Root Word List
One of the most difficult things about studying science (especially biology and medicine) is the many names and terms that
seem difficult. Most of them are based on Latin or Greek words. By using the following glossary you may be able to figure
the meaning of many of these terms as you come across them, which might help you to understand
them and learn them. Keep this packet in your science notebook.

A

a- or an- without, lack of, not
ab- away from
acro- height, extremity
acu- needle, sharp
ad- toward, near, on
aer-, aero- air
albu- white
alg-, -algia pain
allo- different
alveol- a cavity
ambi-, amphi- both
amyl- starch
ana- up, back, or apart
anemo wind, moving air
angio- vessel, case, closed
annel ring
antho-, -anth flower
anthro-, anthropo- human
anti- against, opposed to
ante-, antero- before, forward
apo- away from, separation
aqua water
arachn- spider

arch-, archaeo- ancient, beginning
arthro- joint, jointed
arteri- artery
-ase an enzyme
-asis, -osis state of, condition of
aster, astro- star
atmo- breath
audi-, audio- hear
auto- self
aux- grow, enlarge


B
bac- rod, stick
bentho- depths (of the sea)
bi-, bis- double, twice, two
bio- life
blasto-, -blast germ
blephero- eyelid
bot- graze, feed
brachi- arm
brady- slow
brevi- short
bronchi windpipe
bry-, bryo moss or grow


C
capi-, capit- hair, head
calor- heat

capsa- a box
carb- coal
carcin- tumor
cardi- heart
carn- flesh
carp- (-carp) wrist (fruit)
cata- down
cauda- stem
caus- burn
-cele tumor or swelling
-centesis puncture, tap
centi- hundredth
centri- center; at the center
cephal- head
cereb-, cerebro- brain
cervic- neck
chiasm- marked crosswise
chel- claw
chemo- by chemicals
chlor- green
choano- a funnel
chole- bile
chondro- cartilage
chord string
chrom-, chromat- color
chym- juice
-cide kill, destroy
cilia- hair
circum- around
cocco- berry

cochl- snail
coelo-, celo- hollow, cavity
coit- a coming together
coll- glue
co-, con-, com-, co- with, together
contra- against, opposite
corpor-, corpus body
cost ribs
cotyl cup
cranio- head, skull
crypto- hidden
-cule little
cuti- skin
cyan- blue
cyclo- circle
cysto-, cyst- bag
cyt-, cyto-, -cyte cell


D
dactyl- finger
de- away from, down from
deca- ten
deci- tenth
deutero- second
demi- half
demo- people
dendr- tree
dent-, -dont teeth
derm, dermat- skin

-desma- band, bond
dextro right (not left, that is)
di-, diplo-, dicho- double, two
dia- through
dino- terrible
dis- apart, reversal OR bad
dors- back
duct lead
-dynia pain
dys- bad, difficult, painful


E
e-, ex-, ec- out, away from
echino- spiny
eco-, oeco- house
ecto- outside
-elle small
em-, en- in, into
-emia blood condition
enanti- opposite
encephalo- brain
endo- within
enter- intestine
epi- upon, on, beside
equi- equal
ergo-, -rgy energy OR organ
erythr- red
ex-, extra- outside, beyond
eu- true, good



F
-fer, -ferent carry or bear
ferro- iron
fibr- fibers
fiss- split
flagel- whip
flex- bend
flu-, flux flow
foli- (with 1 L) plant, leaf
folli- (with 2 L’s) bag, sac
for- before
-form shaped like
-fuge expelling
fusi- a spindle


G
gameto- reproductive cell
-gamy marriage
ganglio- knot
gastro- stomach
gen-, -gen, -genesis to produce; born; offspring
geo- earth
germ seed
gest carried
-glia glue
glob ball
glosso-, -glotti tongue

gluc-, glyc- sugar, sweet
gnath the jaw
gon- sex or seed
-graph, -gram writing, description
gymn- naked
gyn- female


H
hapl- single
helic- a spiral
helminth type of worm
hemi- half
hem-, hemat- blood
hepat- liver
herb- non-woody plant
hetero- unlike; other
hiberna- winter
histo- tissue
homo-, homeo- similar OR man
homin- man
hormono- excite
hydro- water OR hydrogen
hyper- over, above, excessive
hypo- under, below
hystero-, hyst- uterus


I
ichthy- fish

idio- distinct one
im-, in-, into, in (OR without)
immuno- safe, free
infra- below, beneath
insula island
intra- within
inter between
-ism condition, doctrine
iso- equal, same
-ist one who…
-ite like, similar to
-itis inflamed condition
-ize combine with; to treat


J & K
juxta-, junct near
-karyo nucleus
kilo- 1000
kino-, kine-, kinesio- move


L
labi- lips
lact- milk
lamin- sheet, layer
laryng- larynx
later- side
lepido- a scale
leuco-, leuk-, leuko- white

liga- bind
lingua tongue
lipo- fat
-lith stone
limn- a lake
littor- the seashore
loco-, loca- place
-logy study of
lopho- a crest, tuft
lyso-, -lyte, -lysis, lyto- breakdown, dissolve


