-SI metric unit of energy. It was first defined by Nicolas Clément in 1824 as a unit of heat, entering French and English dictionaries between 1841 and 1867. In most fields its use is archaic, having been replaced by the SI unit of energy, the joule... |
| calyp- | cover | Greek | καλύπτειν (kaluptein) | apocalypse Apocalypse An Apocalypse is a disclosure of something hidden from the majority of mankind in an era dominated by falsehood and misconception, i.e. the veil to be lifted. The Apocalypse of John is the Book of Revelation, the last book of the New Testament... |
| camer- | vault | Latin | camera | bicameral, camera Camera A camera is a device that records and stores images. These images may be still photographs or moving images such as videos or movies. The term camera comes from the camera obscura , an early mechanism for projecting images... |
| camp- | field | Latin | campus "field", "level ground" | champion Champion A champion is the victor in a challenge, contest or competition.There can be a territorial pyramid of championships, e.g. local, regional / provincial, state, national, continental and world championships, and even further divisions at one or more of these levels, as in soccer. Their champions... , campaign |
| can(i)- | dog Dog The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in... |
Latin | canis "dog" | canine Canidae Canidae is the biological family of carnivorous and omnivorous mammals that includes wolves, foxes, jackals, coyotes, and domestic dogs. A member of this family is called a canid . The Canidae family is divided into two tribes: Canini and Vulpini... , Canis Major Canis Major Canis Major is one of the 88 modern constellations, and was included in the 2nd-century astronomer Ptolemy's 48 constellations. Its name is Latin for 'greater dog', and is commonly represented as one of the dogs following Orion the hunter... |
| can-, -cin-, cant- | sing | Latin | canere "sing" | cantata Cantata A cantata is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir.... , canto Canto The canto is a principal form of division in a long poem, especially the epic. The word comes from Italian, meaning "song" or singing. Famous examples of epic poetry which employ the canto division are Lord Byron's Don Juan, Valmiki's Ramayana , Dante's The Divine Comedy , and Ezra Pound's The... , cantor |
| cand- | glowing, iridescent | Latin | candere "to be white or glisten" | candid, incandescent, candle, candela Candela The candela is the SI base unit of luminous intensity; that is, power emitted by a light source in a particular direction, weighted by the luminosity function . A common candle emits light with a luminous intensity of roughly one candela... |
| cap-, -cip-, capt-, -cept- | hold, take | Latin | capere, captus "take or hold" (note the vowel change from a to i in compounds) | capture, captive, conception, recipient |
| capit-, -cipit- | head | Latin | caput, capitis "head" | capital, decapitation Decapitation Decapitation is the separation of the head from the body. Beheading typically refers to the act of intentional decapitation, e.g., as a means of murder or execution; it may be accomplished, for example, with an axe, sword, knife, wire, or by other more sophisticated means such as a guillotine... , precipitation Precipitation (meteorology) In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation... |
| capr- | goat | Latin | caper, capri | Capricorn, caprine |
| caps- | box, case | Latin | capsa | capsule |
| carbo- | coal | Latin | carbo, carbonis | carbon Carbon Carbon is the chemical element with symbol C and atomic number 6. As a member of group 14 on the periodic table, it is nonmetallic and tetravalent—making four electrons available to form covalent chemical bonds... |
| carcer- | jail | Latin | carcer, carcerare | incarceration Incarceration Incarceration is the detention of a person in prison, typically as punishment for a crime .People are most commonly incarcerated upon suspicion or conviction of committing a crime, and different jurisdictions have differing laws governing the function of incarceration within a larger system of... |
| carcin- | cancer (disease) | Latin from Greek | Latin from Greek καρκίνος (karkinos) "crab" | carcinoma Carcinoma Carcinoma is the medical term for the most common type of cancer occurring in humans. Put simply, a carcinoma is a cancer that begins in a tissue that lines the inner or outer surfaces of the body, and that generally arises from cells originating in the endodermal or ectodermal germ layer during... , carcinogenic |
| cardi(o)- | relating to the heart | Greek | καρδιά kardia "heart" | cardiology Cardiology Cardiology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the heart . The field includes diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart defects, coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular heart disease and electrophysiology... , cardiograph |
| cardin- | hinge | Latin | cardo, cardinis | cardinal |
| carn- | flesh | Latin | caro, carnis | carnival, carnivore Carnivore A carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of animal tissue, whether through predation or scavenging... |
| carp(o)- | relating to fruit | Greek | from Greek καρπός (karpos) "fruit" | carpology, carpals |
| carp- | relating to the wrist | Greek | from Greek καρπός (karpos) "wrist" | carpal, carpal tunnel syndrome Carpal tunnel syndrome Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is an entrapment idiopathic median neuropathy, causing paresthesia, pain, and other symptoms in the distribution of the median nerve due to its compression at the wrist in the carpal tunnel. The pathophysiology is not completely understood but can be considered compression... |
| cata-, cat- | down, descent or 'way down' | Greek | from Greek κατά (katá) "down", κάθοδος (kathodos) "descent" or "way down" | catastrophe, catatonia Catatonia Catatonia is a state of neurogenic motor immobility, and behavioral abnormality manifested by stupor. It was first described in 1874: Die Katatonie oder das Spannungsirresein .... , catabolic, catalyst, cathode Cathode A cathode is an electrode through which electric current flows out of a polarized electrical device. Mnemonic: CCD .Cathode polarity is not always negative... , cation |
| caten- | chain | Latin | catena | concatenation Concatenation In computer programming, string concatenation is the operation of joining two character strings end-to-end. For example, the strings "snow" and "ball" may be concatenated to give "snowball"... |
| cathar- | pure | Greek | καθαρός (katharos) | catharsis Catharsis Catharsis or katharsis is a Greek word meaning "cleansing" or "purging". It is derived from the verb καθαίρειν, kathairein, "to purify, purge," and it is related to the adjective καθαρός, katharos, "pure or clean."-Dramatic uses:... |
| caud- | tail | Latin | cauda | caudal |
| cause-, cuse-, courd | cause or motive | Latin | ||
| cav- | hollow | Latin | cavus "hollow" | cave Cave A cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study... , cavity, excavation |
| ced-, cess- | go | Latin | cedere, cessus | procession, recede |
| celer- | quick | Latin | celer, celerare | acceleration Acceleration In physics, acceleration is the rate of change of velocity with time. In one dimension, acceleration is the rate at which something speeds up or slows down. However, since velocity is a vector, acceleration describes the rate of change of both the magnitude and the direction of velocity. ... , celerity |
| cen(o)- | new | Greek | καινός (kainos) | Cenozoic Cenozoic The Cenozoic era is the current and most recent of the three Phanerozoic geological eras and covers the period from 65.5 mya to the present. The era began in the wake of the Cretaceous–Tertiary extinction event at the end of the Cretaceous that saw the demise of the last non-avian dinosaurs and... |
| cen(o)- | empty | Greek | κενός (kenos) | cenotaph Cenotaph A cenotaph is an "empty tomb" or a monument erected in honour of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere. It can also be the initial tomb for a person who has since been interred elsewhere. The word derives from the Greek κενοτάφιον = kenotaphion... |
| common | Greek | κοινός (koinos) | cenobite, cenospecies | |
| cens- | Latin | censere "to estimate" | census Census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common... |
|
| cent- | hundred | Latin | centum | cent Cent (currency) In many national currencies, the cent is a monetary unit that equals 1⁄100 of the basic monetary unit. Etymologically, the word cent derives from the Latin word "centum" meaning hundred. Cent also refers to a coin which is worth one cent.... , centennial, centurion Centurion A centurion was a professional officer of the Roman army .Centurion may also refer to:-Military:* Centurion tank, British battle tank* HMS Centurion, name of several ships and a shore base of the British Royal Navy... |
| centen- | hundred each | Latin | centeni | centenary |
| centesim- | hundredth | Latin | centesimus | centesimal, centesimation |
| centr- | center | Greek | κέντρον (kéntron) "needle", "spur" | eccentric |
| cephalo- | head | Greek | κεφαλή kephale "head" | cephalopod Cephalopod A cephalopod is any member of the molluscan class Cephalopoda . These exclusively marine animals are characterized by bilateral body symmetry, a prominent head, and a set of arms or tentacles modified from the primitive molluscan foot... , encephalogram, cephalic |
| ceram- | clay | Greek | κέραμος (keramos) | ceramic Ceramic A ceramic is an inorganic, nonmetallic solid prepared by the action of heat and subsequent cooling. Ceramic materials may have a crystalline or partly crystalline structure, or may be amorphous... |
| cerat- | horn Horn (anatomy) A horn is a pointed projection of the skin on the head of various animals, consisting of a covering of horn surrounding a core of living bone. True horns are found mainly among the ruminant artiodactyls, in the families Antilocapridae and Bovidae... |
Greek | κέρας, κέρατος (keras, keratos) "horn" | keratin |
| cern- | sift | Latin | cernere | discern |
| cervic- | relating to the neck, relating to the cervix Cervix The cervix is the lower, narrow portion of the uterus where it joins with the top end of the vagina. It is cylindrical or conical in shape and protrudes through the upper anterior vaginal wall... |
Latin | cervix, cervicis "neck" | cervix Cervix The cervix is the lower, narrow portion of the uterus where it joins with the top end of the vagina. It is cylindrical or conical in shape and protrudes through the upper anterior vaginal wall... , cervical |
| ceter- | other | Latin | ceterus | et cetera Et cetera Et cetera is a Latin expression that means "and other things", or "and so forth". It is taken directly from the Latin expression which literally means "and the rest " and is a loan-translation of the Greek "καὶ τὰ ἕτερα"... |
| chiro- | of the hand or hands | Greek | χείρ kheir "hand" | chiroptera, chiropractic Chiropractic Chiropractic is a health care profession concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disorders of the neuromusculoskeletal system and the effects of these disorders on general health. It is generally categorized as complementary and alternative medicine... , chiral |
| chelono- | relating to a turtle Turtle Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines , characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield... |
Greek | χελώνη khelone "tortoise" | chelonia |
| chloro- | green Green Green is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 520–570 nanometres. In the subtractive color system, it is not a primary color, but is created out of a mixture of yellow and blue, or yellow and cyan; it is considered... |
Greek | from Greek χλωρός khlōros "green" | chlorine, chlorophyll Chlorophyll Chlorophyll is a green pigment found in almost all plants, algae, and cyanobacteria. Its name is derived from the Greek words χλωρος, chloros and φύλλον, phyllon . Chlorophyll is an extremely important biomolecule, critical in photosynthesis, which allows plants to obtain energy from light... , chloroplast Chloroplast Chloroplasts are organelles found in plant cells and other eukaryotic organisms that conduct photosynthesis. Chloroplasts capture light energy to conserve free energy in the form of ATP and reduce NADP to NADPH through a complex set of processes called photosynthesis.Chloroplasts are green... |
| choreo- | relating to dance Dance Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting.... |
Greek | from Greek χορεία khoreia "dancing in unison" from χορός khoros "chorus" | choreography Choreography Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ... |
| chord- | cord | Latin and Greek | chorda "rope" from χορδή (chordē) | chordata |
| chrom- | color Color Color or colour is the visual perceptual property corresponding in humans to the categories called red, green, blue and others. Color derives from the spectrum of light interacting in the eye with the spectral sensitivities of the light receptors... |
Greek | χρῶμα chrōma "color" | chromosome Chromosome A chromosome is an organized structure of DNA and protein found in cells. It is a single piece of coiled DNA containing many genes, regulatory elements and other nucleotide sequences. Chromosomes also contain DNA-bound proteins, which serve to package the DNA and control its functions.Chromosomes... , chromium Chromium Chromium is a chemical element which has the symbol Cr and atomic number 24. It is the first element in Group 6. It is a steely-gray, lustrous, hard metal that takes a high polish and has a high melting point. It is also odorless, tasteless, and malleable... |
| chron- | time Time Time is a part of the measuring system used to sequence events, to compare the durations of events and the intervals between them, and to quantify rates of change such as the motions of objects.... |
Greek | χρόνος chronos | chronic Chronic Chronic may refer to:* Chronic , a disease that is long-lasting and reoccurring.* Chronic toxicity, a substance with toxic effects after continuous or repeated exposure* The Chronic, a 1992 album by Dr. Dre... , chronometer Chronometer Chronometer may refer to:* Chronometer watch, a watch tested and certified to meet certain precision standards* Hydrochronometer, a water clock* Marine chronometer, a timekeeper used for celestial navigation... , chronology Chronology Chronology is the science of arranging events in their order of occurrence in time, such as the use of a timeline or sequence of events. It is also "the determination of the actual temporal sequence of past events".Chronology is part of periodization... |
| chryso- | gold Gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a... |
Greek | χρυσός khrusos "gold" | chrysolite Chrysoberyl The mineral or gemstone chrysoberyl is an aluminate of beryllium with the formula BeAl2O4. The name chrysoberyl is derived from the Greek words χρυσός chrysos and βήρυλλος beryllos, meaning "a gold-white spar". Despite the similarity of their names, chrysoberyl and beryl are two completely... |
| cili- | eyelash Eyelash An eyelash or simply lash is one of the hairs that grow at the edge of the eyelid. Eyelashes protect the eye from debris and perform some of the same function as whiskers do on a cat or a mouse in the sense that they are sensitive to being touched, thus providing a warning that an object is near... |
Latin | cilium | cilia |
| cine- | motion | Greek | κινέω (kineo) | cinema Film A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects... |
| ciner- | ash | Latin | cinis, cineris | incineration Incineration Incineration is a waste treatment process that involves the combustion of organic substances contained in waste materials. Incineration and other high temperature waste treatment systems are described as "thermal treatment". Incineration of waste materials converts the waste into ash, flue gas, and... |
| cing-, cinct- | gird | Latin | cingere, cinctus | succinct |
| circ- | circle | Latin | circus | circus Circus A circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists... |
| circum- | around | Latin | circum "around" | circumference Circumference The circumference is the distance around a closed curve. Circumference is a special perimeter.-Circumference of a circle:The circumference of a circle is the length around it.... , circumcise |
| cirr- | orange | Greek | κιρρός (kirros) | cirrhosis Cirrhosis Cirrhosis is a consequence of chronic liver disease characterized by replacement of liver tissue by fibrosis, scar tissue and regenerative nodules , leading to loss of liver function... |
| cirr- | curl, tentacle Tentacle A tentacle or bothrium is one of usually two or more elongated flexible organs present in animals, especially invertebrates. The term may also refer to the hairs of the leaves of some insectivorous plants. Usually, tentacles are used for feeding, feeling and grasping. Anatomically, they work like... |
Latin | cirrus | cirrus Cirrus cloud Cirrus clouds are atmospheric clouds generally characterized by thin, wispy strands, giving them their name from the Latin word cirrus meaning a ringlet or curling lock of hair... |
| civ- | citizen | Latin | civis | civility |
| clad- | branch | Greek | κλάδος (klados) | clade |
| clar- | clear | Latin | clarus, clarare | clarity, declaration |
| clast- | broken | Greek | κλαστός (klastos) | iconoclast Iconoclasm Iconoclasm is the deliberate destruction of religious icons and other symbols or monuments, usually with religious or political motives. It is a frequent component of major political or religious changes... , osteoclast Osteoclast An osteoclast is a type of bone cell that removes bone tissue by removing its mineralized matrix and breaking up the organic bone . This process is known as bone resorption. Osteoclasts were discovered by Kolliker in 1873... |
| claud-, -clud-, claus-, -clus- | close | Latin | claudere, clausus | clause, exclusion, include |
| clav- | key | Greek | from Greek κλείς kleis "key" from κλείειν, kleiein "to close" | conclave, clavicle |
| cl(e)ist- | closed | Greek | κλειστός kleistos | |
| cleithr- | bar, key | Greek | ||
| clement- | mild | Latin | clemens, clementis | clemency, inclement |
| clin- | bed Bed A bed is a large piece of furniture used as a place to sleep, relax, or engage in sexual relations.Most modern beds consist of a mattress on a bed frame, with the mattress resting either on a solid base, often wooden slats, or a sprung base... , lean, recline |
Latin | -clinare | declination Declination In astronomy, declination is one of the two coordinates of the equatorial coordinate system, the other being either right ascension or hour angle. Declination in astronomy is comparable to geographic latitude, but projected onto the celestial sphere. Declination is measured in degrees north and... , inclined |
| cochl- | shell | Greek | κόχλος (kochlos) | cochlea |
| coel- | hollow | Greek | κοῖλος (koilos) | spongocoel, coelom, blastocoel |
| cogn- | know | Latin | cognoscere | cognitive, cognizant, recognize |
| col- | strain | Latin | colare, colum | colander Colander A colander is a bowl-shaped kitchen utensil with holes in it used for draining food such as pasta or rice.The perforated nature of the colander allows liquid to drain through while retaining the solids inside... |
| coll- | hill Hill A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills often have a distinct summit, although in areas with scarp/dip topography a hill may refer to a particular section of flat terrain without a massive summit A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills... |
Latin | collis | |
| coll- | neck Neck The neck is the part of the body, on many terrestrial or secondarily aquatic vertebrates, that distinguishes the head from the torso or trunk. The adjective signifying "of the neck" is cervical .-Boner anatomy: The cervical spine:The cervical portion of the human spine comprises seven boney... |
Latin | collum | collar Collar (clothing) In clothing, a collar is the part of a shirt, dress, coat or blouse that fastens around or frames the neck. Among clothing construction professionals, a collar is differentiated from other necklines such as revers and lapels, by being made from a separate piece of fabric, rather than a folded or... |
| color- | color | Latin | color | coloration |
| con-, co-, col-, com-, cor- | with, together | Latin | cum | connect, collide, compress |
| condi- | season | Latin | condire | condiment Condiment A condiment is an edible substance, such as sauce or seasoning, added to food to impart a particular flavor, enhance its flavor, or in some cultures, to complement the dish. Many condiments are available packaged in single-serving sachets , like mustard or ketchup, particularly when supplied with... |
| con(o)- | cone Cone (geometry) A cone is an n-dimensional geometric shape that tapers smoothly from a base to a point called the apex or vertex. Formally, it is the solid figure formed by the locus of all straight line segments that join the apex to the base... |
Greek | κῶνος (konos) | conic, conical |
| contra- | against | Latin | contra | contrast, contradict ("say against") |
| copro- | dung Feces Feces, faeces, or fæces is a waste product from an animal's digestive tract expelled through the anus or cloaca during defecation.-Etymology:... |
Greek | κόπρος (kopros) | coprolite, coprophagia, coprophilia |
| corac- | raven Raven Raven is the common name given to several larger-bodied members of the genus Corvus—but in Europe and North America the Common Raven is normally implied... |
Greek | κόραξ, κόρακος (korax, korakos) | coracoid |
| cord- | heart | Latin | cor, cordis | accord, cordial |
| corn- | horn | Latin | cornu | cornea Cornea The cornea is the transparent front part of the eye that covers the iris, pupil, and anterior chamber. Together with the lens, the cornea refracts light, with the cornea accounting for approximately two-thirds of the eye's total optical power. In humans, the refractive power of the cornea is... , cornucopia Cornucopia The cornucopia or horn of plenty is a symbol of abundance and nourishment, commonly a large horn-shaped container overflowing with produce, flowers, nuts, other edibles, or wealth in some form... , unicorn Unicorn The unicorn is a legendary animal from European folklore that resembles a white horse with a large, pointed, spiraling horn projecting from its forehead, and sometimes a goat's beard... , cornified |
| coron- | crown Crown (headgear) A crown is the traditional symbolic form of headgear worn by a monarch or by a deity, for whom the crown traditionally represents power, legitimacy, immortality, righteousness, victory, triumph, resurrection, honour and glory of life after death. In art, the crown may be shown being offered to... |
Latin | corona, coronare | corona Corona A corona is a type of plasma "atmosphere" of the Sun or other celestial body, extending millions of kilometers into space, most easily seen during a total solar eclipse, but also observable in a coronagraph... , coronation Coronation A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia... |
| corpor- | body Body With regard to living things, a body is the physical body of an individual. "Body" often is used in connection with appearance, health issues and death... |
Latin | corpus, corporis | corporation Corporation A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter... , corpse, corpuscle |
| cortic- | bark Bark Bark is the outermost layers of stems and roots of woody plants. Plants with bark include trees, woody vines and shrubs. Bark refers to all the tissues outside of the vascular cambium and is a nontechnical term. It overlays the wood and consists of the inner bark and the outer bark. The inner... |
Latin | cortex, corticis | corticosteriod |
| cosm(o)- | universe Universe The Universe is commonly defined as the totality of everything that exists, including all matter and energy, the planets, stars, galaxies, and the contents of intergalactic space. Definitions and usage vary and similar terms include the cosmos, the world and nature... |
Greek | κόσμος (kosmos) | cosmonaut |
| cosmet(o)- | Greek | κοσμητ- (kosmet-) | cosmetics Cosmetics Cosmetics are substances used to enhance the appearance or odor of the human body. Cosmetics include skin-care creams, lotions, powders, perfumes, lipsticks, fingernail and toe nail polish, eye and facial makeup, towelettes, permanent waves, colored contact lenses, hair colors, hair sprays and... , cosmetology Cosmetology Cosmetology is the study and application of beauty treatment. Branches of specialty including hairstyling, skin care, cosmetics, manicures/pedicures, and electrology.... |
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| cost- | rib Rib In vertebrate anatomy, ribs are the long curved bones which form the rib cage. In most vertebrates, ribs surround the chest, enabling the lungs to expand and thus facilitate breathing by expanding the chest cavity. They serve to protect the lungs, heart, and other internal organs of the thorax... |
Latin | costa | costal |
| cotyl- | cup | Greek | κοτύλη (kotulē) | cotyledon Cotyledon A cotyledon , is a significant part of the embryo within the seed of a plant. Upon germination, the cotyledon may become the embryonic first leaves of a seedling. The number of cotyledons present is one characteristic used by botanists to classify the flowering plants... |
| -cracy, -crat | government/rule/authority | Greek | κράτος (kratos) | democracy |
| crani- | skull Skull The skull is a bony structure in the head of many animals that supports the structures of the face and forms a cavity for the brain.The skull is composed of two parts: the cranium and the mandible. A skull without a mandible is only a cranium. Animals that have skulls are called craniates... |
Greek | κρανίον (kranion) | cranium |
| crass- | thick | Latin | crassus | crassitude |
| cre- | make | Latin | creare, creatus | creation, creature Organism In biology, an organism is any contiguous living system . In at least some form, all organisms are capable of response to stimuli, reproduction, growth and development, and maintenance of homoeostasis as a stable whole.An organism may either be unicellular or, as in the case of humans, comprise... |
| cred- | believe, trust | Latin | credere, creditus | credibility, credentials |
| crep- | boot Boot A boot is a type of footwear but they are not shoes. Most boots mainly cover the foot and the ankle and extend up the leg, sometimes as far as the knee or even the hip. Most boots have a heel that is clearly distinguishable from the rest of the sole, even if the two are made of one piece.... , shoe Shoe A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot while doing various activities. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration. The design of shoes has varied enormously through time and from culture to culture, with appearance originally being tied to function... |
Greek | κρηπίς, κρηπίδος (krēpis, krēpidos) | |
| cribr- | sieve Sieve A sieve, or sifter, separates wanted elements from unwanted material using a woven screen such as a mesh or net. However, in cooking, especially with flour, a sifter is used to aerate the substance, among other things. A strainer is a type of sieve typically used to separate a solid from a liquid... |
Latin | cribrum, cribrare | cribble, cribrate |
| ring | Greek | κρίκος (krikos) | ||
| cris-, crit- | judge | Greek | κρίσις (crisis) | crisis Crisis A crisis is any event that is, or expected to lead to, an unstable and dangerous situation affecting an individual, group, community or whole society... , critic Critic A critic is anyone who expresses a value judgement. Informally, criticism is a common aspect of all human expression and need not necessarily imply skilled or accurate expressions of judgement. Critical judgements, good or bad, may be positive , negative , or balanced... |
| crisp- | curled | Latin | crispus | crispate |
| crist- | crest | Latin | crista | cristate |
| cross(o)- | fringe, tassel Tassel A tassel is a finishing feature in fabric decoration. It is a universal ornament that is seen in varying versions in many cultures around the globe.-Etymology:... |
Greek | κροσσός (krossos) | |
| cruc(i)- | cross Cross A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two lines or bars perpendicular to each other, dividing one or two of the lines in half. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally; if they run obliquely, the design is technically termed a saltire, although the arms of a saltire need not meet... |
Latin | crux, crucis | crucial, crucifix Crucifix A crucifix is an independent image of Jesus on the cross with a representation of Jesus' body, referred to in English as the corpus , as distinct from a cross with no body.... , crucify, excruciating |
