Biological Terminology: Latin & Greek Word Parts for Biology

a-, an-, non-, un-

Without, Not

ab-, ef-

Away

ad-, af-, ac

Toward

adi-, lip-

Fat

aero-

Air, Oxygen

amphi-

Both sides

ana-

Apart

andro, anthro, homo (latin)

Man, Human

angio-

Vessel, Container

ante

Before, in front of

anti-, contra-

Opposite, Against

apo

From, away from

aqua-, hydr-

Water

archeo

Original, ancient

arthro-

Joint

-ase

Enzyme

athero

Gruel

atri

Entry chamber

auto-

Self

avi-, orni-

Bird

bi-, di-, diplo-

Two

bio-, vita-

Life

blast-

Germinate, Sprout, Bud

brady

Slow

Capit, capt

Head

card-

Heart

carn-

Meat, Flesh

caud

Tail

ceph-

Head

cerv-, cervic

Neck

chel-

Claw

Histology

The study of tissue

Hyper-

More, Excessive

Hypotonic

Less solute

Ichthyes

Fish

Mycology

Study of Fungi

Virology

Study of Viruses

Inter-

Between

Intra-

Inside

-itis

Inflammation of

Karyo, Caryo

Cell Nucleus

Kine

Movement

Leuco-, Leuko-

White

Logy, Logos

Study or Science of

Lys-, Lysis

Dissolution, destruction

Macro-, Mega-

Large

Large molecules

Lipids, carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids

Mal, dis, dys

Bad or Ill

medi-, meso-

Middle

meta-

Change

meter

Measurement

micro-

Small

morph

Shape, Form

Mort, mor

Death

mot

Movement

multi, myria, poly-

Many

myo-

Muscle

nasal, rhin, probosc

Nose

neo-

New

nephr-, renal

Kidney

neuro

Nerve

nuc

Center

ole

Small

oligo

Few

oma

Tumor, Swelling

omni-, toti-

All

oo-, ov-

Egg

orth-

Straight

ose, gly, sacchar

Sugar

oste-

Bone

paleo-, archeo-

Old, Ancient

para-

Beside

patho-

Disease

ped, pod

Feet, Foot

pedi

Child

peri-

Around

phago, troph, vore

To Feed or Eat

philia

Love

phobia

Fear

photo-, lumin

Light

phyte, phyto

Plant

pinn-, plum-, -pter

Wing, Feather, Fin

pneumo-, pulmo-

Lungs

post-

After

pre-, pro

Before, Forward

prim-, prot-

First

pseudo-

False

pyr

Fire

quat-, quad, tetra-

4

re, reflectere

Back, again

rhea, rrhea

Flow or Discharge

sapiens, sapere

Knowing, wise

sapr-

Rotten

sarc

Flesh

saur

Lizard

scope

View, See

sect, -tom

Cut

semi-, hemi-

One-Half

skleros

Hard

spir

Breathe