ROOTS OF BIOLOGICAL WORDS Revised 2008-2009
A (an) - Without, not, negative
Asexual, atrophy, anaerobic
Ab - away from
Abduction, abarration, aboral
Abscis – cut off
absise
Acu – needle, hear, heard
Acupuncture, acute
Annu – A year
Annual, anniversary
Ante (antero)– Before, front, previous to
Anterior, anteroom
Antho –(anther) Flower
antheridium
Anthrop- A man
anthropology
Ad – (ac-, af-, ag-, an-, ap-, as-, at-) To or toward.
Adductor, afferent, aggregate, annex, appendix,
assimilate, attention
Anti – Against, opposite
Antibody, antigen
Aden- (adeno-) Gland
adenectomy.
Aqua- (aquat-) Water
Aqueduct, aqueous
Adipo- (-adeps) Fat
adipose
Arachno- Spider
Arachnophobia
Aero – Air, gas, oxygen, atmosphere
Aerolic, aerial
Arbor- tree
arboretum
Agro –(agri-)- A field
agriculture
Archeo – Original, ancient
Archegonium, archeology
Ambi – On both sides, around
Ambidextrous
Arctic- Northern
Amphi – (ampho) Both, doubly, double
Amphibian, amphicelous
Amylo – Starch
Amylaso, amlyopectin
Ana – Up, backward, again
Anabolism, anaplasia
Andro – Male, masculine
Androgen, android
Angio – Vessel
angiogram
Anim – Life, breath
animation
Arid- Dry
aridity
Arthro– (-arthrum) Joint
Arthrology, arthropod
Audi – Hear
Auditorium, auditory
Auto – Self
Autotrophic, autopilot
Bacill– A little stick
Bacillus
Bi– Two, twice, double
Bilateral, biped, biramous, bivalve
Bio– Life, living
Biology
Chrono- time
Chronology
Blasto– Germ, seed
blastopore
-cide (cis) – to kill, to cut
genocide, insecticide
Brachi– (brachium) Arm, Gill
Branchiostoma, brachiates
Cili-(cilium) Eyelid, a small hair
Ciliated
Broncho-(-bronchus) Windpipe
bronchitis
Cine- (cinemato-, cinet-) Motion
cinema
Bryo – Moss
Bryophytc, bryozon
Circum – Around, about
Circumfrence, circumpharyngeal
Carni- (-caro) Flesh
Carnivore
Claus (clud)- to close
Claustrophobia, exclude
Carpo– Fruit, Wrist
Carpal, carpogonium
-cle- Small
Corpuscle
Cauda – Tail
Caudal, caudata
Cocci– Berry
Coccidia, microccus
Cede (ceed) – to go, to yield
Proceed, succeed, recede
Coel – (cel-) Hollow
Coelenterata, blastocoel, celom
Cent– A hundred
Century, centimeter
Con – (co, col-, com-, cor-) With, together
Contract, collapse, , correlate
-Cephala– (cephalo-) Head
Cephalothorax, cephalic
Contra – Against, opposite
Contradict
Cereb- (cerebrum) Brain
Cerebellum
Corp- (corporo-, -corpus) A body
corpse
Cervic- (-cervix) – neck
Cervical
Costa– Rib
Costal
Chloro – Green
Chlorophyll, chloroplast
Cranio- Skull
cranium
Chondro- (-chondrium) - grain Cartilage
Chondrichthyes, chindrocyte
Crypto– Hidden
Cryptic
Chromo– Color
Chromatin, chromosome, chromatophore
Cyano– Blue
cyanobacteria
cycl- wheel, circle
bicycle, cyclic
Dyn – Power
dynomite
Cyto– (-cytus) A hollow place; a cell
cytoplasm
Dys- negative, away
Dyslexia, dysfunctional
Dactyl- (-dactylus) Digit, finger, toe
polydactyl
e- (ec-,ef-) Out, from
Emit, ecentric, efferent
De- Down, reverse
Descend, decelerate
Eco- House, abode
Ecology
Demo- people
Democracy, demographic
Ecto– Outside of, out
Ectocarpus, octoparasite, octplasm
Dendro- (-dendron) – tree
dendrite
-ell- Small
Organelle
Dent– (denti-) Tooth
Dental, denture, dentist
-emia- Blood
Anemia, hyperglycemia
Derma– Skin
Dermal, echinodermata, octoderm
En- In, into
Entrance,
Di– Two, double, separate
Diatomic, dihybrid, dimorphic
Endo– In, inside
Endoderm, endopodite
Dia– Across, through Apart
Diagonal, diameter, diaphragm
