End Forms
The following is a chart of some common Greek "end forms." An example is the word
neurology (study of the nervous system) which comes from the Greek neuro- the
combining form of the noun neuron (nerve) plus -logy, listed below. We think of these
end forms as merely suffixes, but they are fully productive words.
Greek Word
αλγος
Ending
-algia
Meaning
-pain
βιος
-be
life
κηλη
-cele
tumor
τομος
-ectomy
cut
αιμα
-(a)emia
blood
λογος
-logy
study
ειδος
-oid
form
πολεω
-poesis
make
σκοπεω
-scope
see into
στομα
-stomy
mouth
Note: Greek forms are capitalized, Latin in normal case.
Latin Prefix/ GREEK PREFIX
Meaning
A-, AN-
"alpha privative", a negative
ab-
away from
ad-
to, towards, near
ambi-
both
ANA-
up, back again, throughout, against
ante-
before, in front of
ANTI-
against
APO-
away from
bi-/bis-
twice, double
CATA-
down, across, under
circum-
around
con-
with
contra-
against
de-
down, from, away from
DI-
two, twice, double
DIA-
through
dis-
apart, removed
DYS-
hard, difficult, bad
e-, ex- (Lat.)
EC- EX- (GK.)
out of
ECTO-
outside
EXO-
outside, outward
EN-
in
endo-
within
epi-
on, upon
extra-
outside, beyond, in addition to
EU-
well, good, easy
HEMI-
half
HYPER-
over, above,
HYPO-
below, under
in-
in, into, on
You often see this prefix as im.
Used with verbal roots.
in-
not; occasionally, beyond belief
infra-
below
inter-
between
intro-
within
intus-
within
META-
with, after, beyond
non-
not
OPISTHO-
behind
PALIN-
again
PARA-
along side of, beside
per-
through, thorough, complete
PERI-
around, near
post-
after, behind
pre-
in front of, before
PRO-
before, in front of
PROSO-
onwards, in front
re-
back, again
retro-
backward
semi-
half
sub-
under, below
super-, supra-
above, upper
SYN-
with
trans-
across
ultra-
beyond
Adjective + Root + Suffix=Word
The following tables contain Greek and Latin adjectives in the form used to combine with
English words or with other Latin or Greek parts to make English words -- like
megalomaniac or macroeconomics, to take examples from the top of the table.
GREEK & Latin
Meaning in English
MEGA-, MEGALO-, MAKRO-; magni-, grandi-
big
MICRO-; parvi-
little
MACRO-, DOLICHO; longi-
long
BRACHY-; brevi-
short
EURY, PLATY-; lati-
wide
STENO-; angusti-
narrow
CYCLO-, GYRO; circuli-
round
quadrati- rectanguli-
square
PACHY-, PYCNO-, STEATO-; crassi-
thick
LEPTO-; tenui-
thin
BARY-; gravi-
heavy
SCLERO-, SCIRRHO-; duri-
hard
MALACO-; molli-
soft
HYGRO-, HYDRO-; humidi-
wet
XERO-; sicci-
dry (Xerox®)
OXY-; acri-
sharp
CRYO- PSYCHRO-; frigidi-
cold
THERMO-; calidi-
hot
DEXIO-; dextri-
right
SCAIO-; scaevo- levi, sinistri-
left
PROSO-, PROTO-; frontali-
front
MESO-; medio-
middle
POLY-; MULTI-
many
OLIGO-; pauci-
few
STHENO-; validi-, potenti-
strong
HYPO-; imi-, intimi-
bottom
PALEO-, ARCHEO-; veteri-, seni-
old
NEO-, CENO-; novi
new
CRYPTO-, CALYPTO-; operti-
hidden
TAUTO-; identi-
same
HOMO-, HOMEO-; simili-
alike
EU-, KALO-, KALLO-; boni-
good
DYS-, CACO-; mali-
bad
CENO-, COELO-; vacuo-
empty
HOLO-; toti-
entirely
IDIO-; proprio-, sui-
one's own
ALLO-; alieni-
another's
GLYCO-; dulci-
sweet
PICRO-; amari-
bitter
ISO-; equi-
equal
HETERO-, ALLO-; vario-
different
Colors
A medical example of a Greek-based color word is erythrokinetics (e·ryth·ro·ki·net·ics),
which Your Dictionary Medical Definitions defines as "A study of the kinetics of red
blood cells from their generation to destruction."
GREEK & Latin
Meaning in
English
COCCINO-, ERYTHTO-, RHODO-, EO-; purpureo-, rubri-, rufi- Reds of various
shades
, rutuli-, rossi-, roseo-, flammeoorange
CHRYSO-, CIRRHO-; aureo-, flavo-, fulvi-
XANTHO-, OCHREO-; fusci-, luteo-
yellow
CHLORO-; prasini-, viridi-
green
CYANO-, IODO-; ceruleo-, violaceo-
blue
PORPHYRO-; puniceo-, purpureo-
violet
LEUKO-; albo-, argenti-
white
POLIO-, GLAUCO-, AMAURO-; cani-, cinereo-, atri-
gray
MELANO-; nigri-
black
Numerals
Here are more combining forms that are important to know since they are numbers. If
you've ever had trouble remembering whether millimeter or kilometer was closer to an
inch, pay attention here. Note that the milli- is Latin and the kilo- is Greek; the Latin is
the smaller unit, and the Greek the larger, so millimeter is a 1000th part of a meter (.0363
of an inch) and the kilometer is 1000 meters (39370 inches).
Some of these numerals are derived from adverbs, most from adjectives.
GREEK & Latin
Meaning in English
SEMI-; hemiHEN- ; uni-
1/2
sesquiDYO (DI-, DIS-) ; duo- (bi-, bis-)
1-1/2
TRI-; tri-
3
TETRA-, TESSARO- ;quadri-
4
PENTA-;quinque
5
HEX, HEXA-;sex-
6
HEPTA-;septem-
7
OCTO-;octo-
8
ENNEA-;novem-
9
DECA-;decem-
10
DODECA-; duodecim
12
HECATONTA-;centi-
100
CHILIO-;milli-
1000
MYRI-, MYRIAD-;
any large or countless number
1
2