M
macro- big, large
magna- great, large
mal- bad, poor
-malacia softening
mamm-, mast- breast
-mania madness
marsupi- bag, pouch
med-, medio- middle
medulla marrow
mega large
megaly enlargement
meio- less
mela-, melano- black
mer part
meri-, meristo- divide
meso- middle
meta- beyond/after OR change

meter measure
mito- thread
micro- small
mono- one
morph form
multi- many
muta- change
myco fungus
myelo- spinal cord or bone marrow
myo- muscle


N
narco- stupor, numbness
naso- nose
necro- death
nemato thread
neo new
neph-, nephro- kidney
neuro- nerve
neutro- neither
nitro- nitrogen
noci- harm
nocti- night
nomo-, -nomy name
non- not
noto- back
nucleo- walnut, kernel




O
ob- against
oculo- eye
-oid, -ous, -ode like, full of, resembling
oligo- few
olfact- smell
-oma tumor
omni- all
oo- egg
op-, opto-, opthalmo- eye
opercul- a covering, lid
oro-, ora-, os mouth
ortho- straight
-osis disease, condition
os-, osteo- bone
-ostomy, -otomy to make an opening into
oscul- a little mouth
ot-, oto- ear
-ous full of; similar to
ovi-, ova- egg


P
paleo- ancient
-palp lip
palpit- flutter
pan- all
para- beside, beyond; or, against
par-, paro, -parous to bear, to bring forth

path, patho disease, suffer
ped- foot (or child, sometimes)
paed, paedo- child
pelag- the sea
-penia decrease
per- by, with
perfora- bore through
peri- around
phago-, -phage eat
-phas- speak
pheno- appear
-phil-, attraction to, love
phleb, phlebo- vein
-phobia fear
phone sound
-phore carry, bearer
photo- light
phre- diaphragm OR mind
phyll (2 L’s) leaf
phylo- (1 L) tribe
phyto-, -phyte plant
pil-, pilo-, pillo- hair
pino- drink
placo- a plate
plankt-, wandering
plas-, -plasia, plasm form, grow
-plasty repair, reconstruction
platy flat, broad
-plegia paralyze
pleio- more

pluri- many
pne-, pneu- breath
pneumo- lung, air
pod-, podi- foot
poie- make
poly- many
pom apple
-pore, poro- passage
post- after, behind
-potent- powerful
pre-, pro- before, in front of, forward
procto- anus
proto- first
pseudo- false
psych- mind
-pter- wing
-ptosis fall, drop
pulmo- lung
pyo- pus
pyro- fire, fever


Q & R
quad, quadri- four
radio- wheel, spoke, ray
re- back, again
ren- kidneys
retro- backward, located behind
-rhea discharge
rhin-, rhino- nose

rhizo- root


S
sacchar- sugar
salta- leap
sapiens thinking
sapro- rotten
-saur- lizard
schiz- split
sclero- hard
scolio- twisted
-scope examine; to show
sect- cut
semen, semin seed
semi- half
septic rotted
-simi- an ape
soma-, somato-, -some body
soph wisdom/knowledge
-spasm to cramp or convulse
speci- type
sperm, spermato- seed
spiro-, spira- breathe
spleno- spleen
sporo- seed
stamen threads
-stasis, -stat, stato- standing, stoppage, balance
steno- narrow
stimul tease, touch

-stom- mouth
sub- rear, less than, below
super-, supra- above or excessive
sym-, syn- similar, with


T
tachy fast
tars ankle, foot
taxo- arrangement
tele-, telo- end
ten to hold fast
teno-, tendo- stretching
tetan spasm
tetra- four
therap- treatment
-therm, thermo- heat
thigmo- a touch
thio- sulfur
thorac- chest
thrombo- a clot
thylaco- sac, pouch
thyro- oval shield
-tion process of
-tom, -tomy cutting
topo- place
toti- all
toxi poison
trache- windpipe
trans- across, through, beyond

tri- three
trocho- a wheel
tropo-, -trope, -trophy nutrition, growth; or, turning
tympan drum
turg- swollen


U
ultra- beyond, excess
un- not, back
uni- one
ur- earliest
uro-, -uria tail (or urine)

V
vacci- cow
vacu- empty
vario change
vas, vaso- vessel, duct, vein
ven- vein
ventr- stomach
vermi worm
vert- to change or turn
vestigi- trace
viru slime, ooze
virul- poisonous
vis-, vid- see
viv, vivi- living
vort-, -volv to change or turn
-vore, -vorous eat


X & Z
xantho- yellow
xero- dry
xylo phone
zona- a belt
zoo- animal
zygo- united or yolk
zyme ferment, leaven


Extras