Using Prefixes, Suffixes, and Roots
(it’s not ALL Greek to me!!)
Some biology terms may be hard to understand the first time you encounter them. However, knowing some Greek and Latin terms will allow you to understand parts of the words and make an educated guess about the meaning.
Looking at parts of words to help you figure out the meanings of whole words will help you comprehend scientific material. Let’s look at the word centrifugation. This word has its roots in two Latin words: centrum, which means center, and fugere, which means to flee. From that, you might guess that centrifugation has something to do with fleeing from the center—and you would be right. Centrifugation separates substances by whirling them in a circle at high speed. Heavier substances are separated from lighter ones in this process.
Approximately 80 percent of the words in an English dictionary are formed from Greek and Latin parts. Knowledge of these will help you break down unfamiliar words and remember their meanings.
Below is a list of some common prefixes, roots, and suffixes that you may find useful.
a- or an-no, not, without
ab-from, away
acu-needle, sharp
ad-to, toward
adeno-gland
aero-air
aesthesiasensation
albu-white
-algiapain
ambi-both
amphi-both, two kinds
ana-upward, backward, excessive, again
anemo-wind
angio-encased, closed
annel-ring
ante-before
anth-flower
anthro-human
anti-against
aqua-water
arachno-spider
archaeo-ancient
arche-, archi-beginning, first, original
arterio-having to do with arteries
arthro-jointed
-asedenoting an enzyme
asco-sac-like
asterstar
auto-self
bac-rod, stick
basidio-club-shaped
bi-two
bio-life
blasto-germ, embryo
brachi-, brachio-arm
brachy-short
bryo-moss
calor-heat
carbo-carbon, charcoal-like
cata-down, lower, under
carni-flesh, meat
centri-one-hundredth
centro-center
cephal-head
cerato, keratohorn
chemo-chemical
chlor-green
chondr-cartilage
chordcord, string
chromo-color
cochl-snail
coel, coelehollow
coleo-sheath
corpusbody
cotyl-cup-shaped
-cyte, cyto-cell
dactylfingers, digits
deca-ten
deci-one-tenth
dent-, -dontteeth
derm-skin
ditwo
dissectcut
dorsback
dys-ill, bad
ec, ek-out, off
echino-spiny
ecto-outside
electro-referring to electricity
endo-within, inside
entero-intestine
entomo-insect
epi-on, upon
erythro-red
eu-true
exo-outside
fibri-hairlike
-fugesomething that drives away or out
gastro-stomach
genmake, birth
-genyorigin, making
geo-the earth
germ-sprig, seed
glyco-, gluco-sugar-like
-graphwrite or draw
gymno-naked
haplo-single
helio-sun
hemi-half
hema-, hemo-blood
herpe-creeping
hetero-other, unlike
hexa-six
holo-whole, entire
homo-same, alike
hydro-water
hymen-membrane
hyper-above, excessive
hypo-under, below, less than
ichthy-fish
inter-between, among
infra-beneath
inter-between
intra-within, inside of
iso-equal
-itisinflammation
kary-referring to the nucleus
kilo-one thousand
kineto-movement
leuco-white
lepisscaly
liga-to bind
lipo-fat
-logystudy
-lysisloosen, break down; split
macro-large, enlarged, elongated
magni-great
mega-one million
-mer, -merepart
mesomiddle
metachange, changing
metera measure
micro-small, minute; one-millionth
milli-one-thousandth
-mnesiamemory
mono-one, single
morphform
mutachange
myco-fungus
myo-muscle
nano-one billionth; 10-9
nemato-thread
neuro-nerve
noto-back
octo-eight
oculo-relating to eyes, vision
-oidlike or form
-ologya science or branch of learning; the study of
omni-all, everything
oo-egg
opti-relating to vision or sight
ornitho-bird
ortho-straight, regular, upright
-osiscondition, state
os-, oste-bone
ovi-, ovo-egg
paleoancient
para-beside, near; beyond; abnormal or unusual
patho-suffer, illness
ped-, pod-foot
pelecy-hatchet
penta-five
peri-around
phago, phageeating
phasestage
-phileto love or have a strong affinity for
-phobeto fear or be averted by
-phore, -phoresistransmission, carrying
photo-light
phyllleaf
phyte, phytoplant
pico-one trillionth; 10-12
pino-drinking
-plasmmaterial forming tissues, cells, etc.
-plastgranule, body
platy-flat, broad
poly-many
pro-before, for
proto-first form; earliest; primitive
pseudo-false
psych-, psychomind or mental
pterwing or feather
quad-four
ren-kidney
reti-net
rhino-nose
rhizo-root
sapro-rotten; decay
-saurlizard
sclero-hard
-scopean instrument for seeing or observing
semen, seminseed
septicrotten
soma, -somebody
spectra-image, apparition; spectrum
spermseed
sporo-seed-like
stamenthreads
stereo-solid, firm, three-dimensional
stern-chest, breast
stoma-mouth
sub-below, under
super-above, excess
supra-above, over
sym-, syn-with, together
synthesisputting together
taxito move
tele-, telofar off
therm-heat
tomycutting
toxi-poison
trans-across, beyond
-troph, -trophicnutrition, feeding
tri-three
tympandrum
ultra-beyond, on the further side of; excessive, extreme
uni-one
vaso-blood vessel, vessel
venavein
vermi-worm
vitroglass
vivoalive, living, living thing
voreeating
-wortplant
zoo-animal
Updated 08/24/18
Prefixes, suffixes, and rootsName ______
Practice sheet
Updated 08/24/18
Using the prefixes, suffixes, and roots above, define the following terms:
calorimeter ______
echinoderm ______
pathology ______
zoology ______
photosynthesis ______
ichthyology ______
lepidoptera ______
(butterflies, moths)
pterodactyl ______
asexual reproduction ______
mycology ______
arteriosclerosis ______
monochromatic ______
in vitro ______
erythrocytes ______
amphibian ______
(“bian” relates to “bio”)
psychology ______
rhinoceros ______
oviduct ______
autotroph ______
vasoconstrictor ______
chlorophyll ______
liverwort ______
planetoid ______
vermiculture ______
brachydactyly ______
Updated 08/24/18