Entero– Intestine, gut
Enteritis
Dict- to speak
Dictionary, predict
Epi– Upon, over, beside
Lipigenesis, cpiphyte, epithelium
Digiti- (-digitus) finger, toe
Digital, digits
Equi – Equal
Equilateral
Dis- Apart, negative
Dissect, disallow,
Erythro– Red
Erythrocyte
Dorm- Sleep
Dormant, dormatory
Eu– Good, well
Eutheria, Eukaryote
Dors- The back
Dorsal
Ex (exo)- out, off, from
Exit, exocytosis
Duct- To lead
Abduct, oviduct
Extra– Beyond, outside, beside
Extraordinary
Foli- Leaf
foliage
Hepta – Seven
Heptagon
Gamo- Marriage
Gamogenesis, gametophyte, gamete
Herb- plant
herbivore
Gastro- (-gastre) - Stomach
Gastropoda, gastrula, gastric
Hetero- Other, different
Heterozygous, heterogamy, heterotrophic
Genic- Producing
Cytogenic, fibrinogenic
Hexa- Six
Hexagon, hexapod, hexose
Geo- Earth
Geography, geology
Histo– tissue, web
histology
Glotto- Tongue
Epiglottis
Homo- (homoeo-)-Alike, same, Man
Homozygous, homology, Homo sapiens
Glutei– rump
Gluteus
Hormo- Chain, instigate
hormone
Glyco- Sweet
glycogen, glycolysis
Hydro- (-a) Water
Hydroplane, hydrophone
Gono- Seed
Gonophore, gonad, hormogonium,
Hyper- Above, excessive
hyperactive
Gram (graph) – To write
Telegram, polygraph
Hypo- Below, under
Hypodern, hypotheca, hypoglycemia
Gymno- Naked, bare
Glymnosperm, gymnodinium
In- (il, im, ir)- Not, without
Illegal, irregular
Gyno- (gynero) Female, woman
Gynogenesis, hypogyny, gynocology
Infra- Below, beneath
Ingrared, infrbranchial
Haplo- Single, simple
Haplodent, haploid
Inter (intra)- Between, inside, among
Intercostal, intrastate
Hemi- One-half
Hemichordates, hemisphere
Ion- Small
Mitochondrion
Hemo- (hemato) Blood
Hemoglobin, hemocoel, hematocrit
Iso- Equal
Isogamy, isoptera, isoetes
Hepato- Liver
hepatic
-ist- one who studies
Biologist, chemist
Ject – throw
Reject, eject
Medi – (medio) Middle
median
Karyon- Nut, nucleus
Prokaryote
Mega- great, million
Megabyte, megaphone
Kilo- One thousand
kilogram
Melan – Black
melanin
Lac- Milk
Lactate, lactose
Meristo - Dividing
Meristic, meristematic
Lat – side
Lateral, latitude
Meros- part portion
Polymer, monomer
Leuko- White
Leukocyte, leukemia
Meso- Middle
Mesoderm, mesonephros, mesophyll
Lipo- (-lipus) Fat
liposuction
Meta- After, between
Metamere, metaphase, metatheria
Logy- study of
Biology, histology
Meter- measure
Diameter
Lympho- Water,
Lymph, Lymphocyte, lymphatic
Micro- Small, 0ne millionth
Microscope, micrometer
Lysis- dissolve, destruction
Hydrolysis, lysogenic
Milli – One thousand
millimeter
Macro- Large
Macronucleus, macroscopic, macrospore
Mis- bad
Misinformation, mistake
Magni – Large
Magnify
Mito- Thread
Mitosis, mitochondria
Mal- bad, badly
Malformation, dismal
Mole- mass
Molecule
Man- hand
Manipulate, manhandle
Mono- One, single
Monocyte, monoecious, monocotyledon
Mar- the ocean, sea
Maine, maritime
Morph- shape
Morphology
Maxill- (-maxilla) Jaw
maxillary
Muta- to change
Mutation
Myco- Fungus
Mycology, mycosis
Ortho- Straight
Orthodontists, orthopedics, orthoptera
Myo- Muscle, mouse
Myographm myochrome
Osmos- a pushing
Osmosis
Nano – Dwarf
Nanometer, nanotechnology
Osteo- (-osteum) Bone
Osteocyte, Periosteum, osteichthyes
Neo- new
neoplasm
Ov- (ovi-, ovum) Eg
Ovary, ovulate
Nephro- (-nephrus) Kidney
Nephrostoma, naphridia, metanephros
Paleo-(palaeonto-)- Ancient, old
Paleontologist
Noct- (nocti-) night
nocternal
Para- Side by side, near, beside
Parathyroid, parapodium, parasite
Nom- Name, Law
