Greek & Latin Combining Forms

Greek and Latin forms for common words in biology.

a- (an)

without, not

ab-

from

ad-

to

adeno

gland

adipo-

fat

alb-

white

-algia

pain

ambi-

both

an-

without, not

ante-

before

anti-

against

apo-

from

aqua-

water

archi-

first

arthro-

joint

auto-

self

bi-

two

bio-

life

blast-

germ, bud

brachi-

arm

branchia-

gill

brady-

slow

brevis-

short

caec-

blind

capit-

head

-cele

swelling or tumor

chlor

green

chrom-

color

coel-

hollow

crypt-

hidden

cten-

comb

cyan-

dark blue

cyt-

cell, hollow

de-

down, from

dent-

tooth

di-

double

diplo-

double

duo-

two

dura-

hard

dys-

bad, ill

ecto-

outside

emia-

blood

endo-

within

entero-

intestine

epi-

on, above

erythro-

red

extra-

outside, beyond

fenestra-

window

flay-

yellow

fossa-

pit, cavity

gastro-

stomach

-glia

glue

glossi-

tongue

glyco-

sweet, sugar

gnath-

jaw

graph

to write

hameo-

blood

halos-

salt

hemi-

half

hepato-

liver

hex-

six

hippo-

horse

histo-

tissue

homo-

same

hydro-

water

hymen-

membrane

hypo-

under

in-

not, without, into

inter-

between

interstitium-

space

intra-

within

iso-

equal

-itis

inflammation

lact-

milk

lacun-

pit, lake

lamin-

layer, plate

lemma-

skin

leuco-

white

lingua-

tongue

lipo-

fat

lith-

stone

luteus-

golden, yellow

platy-

flat

-lysis

divide, destroy

macro-

large

macula-

spot

mal-

bad, ill

mast-

breast

medi-

middle

mega-

large

-mere

part

meta-

change, after

micro-

small

mono-

single

morph-

form

morti-

death

myo-

muscle

necro-

dead

neo-

new

nephro-

kidney