| crur(i)- | leg, shank | Latin | crus, cruris | crural |
| crypt- | hidden | Greek | κρυπτός (kruptos) | cryptic, cryptography Cryptography Cryptography is the practice and study of techniques for secure communication in the presence of third parties... |
| cten(o)- | comb Comb A comb is a toothed device used in hair care for straightening and cleaning hair or other fibres. Combs are among the oldest tools found by archaeologists... |
Greek | κτείς, κτενός (kteis, ktenos) | ctenophore Ctenophore The Ctenophora are a phylum of animals that live in marine waters worldwide. Their most distinctive feature is the "combs", groups of cilia that they use for swimming, and they are the largest animals that swim by means of cilia – adults of various species range from a few millimeters to in size... |
| cub- | cube Cube In geometry, a cube is a three-dimensional solid object bounded by six square faces, facets or sides, with three meeting at each vertex. The cube can also be called a regular hexahedron and is one of the five Platonic solids. It is a special kind of square prism, of rectangular parallelepiped and... |
Greek | κύβος (kubos) | cubic, cuboid Cuboid In geometry, a cuboid is a solid figure bounded by six faces, forming a convex polyhedron. There are two competing definitions of a cuboid in mathematical literature... |
| cub- | lie | Latin | cubare | incubation, succuba |
| culin- | kitchen | Latin | culina | culinary |
| culp- | blame, fault | Latin | culpa | culpable, exculpate |
| cune- | wedge Wedge (geometry) In solid geometry, a wedge is a polyhedron defined by two triangles and three trapezoid faces. A wedge has five faces, nine edges, and six vertices.A wedge is a subclass of the prismatoids with the base and opposite ridge in two parallel planes.... |
Latin | cuneus | cuneiform Cuneiform Cuneiform can refer to:*Cuneiform script, an ancient writing system originating in Mesopotamia in the 4th millennium BC*Cuneiform , three bones in the human foot*Cuneiform Records, a music record label... |
| curr-, curs- | run | Latin | currere, cursus | concurrent, recursion Recursion Recursion is the process of repeating items in a self-similar way. For instance, when the surfaces of two mirrors are exactly parallel with each other the nested images that occur are a form of infinite recursion. The term has a variety of meanings specific to a variety of disciplines ranging from... , cursive, current |
| curv- | bent | Latin | curvus | curvature Curvature In mathematics, curvature refers to any of a number of loosely related concepts in different areas of geometry. Intuitively, curvature is the amount by which a geometric object deviates from being flat, or straight in the case of a line, but this is defined in different ways depending on the context... |
| cuspid- | lance Lance A Lance is a pole weapon or spear designed to be used by a mounted warrior. The lance is longer, stout and heavier than an infantry spear, and unsuited for throwing, or for rapid thrusting. Lances did not have tips designed to intentionally break off or bend, unlike many throwing weapons of the... , point |
Latin | cuspis, cuspidis | bicuspid |
| cut(i)- | skin Skin -Dermis:The dermis is the layer of skin beneath the epidermis that consists of connective tissue and cushions the body from stress and strain. The dermis is tightly connected to the epidermis by a basement membrane. It also harbors many Mechanoreceptors that provide the sense of touch and heat... |
Latin | cutis | cuticle Cuticle A cuticle , or cuticula, is a term used for any of a variety of tough but flexible, non-mineral outer coverings of an organism, or parts of an organism, that provide protection. Various types of "cuticles" are non-homologous; differing in their origin, structure, function, and chemical composition... |
| cyan- | blue Blue Blue is a colour, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 440–490 nm. It is considered one of the additive primary colours. On the HSV Colour Wheel, the complement of blue is yellow; that is, a colour corresponding to an equal... |
Greek | κυανός (kuanos) | cyanide Cyanide A cyanide is a chemical compound that contains the cyano group, -C≡N, which consists of a carbon atom triple-bonded to a nitrogen atom. Cyanides most commonly refer to salts of the anion CN−. Most cyanides are highly toxic.... |
| cycl(o)- | circular | Greek | κύκλος (kuklos) | bicycle, cycle, cyclone Cyclone In meteorology, a cyclone is an area of closed, circular fluid motion rotating in the same direction as the Earth. This is usually characterized by inward spiraling winds that rotate anticlockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere of the Earth. Most large-scale... |
| cylind- | roll | Greek | κύλινδρος (kulindros) | cylinder Cylinder (geometry) A cylinder is one of the most basic curvilinear geometric shapes, the surface formed by the points at a fixed distance from a given line segment, the axis of the cylinder. The solid enclosed by this surface and by two planes perpendicular to the axis is also called a cylinder... |
| cyn(o)- | dog Dog The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in... |
Greek | κύων, κυνός (kuōn, kunos) | cynosure |
| cyst- | capsule | Greek | κύστις (kustis) | cystic |
| cyt(o)- | cell | Greek | κύτος (kutos) | cytoplasm Cytoplasm The cytoplasm is a small gel-like substance residing between the cell membrane holding all the cell's internal sub-structures , except for the nucleus. All the contents of the cells of prokaryote organisms are contained within the cytoplasm... , cnidocyte |
D
| Root | Meaning In English | Origin Language | Etymology (Root Origin) | English Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| dactyl- | finger, toe, digit | Greek | δάκτυλος (daktulos) | dactylology, pterodactyl Pterosaur Pterosaurs were flying reptiles of the clade or order Pterosauria. They existed from the late Triassic to the end of the Cretaceous Period . Pterosaurs are the earliest vertebrates known to have evolved powered flight... |
| damn-, -demn- | to inflict loss upon | Latin | damnāre | condemn, damnation Damnation Damnation is the concept of everlasting divine punishment and/or disgrace, especially the punishment for sin as threatened by God . A damned being "in damnation" is said to be either in Hell, or living in a state wherein they are divorced from Heaven and/or in a state of disgrace from God's favor... |
| de- | from, away from, removing, down | Latin | dē | delete, demented |
| deb- | owe | Latin | debere, debitus | debit |
| deca-, dec-, deka-, dek- | ten | Greek | δέκα deka, ten | decagram, decahedron Decahedron In geometry, a decahedron is a polyhedron with 10 faces. There are 32300 topologically distinct decahedra and none are regular, so this name is ambiguous.With regular faces:* Octagonal prism * Square antiprism... |
| decim- | tenth part | Latin | decimus, tenth; from decem, ten | decimal, decimate Decimation (Roman Army) Decimation |ten]]") was a form of military discipline used by officers in the Roman Army to punish mutinous or cowardly soldiers. The word decimation is derived from Latin meaning "removal of a tenth".-Procedure:... |
| delt- | Greek | δέλτα (delta) | deltoid Deltoid muscle In human anatomy, the deltoid muscle is the muscle forming the rounded contour of the shoulder. Anatomically, it appears to be made up of three distinct sets of fibers though electromyography suggests that it consists of at least seven groups that can be independently coordinated by the central... |
|
| dem-, demo- | people | Greek | δῆμος (dēmos) | demagogue, democracy Democracy Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law... |
| den- | ten each | Latin | deni | denarius Denarius In the Roman currency system, the denarius was a small silver coin first minted in 211 BC. It was the most common coin produced for circulation but was slowly debased until its replacement by the antoninianus... , denary |
| dendr-, dendro- | resembling a tree | Greek | δένδρον (dendron): akin to δρύς, drys, "tree" | dendrite Dendrite Dendrites are the branched projections of a neuron that act to conduct the electrochemical stimulation received from other neural cells to the cell body, or soma, of the neuron from which the dendrites project... |
| dens- | thick | Latin | densus | condense, density Density The mass density or density of a material is defined as its mass per unit volume. The symbol most often used for density is ρ . In some cases , density is also defined as its weight per unit volume; although, this quantity is more properly called specific weight... |
| dent- | tooth | Latin | dens, dentis | dental, dentures Dentures Dentures are prosthetic devices constructed to replace missing teeth, and which are supported by surrounding soft and hard tissues of the oral cavity. Conventional dentures are removable, however there are many different denture designs, some which rely on bonding or clasping onto teeth or dental... |
| derm- | skin | Greek | δέρμα (derma) | dermis, epidermis, hypodermic |
| deuter- | second | Greek | δεύτερος (deuteros) | Deuteronomy Deuteronomy The Book of Deuteronomy is the fifth book of the Hebrew Bible, and of the Jewish Torah/Pentateuch... , deuterostome |
| dexter- | right | Latin | dexter | dexterity |
| dextro- | right | Greek | δεξ-, right | dextrose |
| di- | two | Greek | δι | dicot, diode Diode In electronics, a diode is a type of two-terminal electronic component with a nonlinear current–voltage characteristic. A semiconductor diode, the most common type today, is a crystalline piece of semiconductor material connected to two electrical terminals... , dipole Dipole In physics, there are several kinds of dipoles:*An electric dipole is a separation of positive and negative charges. The simplest example of this is a pair of electric charges of equal magnitude but opposite sign, separated by some distance. A permanent electric dipole is called an electret.*A... |
| dia- | apart, through | Greek | διά (dia) | dialysis Dialysis In medicine, dialysis is a process for removing waste and excess water from the blood, and is primarily used to provide an artificial replacement for lost kidney function in people with renal failure... , diameter Diameter In geometry, a diameter of a circle is any straight line segment that passes through the center of the circle and whose endpoints are on the circle. The diameters are the longest chords of the circle... |
| dict- | say, speak | Latin | dicere, dictus | contradict, dictation, dictionary, edict, predict |
| digit- | finger | Latin | digitus | digital |
| dino- | terrible, fearfully great | Greek | δεινός (deinos) | dinosaur Dinosaur Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of... |
| dipl- | double; twofold | Greek | διπλός (diplos) | diploid, diplosis |
| doc-, doct- | teach | Latin | docere, doctus | docile, doctor |
| dodec- | twelve | Greek | δώδεκα (dodeka) | dodecasyllabic |
| dogmat-, dox- | opinion, tenet | Greek | δόξα | dogmatic, orthodox |
| dom- | house | Latin | domus | dome Dome A dome is a structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Dome structures made of various materials have a long architectural lineage extending into prehistory.... |
| dorm- | sleep | Latin | dormire | dormant, dormitory Dormitory A dormitory, often shortened to dorm, in the United States is a residence hall consisting of sleeping quarters or entire buildings primarily providing sleeping and residential quarters for large numbers of people, often boarding school, college or university students... |
| dors- | back | Latin | dorsum | dorsal |
| du- | two | Latin | duo | dual |
| dub- | doubtful | Latin | dubius | dubious |
| duc-, duct- | lead | Latin | dux, ducis | abduction, conductor, introduction, production, reduction, deduction |
| dulc- | sweet | Latin | dulcis | |
| dur- | hard | Latin | durus | durable, duration, duress, endure, obdurate |
| dy- | two | Greek | δυο (duo) | dyad |
| dynam- | power | Greek | δύναμη (dunamē) | dynamism Dynamism (metaphysics) Dynamism is a metaphysical concept conceived by Gottfried Leibniz and developed into a full system of cosmology. Dynamism in metaphysical cosmology explains the material world in terms of active, pointlike forces, with no extension but with action at a distance... , dynasty Dynasty A dynasty is a sequence of rulers considered members of the same family. Historians traditionally consider many sovereign states' history within a framework of successive dynasties, e.g., China, Ancient Egypt and the Persian Empire... , dynamite |
| dys- | badly, ill | Greek | δυσ- | dysentery Dysentery Dysentery is an inflammatory disorder of the intestine, especially of the colon, that results in severe diarrhea containing mucus and/or blood in the faeces with fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, dysentery can be fatal.There are differences between dysentery and normal bloody diarrhoea... , dysplasia, dystrophy |
E
| Root | Meaning in English | Origin language | Etymology (root origin) | English examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ec- | out | Greek | ἐκ (ek) | eccentric Eccentricity (behavior) In popular usage, eccentricity refers to unusual or odd behavior on the part of an individual. This behavior would typically be perceived as unusual or unnecessary, without being demonstrably maladaptive... |
| eco- | house | Greek | οἶκος (oikos) | ecology Ecology Ecology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems... , economics Economics Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"... , ecumenism Ecumenism Ecumenism or oecumenism mainly refers to initiatives aimed at greater Christian unity or cooperation. It is used predominantly by and with reference to Christian denominations and Christian Churches separated by doctrine, history, and practice... |
| ecto- | outside | Greek | ἐκτός (ektos) | ectoderm Ectoderm The "ectoderm" is one of the three primary germ cell layers in the very early embryo. The other two layers are the mesoderm and endoderm , with the ectoderm as the most exterior layer... |
| ed-, es- | eat | Latin | edere, esus | edible |
| ego- | self, I (first person) | Latin, Greek | ego, ἐγώ | egocentric |
| ego-, eg- | goat | Greek | αἴξ (aix) | egophony Egophony Egophony is an increased resonance of voice sounds heard when auscultating the lungs, often caused by lung consolidation and fibrosis. It is due to enhanced transmission of high-frequency noise across fluid, such as in abnormal lung tissue, with lower frequencies filtered out... |
| em-, empt- | buy | Latin | emere, emptus | exemption Tax exemption Various tax systems grant a tax exemption to certain organizations, persons, income, property or other items taxable under the system. Tax exemption may also refer to a personal allowance or specific monetary exemption which may be claimed by an individual to reduce taxable income under some... , redeem Redemption (theology) Redemption is a concept common to several theologies. It is generally associated with the efforts of people within a faith to overcome their shortcomings and achieve the moral positions exemplified in their faith.- In Buddhism :... |
| eme- | vomit | Greek | ἔμετος (emetos) | emetic |
| emul- | striving to equal, rivaling | Latin | aemulus, aemulare | emulation Emulation (disambiguation) The word emulation refers to:*An ambition and effort to equal, excel or surpass another; to compete or rival with some degree of success, especially through imitation... |
| en-, em- | in | Greek | ἐν (en) | emphasis Emphasis (typography) In typography, emphasis is the exaggeration of words in a text with a font in a different style from the rest of the text—to emphasize them.- Methods and use :... |
| endo- | inside | Greek | ἔνδον (endon) | endocrine |
| engy- | narrow | Greek | ἐγγύς (engys) | |
| ennea- | nine | Greek | ἐννέα (ennea) | ennead Ennead The Ennead was a group ofnine deities in Egyptian mythology. The Ennead were worshipped at Heliopolis and consisted of the god Atum, his children Shu and Tefnut, their children Geb and Nut and their children Osiris, Isis, Horus, Set and Nephthys.-Terminology:Egyptian mythology established multiple... , enneagon Enneagon In geometry, a nonagon is a nine-sided polygon.The name "nonagon" is a prefix hybrid formation, from Latin , used equivalently, attested already in the 16th century in French nonogone and in English from the 17th century... |
| ens- | sword | Latin | ensis | |
| eo-, eos-, eoso- | dawn, east | Greek | Ἠώς/Ἕως | Eocene Eocene The Eocene Epoch, lasting from about 56 to 34 million years ago , is a major division of the geologic timescale and the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the Cenozoic Era. The Eocene spans the time from the end of the Palaeocene Epoch to the beginning of the Oligocene Epoch. The start of the... |
| epi-, ep- | upon | Greek | ἐπί (epi) | epicenter Epicenter The epicenter or epicentre is the point on the Earth's surface that is directly above the hypocenter or focus, the point where an earthquake or underground explosion originates... , epoch Epoch (reference date) In the fields of chronology and periodization, an epoch is an instance in time chosen as the origin of a particular era. The "epoch" then serves as a reference point from which time is measured... |
| epistem- | knowledge or science | Greek | ἐπιστήμη (epistēmē) | epistemic |
| equ-, -iqu- | even, level | Latin | aequus | equal, equivalence |
| equ- | horse | Latin | equus | Equestrian Equestrianism Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses... |
| erg- | work | Greek | έργον (ergon) | ergonomics Ergonomics Ergonomics is the study of designing equipment and devices that fit the human body, its movements, and its cognitive abilities.The International Ergonomics Association defines ergonomics as follows:... |
| err- | stray | Latin | errare | aberration, errant |
| erythr(o)- | red | Greek | ἐρυθρός (eruthros) | erythrocyte Red blood cell Red blood cells are the most common type of blood cell and the vertebrate organism's principal means of delivering oxygen to the body tissues via the blood flow through the circulatory system... |
| eso- | within | Greek | ἔσω (esō) | esoteric Esotericism Esotericism or Esoterism signifies the holding of esoteric opinions or beliefs, that is, ideas preserved or understood by a small group or those specially initiated, or of rare or unusual interest. The term derives from the Greek , a compound of : "within", thus "pertaining to the more inward",... |
| etho-, eth-, ethi- | custom, habit | Greek | ἦθος (ēthos) | ethology Ethology Ethology is the scientific study of animal behavior, and a sub-topic of zoology.... |
| ethm- | sieve | Greek | ἠθμός (hethmos); ἤθειν (hethein) | ethmoid Ethmoid bone The ethmoid bone is a bone in the skull that separates the nasal cavity from the brain. As such, it is located at the roof of the nose, between the two orbits. The cubical bone is lightweight due to a spongy construction. The ethmoid bone is one of the bones that makes up the orbit of the eye... |
| ethn- | people, race, tribe, nation | Greek | ἔθνος (ethnos) | ethnic, ethnarch Ethnarch Ethnarch, pronounced , the anglicized form of ethnarches refers generally to political leadership over a common ethnic group or homogeneous kingdom. The word is derived from the Greek words and .... |
| etym(o)- | true | Greek | ἔτυμος (etumos) | etymology Etymology Etymology is the study of the history of words, their origins, and how their form and meaning have changed over time.For languages with a long written history, etymologists make use of texts in these languages and texts about the languages to gather knowledge about how words were used during... |
| eu- | well, good | Greek | εὖ (eu) | euphoria Euphoria Euphoria is an emotional and mental state defined as a sense of great elation and well being.Euphoria may also refer to:* Euphoria , a genus of scarab beetles* Euphoria, a genus name previously used for the longan and other trees... , euthanasia Euthanasia Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering.... |
| eur- | wide | Greek | εὐρύς (eurus) | Europe Europe Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting... |
| ex-, e-, ef- | from, out | Latin | ex | exclude, extrude, extend |
| exo- | outside | Greek | ἔξω | exothermic Exothermic In thermodynamics, the term exothermic describes a process or reaction that releases energy from the system, usually in the form of heat, but also in the form of light , electricity , or sound... |
| exter-, extra- | outer | Latin | externus | exterior Exterior (topology) In topology, the exterior of a subset S of a topological space X is the union of all open sets of X which are disjoint from S. It is itself an open set and is disjoint from S... |
| extrem- | outermost, utmost | Latin | extremus | extremity, extremophile Extremophile An extremophile is an organism that thrives in physically or geochemically extreme conditions that are detrimental to most life on Earth. In contrast, organisms that live in more moderate environments may be termed mesophiles or neutrophiles... |
F
| Root | Meaning in English | Origin language | Etymology (root origin) | English examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| f-, fat- | say, speak | Latin | fari, fatus | fate, infant Infant A newborn or baby is the very young offspring of a human or other mammal. A newborn is an infant who is within hours, days, or up to a few weeks from birth. In medical contexts, newborn or neonate refers to an infant in the first 28 days after birth... , preface Preface A preface is an introduction to a book or other literary work written by the work's author. An introductory essay written by a different person is a foreword and precedes an author's preface... |
| fab- | bean | Latin | faba | faba bean Vicia faba This article refers to the Broad Bean plant. For Broadbean the company, see Broadbean, Inc.Vicia faba, the Broad Bean, Fava Bean, Field Bean, Bell Bean or Tic Bean, is a species of bean native to north Africa and southwest Asia, and extensively cultivated elsewhere. A variety is provisionally... |
| fac-, -fic-, fact, -fect- | make | Latin | facere, factus | defect, factory Factory A factory or manufacturing plant is an industrial building where laborers manufacture goods or supervise machines processing one product into another. Most modern factories have large warehouses or warehouse-like facilities that contain heavy equipment used for assembly line production... , manufacture |
| falc- | sickle | Latin | falx, falcis | falciform |
| fall-, -fell-, fals- | deceive | Latin | fallere, falsus | falsity, infallibility Infallibility Infallibility, from Latin origin , is a term with a variety of meanings related to knowing truth with certainty.-In common speech:... |
| fallac- | false | Latin | fallax, fallacis | fallacy Fallacy In logic and rhetoric, a fallacy is usually an incorrect argumentation in reasoning resulting in a misconception or presumption. By accident or design, fallacies may exploit emotional triggers in the listener or interlocutor , or take advantage of social relationships between people... |
| famili- | a close attendant | Latin | famulus | familiarity |
| fant- | to show | Greek | φαντάζω | fantasy Fantasy Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common... |
| fasc- | bundle | Latin | fascis | fasciculation Fasciculation A fasciculation , or "muscle twitch", is a small, local, involuntary muscle contraction and relaxation visible under the skin arising from the spontaneous discharge of a bundle of skeletal muscle fibers... |
| fatu- | foolish, useless | Latin | fatuus | fatuous, infatuation Limerence Limerence is a term coined c. 1977 by the psychologist Dorothy Tennov to describe an involuntary state of mind which seems to result from a romantic attraction to another person combined with an overwhelming, obsessive need to have one's feelings reciprocated... |
| feder- | treaty, agreement, contract, league, pact | Latin | foedus, foederis | confederation Confederation A confederation in modern political terms is a permanent union of political units for common action in relation to other units. Usually created by treaty but often later adopting a common constitution, confederations tend to be established for dealing with critical issues such as defense, foreign... , federal |
| fel- | cat | Latin | feles, felis | Felinae Felinae Felinae is a subfamily of the family Felidae which includes the genera and species listed below. Most are small to medium-sized cats, although the group does include some larger animals, such as the Cougar and Cheetah.... , feline Felidae Felidae is the biological family of the cats; a member of this family is called a felid. Felids are the strictest carnivores of the thirteen terrestrial families in the order Carnivora, although the three families of marine mammals comprising the superfamily pinnipedia are as carnivorous as the... |
| felic- | happy, merry | Latin | felix, felicis | felicity |
| fell- | suck | Latin | fellare | fellatio Fellatio Fellatio is an act of oral stimulation of a male's penis by a sexual partner. It involves the stimulation of the penis by the use of the mouth, tongue, or throat. The person who performs fellatio can be referred to as the giving partner, and the other person is the receiving partner... n |
| femin- | women, female | Latin | femina | femininity Femininity Femininity is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles generally associated with girls and women. Though socially constructed, femininity is made up of both socially defined and biologically created factors... |
| femor- | thigh | Latin | femur, femoris | femoral |
| fend-, fens- | prevent | Latin | fendere, -fensus | defend, offense |
| fenestr- | window | Latin | fenestra | defenestration Defenestration Defenestration is the act of throwing someone or something out of a window.The term "defenestration" was coined around the time of an incident in Prague Castle in the year 1618. The word comes from the Latin de- and fenestra... |
| fer- | carry | Latin | ferre | reference Reference Reference is derived from Middle English referren, from Middle French rèférer, from Latin referre, "to carry back", formed from the prefix re- and ferre, "to bear"... , transfer |
| feroc- | fierce | Latin | ferox, ferocis | ferocity |
| ferr- | iron | Latin | ferrum | ferrous |
| fet- | stink | Latin | fetere | fetid, fetor Fetor Generally, a foul or unpleasant odor.In medical contexts, fetor refers to an unpleasant odor emanating from an individual.Specific types include:* fetor oris, another term for halitosis* fetor hepaticus* uremic fetor* body odor... |
| fic- | fig | Latin | ficus | Ficus Ficus Ficus is a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes, and hemiepiphyte in the family Moraceae. Collectively known as fig trees or figs, they are native throughout the tropics with a few species extending into the semi-warm temperate zone. The Common Fig Ficus is a genus of... |
| fid-, fis- | faith, trust | Latin | fides, fidere, fisus | confidence Confidence Confidence is generally described as a state of being certain either that a hypothesis or prediction is correct or that a chosen course of action is the best or most effective. Self-confidence is having confidence in oneself. Arrogance or hubris in this comparison, is having unmerited... , fidelity Fidelity "Fidelity" is the quality of being faithful or loyal. Its original meaning regarded duty to a lord or a king, in a broader sense than the related concept of fealty. Both derive from the Latin word fidēlis, meaning "faithful or loyal".... |
| fil- | thread | Latin | filum | filament |
| fili- | son | Latin | filius | affiliation |
| fin- | end | Latin | finis | finish, final |
| find-, fiss- | split | Latin | findere, fissus | fission Nuclear fission In nuclear physics and nuclear chemistry, nuclear fission is a nuclear reaction in which the nucleus of an atom splits into smaller parts , often producing free neutrons and photons , and releasing a tremendous amount of energy... , fissures |
| firm- | fix, settle | Latin | firmus, firmare | confirmation, firmament Firmament The firmament is the vault or expanse of the sky. According to Genesis, God created the firmament to separate the oceans from other waters above.-Etymology:... |
| fistul- | hollow, tube | Latin | fistula Fistula In medicine, a fistula is an abnormal connection or passageway between two epithelium-lined organs or vessels that normally do not connect. It is generally a disease condition, but a fistula may be surgically created for therapeutic reasons.-Locations:Fistulas can develop in various parts of the... |
|