Nomeclature, nomial, Taxonomy,
Pector- (-pectus) Breast
pectorals
Noto- (notus) Back
Notochord, pronotum
Penta – Five
Pentagon
Octo – Eight
Octopus, octagon
Peri- Around
Perisarc, peritoneum, pericardium,
Oculi- (-oculus) Eye
ocular
Phago- Eat
Phagocyte, bacteriophage, cytophagy
Odonto- (-odous, -odus) Tooth
Odontology, macredont
Pharyngo- (-pharynx) Throat
pharyngoscope
Omni- all
Omnivore
Philo- Love
Hydrophilic
-onomy- science of
astronomy
Phobic- fear, hating
Hydrophobic, phobia
Oo- (-oum) Egg
Oocyte, oolemma
Phona- (phono-) Sound
Microphone, phonagraph
Opto- Eye
Optometrist
Photo- Light
Photosynthesis, phototrophic,
Ora– mouth
oral
Phyll- Leaf
Chlorophyll, microphyll
Phyto- Plant
Chlorophyte,
Radi- a spoke, ray
radius
Plasm- (plast) formed, molded
Protoplasm, chloroplast
Re- Again
Reflex, regeneration
Plum- (-pluma, plumi-) Feather
plumage
Ren- (reni-) Kidney
Renal
Pneumo- (-pneuma) – lungs
Pneumonia
Rept- (retili-) Creep, crawl
reptile
Pod- (Ped) Foot
tetrapod, pseudopod, quadraped
Retro- (retr) Backward, behind
Retroflexion, retroperitoneal
Poly- Many
Polymorphic, polynucleate, polysaccharide
Rhino- (-rhis) – Nose
Rhinoplasty, rhinoceros
Post- ( postero-) After, behind
Posterior, posthaste
-sacchar- sugar
polysaccharide, monosaccharide
Pre- Before, in front of
Premature, premolar
Sali – ( salin-) Salt
Salinity, saline
Pro- Before, for
Protista, proponent
Sapien- Wise, knowing
Homo sapien
Procto- ( proctus) anus
proctologist
Sapro- Rotten
Saprophyte, saprolegnia
Proto- First, original
Protoplasm, protozoa, protonema
-saur – lizard
dinosaur
Prox- near
Proximal, approximate
Scat- Dung
Scatological
Pseudo- False
Pseudoscorpion, pseudopodium
Schizo- cleavage, split
Schizophyta, schizomycetes
Pulmo- (-pulmo, pulmono-) Lung
pulmonary
Scop- see, watch. Look
Microscope, stethoscope
Pyro- Fire, wheat
Pyrolysis, pyronema
Scrib- to write
Transcription
Quadri – Four]
Quadrilateral, quadruped
Sect- cut
dissect
Semi – half
semicircle
Tard- Slow
Tardy, tardive
Semin – Sperm, seed
Inseminate
Tars- (tarsi, tarsus) Ankle, flat surface
Tarsal
Sept- Wall, seven, rotten
Septum, septate
Taxis - (taxo) Arrangement
Phototaxis, chomotaxis, taxonomy
Sex – (sexi) Six
Sextant, sexdigitism
Tel - Far, web, complete
Telephone, telophase
Sis- process of
Meiosis, mitosis
Tempor- time
temporary
Sol- sun, alone
Solar, soloist
Tetra - Four
Tetrapod, tetraphase
Soma- (to) Body
chromosome, somatic, centrosome
Therme- heat
Thermometer
Spiro- Coil, spiral
Spirogyrn, spirlla, leptospira
Trache– windpipe
Trachea
Spor- a seed
Sporozoa, sporogenous, sporophyte
Trans- Across
Transcontinental
Stasis- standing
Homeostasis
Tri- Three
Trisomy, tripod
Stern- (sterni-, -sternum) Breast
sternum
Tropho- Nourishment, food
dystrophy, autotrophic, heterotroph
Stetho- (-stethus) Chest, breast, thorax
stethoscope
Ultra- Beyond
Ultraviolet, ultrasonic
Stoma- Mouth
Stomodeum, nephrostome, cystostome
Un- not
Unnatural
Sub – Less than
Submarine
Uni- One
Unicellular, uniform, united
Super (supra)- Above
SUPERMAN, superior
Uter-, the womb
Uterus
Syn- (sy, syl, sym) With, together
Synapse, symbiosis
Velo- Swift, fast
Velocity
Ven- (-vena) – Vein
Venous, venipuncture
Xantho- Yellow
Xanthophyll
Vent– the under side, belly
ventral
Xyl- wood
Xylum
Vita- life
Vitamin, vitality
Zo- Animal
Zoology, protozoa
Vore- eater
Carnivore, herbivore
Zyg- yoke, together
Zygosity, zygote, heterozygo