CP Biology Prefixes & Suffixes
Name: _______________________
You often can glean the meaning of new/unknown words by studying word roots. Learning these
prefixes and suffixes (listed below) will help you decipher the meaning of many new words you will
come across in Biology.
Word Part
Meaning
a-/ an- / anti- / non-ase
autobi- / dibiochloro-cide
chemococytoecoembryoeuex- / exohemoherbiheterohomo- / homeointerkary- / karyo-logy / -ology
micromono- / unimorphmulti-ose
-osis
pathophotopolyproresemisyn- / symtrophe / trophic-vore
zo- /zoa
zyg- / zygo-
not / opposite
enzyme
self
two
life
green
killer
chemical / chemistry
with (together)
cell
environment
early development
true / good / lots
outer / outside
blood
plant
different
the same
between / among
kernel / nucleus of a cell
study of
small
one
change in form / structure
more than one
sugar
action / a process
disease
light
many
before
again
partially / half
together
nourishment / feeding
to eat
animal
pair (union)
Dr. Snyder / LCHS
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Use the prefixes and suffixes (roots) to define the following commonly used terms in biology.
For example:
abiotic
a
bio
not
living
nonliving… is the meaning of the word abiotic!
1. Embryology
2. Herbicide
3. Heterozygous
4. Autotroph
5. Antibiotic
6. Metamorphosis
7. Photosynthesis
8. Heterotrophic
9. Pathology
10. Symbiosis
Dr. Snyder / LCHS