| fl- | blow | Latin | flare, flatus | flatulence Flatulence Flatulence is the expulsion through the rectum of a mixture of gases that are byproducts of the digestion process of mammals and other animals. The medical term for the mixture of gases is flatus, informally known as a fart, or simply gas... , inflation |
| flacc- | flabby | Latin | flaccus, flaccere | flaccid |
| flav- | yellow | Latin | flavus | flavonoid Flavonoid Flavonoids , are a class of plant secondary metabolites.... |
| flect-, flex- | bend | Latin | flectere, flexus | flexor, inflection Inflection In grammar, inflection or inflexion is the modification of a word to express different grammatical categories such as tense, grammatical mood, grammatical voice, aspect, person, number, gender and case... |
| flig-, flict- | strike | Latin | fligere, flictus | conflict Conflict (disambiguation) - Movies and television :* Conflict , a boxing film starring John Wayne* Conflict , a suspense film starring Humphrey Bogart* Conflict , a 1956 American television series- Games :... , inflict |
| flor- | flower | Latin | flos, floris | floral, florid |
| flu-, flux- | flow | Latin | fluere, fluxus | effluent Effluent Effluent is an outflowing of water or gas from a natural body of water, or from a human-made structure.Effluent is defined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as “wastewater - treated or untreated - that flows out of a treatment plant, sewer, or industrial outfall. Generally refers... , fluency, influx |
| foc- | hearth | Latin | focus | focal |
| fod-, foss- | dig | Latin | fodere, fossus | fossil Fossil Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past... |
| foen- | hay | Latin | fenuculum | |
| foli- | leaf | Latin | folium | defoliant Defoliant A defoliant is any chemical sprayed or dusted on plants to cause its leaves to fall off. A classic example of a highly toxic defoliant is Agent Orange, which the United States armed forces used abundantly to defoliate regions of Vietnam during the Vietnam War from 1961 to 1970.Defoliants differ... |
| font- | spring | Latin | fons, fontis | |
| for- | bore | Latin | forare, foratus | perforation Perforation A perforation is a small hole in a thin material or web. There is usually more than one perforation in an organized fashion, where all of the holes are called a perforation... |
| form- | shape | Latin | forma | conformity Conformity Conformity is the process by which an individual's attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors are influenced by other people.Conformity may also refer to:*Conformity: A Tale, a novel by Charlotte Elizabeth Tonna... , deformity Deformity A deformity, dysmorphism, or dysmorphic feature is a major difference in the shape of body part or organ compared to the average shape of that part.Deformity may arise from numerous causes:*A Genetic mutation*Damage to the fetus or uterus... , formation |
| fornic- | vault | Latin | fornix, fornicis | fornication Fornication Fornication typically refers to consensual sexual intercourse between two people not married to each other. For many people, the term carries a moral or religious association, but the significance of sexual acts to which the term is applied varies between religions, societies and cultures. The... |
| fort- | strong | Latin | fortis | fortification Fortification Fortifications are military constructions and buildings designed for defence in warfare and military bases. Humans have constructed defensive works for many thousands of years, in a variety of increasingly complex designs... |
| fove- | shallow round depression | Latin | fovea | fovea Fovea The fovea centralis, also generally known as the fovea , is a part of the eye, located in the center of the macula region of the retina.... |
| frang-, -fring-, fract-, frag- | break | Latin | frangere, fractus | fracture Fracture A fracture is the separation of an object or material into two, or more, pieces under the action of stress.The word fracture is often applied to bones of living creatures , or to crystals or crystalline materials, such as gemstones or metal... , fragment, frangible Frangible A material is said to be frangible if through deformation it tends to break up into fragments, rather than deforming plastically and retaining its cohesion as a single object... , infringe |
| frater-, fratr- | brother | Latin | frater | fraternity Fraternity A fraternity is a brotherhood, though the term usually connotes a distinct or formal organization. An organization referred to as a fraternity may be a:*Secret society*Chivalric order*Benefit society*Friendly society*Social club*Trade union... |
| fric-, frict- | rub | Latin | fricare, frictus | dentifrice Dentifrice Dentifrice is a paste, liquid or powder used to help maintain oral hygiene. There have been many dentifrices produced over the years, many focusing on marketing strategies to sell products, such as offering whitening capabilities. The most essential dentifrice recommended by dentists is toothpaste... , friction Friction Friction is the force resisting the relative motion of solid surfaces, fluid layers, and/or material elements sliding against each other. There are several types of friction:... |
| frig- | cold | Latin | frigere | frigid, frigorific |
| front- | forehead | Latin | frons, frontis | confront, frontal |
| fruct-, frug- | fruit | Latin | frux, fructis | fructose |
| fug-, fugit- | flee | Latin | fugere | centrifuge Centrifuge A centrifuge is a piece of equipment, generally driven by an electric motor , that puts an object in rotation around a fixed axis, applying a force perpendicular to the axis... , fugitive Fugitive A fugitive is a person who is fleeing from custody, whether it be from private slavery, a government arrest, government or non-government questioning, vigilante violence, or outraged private individuals... , refuge |
| fum- | smoke | Latin | fumus | fume, fumigation Fumigation Fumigation is a method of pest control that completely fills an area with gaseous pesticides—or fumigants—to suffocate or poison the pests within. It is utilized for control of pests in buildings , soil, grain, and produce, and is also used during processing of goods to be imported or... |
| fund- | bottom | Latin | fundus, fundare | fundamentalism Fundamentalism Fundamentalism is strict adherence to specific theological doctrines usually understood as a reaction against Modernist theology. The term "fundamentalism" was originally coined by its supporters to describe a specific package of theological beliefs that developed into a movement within the... , profundity |
| fund-, fus- | pour | Latin | fundere, fusus | effusion Effusion In physics, effusion is the process in which individual molecules flow through a hole without collisions between molecules. This occurs if the diameter of the hole is considerably smaller than the mean free path of the molecules... , profusion |
| fung-, funct- | do | Latin | fungi, functus | function, fungibility Fungibility Fungibility is the property of a good or a commodity whose individual units are capable of mutual substitution, such as crude oil, wheat, precious metals or currencies... |
| fur-, furt- | steal | Latin | fur, furare | furtive |
| furc- | fork | Latin | furca | bifurcation |
| fusc- | dark | Latin | fuscus | obfuscation Obfuscation Obfuscation is the hiding of intended meaning in communication, making communication confusing, wilfully ambiguous, and harder to interpret.- Background :Obfuscation may be used for many purposes... |
G
| Root | Meaning in English | Origin language | Etymology (root origin) | English examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| galact- | milk | Greek | γάλα, γαλακτός (gala, galaktos) | galactic |
| gastr- | stomach | Greek | γαστήρ (gaster) | gastric, gastroenterologist |
| ge(o)- | earth | Greek | γῆ (gē), γεω- (geō-) | geology Geology Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates... |
| gel- | icy cold | Latin | gelum | gelid |
| gen- | race, kind | Greek | γένος | genocide Genocide Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars... |
| ger-, gest- | bear, carry | Latin | gerere, gestus | digest, gestation Gestation Gestation is the carrying of an embryo or fetus inside a female viviparous animal. Mammals during pregnancy can have one or more gestations at the same time .... |
| germin- | sprout | Latin | germen, germinis | germination Germination Germination is the process in which a plant or fungus emerges from a seed or spore, respectively, and begins growth. The most common example of germination is the sprouting of a seedling from a seed of an angiosperm or gymnosperm. However the growth of a sporeling from a spore, for example the... |
| glabr- | hairless | Latin | glaber | glabrous |
| glaci- | ice | Latin | glacies | glacier Glacier A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight... |
| gladi- | sword | Latin | gladius | gladiator Gladiator A gladiator was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gladiators were volunteers who risked their legal and social standing and their lives by appearing in the... |
| glia- | glue | Greek | γλία (glia) | glial |
| glob- | sphere | Latin | globus | global, globule |
| glori- | glory | Latin | gloria | glorify |
| glutin- | glue | Latin | gluten, glutinis | agglutination Agglutination In contemporary linguistics, agglutination usually refers to the kind of morphological derivation in which there is a one-to-one correspondence between affixes and syntactical categories. Languages that use agglutination widely are called agglutinative languages... |
| grad-, -gred-, gress- | walk, step, go | Latin | gradus, gradere, gressus | grade, regress |
| gram- | writing | Greek | γράμμα (gramma) | grammatic |
| gran- | grain | Latin | granum | granary, granule |
| grand- | grand | Latin | grandis | grandiloquous |
| graph- | draw, write | Greek | γραφή (graphē) | graphic, graphology Graphology Graphology is the pseudoscientific study and analysis of handwriting, especially in relation to human psychology. In the medical field, it can be used to refer to the study of handwriting as an aid in diagnosis and tracking of diseases of the brain and nervous system... |
| grat- | thank, please | Latin | gratus | gratitude |
| grav- | heavy | Latin | gravis | gravity |
| greg- | flock | Latin | grex, gregis | gregarious, segregation |
| gubern- | govern, pilot | Latin | gubernare | gubernatorial |
| gust- | taste | Latin | gustus | gusto |
| guttur- | throat | Latin | guttur | guttural |
| gymn- | nude | Greek | γυμνός (gymnos) | gym Gym The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men... nasium, gymnosperm |
| gyn- | woman | Greek | γυνή | gynecology |
H
| Root | Meaning in English | Origin language | Etymology (root origin) | English examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| hab-, -hib-, habit-, -hibit- | have | Latin | habere, habitus | habit, prohibition |
| haem(o)- | blood | Greek | αἷμα (haima) | haemophilia Haemophilia Haemophilia is a group of hereditary genetic disorders that impair the body's ability to control blood clotting or coagulation, which is used to stop bleeding when a blood vessel is broken. Haemophilia A is the most common form of the disorder, present in about 1 in 5,000–10,000 male births... |
| hal(o)- | salt | Greek | ἅλς, ἁλός (hals, halos) | halogen Halogen The halogens or halogen elements are a series of nonmetal elements from Group 17 IUPAC Style of the periodic table, comprising fluorine , chlorine , bromine , iodine , and astatine... |
| hal-, -hel- | breathe | Latin | halare, halatus | anhelation, inhale |
| hapl(o)- | simple, single | Greek | ἁπλοῦς (haplous) | haploid, haplotype |
| haur-, haust- | draw | Latin | haurire, haustus | exhaustion |
| heli(o)- | sun | Greek | ἥλιος (hēlios) | heliotrope, helium Helium Helium is the chemical element with atomic number 2 and an atomic weight of 4.002602, which is represented by the symbol He. It is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, inert, monatomic gas that heads the noble gas group in the periodic table... |
| hemi- | half | Greek | ἥμισυς (hēmisus) | hemicycle, hemisphere |
| hen- | one | Greek | ἕν (hen) | henad, hyphen |
| hendec- | eleven | Greek | ἕνδεκα (hendeka) | hendecagon Hendecagon In geometry, a hendecagon is an 11-sided polygon.... |
| hept- | seven | Greek | ἑπτά (hepta) | heptagon, heptathlon Heptathlon A heptathlon is a track and field athletics combined events contest made up of seven events. The name derives from the Greek hepta and athlon . A competitor in a heptathlon is referred to as a heptathlete.-Women's Heptathlon:... |
| her-, hes- | cling | Latin | haerere, haesus | adhesive Adhesive An adhesive, or glue, is a mixture in a liquid or semi-liquid state that adheres or bonds items together. Adhesives may come from either natural or synthetic sources. The types of materials that can be bonded are vast but they are especially useful for bonding thin materials... , coherent |
| herb- | grass | Latin | herba | herbal, herbicide Herbicide Herbicides, also commonly known as weedkillers, are pesticides used to kill unwanted plants. Selective herbicides kill specific targets while leaving the desired crop relatively unharmed. Some of these act by interfering with the growth of the weed and are often synthetic "imitations" of plant... |
| hered- | heir | Latin | heres, heredis | heredity Heredity Heredity is the passing of traits to offspring . This is the process by which an offspring cell or organism acquires or becomes predisposed to the characteristics of its parent cell or organism. Through heredity, variations exhibited by individuals can accumulate and cause some species to evolve... |
| herp- | creep | Greek | ἕρπω (herpō) | herpetology Herpetology Herpetology is the branch of zoology concerned with the study of amphibians and reptiles... |
| heter(o)- | different, other | Greek | ἕτερος (heteros) | heterodox |
| heur- | find | Greek | εὑρίσκω (heuriskō) | heuristic Heuristic Heuristic refers to experience-based techniques for problem solving, learning, and discovery. Heuristic methods are used to speed up the process of finding a satisfactory solution, where an exhaustive search is impractical... |
| hex- | six | Greek | ἕξ (hex) | hexagon, hexahedron Hexahedron A hexahedron is any polyhedron with six faces, although usually implies the cube as a regular hexahedron with all its faces square, and three squares around each vertex.... |
| hibern- | wintry | Latin | hibernus | hibernation Hibernation Hibernation is a state of inactivity and metabolic depression in animals, characterized by lower body temperature, slower breathing, and lower metabolic rate. Hibernating animals conserve food, especially during winter when food supplies are limited, tapping energy reserves, body fat, at a slow rate... |
| hiem- | winter | Latin | hiems | hiemal |
| hipp(o)- | horse | Greek | ἵππος (hippos) | hippodrome Hippodrome A hippodrome was a Greek stadium for horse racing and chariot racing. The name is derived from the Greek words "hippos and "dromos"... |
| hirsut- | hairy | Latin | hirtus, hirsutus | hirsute |
| hispid- | bristly | Latin | hispidus | hispidity |
| histri- | actor | Latin | histrio, histrionis | histrionic |
| hod-, -hode | way | Greek | ὁδός (hodos) | hodometer Odometer An odometer or odograph is an instrument that indicates distance traveled by a vehicle, such as a bicycle or automobile. The device may be electronic, mechanical, or a combination of the two. The word derives from the Greek words hodós and métron... , cathode Cathode A cathode is an electrode through which electric current flows out of a polarized electrical device. Mnemonic: CCD .Cathode polarity is not always negative... , herpolhode Herpolhode A herpolhode is the curve traced out by the endpoint of the angular velocity vector ω of a rigid rotor, a rotating rigid body. The endpoint of the angular velocity moves in a plane in absolute space, called the invariable plane, that is orthogonal to the angular momentum vector L... |
| hol(o)- | whole | Greek | ὅλος (holos) | holistic |
| hom(o)- | same | Greek | ὁμός (homos) | homosexual |
| home(o)- | like | Greek | ὅμοιος (homoios) | homeostasis Homeostasis Homeostasis is the property of a system that regulates its internal environment and tends to maintain a stable, constant condition of properties like temperature or pH... |
| homin- | human | Latin | homo, hominis | hominid |
| homal- | even, flat | Greek | ὁμαλός (homalos) | anomalous |
| honor- | esteem | Latin | honos, honoris | honorable |
| hor- | boundary | Greek | ὅρος (horos) | aphorism Aphorism An aphorism is an original thought, spoken or written in a laconic and memorable form.The term was first used in the Aphorisms of Hippocrates... , horizon Horizon The horizon is the apparent line that separates earth from sky, the line that divides all visible directions into two categories: those that intersect the Earth's surface, and those that do not. At many locations, the true horizon is obscured by trees, buildings, mountains, etc., and the resulting... |
| hor(o)- | hour | Greek | ὥρα (hōra) | horoscope Horoscope In astrology, a horoscope is a chart or diagram representing the positions of the Sun, Moon, planets, the astrological aspects, and sensitive angles at the time of an event, such as the moment of a person's birth. The word horoscope is derived from Greek words meaning "a look at the hours" In... |
| horm- | that which excites | Greek | ὁρμή (hormē) | hormone Hormone A hormone is a chemical released by a cell or a gland in one part of the body that sends out messages that affect cells in other parts of the organism. Only a small amount of hormone is required to alter cell metabolism. In essence, it is a chemical messenger that transports a signal from one... |
| hort(i)- | garden | Latin | hortus, horti | horticulture Horticulture Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic... |
| hospit- | host | Latin | hospes, hospitis | hospital, hospitality |
| host- | enemy | Latin | hostis | hostile |
| hum- | ground | Latin | humus, humare | exhumation, inhume |
| hyal- | glass | Greek | ὕαλος (hualos) | hyaline Hyaline The term hyaline denotes a substance with a glass-like appearance.-Histopathology:In histopathological medical usage, a hyaline substance appears glassy and pink after being stained with haematoxylin and eosin — usually it is an acellular, proteinaceous material... , hyaloid |
| hydr(o)- | water | Greek | ὕδωρ (hudōr) | hydraulics Hydraulics Hydraulics is a topic in applied science and engineering dealing with the mechanical properties of liquids. Fluid mechanics provides the theoretical foundation for hydraulics, which focuses on the engineering uses of fluid properties. In fluid power, hydraulics is used for the generation, control,... , hydrology Hydrology Hydrology is the study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water on Earth and other planets, including the hydrologic cycle, water resources and environmental watershed sustainability... , hydrolysis Hydrolysis Hydrolysis is a chemical reaction during which molecules of water are split into hydrogen cations and hydroxide anions in the process of a chemical mechanism. It is the type of reaction that is used to break down certain polymers, especially those made by condensation polymerization... , hydrophobia, hydrophily Hydrophily Hydrophily is a fairly uncommon form of pollination whereby pollen is distributed by the flow of waters, particularly in rivers and streams. Hydrophilous species fall into two categories: those that distribute their pollen to the surface of water, and those that distribute it beneath the... , hydroponic, hydrous |
| hygr- | wet | Greek | ὑγρός (hugros) | hygrometer Hygrometer A hygrometer is an instrument used for measuring the moisture content in the environmental air, or humidity. Most measurement devices usually rely on measurements of some other quantity such as temperature, pressure, mass or a mechanical or electrical change in a substance as moisture is absorbed... |
| hyo- | U-shaped | Greek | ὑοειδής (huoeidēs) | hyoid |
| hyp(o)- | under | Greek | ὑπό (hupo) | hypothermia Hypothermia Hypothermia is a condition in which core temperature drops below the required temperature for normal metabolism and body functions which is defined as . Body temperature is usually maintained near a constant level of through biologic homeostasis or thermoregulation... |
| hyper- | above, over | Greek | ὑπέρ (huper) | hyperbole Hyperbole Hyperbole is the use of exaggeration as a rhetorical device or figure of speech. It may be used to evoke strong feelings or to create a strong impression, but is not meant to be taken literally.... , hypertonic |
| hypn(o)- | sleep | Greek | ὕπνος (hupnos) | hypnosis Hypnosis Hypnosis is "a trance state characterized by extreme suggestibility, relaxation and heightened imagination."It is a mental state or imaginative role-enactment . It is usually induced by a procedure known as a hypnotic induction, which is commonly composed of a long series of preliminary... |
| hyster- | later | Greek | ὕστερος (husteros) | hysteresis Hysteresis Hysteresis is the dependence of a system not just on its current environment but also on its past. This dependence arises because the system can be in more than one internal state. To predict its future evolution, either its internal state or its history must be known. If a given input alternately... |
I
| Root | Meaning in English | Origin language | Etymology (root origin) | English examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ichthy(o)- | fish | Greek | ἰχθύς (ichthus) | ichthyology Ichthyology Ichthyology is the branch of zoology devoted to the study of fish. This includes skeletal fish , cartilaginous fish , and jawless fish... |
| icos- | twenty | Greek | εἴκοσι (eikosi) | icosagon Icosagon In geometry, an icosagon is a twenty-sided polygon. The sum of any icosagon's interior angles is 3240 degrees.One interior angle in a regular icosagon is 162° meaning that one exterior angle would be 18°... , icosahedron Icosahedron In geometry, an icosahedron is a regular polyhedron with 20 identical equilateral triangular faces, 30 edges and 12 vertices. It is one of the five Platonic solids.... |
| id(o)- | shape | Greek | εἶδος (eidos) | idol |
| ide(o)- | idea; thought | Greek | ιδέα (idea) | , ideogram Ideogram An ideogram or ideograph is a graphic symbol that represents an idea or concept. Some ideograms are comprehensible only by familiarity with prior convention; others convey their meaning through pictorial resemblance to a physical object, and thus may also be referred to as pictograms.Examples of... , ideology Ideology An ideology is a set of ideas that constitutes one's goals, expectations, and actions. An ideology can be thought of as a comprehensive vision, as a way of looking at things , as in common sense and several philosophical tendencies , or a set of ideas proposed by the dominant class of a society to... |
| idi(o)- | personal | Greek | ἴδιος (idios) | idiom Idiom Idiom is an expression, word, or phrase that has a figurative meaning that is comprehended in regard to a common use of that expression that is separate from the literal meaning or definition of the words of which it is made... , idiosyncrasy Idiosyncrasy An idiosyncrasy is an unusual feature of a person . The term is often used to express eccentricity or peculiarity. A synonym may be .-Etymology:... , idiot |
| ign- | fire | Latin | ignis | igneous Igneous rock Igneous rock is one of the three main rock types, the others being sedimentary and metamorphic rock. Igneous rock is formed through the cooling and solidification of magma or lava... , ignition |
| in- (1), im- | in, on | Latin | in | incur, intend, invite |
| in- (2), il-, im-, ir- | not, un- (negation) | Latin | in- | illicit, impossible, inimical, irrational |
| infra- | below, under | Latin | infra | infrastructure |
| insul- | island | Latin | insula | insular, insulation |
| inter- | among, between | Latin | inter (preposition) | intercollegiate, intermission, intersection |
| intra- | within | Latin | intra | intramural |
| irasc-, irat- | be angry | Latin | irasci | irascible, irate |
| is-, iso- | equal, the same | Greek | ἴσος (isos) | isometric Isometric projection Isometric projection is a method for visually representing three-dimensional objects in two dimensions in technical and engineering drawings... , isomorphic Isomorphism In abstract algebra, an isomorphism is a mapping between objects that shows a relationship between two properties or operations. If there exists an isomorphism between two structures, the two structures are said to be isomorphic. In a certain sense, isomorphic structures are... , isotropic |
| iter- | again | Latin | iterum, iterare | iteration Iteration Iteration means the act of repeating a process usually with the aim of approaching a desired goal or target or result. Each repetition of the process is also called an "iteration," and the results of one iteration are used as the starting point for the next iteration.-Mathematics:Iteration in... |
| itiner- | route, way | Latin | iter, itineris – march, journey | itinerary |
J
| Root | Meaning in English | Origin language | Etymology (root origin) | English examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| jac- | lie | Latin | jacēre "to be thrown" | adjacent |
| jac- (originally IAC), -ject- | cast, throw | Latin | iacio, iacere, ieci, iectus – "to throw" (and cognates thereof) | eject, interject, ejaculate, trajectory Trajectory A trajectory is the path that a moving object follows through space as a function of time. The object might be a projectile or a satellite, for example. It thus includes the meaning of orbit—the path of a planet, an asteroid or a comet as it travels around a central mass... |
| janu- | door | Latin | janua | janitor Janitor A janitor or custodian is a professional who takes care of buildings, such as hospitals and schools. Janitors are responsible primarily for cleaning, and often some maintenance and security... |
| joc- | joke | Latin | jocus | jocularity |
| jug- | yoke | Latin | jugare, jugum | conjugal, subjugate |
| jung-, junct- | join | Latin | jungere, junctus | conjunction Grammatical conjunction In grammar, a conjunction is a part of speech that connects two words, sentences, phrases or clauses together. A discourse connective is a conjunction joining sentences. This definition may overlap with that of other parts of speech, so what constitutes a "conjunction" must be defined for each... , juncture |
| junior- | younger | Latin | junior | juniority |
| jus-, jur-, judic- (originally IVS) | law, justice | Latin | ius, iuris; iudex, iudicis | justice, jury, judge |
| juv-, jut- | help | Latin | juvare, jutus | adjutant |
| juven- | young, youth | Latin | juvenis | juvenile, rejuvenate |
| juxta- | beside, near | Latin | juxta | juxtaposition |
K
| Root | Meaning in English | Origin language | Etymology (root origin) | English examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| kil(o)- | thousand | Greek | χίλιοι (chilioi) | kilobyte, kilogram, kilometer |
| kine- | movement, motion | Greek | κινέω (kineo) | telekinesis, kinetic energy, kinesthetic |
| klept- | steal | Greek | κλέπτης (kleptēs) | kleptomania Kleptomania Kleptomania is an irresistible urge to steal items of trivial value. People with this disorder are compelled to steal things, generally, but not limited to, objects of little or no significant value, such as pens, paper clips, paper and tape... |
| kudo- | glory | Greek | κῦδος (kudos) | kudos |
L
| Root | Meaning in English | Origin language | Etymology (root origin) | English examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| lab-, laps- | slide, slip | Latin | labi, lapsus | elapse, relapse Relapse Relapse, in relation to drug misuse, is resuming the use of a drug or a dependent substance after one or more periods of abstinence. The term is a landmark feature of both substance dependence and substance abuse, which are learned behaviors, and is maintained by neuronal adaptations that mediate... |
| labi- | lip | Latin | labia, labiae | bilabial, labial |
| labor- | toil | Latin | labor | collaboration Collaboration Collaboration is working together to achieve a goal. It is a recursive process where two or more people or organizations work together to realize shared goals, — for example, an intriguing endeavor that is creative in nature—by sharing... , elaboration |
| lacer- | tear | Latin | lacer | laceration |
| lacrim- | cry, tears | Latin | lacrima "tear" | lacrimal, lacrimous |
