The Language of Biology Prefixes, Suffixes, and Roots

A collection of vocabulary flashcards covering common prefixes, suffixes, and roots used in biological terminology.

a-

lacking; none; negative

ab-

away from; out from

alb-

white

angio-

vessel

anthro-

humans

arthro-

jointed

-ate

used in forming verbs from nouns

-ation

used in forming nouns from verbs

-ism

a state or condition

audi-

hear

auto-

self

bi-

two, twice, double

bronch-

windpipe

calor-

heat

carb-

carbon

cardi-

heart

carn-

meat

cell-

storeroom, chamber

cephal-

head

chlor-

green

hepat-

liver

hetero-

different

hiber-

winter

homo-

same; alike

hydr-

water

hypo-

beneath; under less

hyper-

above; over

intra-

inside

itis

inflammation; disease

leuc-

white

logy

study

macro-

large

micro-

small

mono-

single

multi-

many

non-

not

ocul-

eye

odont-

tooth

olf-

smell

omni-

all

chrom-

color

coel-

hollow

cyt-

cell

derm-

skin

di-

two, double

dia-

through, across

dors-

back

echin-

spiny, prickly

ect-

out

en-

in

encephal-

brain

epi-

on, above

gastro-

stomach

gene-

origin; birth

glottis-

mouth of windpipe

gymno-

naked

ophthalm-

eye

ov-

egg

phag-

eat

photo-

light

phyll-

leaf

plasm-

form

pneum-

lungs

pod-

foot

pre-

before; ahead of time

pseud-

fake, false

scope-

look; observe

sperm-

seed

therm-

heat

trans-

across

tri-

three

trop-

turning

ventr-

belly

zo-

animal