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. Then you can 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. The heavier substances are
separated from the lighter ones in this process.
You can understand many words, scientific and
otherwise, if you understand their parts.
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 anabacuadadenoaeroaesthesia
albu-algia
ambiamphianaanemoangioannelanteanthanthroantiaquaarachnoarchaeoarche-, archiarterioarthro-ase
ascoaster
autobacbasidiobiUpdated 08/19/14
no, not, without
from, away
needle, sharp
to, toward
gland
air
sensation
white
pain
both
both, two kinds
upward, backward, excessive, again
wind
encased, closed
ring
before
flower
human
against
water
spider
ancient
beginning, first, original
having to do with arteries
jointed
denoting an enzyme
sac-like
star
self
rod, stick
club-shaped
two
bioblastobryocalorcarbocatacarnicentricentrocephalcerato, kerato
chemochlorchondrchord
chromocochlcoel, coele
coleocorpus
cotyl-cyte, cytodactyl
decadecident-, -dont
dermdi
dissect
dors
dysec, ekechinoectoelectroendoenteroentomoepierythroeuexofibri-fuge
gastrogen
-geny
geogermglyco-, gluco-graph
gymnohaploheliohemihema-, hemoherpeheterohexaholohomo-
life
germ, embryo
moss
heat
carbon, charcoal-like
down, lower, under
flesh, meat
one-hundredth
center
head
horn
chemical
green
cartilage
cord, string
color
snail
hollow
sheath
body
cup-shaped
cell
fingers, digits
ten
one-tenth
teeth
skin
two
cut
back
ill, bad
out, off
spiny
outside
referring to electricity
within, inside
intestine
insect
on, upon
red
true
outside
hairlike
something that drives away or out
stomach
make, birth
origin, making
the earth
sprig, seed
sugar-like
write or draw
naked
single
sun
half
blood
creeping
other, unlike
six
whole, entire
same, alike
hydrohymenhyperhypoichthyinterinfrainterintraiso-itis
karykilokinetoleucolepis
ligalipo-logy
-lysis
macromagnimega-mer, -mere
meso
meta
meter
micromilli-mnesia
monomorph
muta
mycomyonematoneuronotooctooculo-oid
-ology
omnioooptiornithoortho-osis
os-, osteovi-, ovopaleo
parapathoped-, podpelecypentaperiphago, phage
phase
Updated 08/19/14
water
membrane
above, excessive
under, below, less than
fish
between, among
beneath
between
within, inside of
equal
inflammation
referring to the nucleus
one thousand
movement
white
scaly
to bind
fat
study
loosen, break down; split
large, enlarged, elongated
great
one million
part
middle
change, changing
a measure
small, minute; one-millionth
one-thousandth
memory
one, single
form
change
fungus
muscle
thread
nerve
back
eight
relating to eyes, vision
like or form
a science or branch of learning; the
study of
all, everything
egg
relating to vision or sight
bird
straight, regular, upright
condition, state
bone
egg
ancient
beside, near; beyond; abnormal or
unusual
suffer, illness
foot
hatchet
five
around
eating
stage
-phile
-phobe
-phore, -phoresis
photophyll
phyte, phyto
pino-plasm
-plast
platypolyproprotopseudopsych-, psycho
pter
quadrenretirhinorhizosapro-saur
sclero-scope
semen, semin
septic
soma, -some
spectrasperm
sporostamen
stereosternstomasubsupersuprasym-, synsynthesis
taxi
tele-, telo
thermtomy
toxitrans-troph, -trophic
tritympan
ultraunivasovena
vermivitro
vivo
vore
-wort
zoo-
to love or have a strong affinity for
to fear or be averted by
transmission, carrying
light
leaf
plant
drinking
material forming tissues, cells, etc.
granule, body
flat, broad
many
before, for
first form; earliest; primitive
false
mind or mental
wing or feather
four
kidney
net
nose
root
rotten; decay
lizard
hard
an instrument for seeing or
observing
seed
rotten
body
image, apparition; spectrum
seed
seed-like
threads
solid, firm, three-dimensional
chest, breast
mouth
below, under
above, excess
above, over
with, together
putting together
to move
far off
heat
cutting
poison
across, beyond
nutrition, feeding
three
drum
beyond, on the further side of;
excessive, extreme
one
blood vessel, vessel
vein
worm
glass
alive, living, living thing
eating
plant
animal
Prefixes, suffixes, and roots
Practice sheet
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 ___________________________
Updated 08/19/14
Name ______________________________