| lact- | milk | Latin | lac, lactis, lactare | lactate, lactation Lactation Lactation describes the secretion of milk from the mammary glands and the period of time that a mother lactates to feed her young. The process occurs in all female mammals, however it predates mammals. In humans the process of feeding milk is called breastfeeding or nursing... , lactose Lactose Lactose is a disaccharide sugar that is found most notably in milk and is formed from galactose and glucose. Lactose makes up around 2~8% of milk , although the amount varies among species and individuals. It is extracted from sweet or sour whey. The name comes from or , the Latin word for milk,... |
| lamin- | layer, slice | Latin | lamina | laminate Laminate A laminate is a material that can be constructed by uniting two or more layers of material together. The process of creating a laminate is lamination, which in common parlance refers to the placing of something between layers of plastic and gluing them with heat and/or pressure, usually with an... , lamination |
| lamp- | shine | Greek | λαμπάς lampas "torch" | lamp |
| lapid- | stone | Latin | lapis, lapidis | lapidary Lapidary A lapidary is an artist or artisan who forms stone, mineral, gemstones, and other suitably durable materials into decorative items such as engraved gems, including cameos, or cabochons, and faceted designs... |
| larg- | large | Latin | largus | enlargement |
| larv- | ghost, mask | Latin | larva | larva Larva A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle... , larvae Larvae In Roman mythology, lemures were shades or spirits of the restless or malignant dead, and are probably cognate with an extended sense of larvae as disturbing or frightening... , larval |
| lat(i)- | broad, wide | Latin | latus | latitude Latitude In geography, the latitude of a location on the Earth is the angular distance of that location south or north of the Equator. The latitude is an angle, and is usually measured in degrees . The equator has a latitude of 0°, the North pole has a latitude of 90° north , and the South pole has a... |
| later- | side | Latin | latus, lateris | bilateral |
| laud-, laus- | praise | Latin | laudere | laud |
| lav- | wash | Latin | lavare | lavatory |
| lax- | not tense | Latin | laxus, laxare | laxative Laxative Laxatives are foods, compounds, or drugs taken to induce bowel movements or to loosen the stool, most often taken to treat constipation. Certain stimulant, lubricant, and saline laxatives are used to evacuate the colon for rectal and/or bowel examinations, and may be supplemented by enemas under... , relaxation |
| led-, les- | hurt | Latin | laedere, laesus | lesion Lesion A lesion is any abnormality in the tissue of an organism , usually caused by disease or trauma. Lesion is derived from the Latin word laesio which means injury.- Types :... |
| leg- | law | Latin | lex, legis, legare | legal, legislative |
| leio- | smooth | Greek | λείος leios | leiomyoma Leiomyoma A leiomyoma is a benign smooth muscle neoplasm that is not premalignant. They can occur in any organ, but the most common forms occur in the uterus, small bowel and the esophagus.- Etymology:* Greek:** λεῖος leios "smooth"... |
| leni- | gentle | Latin | lenis, lenire | leniency |
| leon- | lion | Latin | leo, leonis "lion" | Leo Leo (constellation) Leo is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Its name is Latin for lion. Its symbol is . Leo lies between dim Cancer to the west and Virgo to the east.-Stars:... , leonine, Leopold |
| lep- | flake, scale | Greek | λέπις lepis | Lepidoptera Lepidoptera Lepidoptera is a large order of insects that includes moths and butterflies . It is one of the most widespread and widely recognizable insect orders in the world, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies, skipper butterflies, and moth-butterflies... |
| leps- | grasp, seize | Greek | λήψης lepsis | epilepsy Epilepsy Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder characterized by seizures. These seizures are transient signs and/or symptoms of abnormal, excessive or hypersynchronous neuronal activity in the brain.About 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, and nearly two out of every three new cases... |
| leuc(o)-, leuk(o)- | white | Greek | λευκός leukos | leucocyte |
| lev- | lift, light | Latin | levis "light" (in weight), levare | elevator Elevator An elevator is a type of vertical transport equipment that efficiently moves people or goods between floors of a building, vessel or other structures... , levitation Levitation Levitation is the process by which an object is suspended by a physical force against gravity, in a stable position without solid physical contact... |
| liber- | free | Latin | liber, liberare | liberation |
| libr- | book | Latin | liber, libri | library Library In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services... |
| lig- | bind | Latin | ligare, ligatus | ligament Ligament In anatomy, the term ligament is used to denote any of three types of structures. Most commonly, it refers to fibrous tissue that connects bones to other bones and is also known as articular ligament, articular larua, fibrous ligament, or true ligament.Ligament can also refer to:* Peritoneal... , ligature Ligature (music) In music notation, a ligature is a graphic symbol representing two or more notes performed in a single gesture, and on a single syllable, primarily in use ca. 800–1650 AD. They are characteristic of neumatic and mensural notation... |
| lin- | line | Latin | linea | linearity, line |
| lingu- | language, tongue | Latin | lingua | bilingual, linguistic |
| linqu-, lict- | leave | Latin | linquere, lictus | relict Relict A relict is a surviving remnant of a natural phenomenon.* In biology a relict is an organism that at an earlier time was abundant in a large area but now occurs at only one or a few small areas.... , relinquish |
| lip(o)- | fat | Greek | λίπος lipos | lipolysis Lipolysis Lipolysis is the breakdown of lipids and involves the hydrolysis of triglycerides into free fatty acids followed by further degradation into acetyl units by beta oxidation. The process produces Ketones, which are found in large quantities in ketosis, a metabolic state that occurs when the liver... |
| liter- | letter | Latin | littera | alliteration Alliteration In language, alliteration refers to the repetition of a particular sound in the first syllables of Three or more words or phrases. Alliteration has historically developed largely through poetry, in which it more narrowly refers to the repetition of a consonant in any syllables that, according to... , illiterate, literacy Literacy Literacy has traditionally been described as the ability to read for knowledge, write coherently and think critically about printed material.Literacy represents the lifelong, intellectual process of gaining meaning from print... , literal, obliterate |
| lith(o)- | stone | Greek | λίθος lithos | lithosphere Lithosphere The lithosphere is the rigid outermost shell of a rocky planet. On Earth, it comprises the crust and the portion of the upper mantle that behaves elastically on time scales of thousands of years or greater.- Earth's lithosphere :... , megalith Megalith A megalith is a large stone that has been used to construct a structure or monument, either alone or together with other stones. Megalithic describes structures made of such large stones, utilizing an interlocking system without the use of mortar or cement.The word 'megalith' comes from the Ancient... , monolith Monolith A monolith is a geological feature such as a mountain, consisting of a single massive stone or rock, or a single piece of rock placed as, or within, a monument... , Neolithic Neolithic The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age... Era |
| loc- | place | Latin | locus | local, location Location (geography) The terms location and place in geography are used to identify a point or an area on the Earth's surface or elsewhere. The term 'location' generally implies a higher degree of can certainty than "place" which often has an ambiguous boundary relying more on human/social attributes of place identity... |
| log- | thought, word, speech | Greek | λόγος logos "word" | logic Logic In philosophy, Logic is the formal systematic study of the principles of valid inference and correct reasoning. Logic is used in most intellectual activities, but is studied primarily in the disciplines of philosophy, mathematics, semantics, and computer science... , monologue, morphological |
| long- | long | Latin | longus | elongate, longitude Longitude Longitude is a geographic coordinate that specifies the east-west position of a point on the Earth's surface. It is an angular measurement, usually expressed in degrees, minutes and seconds, and denoted by the Greek letter lambda .... |
| loqu-, locut- | speak | Latin | loqui | allocution Allocution Generally, to allocute in law means "to speak out formally." In the field of apologetics, allocution is generally done in defense of a belief. In politics, one may allocute before a legislative body in an effort to influence their position on an issue... , eloquence Eloquence Eloquence is fluent, forcible, elegant or persuasive speaking. It is primarily the power of expressing strong emotions in striking and appropriate language, thereby producing conviction or persuasion... |
| luc- | bright, light | Latin | lux, lucis light | Lucifer Lucifer Traditionally, Lucifer is a name that in English generally refers to the devil or Satan before being cast from Heaven, although this is not the original meaning of the term. In Latin, from which the English word is derived, Lucifer means "light-bearer"... (bearer of light) |
| lud-, lus- | play | Latin | ludere, lusus | allude, illusion Illusion An illusion is a distortion of the senses, revealing how the brain normally organizes and interprets sensory stimulation. While illusions distort reality, they are generally shared by most people.... |
| lumin- | light | Latin | lumen, luminis | illumination, luminous |
| lun- | moon | Latin | luna | lunar, lunatic |
| lysis | dissolving | Greek | λύσις, lysis | analysis, cytolysis Cytolysis Cytolysis, or osmotic lysis, occurs when a cell bursts due to an osmotic imbalance that has caused excess water to move into the cell. It occurs in a hypotonic environment, where water diffuses into the cell and causes its volume to increase. If the volume of water exceeds the cell membrane's... , hydrolysis Hydrolysis Hydrolysis is a chemical reaction during which molecules of water are split into hydrogen cations and hydroxide anions in the process of a chemical mechanism. It is the type of reaction that is used to break down certain polymers, especially those made by condensation polymerization... |
M
| Root | Meaning In English | Origin Language | Etymology (Root Origin) | English Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| macro- | long | Greek | μακρός (makros) | macron Macron A macron, from the Greek , meaning "long", is a diacritic placed above a vowel . It was originally used to mark a long or heavy syllable in Greco-Roman metrics, but now marks a long vowel... |
| magn- | great, large | Latin | magnus | magnanimous, magnificent |
| maj- | greater | Latin | major, majus | majesty Majesty Majesty is an English word derived ultimately from the Latin maiestas, meaning "greatness".- Origin :Originally, during the Roman republic, the word maiestas was the legal term for the supreme status and dignity of the state, to be respected above everything else... , majority Majority A majority is a subset of a group consisting of more than half of its members. This can be compared to a plurality, which is a subset larger than any other subset; i.e. a plurality is not necessarily a majority as the largest subset may consist of less than half the group's population... , majuscule |
| mal- | bad, wretched, | Latin | malus | malfeasance Malfeasance The expressions misfeasance and nonfeasance, and occasionally malfeasance, are used in English law with reference to the discharge of public obligations existing by common law, custom or statute.-Definition and relevant rules of law:... , malicious, malignancy, malodorous |
| mamm- | breast | Latin | mamma | mammal Mammal Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young... , mammary gland Mammary gland A mammary gland is an organ in mammals that produces milk to feed young offspring. Mammals get their name from the word "mammary". In ruminants such as cows, goats, and deer, the mammary glands are contained in their udders... |
| man- | flow | Latin | manare | emanationism Emanationism Emanationism is an idea in the cosmology or cosmogony of certain religious or philosophical systems. Emanation, from the Latin emanare meaning "to flow from" or "to pour forth or out of", is the mode by which all things are derived from the First Reality, or Principle... , immanant |
| man- | stay | Latin | manēre, mansus | immanence Immanence Immanence refers to philosophical and metaphysical theories of divine presence, in which the divine is seen to be manifested in or encompassing of the material world. It is often contrasted with theories of transcendence, in which the divine is seen to be outside the material world... , permanent Permanent The permanent of a square matrix in linear algebra, is a function of the matrix similar to the determinant. The permanent, as well as the determinant, is a polynomial in the entries of the matrix... , remanence Remanence Remanence or remanent magnetization is the magnetization left behind in a ferromagnetic material after an external magnetic field is removed. It is also the measure of that magnetization. Colloquially, when a magnet is "magnetized" it has remanence... |
| mand- | hand | Latin | mandāre, mandatus | mandate, remand |
| mania | mental illness | Greek | μανία (manίā) | kleptomania Kleptomania Kleptomania is an irresistible urge to steal items of trivial value. People with this disorder are compelled to steal things, generally, but not limited to, objects of little or no significant value, such as pens, paper clips, paper and tape... , mania Mania Mania, the presence of which is a criterion for certain psychiatric diagnoses, is a state of abnormally elevated or irritable mood, arousal, and/ or energy levels. In a sense, it is the opposite of depression... c |
| manu- | hand | Latin | manus | manual, manuscript Manuscript A manuscript or handwrite is written information that has been manually created by someone or some people, such as a hand-written letter, as opposed to being printed or reproduced some other way... |
| mar- | sea | Latin | mare, maris | marine, maritime |
| mater-, matr- | mother | Latin | mater, matris | matriarch, matrix |
| maxim- | greatest | Latin | maximus | maximal |
| medi-, -midi- | middle | Latin | medius, mediare | median Median In probability theory and statistics, a median is described as the numerical value separating the higher half of a sample, a population, or a probability distribution, from the lower half. The median of a finite list of numbers can be found by arranging all the observations from lowest value to... , medieval |
| meg- | great, large | Greek | μέγας (megas) | megaphone Megaphone A megaphone, speaking-trumpet, bullhorn, blowhorn, or loud hailer is a portable, usually hand-held, cone-shaped horn used to amplify a person’s voice or other sounds towards a targeted direction. This is accomplished by channelling the sound through the megaphone, which also serves to match the... |
| mei- | less | Greek | μείον (meiōn) | meiosis Meiosis Meiosis is a special type of cell division necessary for sexual reproduction. The cells produced by meiosis are gametes or spores. The animals' gametes are called sperm and egg cells.... |
| melan- | black, dark | Greek | μέλας (melas) | Melanesia Melanesia Melanesia is a subregion of Oceania extending from the western end of the Pacific Ocean to the Arafura Sea, and eastward to Fiji. The region comprises most of the islands immediately north and northeast of Australia... , melanoma Melanoma Melanoma is a malignant tumor of melanocytes. Melanocytes are cells that produce the dark pigment, melanin, which is responsible for the color of skin. They predominantly occur in skin, but are also found in other parts of the body, including the bowel and the eye... |
| melior- | better | Latin | melior | amelioration |
| mell- | honey | Latin | mel, mellis | mellifluous |
| memor- | remember | Latin | memor | memorial Memorial A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person or an event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects or art objects such as sculptures, statues or fountains, and even entire parks.... |
| mening- | membrane | Greek | μενινξ (meninx) | meningitis |
| men(o)- | moon | Greek | μήν (men) | menopause, menstruation |
| ment- | mind | Latin | mens, mentis | demented, mentality |
| mer- | part | Greek | μέρος (meros) | polymer Polymer A polymer is a large molecule composed of repeating structural units. These subunits are typically connected by covalent chemical bonds... |
| merc- | reward, wages, hire | Latin | merx, mercis | mercantile, merchant |
| merg-, mers- | dip, plunge | Latin | mergere | emerge, immersion |
| mes- | middle | Greek | μέσος (mesos) | mesolithic Mesolithic The Mesolithic is an archaeological concept used to refer to certain groups of archaeological cultures defined as falling between the Paleolithic and the Neolithic.... , mesozoic Mesozoic The Mesozoic era is an interval of geological time from about 250 million years ago to about 65 million years ago. It is often referred to as the age of reptiles because reptiles, namely dinosaurs, were the dominant terrestrial and marine vertebrates of the time... |
| meter-, metr- | measure | Greek | μέτρον (metron) | metric, thermometer Thermometer Developed during the 16th and 17th centuries, a thermometer is a device that measures temperature or temperature gradient using a variety of different principles. A thermometer has two important elements: the temperature sensor Developed during the 16th and 17th centuries, a thermometer (from the... |
| meta- | above, among, beyond | Greek | μετά (meta) | metaphor Metaphor A metaphor is a literary figure of speech that uses an image, story or tangible thing to represent a less tangible thing or some intangible quality or idea; e.g., "Her eyes were glistening jewels." Metaphor may also be used for any rhetorical figures of speech that achieve their effects via... , metaphysics |
| mic- | grain | Latin | mica | micelle Micelle A micelle is an aggregate of surfactant molecules dispersed in a liquid colloid. A typical micelle in aqueous solution forms an aggregate with the hydrophilic "head" regions in contact with surrounding solvent, sequestering the hydrophobic single tail regions in the micelle centre. This phase is... |
| micr(o)- | small | Greek | μικρός (mikros) | microphone Microphone A microphone is an acoustic-to-electric transducer or sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal. In 1877, Emile Berliner invented the first microphone used as a telephone voice transmitter... , microscope Microscope A microscope is an instrument used to see objects that are too small for the naked eye. The science of investigating small objects using such an instrument is called microscopy... |
| migr- | wander | Latin | migrare | emigrant, migrate |
| milit- | soldier | Latin | miles, militis | military, militia Militia The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with... |
| mill- | thousand | Latin | mille | millennium Millennium A millennium is a period of time equal to one thousand years —from the Latin phrase , thousand, and , year—often but not necessarily related numerically to a particular dating system.... , million Million One million or one thousand thousand, is the natural number following 999,999 and preceding 1,000,001. The word is derived from the early Italian millione , from mille, "thousand", plus the augmentative suffix -one.In scientific notation, it is written as or just 106... |
| millen- | thousand each | Latin | milleni | millenary |
| mim- | repeat | Greek | μίμος (mimos) | mime Mime The word mime is used to refer to a mime artist who uses a theatrical medium or performance art involving the acting out of a story through body motions without use of speech.Mime may also refer to:* Mime, an alternative word for lip sync... , mimic |
| min- | jut | Latin | minere | prominent |
| min- | less, smaller | Latin | minor, minus | minority, minuscule |
| mir- | wonder, amazement | Latin | miror, mirari, miratus sum | admire, miracle Miracle A miracle often denotes an event attributed to divine intervention. Alternatively, it may be an event attributed to a miracle worker, saint, or religious leader. A miracle is sometimes thought of as a perceptible interruption of the laws of nature. Others suggest that a god may work with the laws... , mirror |
| mis- | hate | Greek | μῖσος (misos) | misandry Misandry Misandry is the hatred or dislike of men or boys.Misandry comes from Greek misos and anēr, andros . Misandry is the antonym of philandry, the fondness towards men, love, or admiration of them... , misogyny Misogyny Misogyny is the hatred or dislike of women or girls. Philogyny, meaning fondness, love or admiration towards women, is the antonym of misogyny. The term misandry is the term for men that is parallel to misogyny... |
| misce-, mixt- | mix | Latin | miscere, mixtus | miscellaneous, mixture |
| mit- | thread | Greek | μίτος (mitos) | mitochondrion Mitochondrion In cell biology, a mitochondrion is a membrane-enclosed organelle found in most eukaryotic cells. These organelles range from 0.5 to 1.0 micrometers in diameter... |
| mitt-, miss- | send | Latin | mittere, missus | intermittent, missionary Missionary A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin... , transmission |
| mne- | memory | Greek | μνήμη (mnēmē) | mnemonic Mnemonic A mnemonic , or mnemonic device, is any learning technique that aids memory. To improve long term memory, mnemonic systems are used to make memorization easier. Commonly encountered mnemonics are often verbal, such as a very short poem or a special word used to help a person remember something,... |
| mol- | grind | Latin | mola, molere, molitus | molar Molar (tooth) Molars are the rearmost and most complicated kind of tooth in most mammals. In many mammals they grind food; hence the Latin name mola, "millstone".... |
| moll- | soft | Latin | mollis | emollient, mollify |
| mon(o)- | one | Greek | μόνος (monos) | monism, monolith Monolith A monolith is a geological feature such as a mountain, consisting of a single massive stone or rock, or a single piece of rock placed as, or within, a monument... , monotone |
| monil- | string of beads | Latin | monile | Moniliformida Moniliformida Moniliformida is an order containing a single family, Moniliformidae, of microscopic parasitic worms that attach themselves to the intestinal wall of terrestrial vertebrates... |
| mont- | mountain | Latin | mons, montis | Montana Montana Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,... |
| morph- | form, shape | Greek | μορφή (morphē) | anthropomorphism Anthropomorphism Anthropomorphism is any attribution of human characteristics to animals, non-living things, phenomena, material states, objects or abstract concepts, such as organizations, governments, spirits or deities. The term was coined in the mid 1700s... , morpheme Morpheme In linguistics, a morpheme is the smallest semantically meaningful unit in a language. The field of study dedicated to morphemes is called morphology. A morpheme is not identical to a word, and the principal difference between the two is that a morpheme may or may not stand alone, whereas a word,... , morphology |
| mort- | death | Latin | mors, mortis | immortal, mortality, mortuary |
| mov-, mot- | move, motion | Latin | movere, motus | mobile, momentum, motor, move |
| mulg-, muls- | milk | Latin | mulgere | emulsion Emulsion An emulsion is a mixture of two or more liquids that are normally immiscible . Emulsions are part of a more general class of two-phase systems of matter called colloids. Although the terms colloid and emulsion are sometimes used interchangeably, emulsion is used when both the dispersed and the... |
| mult(i)- | many, much | Latin | multus | multiple, multiplex, multitude |
| mur- | wall | Latin | murus, muri | immured, mural Mural A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface. A particularly distinguishing characteristic of mural painting is that the architectural elements of the given space are harmoniously incorporated into the picture.-History:Murals of... |
| mus- | thief | Latin | mus, muris | mouse |
| musc- | fly | Latin | musca, muscae | Muscicapidae, Muscidae Muscidae Muscidae are a family of flies found in the superfamily Muscoidea. The apical segment of the antennae of Muscidae are plumose, and the basal portion is smooth.... |
| mut- | change | Latin | mutare | mutation Mutation In molecular biology and genetics, mutations are changes in a genomic sequence: the DNA sequence of a cell's genome or the DNA or RNA sequence of a virus. They can be defined as sudden and spontaneous changes in the cell. Mutations are caused by radiation, viruses, transposons and mutagenic... |
| my- | mouse | Greek | μῦς (mus) | musophobia |
| myri- | countless, ten thousand | Greek | μύριος (murios) | myriad Myriad Myriad , "numberlesscountless, infinite", is a classical Greek word for the number 10,000. In modern English, the word refers to an unspecified large quantity.-History and usage:... |
| myth(o)- | story | Greek | μῦθος (muthos) | mythic, mythology Mythology The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece... |
| myx- | slime | Greek | μύξα (muxa) | |
| myz- | suck | Greek |
N
| Root | Meaning in English | Origin language | Etymology (root origin) | English examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| nar- | nostril | Latin | naris | |
| narc- | numb | Greek | νάρκη (narkē) | narcosis, narcotic |
| narr- | tell | Latin | narrare | narrative Narrative A narrative is a constructive format that describes a sequence of non-fictional or fictional events. The word derives from the Latin verb narrare, "to recount", and is related to the adjective gnarus, "knowing" or "skilled"... |
| nas- | nose | Latin | nasus | nasal |
| nasc-, nat- | born | Latin | nascere, natus | nascent, native |
| naut- | ship | Greek | ναῦς (naus) | astronaut Astronaut An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft.... |
| nav- | ship | Latin | navis | naval |
| ne(o)- | new | Greek | νέος (neos) | neologism |
| necr(o)- | dead | Greek | νεκρός (nekros) | necrophobia |
| nect(o)- | swimming | Greek | νηκτός (nektos) | nectopod |
| nect-, nex- | join, tie | Latin | nectere, nexus | connection |
| neg- | say no | Latin | negare | negative |
| nema- | hair | Greek | νῆμα (nēma) | nematode |
| nemor- | grove, woods | Latin | nemus, nemoris | nemoral |
| nephr- | kidney | Greek | νεφρός (nephros) | nephritis Nephritis Nephritis is inflammation of the nephrons in the kidneys. The word "nephritis" was imported from Latin, which took it from Greek: νεφρίτιδα. The word comes from the Greek νεφρός - nephro- meaning "of the kidney" and -itis meaning "inflammation".... |
| nes- | island | Greek | νῆσος (nēsos) | Polynesia Polynesia Polynesia is a subregion of Oceania, made up of over 1,000 islands scattered over the central and southern Pacific Ocean. The indigenous people who inhabit the islands of Polynesia are termed Polynesians and they share many similar traits including language, culture and beliefs... |
| neur- | nerve | Greek | νευρών (neurōn) | neurology, neurosurgeon |
| nict- | wink | Latin | nictari | nictation |
| nigr- | black | Latin | niger | denigrate |
| nihil- | nothing | Latin | nihilum | annihilation |
| noct- | night | Latin | nox, noctis | nocturnal, noctambulist |
| nod- | knot | Latin | nodus | node, nodule |
| nom- | arrangement, law | Greek | νόμος (nomos) | |
| nomad- | those who let pasture herds | Greek | νομάς, νομάδος (nomas, nomados) | nomadic |
| nomin- | name | Latin | nomen, nominis | nomination Nomination Nomination is part of the process of selecting a candidate for either election to an office, or the bestowing of an honor or award.In the context of elections for public office, a candidate who has been selected by a political party is normally said to be the nominee of that party... |
| non- | not | Latin | non | none |
| non- | ninth | Latin | nonus | nonary |
| nonagen- | ninety each | Latin | nonageni | nonagenary |
| nonagesim- | ninetieth | Latin | nonagesimus | nonagesimal |
| not- | letter, note, paper | Latin | notare | notaphily |
| noth- | spurious | |||
| noto- | back, south | Greek | νότος (notos) | |
| nov- | nine | Latin | novem | novennial |
