Name__________________________________________
Pd________ Date___________
Honors Biology Sec _________
Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicavolcanoconiosis
Say what?!?! Yes, this is actually a word. One of the first steps to scientific literacy (and to
sounding super- intelligent) is to develop a good sense of root words. Most come from Greek
or Latin backgrounds. Once you’re armed with this knowledge, medical terms and scientific
terms will not be so overwhelming.
1. For each of the following terms, use the roots to determine a serviceable definition.
Photosynthesis
Exoskeleton
Herbicide
Anti-osteoarthritic
Cytoplasm
Homeostasis
Epidermis
Eukaryote
Macrometer
Hypertonic
Hydrolysis
Autotroph
Gastropod
2. Use the chart to form a term for each description below.
“Large eater”
“Heat lover”
“Response to light”
“Study of ancient life”
“Producing against”
“Containing carbon and water”
“Inflammation of the stomach”
“Jointed legs”
“Instrument for measuring very small distances”
“Within a cell”
Prefixes
AAmbi- or AmphiAngioAntiArchaeArthAutoBioCarboCephalo- or CerebroChloroCo- or ConCytoDeDi- or BiDysEcto- or ExoEndoEpiEuGastroHemoHerbHeteroHomo- or HomeoHydroHyperInterIntraMacroMicroMono- or UniMulti- or PolyOsteoPhotoPostProto-, Pro-, or PrePseudoSaccharoScleroSynThermoTransZooZyg-
Meanings
Without, lacking
double, both
related to heart
Against
Ancient
Joint, jointed
self
related to life
Containing carbon
brain, head
green
together, with
cell
away, off
Double, two
Difficult or painful
Outer, external
Inside, within
Above, covering
true, authentic
stomach
blood
pertaining to plants
different
same
water
excessive, high
between, among
within
large
small
single
containing many
bone
pertaining to light
after, behind
first, before
false
Sugar
hardening
together
related to heat
Across, through
pertaining to animals
yoke, union
Suffixes
-ase
-blast
-cide
-cyst
-derm
-genesis, -gen, -genic
-gram
-graph
-hybrid
-itis
-karyo
-kinesis
-less
-logy
-lysis
-meter
-morph
-oma
-ose
-osis
-ped, -pod
-phage
-phile, -philic
-phobe, -phobia, -phobic
-phyll
-plast
-plasm
-scope
-stasis
-stomy, -tomy
-synthesis
-tensin
-tonic
-troph
-tropism
Meanings
type of enzyme
bud or piece
agent used to destroy
Pouch
skin, layer
creation of, producing
measurement, record
Drawing or diagram of
combination of
inflammation
nucleus
movement, motion
without
study of
breaking, destruction
measurer of
form/structure
tumor
type of sugar
condition, disease
foot
eater
love for, affinity for
intense fear of
leaf
organized material
fluid substance
tool for viewing
stationary condition
cutting into
to put together
stress, contraction
chemical solution
eating/food obtaining
response to
3. Make at least five reasonable scientific
words (define them)!