This list of Greek and Latin roots, prefixes, and suffixes will help you interpret the meaning of many biological terms. The first column gives many of the actual Greek or Latin prefix, suffix, and root words used in science. The second column contains the meaning of the root and the last column gives an example of the root, prefix, or suffix in a word.
This is only a guide to be used to assist in teaching the necessary vocabulary for
Biology 1 course of study.
Other sources that may be used are: http://www.carolina.com/apscience/prefix_suffix1.asp
http://www.virtualsalt.com/roots.htm
http://www.about.com/library/prefix/blc.htm
Root Words
A
Ab - away from ex: abnormal (departing from normal)
Ad – toward, near ex: adrenal (toward kidney)
Aer – air, oxygen ex: aerobic (with oxygen)
Ambi – on both sides ex: ambidextrous (using both hands)
Amphi – double, both ex: amphibian (lives on both land and water)
Ambul – to walk ex: ambulatory
Amyl – starch ex: amylase (starch enzyme)
An – without ex: anerobic
Ana – upward, back, again ex: anaplasia ( cell reverting to an immature form)
Andr – man ex: androgen (male hormone)
Angio – vessel ex: angiotensin
Ante – before ex: antenatal (before birth)
Antho – flower ex: anthophyta (flowering plant)
Anti – against ex: antibodies (proteins that work against invaders)
Aqua – water ex: aquatic
Archae – ancient ex: archaebacteria
Artho – joint ex: arthritis (joint inflammation)
-asis - affected with, with ex: homeostasis (with a steady state)
Asco – sac, bag ex: ascomycete (fungi whose spores are produced in a sac)
Aster – star ex: asteroid
Audi – to hear, ex: auditory, audible
Auto – self ex: autotrophy (self nourishing)
B
Be - throooughly ex: bedecked
Bene – good well ex: beneficial, benefit
Bi – two ex: bipedal
Bio – life ex: biology
Blasto – bud ex: blastula
Bryon – mass ex: bryophyte
Burs - purse, bag ex: bursa
C
Carn – flesh ex: carnivore
Centi – one hundred ex: centimeter
Ceph – head ex: cephalopoda
Chandro – grain ex: mitochondrion
Chloro – pale green ex: chlorophyll
Chroma – colored ex: chromosome
Cide – kill ex: insecticide
Circa – about ex: circadian
Con, cum, col, com – together ex: convergent
Cyst – bladder, sac ex: cystitis
Cyte – cell ex: cytoplasm
D
De – remove ex: decompose
Deca – ten ex: decameter
Deci – teneth ex: decimeter
Dendron – tree ex: dendrite
Dens – tooth ex: edentate
Derma – skin ex: epidermis
Di – two ex: disaccharide
Dia – apart ex: diastolic
Dies – day ex: circadian
Dorm – sleep ex: dormancy
Diplo – two fold, double ex: diploid
Dis – apart, away ex: disruptive
E
Echinos – spine ex; echinoderm
Eco – house ex: house
Ella – small ex: organelle
Endo – within ex: endosperm
Epi – upon ex: epidermis
Eu – true ex: eukaryote
Ex – out ex: extinction
Exo – outside ex: exoskeleton
Extra – outside, beyond ex: extracellular
F
Ferre – carry ex: porifera
Fissus - a split ex: binary fission
Flagellum – whip ex: flagellum
Follies – bag ex: follicle
Follies – dug up ex: microfossils
G
Gastro – stomach ex: gastropoda
Genesis – origin ex: parthenogenesis
Genos - make ex: genotype
Gons – reproductive ex: archegonium
Gravis – heavy ex: gravitropism
Gymno – naked ex: gymnosperm
Gyne – female ex: gynoecium
H
Halo – salt ex: halophile
Haplo – single ex: haploid
Helix – spiral ex: helix
Hemi – half ex: hemisphere
Hemo – blood ex: hemoglobin
Herba – plant ex: herbivore
Hetero – mixed ex: heterotrophic
Homeo - same ex: homeostatasis
Homo – human ex: hominid
Homos – alike ex: homozygous
Hydro – water ex: hydrolysis
Hyper – over, above ex: hyperventilation
Hyphe – web ex: hypha
I
Inter – between ex: internode
Intra – within ex: intracellular
Isos – equal ex: isotonic
-itis - inflammation, disease ex: arthritis
J
Jugare – join ex: conjugate
K
Karyon – seed ex: prokaryote
Keras – horn ex: chelicerae
Kinein – to move ex: kinetic
Kokkus – berry-shape ex: streptococcus
Koilos (coel) – hollow cavity, belly ex: coelom
L
Leukos – white ex: leukocyte
Logy – study ex: biology
Lympha – water ex: lymphocyte
Lysis - loosen ex: lysosome
Luminescere- to light ex: bioluminescence
M
Macros – large ex: macromolecule
Mega – large ex: megaspore
Meso - middle ex: mesophyll
Meta – after ex: metaphase
Micro – small ex: microscope
Monos – single ex: monocotyledon
Morphe – form ex: morphology
N
Nema – thread ex: nematode
Neuro – nerve ex: neuron
Nodus – knot ex: internode
Nomia - law ` ex: taxonomy
O
Oligos – few ex: oligochaete
Omnis - all ex: omnivore
Ornis – bird ex: ornithology
Osteo – bone ex: osteocyte
Ovum - egg ex: oviduct
P
Paleo – ancient ex: paleontology
Para – beside ex: parasite
Pathos – disease ex: pathogen
Pedis, ped, pod – foot ex: pseudopodia
Per – through ex: permeable
Peri – around ex: peristalsis
Phago – eat ex: phagocyte
Photo – light ex: phototropism
Phyll – leaf ex: chlorophyll
Phyton – plant ex: epiphyte
Pilus – hair ex: pilil
Pinna – feather ex: pinnate
Plasma - mold ex: plasmodium
Pod – foot ex: gastropod
Polys – many ex: polymer
Post – after ex: posterior
Pro – before ex: prokaryote
Protos – first ex: protocells
Pseude - false ex: pseudopodium
R
Radius – ray ex: radial
Re – again ex: reproduce
Rhiza – root ex: mycrrhiza
Rota – wheel ex: rotifer
S
Saeta – bristle ex: equis
Semi – half ex: semicircle
Scire – to know ex: science
Scop – look ex: microscope
Soma – body ex: lysosome
Sperma – seed ex: symnosperm
Stasis – staying ex: homeostasis
Stoma – mouth ex: stomata
Syn – together ex: synapse
T
Taxis, taxo – to arrange ex: taxonomy
Telos – end ex: telophase
Terra – earth ex: terrestrial
Therme – heat ex: endotherm
Thulakos – pouch ex: thylakoid
Tome – cutting ex: anatomy
Trans – across ex: transpiration
Trich - hair ex: trichome
Trope – trun ex: gravitropism
Trophe – nourish ex: heterotrophic
Turbo – whirl ex: turbellaria
Typos – model ex: genotype
U
Uni – one ex: unicellular
Uterus – womb ex: uterus
V
Vacca – cow ex: vaccine
Vergere – to slant, incline ex: convergent
Villis - shaggy hair ex: villus
Virus – poisonous liquid ex: virus
Vorare – devour ex: omnivore
X
Xeros – dry ex. Exerophyte
xylon – wood ex: xylem
Z
Zoon – animal ex: zoology
Zygous – joined ex: homozygous