| nov- | new | Latin | novus | innovation, nova Nova A nova is a cataclysmic nuclear explosion in a star caused by the accretion of hydrogen on to the surface of a white dwarf star, which ignites and starts nuclear fusion in a runaway manner... |
| noven- | nine each | Latin | noveni | novenary |
| novendec- | nineteen | Latin | novendecim | |
| nox-, noc- | harmful | Latin | noxa | noxious |
| nu- | nod | Latin | nuere | innuendo |
| nub- | Latin | nubes, nubis | nubile | |
| nuc- | nut | Latin | nux, nucis | nucleus |
| nuch- | back of neck | Latin | nucha | nuchal cord Nuchal cord A nuchal cord occurs when the umbilical cord becomes wrapped around the fetal neck 360 degrees. Nuchal cords are very common, with prevalence rates of 6% to 37%... |
| nud- | naked | Latin | nudus | denude, nudity |
| null(i)- | none | Latin | nullus | nullify |
| numer- | number | Latin | numerus | numeral Numeral system A numeral system is a writing system for expressing numbers, that is a mathematical notation for representing numbers of a given set, using graphemes or symbols in a consistent manner.... |
| nunci- | announce | Latin | nuntius | pronunciation |
| nupti- | Latin | nuptial | ||
| nutri- | nourish | Latin | nutrire | nutrient |
O
| Root | Meaning in English | Origin language | Etymology (root origin) | English examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ob-, o-, oc-, os- | against | Latin | ob | obstinate, ostentatious, obstreperous |
| oct- | eight | Greek | ὀκτώ (oktō) | octagon, octahedron Octahedron In geometry, an octahedron is a polyhedron with eight faces. A regular octahedron is a Platonic solid composed of eight equilateral triangles, four of which meet at each vertex.... |
| oct- | eight | Latin | octō | octangular, octennial, octovir |
| octav- | eighth | Latin | octāvus | octaval |
| octogen- | eighty each | Latin | octogeni | octogenary |
| octogesim- | eightieth | Latin | octogesimus | octogesimal |
| octon- | eight each | Latin | octoni | octonary |
| ocul- | eye | Latin | oculus, oculare | ocular, oculus Oculus An Oculus, circular window, or rain-hole is a feature of Classical architecture since the 16th century. They are often denoted by their French name, oeil de boeuf, or "bull's-eye". Such circular or oval windows express the presence of a mezzanine on a building's façade without competing for... |
| od-, -ode | path, way | Greek | ὁδός (hodos) | odometer Odometer An odometer or odograph is an instrument that indicates distance traveled by a vehicle, such as a bicycle or automobile. The device may be electronic, mechanical, or a combination of the two. The word derives from the Greek words hodós and métron... , anode Anode An anode is an electrode through which electric current flows into a polarized electrical device. Mnemonic: ACID .... , diode Diode In electronics, a diode is a type of two-terminal electronic component with a nonlinear current–voltage characteristic. A semiconductor diode, the most common type today, is a crystalline piece of semiconductor material connected to two electrical terminals... , triode Triode A triode is an electronic amplification device having three active electrodes. The term most commonly applies to a vacuum tube with three elements: the filament or cathode, the grid, and the plate or anode. The triode vacuum tube was the first electronic amplification device... , tetrode Tetrode A tetrode is an electronic device having four active electrodes. The term most commonly applies to a two-grid vacuum tube. It has the three electrodes of a triode and an additional screen grid which significantly changes its behaviour.-Control grid:... , pentode Pentode A pentode is an electronic device having five active electrodes. The term most commonly applies to a three-grid vacuum tube , which was invented by the Dutchman Bernhard D.H. Tellegen in 1926... |
| od- | hate | Latin | odium | odious |
| odont- | tooth | Greek | ὀδούς, ὀδόντος (odous, odontos) | odontology |
| odor- | fragrant | Latin | odor | odorous |
| oeco- | house | Greek | οἶκος (oikos) | ecology |
| oed- | swollen | Greek | οἴδημα (oidēma) | oedema |
| oen- | wine | Greek | οἶνος (oinos) | oenology Oenology Oenology,[p] œnology , or enology is the science and study of all aspects of wine and winemaking except vine-growing and grape-harvesting, which is a subfield called viticulture. “Viticulture & oenology” is a common designation for training programmes and research centres that include both the... |
| oesoph- | gullet | Greek | οἰσοφάγος (oisophagos) | oesophagus |
| ogdo- | eighth | Greek | ὄγδοος (ogdoos) | |
| -oid | like | Greek | -οειδής (-oeidēs) | organoid, mucoid |
| ole- | oily | Latin | ||
| olecran- | skull of elbow | Latin from Greek | ὠλέκρανον (ōlekranon) | olecranon Olecranon The olecranon is a large, thick, curved bony eminence of the forearm that projects behind the elbow.It is situated at the upper end of the ulna, one of the two bones in the forearm... |
| olig- | few | Greek | ὀλίγος (oligos) | oligarchy Oligarchy Oligarchy is a form of power structure in which power effectively rests with an elite class distinguished by royalty, wealth, family ties, commercial, and/or military legitimacy... |
| oliv- | olive | Latin | oliva | |
| -oma | cancer | Greek | -ωμα | |
| omas- | paunch | Latin | omasum | omasum Omasum The omasum, also known as the bible, the fardel, the manyplies and the psalterium, is the third compartment of the stomach in ruminants... |
| oment- | fat skin | Latin | omentum | |
| omin- | creepy | Latin | omen, ominis | ominous |
| omm- | eye | Greek | ὄμμα (omma) | ommatidium Ommatidium The compound eyes of insects, mantis shrimp and millipedes are composed of units called ommatidia . An ommatidium contains a cluster of photoreceptor cells surrounded by support cells and pigment cells. The outer part of the ommatidium is overlaid with a transparent cornea... |
| omni- | all | Latin | omnis | omnipotence Omnipotence Omnipotence is unlimited power. Monotheistic religions generally attribute omnipotence to only the deity of whichever faith is being addressed... , omnivore Omnivore Omnivores are species that eat both plants and animals as their primary food source... |
| omo- | shoulder | Latin | ||
| omphal- | navel | Greek | ὀμφαλός (omphalos) | omphalectomy |
| oner- | burden | Latin | onus, oneris | onerous |
| onom- | name | Greek | όνομα (onoma) | onomatopoeia |
| ont- | existing | Greek | ὄντος (ontos) | ontogeny Ontogeny Ontogeny is the origin and the development of an organism – for example: from the fertilized egg to mature form. It covers in essence, the study of an organism's lifespan... , ontology Ontology Ontology is the philosophical study of the nature of being, existence or reality as such, as well as the basic categories of being and their relations... |
| -onym | name | Greek | ὄνυμα (onuma) | pseudonym Pseudonym A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym... |
| oo- | egg | Greek | (oion) | oocyte Oocyte An oocyte, ovocyte, or rarely ocyte, is a female gametocyte or germ cell involved in reproduction. In other words, it is an immature ovum, or egg cell. An oocyte is produced in the ovary during female gametogenesis. The female germ cells produce a primordial germ cell which undergoes a mitotic... |
| opac- | shady | Latin | opacus | opacity Opacity (optics) Opacity is the measure of impenetrability to electromagnetic or other kinds of radiation, especially visible light. In radiative transfer, it describes the absorption and scattering of radiation in a medium, such as a plasma, dielectric, shielding material, glass, etc... |
| oper- | work | Latin | opus, operis | opera Opera Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance... |
| opercul- | little cover | Latin | operculum | |
| ophi- | snake | Greek | ὄφις (ophis) | |
| ophthalm- | eye | Greek | ὀφθαλμός (ophthalmos) | ophthalmology Ophthalmology Ophthalmology is the branch of medicine that deals with the anatomy, physiology and diseases of the eye. An ophthalmologist is a specialist in medical and surgical eye problems... |
| opisth- | behind | Greek | ὄπισθεν (opisthen) | opisthosoma Opisthosoma The opisthosoma is the posterior part of the body in some arthropods, behind the prosoma . It is a distinctive feature of the subphylum Chelicerata... , opsimath Opsimath An opsimath can refer to a person who begins, or continues, to study or learn late in life. The word is derived from the Greek οψε , meaning 'late' and μανθανω , meaning 'learn'.... |
| opoter- | either | Greek | ὁπότερος (hopoteros) | |
| opt- | eye | Greek | ὀπτός optos | optical |
| opt- | choose | Latin | optare | adopt, optional |
| optim- | best | Latin | optimus | optimum |
| or- | mouth | Latin | os, oris | oral, orator |
| orb- | circle | Latin | orbis | orbit Orbit In physics, an orbit is the gravitationally curved path of an object around a point in space, for example the orbit of a planet around the center of a star system, such as the Solar System... |
| orch- | testicle | Greek | ὄρχις (orchis) | orchid |
| ordin- | order | Latin | ōrdō, ordinis | ordinal, ordinary |
| organ- | organ, instrument, tool | Greek | ὄργανον (organon) | organism Organism In biology, an organism is any contiguous living system . In at least some form, all organisms are capable of response to stimuli, reproduction, growth and development, and maintenance of homoeostasis as a stable whole.An organism may either be unicellular or, as in the case of humans, comprise... |
| ori-, ort- | eastern | Latin | oriri, ortus | orient |
| orn- | decorate | Latin | ōrnāre | adorn, ornament, ornate |
| ornith- | bird | Greek | ὄρνις (ornis, ornithos) | ornithology Ornithology Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the study of birds. Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and the aesthetic appeal of birds... |
| orth(o)- | straight | Greek | ὀρθός (orthos) | orthodoxy Orthodoxy The word orthodox, from Greek orthos + doxa , is generally used to mean the adherence to accepted norms, more specifically to creeds, especially in religion... , orthosis Orthotics Orthotics is a specialty within the medical field concerned with the design, manufacture and application of orthoses. An orthosis is an orthopedic device that supports or corrects the function of a limb or the torso... |
| oscill- | swing | Latin | oscillum | oscillation Oscillation Oscillation is the repetitive variation, typically in time, of some measure about a central value or between two or more different states. Familiar examples include a swinging pendulum and AC power. The term vibration is sometimes used more narrowly to mean a mechanical oscillation but sometimes... |
| oss(i)- | bone | Latin | os, ossis | ossification |
| osteo- | bone | Greek | ὀστοῦν (ostoun) | osteoporosis Osteoporosis Osteoporosis is a disease of bones that leads to an increased risk of fracture. In osteoporosis the bone mineral density is reduced, bone microarchitecture is deteriorating, and the amount and variety of proteins in bone is altered... |
| osti- | entrance | Latin | ostium | ostiole Ostiole An ostiole is a small hole or opening through which algae or ascomycetal fungi release their mature spores. The term is also used in higher plants, for example to denote the opening of the involuted fig inflorescence through which fig wasps enter to pollinate and breed.... |
| ostrac- | shell | Greek | ὄστρακον (ostrakon) | ostracism |
| ot- | ear | Greek | οὖς,ωτός (ous, ōtos) | otology Otology Otology is a branch of biomedicine which studies normal and pathological anatomy and physiology of the ear as well as its diseases, diagnosis and treatment.... |
| ov- | egg | Latin | ovum | oval Oval An oval is any curve resembling an egg or an ellipse, such as a Cassini oval. The term does not have a precise mathematical definition except in one area oval , but it may also refer to:* A sporting arena of oval shape** a cricket field... , ovule |
| ovi- | sheep | Latin | ovis | ovine |
| oxy- | sharp, pointed | Greek | ὀξύς (oxus) | oxymoron Oxymoron An oxymoron is a figure of speech that combines contradictory terms... |
P
| Root | Meaning in English | Origin language | Etymology (root origin) | English examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| pac- | peace | Latin | pax, pacis | pacifism Pacifism Pacifism is the opposition to war and violence. The term "pacifism" was coined by the French peace campaignerÉmile Arnaud and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress inGlasgow in 1901.- Definition :... |
| pach- | thick | Greek | παχύς (pachus) | pachydermata Pachydermata Pachydermata is an obsolete order of mammals described by Gottlieb Storr, Georges Cuvier and others, at one time recognized by many systematists... , Pachypodium Pachypodium Pachypodium is a genus of succulent spine-bearing trees and shrubs, native to Africa. It belongs to the dogbane family, Apocynaceae. Pachypodium comes from a Latin form from Greek pachus and podion , hence meaning thick-footed.-Genus characteristics:All Pachypodium are succulent plants that... |
| paed- | child | Greek | παῖς, παιδός (pais, paidos) | paediatric |
| pagin- | page | Latin | pagina | pagination Pagination Pagination is the process of dividing information into discrete pages, either electronic pages or printed pages. Today the latter are usually simply instances of the former that have been outputted to a printing device, such as a desktop printer or a modern printing press... |
| pal- | stake | Latin | palus | impalement Impalement Impalement is the traumatic penetration of an organism by an elongated foreign object such as a stake, pole, or spear, and this usually implies complete perforation of the central mass of the impaled body... , pale |
| palae-, pale- | ancient, old | Greek | παλαιός (palaios) | paleontology Paleontology Paleontology "old, ancient", ὄν, ὀντ- "being, creature", and λόγος "speech, thought") is the study of prehistoric life. It includes the study of fossils to determine organisms' evolution and interactions with each other and their environments... |
| palin- | back | Greek | πάλιν (palin) | palindrome Palindrome A palindrome is a word, phrase, number, or other sequence of units that can be read the same way in either direction, with general allowances for adjustments to punctuation and word dividers.... |
| pall- | be pale | Latin | pallere | pallid, pallor Pallor Pallor is a reduced amount of oxyhaemoglobin in skin or mucous membrane, a pale color which can be caused by illness, emotional shock or stress, stimulant use, lack of exposure to sunlight, anaemia or genetics.... |
| palli- | mantle | Latin | pallium | pallium Pallium The pallium is an ecclesiastical vestment in the Roman Catholic Church, originally peculiar to the Pope, but for many centuries bestowed by him on metropolitans and primates as a symbol of the jurisdiction delegated to them by the Holy See. In that context it has always remained unambiguously... |
| palm- | palm | Latin | palma | palmate |
| palustr(i)- | in marshes | Latin | paluster | palustral |
| pan-, pam- | all | Greek | πᾶς, παντός (pas, pantos) | pandemic Pandemic A pandemic is an epidemic of infectious disease that is spreading through human populations across a large region; for instance multiple continents, or even worldwide. A widespread endemic disease that is stable in terms of how many people are getting sick from it is not a pandemic... |
| pand-, pans- | spread | Latin | pandere, pansus | expand, expansion |
| par(a)- | beside, near | Greek | παρά (para) | parallel Parallel (geometry) Parallelism is a term in geometry and in everyday life that refers to a property in Euclidean space of two or more lines or planes, or a combination of these. The assumed existence and properties of parallel lines are the basis of Euclid's parallel postulate. Two lines in a plane that do not... , parameter Parameter Parameter from Ancient Greek παρά also “para” meaning “beside, subsidiary” and μέτρον also “metron” meaning “measure”, can be interpreted in mathematics, logic, linguistics, environmental science and other disciplines.... |
| pariet- | wall | Latin | paries, parietis | parietal |
| part(i)- | part | Latin | pars, partis | bipartite Bipartite Bipartite means having two parts, or an agreement between two parties. More specifically, it may refer to any of the following:-Mathematics:* 2 * bipartite graph* bipartite cubic, a type of cubic function-Medicine:... , partition |
| parthen(o)- | maiden | Greek | παρθένος (parthenos) | parthenogenesis Parthenogenesis Parthenogenesis is a form of asexual reproduction found in females, where growth and development of embryos occur without fertilization by a male... |
| parv- | little | Latin | parvus | parvovirus Parvovirus Parvovirus, often truncated to "parvo", is both the common name in English casually applied to all the viruses in the Parvoviridae taxonomic family, and also the taxonomic name of the Parvovirus genus within the Parvoviridae family... |
| pasc-, past- | feed | Latin | pascere, pastus | pasture Pasture Pasture is land used for grazing. Pasture lands in the narrow sense are enclosed tracts of farmland, grazed by domesticated livestock, such as horses, cattle, sheep or swine. The vegetation of tended pasture, forage, consists mainly of grasses, with an interspersion of legumes and other forbs... , repast |
| pass- | pace, step | Latin | passus | |
| passer- | sparrow | Latin | passer | passeriform, passerine Passerine A passerine is a bird of the order Passeriformes, which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds or, less accurately, as songbirds, the passerines form one of the most diverse terrestrial vertebrate orders: with over 5,000 identified species, it has roughly... |
| pat- | be open | Latin | patere | patent Patent A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention.... |
| path- | feel, hurt | Greek | πάθος (pathos) | pathetic, pathology Pathology Pathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling.... |
| pati-, pass- | suffer, feel, endure, permit | Latin | pati, passus | passive, patience Patience Patience is the state of endurance under difficult circumstances, which can mean persevering in the face of delay or provocation without acting on annoyance/anger in a negative way; or exhibiting forbearance when under strain, especially when faced with longer-term difficulties. Patience is the... |
| patr- | father | Greek | πατήρ, πατριά (patēr, patria) | patriarch Patriarch Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. The system of such rule of families by senior males is called patriarchy. This is a Greek word, a compound of πατριά , "lineage, descent", esp... |
| patr(i)- | father | Latin | pater, patris | patrilocal Patrilocal residence In social anthropology, patrilocal residence or patrilocality is a term referring to the social system in which a married couple resides with or near the husband's parents. The concept of location may extend to a larger area such as a village, town, or clan area... |
| pauc- | few | Latin | paucus | paucal, paucity |
| pav- | Latin | pavire | pavement Pavement (architecture) A pavement in architecture is a stone or tile structure, the pavement, which can serve as a floor or an external feature. Pavements can be made of flagstones which are used for things like paving gardens, tiles also there were mosaics which were commonly used by the Romans.When along the side of... |
|
| pecc- | sin | Latin | peccare | impeccable |
| pect- | fixed | Greek | πηκτός (pēktos) | pectic, pectin Pectin Pectin is a structural heteropolysaccharide contained in the primary cell walls of terrestrial plants. It was first isolated and described in 1825 by Henri Braconnot... |
| pector- | chest | Latin | pectus, pectoris | pectoral |
| pecun- | money | Latin | pecunia | pecuniary |
| ped- | child | Greek | παῖς, παιδός (pais, paidos) | pedagogy Pedagogy Pedagogy is the study of being a teacher or the process of teaching. The term generally refers to strategies of instruction, or a style of instruction.... |
| ped- | foot | Latin | pes, pedis | pedal, quadruped |
| pejor- | worse | Latin | pejor | pejorative Pejorative Pejoratives , including name slurs, are words or grammatical forms that connote negativity and express contempt or distaste. A term can be regarded as pejorative in some social groups but not in others, e.g., hacker is a term used for computer criminals as well as quick and clever computer experts... |
| pell-, puls- | drive | Latin | pellere, pulsus | propellent, propulsor Propulsor A propulsor is a mechanical device that gives propulsion. The word is commonly used in the marine vernacular, and implies a mechanical assembly that is more complicated than a propeller. The Kort nozzle and Pump-jet are examples.... , repellent |
| pen- | almost | Latin | paene | peninsula Peninsula A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands".... , penultimate, penumbra |
| pend-, pens- | hang | Latin | pendere | suspend |
| penn-, pinn- | feather | Latin | penna | pennate, pinnate Pinnate Pinnate is a term used to describe feather-like or multi-divided features arising from both sides of a common axis in plant or animal structures, and comes from the Latin word pinna meaning "feather", "wing", or "fin". A similar term is pectinate, which refers to a comb-like arrangement of parts... |
| pent- | five | Greek | πέντε (pente) | pentagon Pentagon In geometry, a pentagon is any five-sided polygon. A pentagon may be simple or self-intersecting. The sum of the internal angles in a simple pentagon is 540°. A pentagram is an example of a self-intersecting pentagon.- Regular pentagons :In a regular pentagon, all sides are equal in length and... , pentode Pentode A pentode is an electronic device having five active electrodes. The term most commonly applies to a three-grid vacuum tube , which was invented by the Dutchman Bernhard D.H. Tellegen in 1926... |
| pentecost- | fiftieth | Greek | πεντηκοστός (pentēkostos) | pentecostalism Pentecostalism Pentecostalism is a diverse and complex movement within Christianity that places special emphasis on a direct personal experience of God through the baptism in the Holy Spirit, has an eschatological focus, and is an experiential religion. The term Pentecostal is derived from Pentecost, the Greek... |
| pept- | to digest | Greek | πέσσειν, πεπτός (pessein, peptos) | peptic, peptide Peptide Peptides are short polymers of amino acid monomers linked by peptide bonds. They are distinguished from proteins on the basis of size, typically containing less than 50 monomer units. The shortest peptides are dipeptides, consisting of two amino acids joined by a single peptide bond... |
| per- | thoroughly, through | Latin | per | perfection Perfection Perfection is, broadly, a state of completeness and flawlessness.The term "perfection" is actually used to designate a range of diverse, if often kindred, concepts... , persistence |
| peran- | across, beyond | Greek | πέραν (peran) | |
| peri- | around | Greek | περί (peri) | perimeter Perimeter A perimeter is a path that surrounds an area. The word comes from the Greek peri and meter . The term may be used either for the path or its length - it can be thought of as the length of the outline of a shape. The perimeter of a circular area is called circumference.- Practical uses :Calculating... , periscope Periscope A periscope is an instrument for observation from a concealed position. In its simplest form it consists of a tube with mirrors at each end set parallel to each other at a 45-degree angle.... |
| persic- | peach | Greek | περσικός (persikos) | |
| pessim- | worst | Latin | pessimus | pessimal |
| pet- | strive towards | Latin | petere | appetite, competition |
| petr- | rock | Greek | πέτρα (petra) | petroglyph Petroglyph Petroglyphs are pictogram and logogram images created by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, carving, and abrading. Outside North America, scholars often use terms such as "carving", "engraving", or other descriptions of the technique to refer to such images... |
| phae(o)- | dark | Greek | φαιός (phaios) | phaeomelanin |
| phag- | eat | Greek | φαγεῖν (phagein) | sarcophagus Sarcophagus A sarcophagus is a funeral receptacle for a corpse, most commonly carved or cut from stone. The word "sarcophagus" comes from the Greek σαρξ sarx meaning "flesh", and φαγειν phagein meaning "to eat", hence sarkophagus means "flesh-eating"; from the phrase lithos sarkophagos... |
| phalang- | close formation of troops, finger bones | Greek | φάλαγξ, φάλαγγος (phalanx, phalangos) | phalanges |
| phalar- | having a patch of white | Greek | φάλαρος (phalāros) | phalarope Phalarope A phalarope or wadepiper is any of three living species of slender-necked shorebirds in the genus Phalaropus of the bird family Scolopacidae. They are close relatives of the shanks and tattlers, the Actitis and Terek Sandpipers, and also of the turnstones and calidrids... |
| pharmac- | drug, medicine | Greek | φάρμακον (pharmakon) | pharmacy Pharmacy Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs... |
| phanero- | visible | Greek | φανερός (phaneros) | phanerozoic Phanerozoic The Phanerozoic Eon is the current eon in the geologic timescale, and the one during which abundant animal life has existed. It covers roughly 542 million years and goes back to the time when diverse hard-shelled animals first appeared... |
| pher- | bear, carry | Greek | φέρω (pherō) | pheromone Pheromone A pheromone is a secreted or excreted chemical factor that triggers a social response in members of the same species. Pheromones are chemicals capable of acting outside the body of the secreting individual to impact the behavior of the receiving individual... |
| phil-, -phile | love, friendship | Greek | φιλέω (phileō, philia) | philosophy Philosophy Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational... , hydrophile Hydrophile A hydrophile, from the Greek "water" and φιλια "love," is a molecule or other molecular entity that is attracted to, and tends to be dissolved by water. A hydrophilic molecule or portion of a molecule is one that has a tendency to interact with or be dissolved by, water and other polar substances... |
| phleg- | heat | Greek | φλέγω (phlegō) | phlegm Phlegm Phlegm is a liquid secreted by the mucous membranes of mammalians. Its definition is limited to the mucus produced by the respiratory system, excluding that from the nasal passages, and particularly that which is expelled by coughing . Phlegm is in essence a water-based gel consisting of... , phlegmatics |
| phloe- | tree bark | Greek | φλοιός (phloios) | phlobaphene Phlobaphene Phlobaphenes can be defined either as the reddish colored phenolic substances extracted from plant that are alcohol soluble and water insoluble or the reddish colored, water insoluble products that result from treatment of tannin extracts with mineral acids .The name phlobaphen come from the Greek... , phloem Phloem In vascular plants, phloem is the living tissue that carries organic nutrients , in particular, glucose, a sugar, to all parts of the plant where needed. In trees, the phloem is the innermost layer of the bark, hence the name, derived from the Greek word "bark"... |
| phob- | fear | Greek | φόβος (phobos) | hydrophobia Rabies Rabies is a viral disease that causes acute encephalitis in warm-blooded animals. It is zoonotic , most commonly by a bite from an infected animal. For a human, rabies is almost invariably fatal if post-exposure prophylaxis is not administered prior to the onset of severe symptoms... |
| phon(o)- | sound | Greek | φωνή (phōnē) | homophone Homophone A homophone is a word that is pronounced the same as another word but differs in meaning. The words may be spelled the same, such as rose and rose , or differently, such as carat, caret, and carrot, or to, two, and too. Homophones that are spelled the same are also both homographs and homonyms... , microphone, phonograph Phonograph The phonograph record player, or gramophone is a device introduced in 1877 that has had continued common use for reproducing sound recordings, although when first developed, the phonograph was used to both record and reproduce sounds... |
| phor- | carry, bear | Greek | φόρος (phoros) | metaphor Metaphor A metaphor is a literary figure of speech that uses an image, story or tangible thing to represent a less tangible thing or some intangible quality or idea; e.g., "Her eyes were glistening jewels." Metaphor may also be used for any rhetorical figures of speech that achieve their effects via... |
| phos-, phot- | light | Greek | φῶς, φωτός (phōs, phōtos) | phosphor Phosphor A phosphor, most generally, is a substance that exhibits the phenomenon of luminescence. Somewhat confusingly, this includes both phosphorescent materials, which show a slow decay in brightness , and fluorescent materials, where the emission decay takes place over tens of nanoseconds... , photograph Photograph A photograph is an image created by light falling on a light-sensitive surface, usually photographic film or an electronic imager such as a CCD or a CMOS chip. Most photographs are created using a camera, which uses a lens to focus the scene's visible wavelengths of light into a reproduction of... |
| phragm- | fence | Greek | φράγμα (phragma) | diaphragm |
| phren- | diaphragm, mind | Greek | φρήν, φρενός (phrēn, phrenos) | schizophrenia Schizophrenia Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social... |
| phryn(o)- | toad, toad-like | Greek | φρύνη (phrunē) | Phrynobatrachus Phrynobatrachus The dwarf puddle frogs or African puddle frogs make up the genus Phrynobatrachus with over 70 species. These Afrotropical true frogs are placed in the subfamily Petropedetinae, which some authors consider a distinct family... |
| phyl- | tribe | Greek | φύλον (phulon) | phylogenetics Phylogenetics In biology, phylogenetics is the study of evolutionary relatedness among groups of organisms , which is discovered through molecular sequencing data and morphological data matrices... , phylum Phylum In biology, a phylum The term was coined by Georges Cuvier from Greek φῦλον phylon, "race, stock," related to φυλή phyle, "tribe, clan." is a taxonomic rank below kingdom and above class. "Phylum" is equivalent to the botanical term division.... |
| phyll- | leaf | Greek | φύλλον (phullon) | chlorophyll Chlorophyll Chlorophyll is a green pigment found in almost all plants, algae, and cyanobacteria. Its name is derived from the Greek words χλωρος, chloros and φύλλον, phyllon . Chlorophyll is an extremely important biomolecule, critical in photosynthesis, which allows plants to obtain energy from light... , phyllotaxis Phyllotaxis In botany, phyllotaxis or phyllotaxy is the arrangement of leaves on a plant stem .- Pattern structure :... |
| physa- | bladder | Greek | φυσά, φούσκα (phusa, phouska) | |
| phys- | nature | Greek | φύσις (phusis) | physics Physics Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic... |
| phyt- | plant | Greek | φυτόν (phuton) | neophyte Neophyte (botany) In botany, a neophyte is a plant species which is non-native to a geographical region, and was introduced in recent history. Plants that are long-established in an area are called archaeophytes... , phytoplankton Phytoplankton Phytoplankton are the autotrophic component of the plankton community. The name comes from the Greek words φυτόν , meaning "plant", and πλαγκτός , meaning "wanderer" or "drifter". Most phytoplankton are too small to be individually seen with the unaided eye... |
| pic- | pitch | Latin | pix, picis | |
| pil- | hair | Latin | pilus | depilatory, epilator Epilator An epilator is an electrical device used to remove hair by mechanically grasping multiple hairs simultaneously and pulling them out. The way in which epilators pull out hair is similar to waxing, although unlike waxing, they do not remove cells from the epithelium of the epidermis... |
| pin(o)- | drink | Greek | πίνειν (pinein) | pinocytosis Pinocytosis In cellular biology, pinocytosis is a form of endocytosis in which small particles are brought into the cell—forming an invagination, and then suspended within small vesicles that subsequently fuse with lysosomes to hydrolyze, or to break down, the particles... |
| pin- | pine | Latin | pinus | pineal gland Pineal gland The pineal gland is a small endocrine gland in the vertebrate brain. It produces the serotonin derivative melatonin, a hormone that affects the modulation of wake/sleep patterns and seasonal functions... |
| ping-, pict- | paint | Latin | pingere, pictus | depiction Depiction Depiction is meaning conveyed through pictures. Basically, a picture maps an object to a two-dimensional scheme or picture plane. Pictures are made with various materials and techniques, such as painting, drawing, or prints mosaics, tapestries, stained glass, and collages of unusual and disparate... , picture |
| pingu- | fat | Latin | pinguis | Pinguicula Pinguicula The butterworts are a group of carnivorous plants comprising the genus Pinguicula. Members of this genus use sticky, glandular leaves to lure, trap, and digest insects in order to supplement the poor mineral nutrition they obtain from the environments. Of the roughly 80 currently known species, 12... |
| pir- | pear | Latin | pirus | piriformis muscle Piriformis muscle The piriformis is a muscle in the gluteal region of the lower limb. It was first named by Spigelius, a professor from the University of Padua in the 16th century.- Origin and insertion :... |
| pisc- | fish | Latin | piscis | Pisces Pisces (constellation) Pisces is a constellation of the zodiac. Its name is the Latin plural for fish, and its symbol is . It lies between Aquarius to the west and Aries to the east... , piscivore Piscivore A piscivore is a carnivorous animal which eats primarily fish. Piscivory was the diet of early tetrapods , insectivory came next, then in time reptiles added herbivory.... |
| pis- | pea | Greek | πίσος (pisos) | |
| plac- | plate, tablet | Greek | πλάξ, πλακός (plax, plakos) | |
| plac- | calm | Latin | placare, placatus | placate |
| plac-, -plic- | please | Latin | placēre, placitus | placebo Placebo A placebo is a simulated or otherwise medically ineffectual treatment for a disease or other medical condition intended to deceive the recipient... , placid |
| plagi- | oblique | Greek | πλάγιος (plagios) | plagioclase Plagioclase Plagioclase is an important series of tectosilicate minerals within the feldspar family. Rather than referring to a particular mineral with a specific chemical composition, plagioclase is a solid solution series, more properly known as the plagioclase feldspar series... |
| plan- | flat | Latin | planus | explanation, planar, plane |
| plang-, planct- | Latin | plangere, planctus | plangent | |
| plas- | mould | Greek | πλάθω (plathō) | plasma, plastic Plastic A plastic material is any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic solids used in the manufacture of industrial products. Plastics are typically polymers of high molecular mass, and may contain other substances to improve performance and/or reduce production costs... |
| platy- | flat, broad | Greek | πλατύς (platus) | platypus Platypus The platypus is a semi-aquatic mammal endemic to eastern Australia, including Tasmania. Together with the four species of echidna, it is one of the five extant species of monotremes, the only mammals that lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young... |
| plaud-, -plod-, plaus-, -plos- | clap | Latin | plaudere, plausus | applaud, applause Applause Applause is primarily the expression of approval by the act of clapping, or striking the palms of the hands together, in order to create noise. Audiences are usually expected to applaud after a performance, such as a musical concert, speech, or play... , explosion, implode |
| ple-, plet- | fill | Latin | plere | complement Complement In many different fields, the complement of X is something that together with X makes a complete whole—something that supplies what X lacks.Complement may refer to:... , suppletion Suppletion In linguistics and etymology, suppletion is traditionally understood as the use of one word as the inflected form of another word when the two words are not cognate. For those learning a language, suppletive forms will be seen as "irregular" or even "highly irregular". The term "suppletion" implies... |
| pleb- | people | Latin | plebs, plebis | plebian, plebs Plebs The plebs was the general body of free land-owning Roman citizens in Ancient Rome. They were distinct from the higher order of the patricians. A member of the plebs was known as a plebeian... |
| plec- | interwoven | Greek | πλέκω (plekō) | plectics Plectics Plectics is the name that Murray Gell-Mann, a Nobel Laureate in Physics, has suggested for the research area described by Gell-Mann as "a broad transdisciplinary subject covering aspects of simplicity and complexity as well as the properties of complex adaptive systems, including composite complex... , symplectomorphism Symplectomorphism In mathematics, a symplectomorphism is an isomorphism in the category of symplectic manifolds.-Formal definition:A diffeomorphism between two symplectic manifolds f: \rightarrow is called symplectomorphism, iff^*\omega'=\omega,... |
| plect-, plex- | plait | Latin | plectere, plexus | perplex |
| plen- | full | Latin | plenus | plenary |
| plesi- | near | Greek | πλησίος (plēsios) | |
| pleth- | full | Greek | πλῆθος (plēthos) | plethora |
| pleur- | side | Greek | πλευρά (pleura) | |
| plic- | fold | Latin | plicare, plicatus | duplication, replicate |
| plinth- | brick | Greek | πλίνθος (plinthos) | |
| plor- | Latin | plorare | implore | |
| plu- | rain | Latin | pluere | |
| plum- | feather | Latin | pluma | plumage, plumate |
| plumb- | lead | Latin | plumbum | |
| plur- | more | Latin | pluris | plural |
| plurim- | most | Latin | plurimus | |
| plus- | more | Latin | plus | |
| pluto- | wealth | Greek | πλοῦτος (ploutos) | plutocracy |
| pluvi- | rain | Latin | pluvia | pluvial |
| pneu- | air, lung | Greek | πνεῦμα (pneuma) | pneumatic |
| pod- | foot | Greek | πούς, ποδός (pous, podos) | podiatry Podiatry Podiatry is a branch of medicine devoted to the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disorders of the foot, ankle, and lower leg. The term podiatry came into use first in the early 20th century United States, where it now denotes a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine , a specialist who is qualified by their... , tripod Tripod A tripod is a portable three-legged frame, used as a platform for supporting the weight and maintaining the stability of some other object. The word comes from the Greek tripous, meaning "three feet". A tripod provides stability against downward forces, horizontal forces and moments about the... |
| pogon(o)- | beard | Greek | πώγων, πώγωνος (pōgōn, pōgōnos) | pogonotrophy |
| poie- | make | Greek | ποιέω (poieō) | poiesis |
| pol- | pole | Greek | πόλος (polos) | dipole Dipole In physics, there are several kinds of dipoles:*An electric dipole is a separation of positive and negative charges. The simplest example of this is a pair of electric charges of equal magnitude but opposite sign, separated by some distance. A permanent electric dipole is called an electret.*A... , polar |
| pole-, poli- | city | Greek | πόλις (polis) | metropolis, politics |
| polem- | war | Greek | πόλεμος (polemos) | polemic |
| poli(o)- | grey | Greek | πολιός (polios) | |
| pollic- | thumb | Latin | pollex, pollicis | |
| pollin- | Latin | pollen, pollinis | pollination Pollination Pollination is the process by which pollen is transferred in plants, thereby enabling fertilisation and sexual reproduction. Pollen grains transport the male gametes to where the female gamete are contained within the carpel; in gymnosperms the pollen is directly applied to the ovule itself... |
|
| poly- | many | Greek | πολύς (polus) | polygon Polygon In geometry a polygon is a flat shape consisting of straight lines that are joined to form a closed chain orcircuit.A polygon is traditionally a plane figure that is bounded by a closed path, composed of a finite sequence of straight line segments... |
| pon-, posit- | put | Latin | ponere, positus | component, position, postpone |
| ponder- | weight | Latin | pondus, ponderis | preponderance |
| pont- | bridge | Latin | pons, pontis | pontoon Pontoon bridge A pontoon bridge or floating bridge is a bridge that floats on water and in which barge- or boat-like pontoons support the bridge deck and its dynamic loads. While pontoon bridges are usually temporary structures, some are used for long periods of time... |
| popul- | people | Latin | populus, populare | population |
| por- | passage | Greek | πόρος (poros) | pore |
| porc- | pig | Latin | porcus | porcine, pork Pork Pork is the culinary name for meat from the domestic pig , which is eaten in many countries. It is one of the most commonly consumed meats worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BC.... |
| porphyr- | purple | Greek | πορφύρα (porphura) | porphyrin Porphyrin Porphyrins are a group of organic compounds, many naturally occurring. One of the best-known porphyrins is heme, the pigment in red blood cells; heme is a cofactor of the protein hemoglobin. Porphyrins are heterocyclic macrocycles composed of four modified pyrrole subunits interconnected at... |
| port- | gate | Latin | porta | portal |
| port- | carry | Latin | portare, portatus | export, transportation |
| post- | after, behind | Latin | post | posterior, postscript |
| pot- | drink | Latin | potus, potare | potable |
| potam- | river | Greek | ποταμός (potamos) | Mesopotamia Mesopotamia Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the... , hippopotamus Hippopotamus The hippopotamus , or hippo, from the ancient Greek for "river horse" , is a large, mostly herbivorous mammal in sub-Saharan Africa, and one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae After the elephant and rhinoceros, the hippopotamus is the third largest land mammal and the heaviest... |
| prasin- | leek-green | Greek | πράσινος (prasinos) | prasinous |
| prat- | meadow | Latin | pratum | |
| prav- | crooked | Latin | pravus | depravity |
| pre- | before | Latin | prae | previous |
| prec- | pray | Latin | prex, precis, precāri | deprecation Deprecation In the process of authoring computer software, its standards or documentation, deprecation is a status applied to software features to indicate that they should be avoided, typically because they have been superseded... |
| pred- | Latin | praeda, praedari | predator | |
| prehend-, prend-, prehens- | grasp | Latin | prehendere, prehensus | comprehend |
| prem-, -prim-, press- | press | Latin | premere, pressus | pressure |
| presby- | old | Greek | πρέσβυς (presbus) | Presbyterianism Presbyterianism Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,... |
| preter- | past | Latin | praeter | preterite, pretermission |
| preti- | price | Latin | pretium, pretiare | |
| prim- | first | Latin | primus | primary, primeval, primitive |
| prior- | former | Latin | prior | priority |
| priv(i)- | separate | Latin | privus, privare, privatus | deprivation, privilege |
| pro- | before, in front of | Greek | πρό (pro) | |
| pro- | for, forward | Latin | pro | propulsion |
| prob- | try | Latin | probus, probare | probation Probation Probation literally means testing of behaviour or abilities. In a legal sense, an offender on probation is ordered to follow certain conditions set forth by the court, often under the supervision of a probation officer... |
| proct- | anus | Greek | πρωκτός (prōktos) | proctology Proctology Colorectal surgery is a field in medicine, dealing with disorders of the rectum, anus, and colon. The field is also known as proctology, but the term is outdated in the more traditional areas of medicine... |
| propri- | Latin | proprius | appropriate, propriety | |
| pros(o)- | forward | Greek | πρός (pros) | |
| prot(o)- | first | Greek | πρῶτος (prōtos) | protoplasm Protoplasm Protoplasm is the living contents of a cell that is surrounded by a plasma membrane. It is a general term of the Cytoplasm . Protoplasm is composed of a mixture of small molecules such as ions, amino acids, monosaccharides and water, and macromolecules such as nucleic acids, proteins, lipids and... |
| proxim- | nearest | Latin | proximus, proximare | approximate, proximity |
| prun- | plum | Latin | prunus | prune Prune A prune is any of various plum cultivars, mostly Prunus domestica or European Plum, sold as fresh or dried fruit. The dried fruit is also referred to as a dried plum... |
| psamma- | sand | Greek | ψάμμος (psammos) | |
| pseud(o)- | false | Greek | ψευδής (pseudēs) | pseudonym Pseudonym A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym... |
| psil(o)- | bare | Greek | ψιλός (psilos) | epsilon Epsilon Epsilon is the fifth letter of the Greek alphabet, corresponding phonetically to a close-mid front unrounded vowel . In the system of Greek numerals it has a value of 5. It was derived from the Phoenician letter He... |
| psych(o)- | mind | Greek | ψυχή (psuchē) | psycho |
| psychr(o)- | cold | Greek | ψυχρός (psuchros) | |
| pter- | wing, fern | Greek | πτερόν (pteron) | helicopter Helicopter A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally... |
| pto- | fall | Greek | πτώσης (ptōsēs) | ptosis Ptosis (eyelid) Ptosis is a drooping of the upper or lower eyelid. The drooping may be worse after being awake longer, when the individual's muscles are tired. This condition is sometimes called "lazy eye", but that term normally refers to amblyopia... |
| ptyal- | saliva | Greek | πτύον (ptyon) | |
| ptych- | fold, layer | Greek | πτύξ, πτυχή (ptuchē) | triptych Triptych A triptych , from tri-= "three" + ptysso= "to fold") is a work of art which is divided into three sections, or three carved panels which are hinged together and can be folded shut or displayed open. It is therefore a type of polyptych, the term for all multi-panel works... |
| pubi- | sexually mature | Latin | pubes | pubescent, pubic |
| public- | Latin | publicus | publication | |
| pude- | Latin | pudere | impudent | |
| pugn- | fight | Latin | pugna, pugnare | pugnacious, repugnant |
| pulchr- | beautiful | Latin | pulcher, pulchri | pulchritude |
| pulmon- | lung | Latin | pulmo, pulmonis | pulmonary |
| pulver- | dust | Latin | pulvis, pulveris | pulverize |
| pung-, punct- | prick | Latin | pungere, punctus | puncture, pungent |
| puni- | punish | Latin | punire, punitus | punitive |
| pup- | doll | Latin | pupa | pupa Pupa A pupa is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation. The pupal stage is found only in holometabolous insects, those that undergo a complete metamorphosis, going through four life stages; embryo, larva, pupa and imago... , puppet |
| pur- | pure | Latin | purus | impurity Impurity Impurities are substances inside a confined amount of liquid, gas, or solid, which differ from the chemical composition of the material or compound.Impurities are either naturally occurring or added during synthesis of a chemical or commercial product... , purify |
| purg- | Latin | purgare | expurgate, purgatory Purgatory Purgatory is the condition or process of purification or temporary punishment in which, it is believed, the souls of those who die in a state of grace are made ready for Heaven... |
|
| purpur- | purple | Latin | purpura | |
| put- | prune, reckon | Latin | putāre | compute, putative |
| pyg(o)- | rump | Greek | πυγή (pugē) | pygostyle Pygostyle Pygostyle refers to a number of the final few caudal vertebrae fused into a single ossification, supporting the tail feathers and musculature. In modern birds, the rectrices attach to these.... |
| pyl- | gate | Greek | πυλών, πυλῶνος (pulōn) | pylon Pylon (architecture) Pylon is the Greek term for a monumental gateway of an Egyptian temple It consists of two tapering towers, each surmounted by a cornice, joined by a less elevated section which enclosed the entrance between them. The entrance was generally about half the height of the towers... |
| pyr(o)- | heat, fire | Greek | πῦρ, πυρός (pur, puros) | pyrolysis Pyrolysis Pyrolysis is a thermochemical decomposition of organic material at elevated temperatures without the participation of oxygen. It involves the simultaneous change of chemical composition and physical phase, and is irreversible... |
Q
| Root | Meaning In English | Origin Language | Etymology (Root Origin) | English Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| quadr- | four | Latin | quattuor | quadrangle, quadrillion |
| quadragen- | forty each | Latin | quadrageni | quadragenary |
| quadragesim- | fortieth | Latin | quadragesimus | quadragesimal |
| quart- | fourth | Latin | quartus | quartary, quartile Quartile In descriptive statistics, the quartiles of a set of values are the three points that divide the data set into four equal groups, each representing a fourth of the population being sampled... |
| quasi- | as if | Latin | quasi | quasar |
| quatern- | four each | Latin | quaterni | quaternary Quaternary The Quaternary Period is the most recent of the three periods of the Cenozoic Era in the geologic time scale of the ICS. It follows the Neogene Period, spanning 2.588 ± 0.005 million years ago to the present... , quaternion Quaternion In mathematics, the quaternions are a number system that extends the complex numbers. They were first described by Irish mathematician Sir William Rowan Hamilton in 1843 and applied to mechanics in three-dimensional space... |
| quati-, quass- | shake | Latin | quatere | |
| quer-, -quir-, quesit-, -quisit- | search, seek | Latin | quaerere | Inquisition Inquisition The Inquisition, Inquisitio Haereticae Pravitatis , was the "fight against heretics" by several institutions within the justice-system of the Roman Catholic Church. It started in the 12th century, with the introduction of torture in the persecution of heresy... , query |
| qui- | rest | Latin | quies | quiet |
| quin- | five each | Latin | quini | quinary Quinary Quinary is a numeral system with five as the base. A possible origination of a quinary system is that there are five fingers on either hand. The base five is stated from 0-4... |
| quindecim- | fifteenth | Latin | quindecimus | quindecimal |
| quinden- | fifteen each | Latin | quindeni | quindenary |
| quinque- | five | Latin | quinque | quinquennium |
| quint- | fifth | Latin | quintus | quintary, quintile |
| quot- | how many, how great | Latin | quota, quotient Quotient In mathematics, a quotient is the result of division. For example, when dividing 6 by 3, the quotient is 2, while 6 is called the dividend, and 3 the divisor. The quotient further is expressed as the number of times the divisor divides into the dividend e.g. The quotient of 6 and 2 is also 3.A... |
R
| Root | Meaning In English | Origin Language | Etymology (Root Origin) | English Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rad-, ras- | scrape, shave | Latin | radere, rasus | abrade, abrasion |
| radi- | beam, spoke | Latin | radius, radiare | radiance Radiance Radiance and spectral radiance are radiometric measures that describe the amount of radiation such as light or radiant heat that passes through or is emitted from a particular area, and falls within a given solid angle in a specified direction. They are used to characterize both emission from... , radiation Radiation In physics, radiation is a process in which energetic particles or energetic waves travel through a medium or space. There are two distinct types of radiation; ionizing and non-ionizing... |
| radic- | root | Latin | rādix, rādīcis | eradicate, radical |
| ram- | branch | Latin | rāmus | ramification, ramose |
| ran- | frog | Latin | rana | Rana Rana (genus) Rana is a genus of frogs. Species include such archetypal pond frogs as the common frog of Europe, brown frogs, and the New and Old World true frogs, including the various species of leopard frogs and the American bullfrog. Members of this genus are found through much of Eurasia, North America,... |
| ranc- | rancidness, grudge, bitterness | Latin | rancere | rancid, rancor |
| rap- | turnip | Latin | rapum | rapeseed Rapeseed Rapeseed , also known as rape, oilseed rape, rapa, rappi, rapaseed is a bright yellow flowering member of the family Brassicaceae... |
| raph- | seam | Greek | ῤαφή (rhaphē) | |
| rar- | Latin | rarus | rarity | |
| rauc- | harsh, hoarse | Latin | raucus | raucous |
| re-, red- | again, back | Latin | re- | recede, redact |
| reg-, -rig-, rect- | straight | Latin | regere, rectus | dirigible, erect, erection, rectum |
| rem- | oar | Latin | remus | bireme Bireme A bireme is an ancient Hellenistic-era warship with two decks of oars, probably invented by the Phoenicians. It typically was about long with a maximum beam width of around . It was modified from the penteconter, a ship that had only one set of oars on each side, the bireme having two sets of oars... , trireme Trireme A trireme was a type of galley, a Hellenistic-era warship that was used by the ancient maritime civilizations of the Mediterranean, especially the Phoenicians, ancient Greeks and Romans.The trireme derives its name from its three rows of oars on each side, manned with one man per oar... |
| ren- | kidney | Latin | renes | renal |
| rep-, rept- | crawl, creep | Latin | repere, reptus | reptile Reptile Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors... |
| ret- | net | Latin | rete | reticle, retina Retina The vertebrate retina is a light-sensitive tissue lining the inner surface of the eye. The optics of the eye create an image of the visual world on the retina, which serves much the same function as the film in a camera. Light striking the retina initiates a cascade of chemical and electrical... |
| retro- | backward, behind | Latin | retro | retrograde, retrospective Retrospective Retrospective generally means to take a look back at events that already have taken place. For example, the term is used in medicine, describing a look back at a patient's medical history or lifestyle.-Music:... , retrovirus Retrovirus A retrovirus is an RNA virus that is duplicated in a host cell using the reverse transcriptase enzyme to produce DNA from its RNA genome. The DNA is then incorporated into the host's genome by an integrase enzyme. The virus thereafter replicates as part of the host cell's DNA... |
| rhabd- | rod | Greek | ῥάβδος (rhabdos) | rhabdoid, rhabdom |
| rhach-, rach- | spine | Greek | ῥάχις, ῥάχεως (rhachis) | rhachiodont |
| rhag- | tear, rent | Greek | ῥαγίζω | rhagades Rhagades Rhagades are linear scars at the angles of the mouth and nose. They can be a result from bacterial infection of skin lesions. They are associated with congenital syphilis.... |
| rhe- | flow | Greek | ῥεῖν (rhein) | rheostat |
| rhig- | chill | Greek | ῥῖγος (rhigos) | rhigosaurus Rhigosaurus Rhigosaurus is a genus of therocephalian therapsid.-References:*... |
| rhin- | nose, snout | Greek | ῥίς, ῥινός (rhis, rhinos) | rhinoplasty Rhinoplasty Rhinoplasty , also nose job, is a plastic surgery procedure for correcting and reconstructing the form, restoring the functions, and aesthetically enhancing the nose, by resolving nasal trauma , congenital defect, respiratory impediment, and a failed primary rhinoplasty... |
| rhiz- | root | Greek | ῥίζα (rhiza) | rhizome Rhizome In botany and dendrology, a rhizome is a characteristically horizontal stem of a plant that is usually found underground, often sending out roots and shoots from its nodes... |
| rhod(o)- | rose | Greek | ῥόδον (rhodon) | rhododendron Rhododendron Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers... |
| rhomb- | spinning top | Greek | ῥόμβος (rhombos) | rhombus Rhombus In Euclidean geometry, a rhombus or rhomb is a convex quadrilateral whose four sides all have the same length. The rhombus is often called a diamond, after the diamonds suit in playing cards, or a lozenge, though the latter sometimes refers specifically to a rhombus with a 45° angle.Every... |
| rhynch- | snout | Greek | ῥύγχος | Rhynchobatus Rhynchobatus Rhynchobatus is a group of rays commonly known as wedgefishes, and the sole genus in the family Rhynchobatidae. They are found in the tropical and subtropical Indo-Pacific with a single species in the eastern Atlantic... |
| rid-, ris- | laugh | Latin | ridere, risus | derision, ridicule |
| robor- | oak, strength | Latin | robur, roboris | corroboration |
| rod-, ros- | gnaw | Latin | rodere, rosus | corrode, erosion Erosion Erosion is when materials are removed from the surface and changed into something else. It only works by hydraulic actions and transport of solids in the natural environment, and leads to the deposition of these materials elsewhere... , rodent Rodent Rodentia is an order of mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by gnawing.... |
| rog- | ask | Latin | rogare | interrogation Interrogation Interrogation is interviewing as commonly employed by officers of the police, military, and Intelligence agencies with the goal of extracting a confession or obtaining information. Subjects of interrogation are often the suspects, victims, or witnesses of a crime... |
| rostr- | beak, prow | Latin | rostrum | rostrum |
| rot- | wheel | Latin | rota, rotare | rotation Rotation A rotation is a circular movement of an object around a center of rotation. A three-dimensional object rotates always around an imaginary line called a rotation axis. If the axis is within the body, and passes through its center of mass the body is said to rotate upon itself, or spin. A rotation... |
| ruber-, rubr- | red | Latin | ruber | rubric Rubric A rubric is a word or section of text which is traditionally written or printed in red ink to highlight it. The word derives from the , meaning red ochre or red chalk, and originates in Medieval illuminated manuscripts from the 13th century or earlier... , ruby |
| rug- | wrinkle | Latin | ruga, rugare | corrugation |
| rumin- | throat | Latin | rumen, ruminis | rumination |
| rump-, rupt- | break | Latin | rumpere, ruptus | eruption, rupture, interrupt |
| rur- | country | Latin | rus, ruris | rural |
S
| Root | Meaning in English | Origin language | Etymology (root origin) | English examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| sacchar- | sugar | Greek | σάκχαρον (sakcharon) | saccharin Saccharin Saccharin is an artificial sweetener. The basic substance, benzoic sulfilimine, has effectively no food energy and is much sweeter than sucrose, but has a bitter or metallic aftertaste, especially at high concentrations... |
| sacr-, secr- | sacred | Latin | sacer, sacrare | consecrate, sacrament Sacrament A sacrament is a sacred rite recognized as of particular importance and significance. There are various views on the existence and meaning of such rites.-General definitions and terms:... |
| sagac- | wise | Latin | sagax, sagacis | sagacity |
| sagitt- | arrow | Latin | sagitta | sagittal plane Sagittal plane Sagittal plane is a vertical plane which passes from front to rear dividing the body into right and left sections.-Variations:Examples include:... , Sagittaria Sagittaria Sagittaria is a genus of about 30 species of aquatic plants whose members go by a variety of common names, including arrowhead, duck potato, iz-ze-kn, katniss, kuwai , swan potato, tule potato, and wapato... |
| sal- | salt | Latin | sal, salis, salere | salinity Salinity Salinity is the saltiness or dissolved salt content of a body of water. It is a general term used to describe the levels of different salts such as sodium chloride, magnesium and calcium sulfates, and bicarbonates... |
| sali-, -sili-, salt- | jump | Latin | salire, saltus | resilient, salient, saltus |
| salic- | willow | Latin | salix, salicis | salicin |
| salv- | save | Latin | salvus, salvare | salvation Salvation Within religion salvation is the phenomenon of being saved from the undesirable condition of bondage or suffering experienced by the psyche or soul that has arisen as a result of unskillful or immoral actions generically referred to as sins. Salvation may also be called "deliverance" or... |
| san- | healthy | Latin | sanus | insane, sanity Sanity Sanity refers to the soundness, rationality and healthiness of the human mind, as opposed to insanity. A person is sane if they are rational... |
| sanc- | holy | Latin | sancire, sanctus | sanctify, sanctuary Sanctuary A sanctuary is any place of safety. They may be categorized into human and non-human .- Religious sanctuary :A religious sanctuary can be a sacred place , or a consecrated area of a church or temple around its tabernacle or altar.- Sanctuary as a sacred place :#Sanctuary as a sacred place:#:In... |
| sanguin- | blood | Latin | sanguis, sanguinis | consanguinity Consanguinity Consanguinity refers to the property of being from the same kinship as another person. In that respect, consanguinity is the quality of being descended from the same ancestor as another person... , sanguine |
| sapi-, -sipi- | taste, wise | Latin | sapere | insipience, sapient |
| sapon- | soap | Latin | sapo, saponis | saponification Saponification Saponification is a process that produces soap, usually from fats and lye. In technical terms, saponification involves base hydrolysis of triglycerides, which are esters of fatty acids, to form the sodium salt of a carboxylate. In addition to soap, such traditional saponification processes... |
| sarc(o)- | flesh | Greek | σάρξ, σαρκός (sarx, sarkos) | sarcophagus Sarcophagus A sarcophagus is a funeral receptacle for a corpse, most commonly carved or cut from stone. The word "sarcophagus" comes from the Greek σαρξ sarx meaning "flesh", and φαγειν phagein meaning "to eat", hence sarkophagus means "flesh-eating"; from the phrase lithos sarkophagos... |
| saur- | lizard, reptile | Greek | σαῦρος (sauros) | dinosaur Dinosaur Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of... |
| sax- | rock | Latin | saxum | |
| scab- | scratch | Latin | scabere | scabies Scabies Scabies , known colloquially as the seven-year itch, is a contagious skin infection that occurs among humans and other animals. It is caused by a tiny and usually not directly visible parasite, the mite Sarcoptes scabiei, which burrows under the host's skin, causing intense allergic itching... |
| scal- | ladder, stairs | Latin | scala | scalar, scale |
| scalen- | uneven | Greek | σκαληνός (skalēnos) | scalene muscles Scalene muscles The scalene muscles are a group of three pairs of muscles in the lateral neck, namely the scalenus anterior, scalenus medius, and scalenus posterior.They are innervated by the spinal nerves C4-C6.... , scalene triangle |
| scand-, -scend-, scans-, -scens- | climb | Latin | scandere | ascend, transcendent |
| scaph- | anything hollow, bowl, ship | Greek | σκάφη, σκάφος | scaphoid bone Scaphoid bone The scaphoid bone is one of the carpal bones of the wrist. It is situated between the hand and forearm on the thumb-side of the wrist . The scaphoid bone is the largest bone of the proximal row of wrist bones, its long axis being from above downward, lateralward, and forward... |
| scel- | leg, thigh | Greek | σκέλος, σκέλεος (skelos) | isosceles |
| schem- | plan | Greek | σχῆμα (schēma) | schematic Schematic A schematic diagram represents the elements of a system using abstract, graphic symbols rather than realistic pictures. A schematic usually omits all details that are not relevant to the information the schematic is intended to convey, and may add unrealistic elements that aid comprehension... |
| schis- | split | Greek | σχίζω, σχίσμα (schisma) | schism Schism (religion) A schism , from Greek σχίσμα, skhísma , is a division between people, usually belonging to an organization or movement religious denomination. The word is most frequently applied to a break of communion between two sections of Christianity that were previously a single body, or to a division within... |
| sci- | know | Latin | scire | prescient, science Science Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe... |
| scind-, sciss- | split | Latin | scindere | rescind, scissors Scissors Scissors are hand-operated cutting instruments. They consist of a pair of metal blades pivoted so that the sharpened edges slide against each other when the handles opposite to the pivot are closed. Scissors are used for cutting various thin materials, such as paper, cardboard, metal foil, thin... |
| scler- | hard | Greek | σκληρός (sklēros) | scleroderma Scleroderma Systemic sclerosis or systemic scleroderma is a systemic autoimmune disease or systemic connective tissue disease that is a subtype of scleroderma.-Skin symptoms:... , sclerosis |
| scoli- | crooked | Greek | σκολιός (skolios) | scoliosis Scoliosis Scoliosis is a medical condition in which a person's spine is curved from side to side. Although it is a complex three-dimensional deformity, on an X-ray, viewed from the rear, the spine of an individual with scoliosis may look more like an "S" or a "C" than a straight line... |
| scop-, scept- | look at, examine, view, observe | Greek | σκέπτομαι, σκοπός (skopos) | horoscope Horoscope In astrology, a horoscope is a chart or diagram representing the positions of the Sun, Moon, planets, the astrological aspects, and sensitive angles at the time of an event, such as the moment of a person's birth. The word horoscope is derived from Greek words meaning "a look at the hours" In... , kaleidoscope Kaleidoscope A kaleidoscope is a circle of mirrors containing loose, colored objects such as beads or pebbles and bits of glass. As the viewer looks into one end, light entering the other end creates a colorful pattern, due to the reflection off the mirrors... , stethoscope Stethoscope The stethoscope is an acoustic medical device for auscultation, or listening to the internal sounds of an animal body. It is often used to listen to lung and heart sounds. It is also used to listen to intestines and blood flow in arteries and veins... |
| scrib-, script- | write | Latin | scribere, scriptus | inscribe, scripture |
| sculp- | carve | Latin | sculpere, sculptus | sculpture Sculpture Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals... |
| scut- | shield | Latin | scutum | scute Scute A scute or scutum is a bony external plate or scale, as on the shell of a turtle, the skin of crocodilians, the feet of some birds or the anterior portion of the mesonotum in insects.-Properties:... |
| scyph- | cup | Greek | χούφτα (chouphta) | Scyphozoa Scyphozoa Scyphozoa is a class within the phylum Cnidaria, sometimes referred to as the "true jellyfish".The class name Scyphozoa comes from the Greek word skyphos , denoting a kind of drinking cup and alluding to the cup shape of the organism.... |
| se-, sed- | apart | Latin | se | secede, sedition Sedition In law, sedition is overt conduct, such as speech and organization, that is deemed by the legal authority to tend toward insurrection against the established order. Sedition often includes subversion of a constitution and incitement of discontent to lawful authority. Sedition may include any... |
| seb- | tallow | Latin | sebum | sebaceous, sebum |
| sec-, sect-, seg- | cut | Latin | secare | secant, section, segment |
| sed- | settle, calm | Latin | sedare, sedatus | sedative Sedative A sedative or tranquilizer is a substance that induces sedation by reducing irritability or excitement.... |
| sed-, -sid-, sess- | sit | Latin | sedere, sessus | reside, sediment Sediment Sediment is naturally occurring material that is broken down by processes of weathering and erosion, and is subsequently transported by the action of fluids such as wind, water, or ice, and/or by the force of gravity acting on the particle itself.... , session, supersede |
| sedec- | sixteen | Latin | sedecim | sedecimal |
| seget- | in cornfields | Latin | segetum | |
| sei- | shake | Greek | σείω, σεισμός (seismos) | seismograph |
| selen- | moon | Greek | σελήνη (selēnē) | Selene Selene In Greek mythology, Selene was an archaic lunar deity and the daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia. In Roman mythology, the moon goddess is called Luna, Latin for "moon".... , selenium Selenium Selenium is a chemical element with atomic number 34, chemical symbol Se, and an atomic mass of 78.96. It is a nonmetal, whose properties are intermediate between those of adjacent chalcogen elements sulfur and tellurium... |
| sell- | saddle, seat | Latin | sella | sella turcica Sella turcica -External links:*... |
| sema- | sign | Greek | σῆμα (sēma) | semantics Semantics Semantics is the study of meaning. It focuses on the relation between signifiers, such as words, phrases, signs and symbols, and what they stand for, their denotata.... , semaphore Semaphore (disambiguation) Semaphore, from Ancient Greek σῆμα , “‘sign’”, and φωρος , “‘bearing, bearer’”, may refer to:Optical-telegraph systems:* Semaphore line, a system of long-distance communication based on towers with moving arms* Flag semaphore system... |
| semi- | half | Latin | semis | semifinal |
| semin- | seed | Latin | semen, seminis | insemination Insemination Insemination is the deliberate introduction of sperm into the uterus of a mammal or the oviduct of an oviparous animal for the objective of impregnating a female for reproduction... |
| sen- | old man | Latin | senex, senis | senator, senility |
| sen- | six each | Latin | seni | senary Senary In mathematics, a senary numeral system is a base- numeral system.Senary may be considered useful in the study of prime numbers since all primes other than 2 and 3, when expressed in base-six, have 1 or 5 as the final digit... |
| senti-, sens- | feel | Latin | sentire, sensus | consensus, sentient |
| sept- | fence, partition, enclosure | Latin | saeptum | transept |
| sept- | seven | Latin | septem | septennial |
| septen- | seven each | Latin | septeni | septenary Septenary The septenary numeral system is the base- number system, and uses the digits 0-6.-Multiplication table:-Fractions:Fractions expressed in septenary will repeat a sequence of digits unless the denominator is a power of seven... |
| septim- | seventh | Latin | septimus | septimal, septime |
| septuagen- | seventy each | Latin | septuageni | septuagenary |
| septuagesim- | seventieth | Latin | septuagesimus | septuagesima Septuagesima Septuagesima is the name for the ninth Sunday before Easter, the third before Ash Wednesday. The term is sometimes applied also to the period that begins on this day and ends on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, when Lent begins. This period is also known as the pre-Lenten season or... , septuagesimal |
| septuagint- | seventy | Latin | septuaginta | Septuagint |
| sequ-, secut- | follow | Latin | sequere, secutus | consecutive, sequence Sequence In mathematics, a sequence is an ordered list of objects . Like a set, it contains members , and the number of terms is called the length of the sequence. Unlike a set, order matters, and exactly the same elements can appear multiple times at different positions in the sequence... |
| ser-, sat- | cultivate | Latin | serere, satus | sative |
| ser- | body fluid | Latin | serum | serous |
| ser- | late | Latin | serus | serein, serotine |
| serp- | crawl, creep | Latin | serpere, serptus | serpent |
| serr- | saw, saw-toothed | Latin | serra, serrare | serration |
| serv- | save, protect, serve | Latin | servare | conservation |
| sesqui- | one and a half | Latin | sesqui | sesquicentennial |
| set- | bristle, hair | Latin | saeta | seta, setose |
| sever- | stern, strict, serious | Latin | severus | severity |
| sex-, se- | six | Latin | sex | semester, sexangle, sexennium |
| sexagen- | sixty each | Latin | sexageni | sexagenary |
| sexagesim- | sixtieth | Latin | sexagesimus | sexagesimal |
| sext- | sixth | Latin | sextus | sextant Sextant A sextant is an instrument used to measure the angle between any two visible objects. Its primary use is to determine the angle between a celestial object and the horizon which is known as the altitude. Making this measurement is known as sighting the object, shooting the object, or taking a sight... |
| sibil- | hiss | Latin | sibilus, sibilare | sibilance |
| sicc- | dry | Latin | siccus | desiccation Desiccation Desiccation is the state of extreme dryness, or the process of extreme drying. A desiccant is a hygroscopic substance that induces or sustains such a state in its local vicinity in a moderately sealed container.-Science:... |
| sider- | star | Latin | sidus, sideris | sidereal |
| sign- | sign | Latin | signum | design, designate, signal |
| sil- | quiet or still | Latin | silere | silence Silence Silence is the relative or total lack of audible sound. By analogy, the word silence may also refer to any absence of communication, even in media other than speech.... |
| silv(i)- | forest | Latin | silva | silviculture Silviculture Silviculture is the practice of controlling the establishment, growth, composition, health, and quality of forests to meet diverse needs and values. The name comes from the Latin silvi- + culture... |
| simi- | ape, monkey | Latin | simia | simian Simian The simians are the "higher primates" familiar to most people: the Old World monkeys and apes, including humans, , and the New World monkeys or platyrrhines. Simians tend to be larger than the "lower primates" or prosimians.- Classification and evolution :The simians are split into three groups... |
| simil- | likeness, trust, group | Latin | similis | assimilate, similarity |
| simul- | imitating, feigning | Latin | simulare | simulation |
| singul- | one each | Latin | singulus | singular |
| sinistr- | left | Latin | sinister, sinistri | sinistral |
| sinu- | (to draw) a line | Latin | sinuare | insinuate |
| sinus- | hollow, bay | Latin | sinus | |
| siph(o)- | tube | Greek | σίφων (siphōn) | siphon Siphon The word siphon is sometimes used to refer to a wide variety of devices that involve the flow of liquids through tubes. But in the English language today, the word siphon usually refers to a tube in an inverted U shape which causes a liquid to flow uphill, above the surface of the reservoir,... |
| sist- | cause to stand | Latin | sistere | consist, persistence |
| sit(o)- | food, grain, wheat | Greek | σῖτος (sitos) | sitology |
| soci- | group | Latin | socius, sociare | associate, social |
| sol- | sun | Latin | sol, solis | solar |
| sol- | comfort, soothe | Latin | solari | consolation |
| sol- | alone, only | Latin | solus | desolate, sole, solo, solipsism |
| solen- | pipe, channel | Greek | σωλήν (sōlēn) | solenoid |
| solv-, solut- | loosen, set free | Latin | solvere, solutus | dissolve, solution |
| soma- | body | Greek | σῶμα (sōma) | somatic Somatic The term somatic means 'of the body',, relating to the body. In medicine, somatic illness is bodily, not mental, illness. The term is often used in biology to refer to the cells of the body in contrast to the germ line cells which usually give rise to the gametes... |
| somn- | sleep | Latin | somnus | insomnia Insomnia Insomnia is most often defined by an individual's report of sleeping difficulties. While the term is sometimes used in sleep literature to describe a disorder demonstrated by polysomnographic evidence of disturbed sleep, insomnia is often defined as a positive response to either of two questions:... |
| somni- | dream | Latin | somnium | |
| son- | sound | Latin | sonus | resonance Resonance In physics, resonance is the tendency of a system to oscillate at a greater amplitude at some frequencies than at others. These are known as the system's resonant frequencies... |
| soph- | wise | Greek | σοφός (sophos) | sophist |
| sorb-, sorpt- | suck | Latin | sorbere | absorb, absorption |
| sord- | dirt | Latin | sordes, sordere | sordid |
| soror- | sister | Latin | soror | sorority |
| spati- | space | Latin | spatium | spatial |
| spec-, -spic-, spect- | look | Latin | specere | conspicuous, inspection, specimen |
| spect- | watch, look at | Latin | spectare | spectator |
| specul- | observe | Latin | speculari | speculation |
| sper- | hope | Latin | spes, sperare | desperation, esperance |
| sperm- | seed | Greek | σπέρμα (sperma) | angiosperm |
| sphen(o)- | wedge | Greek | σφήν (sphēn) | |
| spher- | ball | Greek | σφαῖρα (sphaira) | sphere, spheroid |
| sphinct- | closing | Greek | σφίγγα | sphincter |
| spic- | spike | Latin | spica | spicule |
| spin- | thorn | Latin | spina | spine |
| spir- | breathe | Latin | spirare | respiration |
| spond-, spons- | a surety, guarantee; give assurance, promise solemnly | Latin | spondere, sponsus | |
| spondyl- | vertebra | |||
| spu-, sput- | spew, spit | Latin | spuere | sputum Sputum Sputum is mucus that is coughed up from the lower airways. It is usually used for microbiological investigations of respiratory infections.... |
| squal- | scaly, dirty, filthy | Latin | squalere | squalid, squalor |
| squam- | scale | Latin | squama | |
| squarros- | spreading at tips | Latin | ||
| st- | stand | Latin | stare, status | stable, station, status, statistic, statue |
| stagn- | pool of standing water | Latin | stagnare | stagnant |
| stalact- | Greek | σταλακτίτης (stalaktitēs) | stalactite Stalactite A stalactite , "to drip", and meaning "that which drips") is a type of speleothem that hangs from the ceiling of limestone caves. It is a type of dripstone... |
|
| stalagm- | Greek | σταλαγμός (stalagmos) | stalagmite Stalagmite A stalagmite is a type of speleothem that rises from the floor of a limestone cave due to the dripping of mineralized solutions and the deposition of calcium carbonate. This stalagmite formation occurs only under certain pH conditions within the underground cavern. The corresponding formation on... |
|
| stann- | tin | Latin | stannum | stannous |
| statu-, -stitu- | stand | Latin | statuere | institution, statute |
| stea- | fat, tallow | Greek | στέαρ, στέατος (stear, steatos) | stearic acid Stearic acid Stearic acid is the saturated fatty acid with an 18 carbon chain and has the IUPAC name octadecanoic acid. It is a waxy solid, and its chemical formula is CH316CO2H. Its name comes from the Greek word στέαρ "stéatos", which means tallow. The salts and esters of stearic acid are called stearates... |
| steg- | covering | Greek | steganography Steganography Steganography is the art and science of writing hidden messages in such a way that no one, apart from the sender and intended recipient, suspects the existence of the message, a form of security through obscurity... |
|
| stell- | star | Latin | stella | constellation Constellation In modern astronomy, a constellation is an internationally defined area of the celestial sphere. These areas are grouped around asterisms, patterns formed by prominent stars within apparent proximity to one another on Earth's night sky.... , stellar |
| sten- | narrow | Greek | στενός (stenos) | stenography |
| stere- | solid | Greek | στερεός (stereos) | |
| stern-, strat- | spread, strew | Latin | sternere, stratus | stratify |
| stern- | breastbone | Greek | στέρνον (sternon) | sternum |
| stich- | line, row | Greek | στίχος (stichos) | |
| stig- | Greek | στίγμα (stigma) | stigma | |
| still- | drip | Latin | stilla, stillare | distillation |
| stimul- | goad, rouse, excite | Latin | stimulus | stimulate |
| stingu-, stinct- | apart | Latin | stinguere | distinction, distinguish |
| stoch- | aim | Greek | στόχος | stochastic Stochastic Stochastic refers to systems whose behaviour is intrinsically non-deterministic. A stochastic process is one whose behavior is non-deterministic, in that a system's subsequent state is determined both by the process's predictable actions and by a random element. However, according to M. Kac and E... |
| stom- | mouth | Greek | στόμα (stoma) | stomatoplasty |
| strept- | twisted | Greek | στρεπτός (streptos) | |
| strig- | compress | Latin | strix, strigis | strigogyps |
| strigos- | having stiff bristles | Latin | ||
| string-, strict- | upright, stiff | Latin | stringere, strictus | stringent |
| stroph- | turning | Greek | στροφή (strophē) | apostrophe Apostrophe The apostrophe is a punctuation mark, and sometimes a diacritic mark, in languages that use the Latin alphabet or certain other alphabets... |
| stru-, struct- | structure , building | Latin | struere, structus | construction, construe |
| stud- | dedication | Latin | studere | student Student A student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. In some nations, the English term is reserved for those who attend university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil in English... |
| stup- | wonder | Latin | stupere | stupor Stupor Stupor is the lack of critical cognitive function and level of consciousness wherein a sufferer is almost entirely unresponsive and only responds to base stimuli such as pain. This is often mistaken for delirium and treated with Haldol and or other anti-psychotic drugs... |
| styl- | column, pillar | Greek | στῦλος (stulos) | stylus Stylus A stylus is a writing utensil, or a small tool for some other form of marking or shaping, for example in pottery. The word is also used for a computer accessory . It usually refers to a narrow elongated staff, similar to a modern ballpoint pen. Many styli are heavily curved to be held more easily... |
| su-, sut- | sew | Latin | suere, sutus | suture |
| sui- | self | Latin | sui | suicide |
| suad-, suas- | urge | Latin | suadere, suasus | persuasion |
| suav- | sweet | Latin | suavis | suave |
| sub-, su-, sus- | below | Latin | sub | submerge |
| subter- | under | Latin | subter | subterfuge |
| sucr- | sugar | Latin | sucrose | |
| sud- | sweat | Latin | sudare | sudoriferous |
| sulc- | furrow | Latin | sulcus | sulcus Sulcus Sulcus may refer to:* Sulcus , a groove, crevice or furrow in medicine, botany, and zoology* Sulcus , a long parallel groove on a planet or a moon-See also:... |
| sum-, sumpt- | take | Latin | sumere, sumptus | assumption, consume |
| super- | above, over | Latin | super | supersede |
| supin- | lying back | Latin | supinus | supination Supination Supination is a position of either the forearm or foot; in the forearm when the palm faces anteriorly, or faces up . Supination in the foot occurs when a person appears "bow-legged" with their weight supported primarily on the anterior of their feet.The hand is supine in the anatomical position... |
| supra- | above, over | Latin | supra | supranationalism |
| surd- | deaf | Latin | surdus | absurdity |
| surg- | rise | Latin | surgere | resurgent |
| syn-, sy-, syl-, sym- | with | Greek | σύν (sun) | symbol Symbol A symbol is something which represents an idea, a physical entity or a process but is distinct from it. The purpose of a symbol is to communicate meaning. For example, a red octagon may be a symbol for "STOP". On a map, a picture of a tent might represent a campsite. Numerals are symbols for... , symmetry, synonym, system System System is a set of interacting or interdependent components forming an integrated whole.... |
| syring- | pipe | Greek | σύριγξ, σύριγγος (syrinx, syringos) | syringe Syringe A syringe is a simple pump consisting of a plunger that fits tightly in a tube. The plunger can be pulled and pushed along inside a cylindrical tube , allowing the syringe to take in and expel a liquid or gas through an orifice at the open end of the tube... |
T
| Root | Meaning in English | Origin language | Etymology (root origin) | English examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| tac-, -tic- | be silent | Latin | tacere, tacitus | reticent, tacit |
| tach- | swift | Greek | ταχύς (tachus) | tachometer Tachometer A tachometer is an instrument measuring the rotation speed of a shaft or disk, as in a motor or other machine. The device usually displays the revolutions per minute on a calibrated analogue dial, but digital displays are increasingly common... |
| taenia- | ribbon | Greek | ταινία (tainia) | |
| tal- | ankle | Latin | talus | |
| tang-, -ting-, tact-, tag- | touch | Latin | tangere, tactus | contact, tactile, tangent Tangent In geometry, the tangent line to a plane curve at a given point is the straight line that "just touches" the curve at that point. More precisely, a straight line is said to be a tangent of a curve at a point on the curve if the line passes through the point on the curve and has slope where f... |
| tapet- | carpet | Latin | tapete, tapetis | |
| tard- | slow | Latin | tardus | retard, tardigrade, tardy |
| tars- | ankle | Greek | ταρσός (tarsos, a flat basket) | tarsal |
| taur- | bull | Greek | ταῦρος (tauros) | Minotaur Minotaur In Greek mythology, the Minotaur , as the Greeks imagined him, was a creature with the head of a bull on the body of a man or, as described by Roman poet Ovid, "part man and part bull"... |
| taur- | bull | Latin | taurus | Taurus Bull (mythology) The worship of the Sacred Bull throughout the ancient world is most familiar to the Western world in the biblical episode of the idol of the Golden Calf. The Golden Calf after being made by the Hebrew people in the wilderness of Sinai, were rejected and destroyed by Moses and his tribe after his... |
| tax- | arrangement, order | Greek | τάξις (taxis) | taxonomy Taxonomy Taxonomy is the science of identifying and naming species, and arranging them into a classification. The field of taxonomy, sometimes referred to as "biological taxonomy", revolves around the description and use of taxonomic units, known as taxa... |
| techn- | art, skill | Greek | τέχνη (technē) | technology Technology Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;... |
| teg-, tect- | cover | Latin | tegere, tectus | integument, protection |
| tele- | far, end | Greek | τῆλε (tēle) | telegram, telephone Telephone The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other... , telescope Telescope A telescope is an instrument that aids in the observation of remote objects by collecting electromagnetic radiation . The first known practical telescopes were invented in the Netherlands at the beginning of the 1600s , using glass lenses... |
| teleo- | complete | Greek | τέλος (telos) | teleology Teleology A teleology is any philosophical account which holds that final causes exist in nature, meaning that design and purpose analogous to that found in human actions are inherent also in the rest of nature. The word comes from the Greek τέλος, telos; root: τελε-, "end, purpose... |
| temn- | cut | Greek | τέμνω (temnō) | |
| tempor- | time | Latin | tempus, temporis | contemporary, temporal, temporary |
| ten-, -tin-, tent- | hold | Latin | tenere, tentus | continent Continent A continent is one of several very large landmasses on Earth. They are generally identified by convention rather than any strict criteria, with seven regions commonly regarded as continents—they are : Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia.Plate tectonics is... , detention, tenacious, tenor Tenor The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2... |
| tend-, tens- | stretch | Latin | tendere, tensus | extend, extension |
| tenu- | slender, thin | Latin | tenuis | attenuate, tenuous |
| tep- | be warm | Latin | tepere | tepid |
| ter-, trit- | rub | Latin | terere, tritus | attrition, contrite |
| teret- | rounded | Latin | teres, teretis | |
| terg-, ters- | wipe | Latin | tergere, tersus | detergent Detergent A detergent is a surfactant or a mixture of surfactants with "cleaning properties in dilute solutions." In common usage, "detergent" refers to alkylbenzenesulfonates, a family of compounds that are similar to soap but are less affected by hard water... |
| termin- | boundary, limit, end | Latin | terminus | determine, terminal, termination |
| tern- | three each | Latin | terni | ternary Ternary Ternary is an adjective meaning "composed of three items". It can refer to:* Ternary complex, a complex formed by the interaction of three molecules* Ternary compound, a type of chemical compound... , ternion |
| terr- | dry land | Latin | terra | terrace, terracotta, terrain |
| terti- | third | Latin | tertius | tertian Tertian In music theory, tertian describes any piece, chord, counterpoint etc. constructed from the interval of a third... , tertiary |
| test- | witness | Latin | testis | testament, testimony |
| tetr- | four | Greek | τετρά (tetra-) | tetrahedron Tetrahedron In geometry, a tetrahedron is a polyhedron composed of four triangular faces, three of which meet at each vertex. A regular tetrahedron is one in which the four triangles are regular, or "equilateral", and is one of the Platonic solids... , tetrode Tetrode A tetrode is an electronic device having four active electrodes. The term most commonly applies to a two-grid vacuum tube. It has the three electrodes of a triode and an additional screen grid which significantly changes its behaviour.-Control grid:... |
| tex-, text- | weave | Latin | texere, textus | texture, textile |
| thalam- | chamber, bed | Greek | θάλαμος (thalamos) | |
| thalass- | sea | Greek | θάλασσα (thalassa) | Panthalassa Panthalassa Panthalassa , also known as the Panthalassic Ocean, was the vast global ocean that surrounded the supercontinent Pangaea, during the late Paleozoic and the early Mesozoic years. It included the Pacific Ocean to the west and north and the Tethys Ocean to the southeast... |
| than- | death | Greek | θάνατος (thanatos) | euthanasia Euthanasia Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering.... |
| the- | put | Greek | τίθημι (tithemi) | theme, thesis Thesis A dissertation or thesis is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings... |
| -theca | case | Greek | θήκη (thēka) | Bibliotheca |
| thel(o)- | Greek | θηλή | ||
| the(o)-, thus- | god | Greek | θεός (theos) | theology Theology Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo... , enthusiasm |
| theori- | Greek | θεωρία | theorem Theorem In mathematics, a theorem is a statement that has been proven on the basis of previously established statements, such as other theorems, and previously accepted statements, such as axioms... , theory Theory The English word theory was derived from a technical term in Ancient Greek philosophy. The word theoria, , meant "a looking at, viewing, beholding", and referring to contemplation or speculation, as opposed to action... |
|
| therm- | heat, warm | Greek | θερμός (thermos) | thermometer Thermometer Developed during the 16th and 17th centuries, a thermometer is a device that measures temperature or temperature gradient using a variety of different principles. A thermometer has two important elements: the temperature sensor Developed during the 16th and 17th centuries, a thermometer (from the... , endotherm |
| thero- | beast, animal | Greek | θήρ, θηρός | theropod |
| thymo- | mood | Greek | θυμός | dysthymia |
| thyreo- | large shield | Greek | θυρεός | thyroid Thyroid The thyroid gland or simply, the thyroid , in vertebrate anatomy, is one of the largest endocrine glands. The thyroid gland is found in the neck, below the thyroid cartilage... |
| tim- | be afraid | Latin | timere | timid |
| ting-, tinct- | moisten | Latin | tingere, tinctus | tincture |
| tom- | cut | Greek | τομή (tome), τόμος (tomos) | ectomy, atom Atom The atom is a basic unit of matter that consists of a dense central nucleus surrounded by a cloud of negatively charged electrons. The atomic nucleus contains a mix of positively charged protons and electrically neutral neutrons... , tome |
| ton- | stretch | Greek | τόνος (tonos) | tone, isotonic |
| top- | place | Greek | τόπος (topos) | topic, topography Topography Topography is the study of Earth's surface shape and features or those ofplanets, moons, and asteroids... |
| torn- | cut | Latin from Greek | tornare < τόρνος (tornos) | |
| torpe- | numb | Latin | torpere | torpor |
| torqu-, tort- | twist | Latin | torquere, tortus | extortion Extortion Extortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime... , torque Torque Torque, moment or moment of force , is the tendency of a force to rotate an object about an axis, fulcrum, or pivot. Just as a force is a push or a pull, a torque can be thought of as a twist.... , torture Torture Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion... |
| tot- | all, whole | Latin | totus | total |
| tox(o)- | arrow, bow | Greek | τόξον (toxon) | |
| trab- | beam | Latin | trabs, trabis | trabeculae |
| trachy- | rough | Greek | τραχύς (trachus) | trachea |
| trag(o)- | goat | Greek | τράγος (tragos) | tragus |
| trah-, tract- | draw, pull | Latin | trahere, tractus | subtrahend Subtraction In arithmetic, subtraction is one of the four basic binary operations; it is the inverse of addition, meaning that if we start with any number and add any number and then subtract the same number we added, we return to the number we started with... , tractor Tractor A tractor is a vehicle specifically designed to deliver a high tractive effort at slow speeds, for the purposes of hauling a trailer or machinery used in agriculture or construction... |
| trans-, tra-, tran- | across | Latin | trans | tradition Tradition A tradition is a ritual, belief or object passed down within a society, still maintained in the present, with origins in the past. Common examples include holidays or impractical but socially meaningful clothes , but the idea has also been applied to social norms such as greetings... , transcend, transportation |
| trapez- | four-sided, table | Greek | τράπεζα (trapeza) | trapezoid Trapezoid In Euclidean geometry, a convex quadrilateral with one pair of parallel sides is referred to as a trapezoid in American English and as a trapezium in English outside North America. A trapezoid with vertices ABCD is denoted... trapezius |
| traum- | wound | Greek | τραῦμα (trauma) | trauma, traumatic |
| trecent- | three hundred | Latin | trecenti | trecentennial |
| tredec- | thirteen | Latin | tredecim | tredecimal |
| treiskaidek- | thirteen | Greek | τρεισκαίδεκα (treiskaideka) | triskaidekaphobia Triskaidekaphobia Triskaidekaphobia is fear of the number ; it is a superstition and related to a specific fear of Friday the 13th, called paraskevidekatriaphobia or friggatriskaidekaphobia.The term was first used by Isador Coriat in Abnormal... |
| trem- | tremble | Latin | tremere | tremor |
| trema- | hole | Greek | τρῆμα (trēma) | trematode |
| tri- | three | Greek | τρεῖς, τρία (treis, tria) | triad Triad (disambiguation) A triad in simplest terms is defined as a "group of three".Triad may refer to:-Music:*Triad , three-note chord consisting of a "root" note together with the third and fifth above it*Triad , 1976 album by Spontaneous Combustion... , trigon, tripod Tripod A tripod is a portable three-legged frame, used as a platform for supporting the weight and maintaining the stability of some other object. The word comes from the Greek tripous, meaning "three feet". A tripod provides stability against downward forces, horizontal forces and moments about the... , triode Triode A triode is an electronic amplification device having three active electrodes. The term most commonly applies to a vacuum tube with three elements: the filament or cathode, the grid, and the plate or anode. The triode vacuum tube was the first electronic amplification device... |
| tri- | three | Latin | trēs | triangle Triangle A triangle is one of the basic shapes of geometry: a polygon with three corners or vertices and three sides or edges which are line segments. A triangle with vertices A, B, and C is denoted .... , trivia, triumvirate |
| tricen- | thirty each | Latin | triceni | tricenary |
| tricesim-, trigesim- | thirtieth | Latin | tricesimus | trigesimal Base 30 Base 30 or trigesimal is a positional numeral system using 30 as the radix. Digits in this base can be represented using the Arabic numerals 0-9 and the Latin letters A-T.... |
| trich- | hair | Greek | θρίξ, τριχός (thrix, trichos) | trichopathophobia, peritrichous |
| trin- | three each | Latin | trini | trinity |
| trit- | third | Greek | τρίτος (tritos) | tritagonist Tritagonist In literature, the tritagonist is the third most important character of a narrative, after the protagonist and deuteragonist. In Ancient Greek drama, the tritagonist was the third member of the acting troupe.... |
| troch- | wheel | Greek | τροχός (trochos) | trochlea Trochlea Trochlea is a term in anatomy. It refers to a grooved structure reminiscent of a pulley's wheel.Most commonly, trochleae bear the articular surface of saddle and other joints:* Trochlea of humerus* Trochlear process of the Calcaneus... |
| trop- | turning | Greek | τρόπος (tropos) | tropic |
| troph- | feed, grow | Greek | τροφή, τροφός (trophos) | pogonotrophy, trophic, dystrophy Dystrophy Dystrophy is any condition of abnormal development, often denoting the degeneration of muscles.-Types:* Muscular dystrophy* Duchenne muscular dystrophy* Becker's muscular dystrophy* Reflex neurovascular dystrophy* Retinal dystrophy* Conal dystrophy... |
| trud-, trus- | thrust | Latin | trudere, trusus | extrusion Extrusion Extrusion is a process used to create objects of a fixed cross-sectional profile. A material is pushed or drawn through a die of the desired cross-section... , intrude |
| tuss- | cough | Latin | tussis, tussire | pertussis Pertussis Pertussis, also known as whooping cough , is a highly contagious bacterial disease caused by Bordetella pertussis. Symptoms are initially mild, and then develop into severe coughing fits, which produce the namesake high-pitched "whoop" sound in infected babies and children when they inhale air... |
| tympan- | drum | Greek | τύμπανον (tumpanon) | tympani Timpani Timpani, or kettledrums, are musical instruments in the percussion family. A type of drum, they consist of a skin called a head stretched over a large bowl traditionally made of copper. They are played by striking the head with a specialized drum stick called a timpani stick or timpani mallet... |
| typ- | stamp, model | Greek | τύπος (tupos) | archetype, phenotype, typography |
U
| Root | Meaning in English | Origin Language | Etymology (Root Origin) | English Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| uber- | fruitful | Latin | uber, uberare | exuberant |
| ulig- | in marshes | Latin | ||
| ulo- | wooly | Greek | ||
| ultim- | farthest | Latin | ultimus | ultimate |
| ultra- | beyond | Latin | ultra | ultrasonic |
| umbilic- | navel | Latin | umbilicus | umbilical |
| umbr- | shade, shadow | Latin | umbra | penumbra, umbrella Umbrella An umbrella or parasol is a canopy designed to protect against rain or sunlight. The term parasol usually refers to an item designed to protect from the sun; umbrella refers to a device more suited to protect from rain... |
| un-, uni- | one | Latin | unus, unius | unary Unary numeral system The unary numeral system is the bijective base-1 numeral system. It is the simplest numeral system to represent natural numbers: in order to represent a number N, an arbitrarily chosen symbol representing 1 is repeated N times. For example, using the symbol | , the number 6 is represented as ||||||... , union |
| unc- | hooked | Latin | uncus | uncinate |
| unci- | ounce, twelfth | Latin | uncia | uncial |
| und- | wave | Latin | unda | abundant, undulate |
| undecim- | eleventh | Latin | undecimus | undecimal Undecimal The undecimal positional notation system is based on the number eleven, rather than ten as in decimal or eight in octal and so on. It is not a commonly used system. Undecimal requires eleven symbols representing the decimal numbers 0 through 10... |
| unden- | eleven each | Latin | undeni | undenary |
| ungui- | claw, nail | Latin | unguis | |
| ungul- | claw, hoof | Latin | ungula | ungulate Ungulate Ungulates are several groups of mammals, most of which use the tips of their toes, usually hoofed, to sustain their whole body weight while moving. They make up several orders of mammals, of which six to eight survive... |
| ur-, uro- | tail | Greek | οὐρά (oura) | uroid, uroborus Ouroboros The Ouroboros is an ancient symbol depicting a serpent or dragon eating its own tail. The name originates from within Greek language; οὐρά meaning "tail" and βόρος meaning "eating", thus "he who eats the tail".... |
| ur-, uro- | urine | Greek | οὖρον (ouron) | urology |
| urb- | city | Latin | urbs, urbis | urban |
| urg- | work | Latin | urgere | urgent |
| urs- | bear | Latin | ursus | Ursa Major Ursa Major Ursa Major , also known as the Great Bear, is a constellation visible throughout the year in most of the northern hemisphere. It can best be seen in April... , ursine |
| ut-, us- | use | Latin | uti, usus | usual, utility |
| uv- | grape | Latin | uva | uvea |
| uxor- | wife | Latin | uxor | uxoricide |
V
| Root | Meaning in English | Origin Language | Etymology (Root Origin) | English Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| vac- | empty | Latin | vacare | vacancy, vacation, vacuum Vacuum In everyday usage, vacuum is a volume of space that is essentially empty of matter, such that its gaseous pressure is much less than atmospheric pressure. The word comes from the Latin term for "empty". A perfect vacuum would be one with no particles in it at all, which is impossible to achieve in... |
| vad-, vas- | go | Latin | vadere | evade, pervasive |
| vag- | wander | Latin | vagus, vagare | vague, vagabond |
| van- | empty, vain, idle | Latin | vanus | vanity |
| vap- | lack (of) | Latin | vapor | evaporation Evaporation Evaporation is a type of vaporization of a liquid that occurs only on the surface of a liquid. The other type of vaporization is boiling, which, instead, occurs on the entire mass of the liquid.... , vapid, vaporize |
| veh-, vect- | carry | Latin | vehere, vectus | vehicle Vehicle A vehicle is a device that is designed or used to transport people or cargo. Most often vehicles are manufactured, such as bicycles, cars, motorcycles, trains, ships, boats, and aircraft.... , vector Vector (mathematics and physics) In mathematics and physics, a vector is an element of a vector space. If n is a non negative integer and K is either the field of the real numbers or the field of the complex number, then K^n is naturally endowed with a structure of vector space, where K^n is the set of the ordered sequences of n... |
| vel- | veil | Latin | velum | revelation Revelation In religion and theology, revelation is the revealing or disclosing, through active or passive communication with a supernatural or a divine entity... , velate |
| vell-, vuls- | pull | Latin | vellere, vulsus | convulsion Convulsion A convulsion is a medical condition where body muscles contract and relax rapidly and repeatedly, resulting in an uncontrolled shaking of the body. Because a convulsion is often a symptom of an epileptic seizure, the term convulsion is sometimes used as a synonym for seizure... |
| veloc- | quick | Latin | velox, velocis | velocity Velocity In physics, velocity is speed in a given direction. Speed describes only how fast an object is moving, whereas velocity gives both the speed and direction of the object's motion. To have a constant velocity, an object must have a constant speed and motion in a constant direction. Constant ... |
| ven- | vein | Latin | vena | venosity |
| ven- | hunt | Latin | venari | venison Venison Venison is the meat of a game animal, especially a deer but also other animals such as antelope, wild boar, etc.-Etymology:The word derives from the Latin vēnor... |
| ven-, vent- | come | Latin | venire | advent, convention |
| vend- | sell | Latin | vendere | vendor, vending |
| vener- | respectful | Latin | venus | veneration, venereal |
| vent- | wind | Latin | ventus | ventilation Ventilation (architecture) Ventilating is the process of "changing" or replacing air in any space to provide high indoor air quality... |
| ventr- | belly | Latin | venter | ventral |
| ver- | true | Latin | verus | verify, verity |
| verb- | word | Latin | verbum | verbal, verbatim, verbosity |
| verber- | whip | Latin | verber | reverberation Reverberation Reverberation is the persistence of sound in a particular space after the original sound is removed. A reverberation, or reverb, is created when a sound is produced in an enclosed space causing a large number of echoes to build up and then slowly decay as the sound is absorbed by the walls and air... |
| verm- | worm | Latin | vermis | vermiform |
| vern- | spring | Latin | ver, vernus | vernal |
| vert-, vers- | turn | Latin | vertere, versus | convert, inversion, invert, vertical |
| vesic- | bladder | Latin | vesica | vesical |
| vesper- | evening, western | Latin | vespera | vesperal |
| vest- | clothe, garment | Latin | vestis | divest, vest Vest A vest is a garment covering the upper body. The term has different meanings around the world:Waistcoat :. This is called a waistcoat in the UK and many Commonwealth countries, or a vest in the US and Canada. It is often worn as part of formal attire, or as the third piece of a lounge... |
| vestig- | follow, track | Latin | vestigium | investigate |
| vet- | forbid | Latin | vetare | veto Veto A veto, Latin for "I forbid", is the power of an officer of the state to unilaterally stop an official action, especially enactment of a piece of legislation... |
| veter- | old | Latin | vetus, veteris | inveterate, veteran |
| vi- | way | Latin | via | deviate, obvious, via |
| vic- | change | Latin | vicis | vice versa Vice Versa (disambiguation) Vice versa is a Latin phrase that means "the other way around". It may also refer to:* Vice Versa , by German duo Funkstörung* Vice Versa , a band from Sheffield, England* Vice Versa , an 1882 novel by Thomas Anstey Guthrie... , vicissitude |
| vicen-, vigen- | twenty | Latin | viceni | vicenary |
| vicesim-, vigesim- | twentieth | Latin | vecesimus | vicesimary, vigesimal Vigesimal The vigesimal or base 20 numeral system is based on twenty .- Places :... |
| vid-, vis- | see | Latin | videre, visus | video, vision |
| vil- | cheap | Latin | vilis | vile, vilify |
| vill- | shaggy hair, velvet | Latin | villus | villiform |
| vin- | wine | Latin | vinum | vinous |
| vinc-, vict- | conquer | Latin | vincere, victus | invincible, victory |
| vir- | man | Latin | vir | virility |
| vir- | green | Latin | virere | virid, viridian |
| visc- | thick | Latin | viscum | viscosity Viscosity Viscosity is a measure of the resistance of a fluid which is being deformed by either shear or tensile stress. In everyday terms , viscosity is "thickness" or "internal friction". Thus, water is "thin", having a lower viscosity, while honey is "thick", having a higher viscosity... |
| viscer- | organs of the body cavity | Latin | viscus, visceris | visceral |
| vit- | life | Latin | vita | vital |
| vitell- | yolk | Latin | vitellus | |
| viti- | fault | Latin | vitium | vice Vice Vice is a practice or a behavior or habit considered immoral, depraved, or degrading in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a defect, an infirmity, or merely a bad habit. Synonyms for vice include fault, depravity, sin, iniquity, wickedness, and corruption... , vitiate |
| vitr- | glass | Latin | vitrum | vitreous |
| viv- | live | Latin | vivere | revive, survive, vivid |
| voc- | voice | Latin | vox, vocis | vocal, vocation, provocative |
| vol- | fly | Latin | volare | volatility Volatility (chemistry) In chemistry and physics, volatility is the tendency of a substance to vaporize. Volatility is directly related to a substance's vapor pressure. At a given temperature, a substance with higher vapor pressure vaporizes more readily than a substance with a lower vapor pressure.The term is primarily... |
| vol- | wish | Latin | velle | volition Volition (psychology) Volition or will is the cognitive process by which an individual decides on and commits to a particular course of action. It is defined as purposive striving, and is one of the primary human psychological functions... |
| volv-, volut- | roll | Latin | volvere, volutus | convolution Convolution In mathematics and, in particular, functional analysis, convolution is a mathematical operation on two functions f and g, producing a third function that is typically viewed as a modified version of one of the original functions. Convolution is similar to cross-correlation... , revolve |
| vom- | discharge | Latin | vomere | vomit |
| vor-, vorac- | swallow | Latin | vorare, vorax | devour, voracious |
| vov-, vot- | vow | Latin | vovere, votus | votive |
| vulg- | common, crowd | Latin | vulgus | divulge, vulgarity Vulgarity Vulgarity is the quality of being common, coarse or unrefined. This judgement may refer to language, visual art, social classes or social climbers... , vulgate Vulgate The Vulgate is a late 4th-century Latin translation of the Bible. It was largely the work of St. Jerome, who was commissioned by Pope Damasus I in 382 to make a revision of the old Latin translations... |
| vulner- | wound | Latin | vulnus, vulneris | vulnerable |
| vulp- | fox | Latin | vulpes Vulpes Vulpes is a genus of the Canidae family. Its members are referred to as 'true foxes', although there are species in other genera whose common names include the word 'fox'.... , vulpis |
vulpine |
X
| Root | Meaning in English | Origin Language | Etymology (Root Origin) | English Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| xanth- | yellow | Greek | ξάνθος (xanthos) | xanthogenic |
| xen- | foreign | Greek | ξένος (xenos) | xenophobia Xenophobia Xenophobia is defined as "an unreasonable fear of foreigners or strangers or of that which is foreign or strange". It comes from the Greek words ξένος , meaning "stranger," "foreigner" and φόβος , meaning "fear."... |
| xer- | dry | Greek | ξηρός (xēros) | xerography Xerography Xerography is a dry photocopying technique invented by Chester Carlson in 1938, for which he was awarded on October 6, 1942. Carlson originally called his invention electrophotography... , xerophyte Xerophyte A xerophyte or xerophytic organism is a plant which has adapted to survive in an environment that lacks water, such as a desert. Xerophytic plants may have adapted shapes and forms or internal functions that reduce their water loss or store water during long periods of dryness... |
| xiph- | sword | Greek | ξίφος (xiphos) | xiphoid |
| xyl- | wood | Greek | ξύλον (xulon) | xylophone Xylophone The xylophone is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars struck by mallets... |
Z
| Root | Meaning in English | Origin language | Etymology (root origin) | English examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| zo- | animal, living being | Greek | ζῷον (zōion) | protozoa Protozoa Protozoa are a diverse group of single-cells eukaryotic organisms, many of which are motile. Throughout history, protozoa have been defined as single-cell protists with animal-like behavior, e.g., movement... , zoo, zoology Zoology Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct... |
| zon- | belt, girdle | Greek | ζώνη (zōnē) | zone |
| zyg- | yoke | Greek | ζυγός (zugon) | heterozygous, zygote Zygote A zygote , or zygocyte, is the initial cell formed when two gamete cells are joined by means of sexual reproduction. In multicellular organisms, it is the earliest developmental stage of the embryo... |
| zym- | ferment | Greek | ζύμη (zumē) | enzyme Enzyme Enzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions. In enzymatic reactions, the molecules at the beginning of the process, called substrates, are converted into different molecules, called products. Almost all chemical reactions in a biological cell need enzymes in order to occur at rates... , lysozyme Lysozyme Lysozyme, also known as muramidase or N-acetylmuramide glycanhydrolase, are glycoside hydrolases, enzymes that damage bacterial cell walls by catalyzing hydrolysis of 1,4-beta-linkages between N-acetylmuramic acid and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine residues in a peptidoglycan and between... |
See also
- Classical compoundClassical compoundClassical compounds are compound words composed from Latin or Ancient Greek root words. A large portion of the technical and scientific lexicon of English and other Western European languages consists of classical compounds. For example, bio- combines with -graphy to form biography...
- Hybrid wordHybrid wordA hybrid word is a word which etymologically has one part derived from one language and another part derived from a different language.-Common hybrids:The most common form of hybrid word in English is one which combines etymologically Latin and Greek parts...
- InterlinguaInterlinguaInterlingua is an international auxiliary language , developed between 1937 and 1951 by the International Auxiliary Language Association...
- International scientific vocabularyInternational Scientific VocabularyInternational scientific vocabulary comprises scientific and specialized words whose language of origin may or may not be certain, but which are in current use in several modern languages. The name "International Scientific Vocabulary" was first used by Philip Gove in Webster’s Third New...
- LatinLatinLatin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
- Latin influence in EnglishLatin influence in EnglishEnglish is a Germanic language, having a grammar and core vocabulary inherited from Proto-Germanic. However, a significant portion of the English wordhoard comes from Romance and Latinate sources. Estimates of native words range from 20%–33%, with the rest made up of foreign borrowings...
- Latin MnemonicsLatin mnemonicsA Latin mnemonic verse or mnemonic rhyme is a mnemonic device for teaching and remembering Latin grammar. Such mnemonics have been considered by teachers to be an effective technique for schoolchildren to learn the complex rules of Latin accidence and syntax...
- Latin schoolLatin SchoolLatin School may refer to:* Latin schools of Medieval Europe* These schools in the United States:** Boston Latin School, Boston, MA** Brooklyn Latin School, New York, NY** Brother Joseph C. Fox Latin School, Long Island, NY...
- Lexicon Mediae et Infimae Latinitatis PolonorumLexicon Mediae et Infimae Latinitatis PolonorumLexicon Mediae et Infimae Latinitatis Polonorum is the most comprehensive dictionary of the Latin language as was used in Poland from the 10th to the middle of the 16th century...
- List of Greek words with English derivatives
- List of Latin abbreviations
- List of Latin and Greek words commonly used in systematic names
- List of Latin phrases
- List of Latin words with English derivatives
- List of Latinised names
- List of legal Latin terms
- Medical terminologyMedical terminologyMedical terminology is a vocabulary for accurately describing the human body and associated components, conditions, processes and process in a science-based manner. Some examples are: R.I.C.E., trapezius, and latissimus dorsi. It is to be used in the medical and nursing fields...
- Romanization (cultural)Romanization (cultural)Romanization or latinization indicate different historical processes, such as acculturation, integration and assimilation of newly incorporated and peripheral populations by the Roman Republic and the later Roman Empire...
- ToponymyToponymyToponymy is the scientific study of place names , their origins, meanings, use and typology. The word "toponymy" is derived from the Greek words tópos and ónoma . Toponymy is itself a branch of onomastics, the study of names of all kinds...
- Wikipedia:IPA for Latin