Latin Roots

ABC | DEF | GHI | JKL | MNO | PQR | STU | VWX | YZ

A

a = without (prefix), negative

ab = from, opposite

abysso= extreme depths

acanth = spine

actin = ray

ad = to, toward

adipo = fat

affer = carry to, bear inward

ala = wing

alb = white

alveoli = pit, cavity

amnio = fetal sac

amphi = on both sides, both

ampulla = a flask

an = without

andr = male

anell = a little ring

angio = enclosed

aniso = opposite

ante = in front of

antho = flower

anthro = human

anti = opposite, against

aqua = water

arach = spider, spiderweb

arbor = tree

arch = primitive

arthro = joint

artio = even

asco = cup-like

ase = an enzyme

aster = star

ater (atra) = black

aud = to hear, hearing

auri = ear

auto = self

avi = bird

B

basi = at the bottom

bathy = very deep

bdella = sucker

bio (bios)= life

bi (bis) = two

blast = germ cell

brachi = arm

brachy = short

brady = slow

branch = gill, lung

bronch = windpipe

bucc= cavity of mouth

bursa = pouch

C

caec = blind

caly = covering

campanula = bell

canth = spine

capit = head

capill = hair

card = heart

carin = keel, breastbone

carn = flesh

-carp = spore case

caud = tail

cephal = head

cera = horn

cerebr = brain

cerv = neck

cest = girdle

ceta = whale

chaet = bristle, spine

chel = claw

choan = funne

chondr = cartilage

chlor = green

chord = cord

chrom = color

chrys = golden

cili = eyelash

cirri = small tentacle

clitor = to close

cloaca = sewer

cnid = nettle

coel = hollow

com = together

conch = shell

corn = horn

corp = body

cotyl = embryonic leaf

crani = skull

crusta = crust, shell

crypt = hidden

cten = comb

cusp = lance., point

cuti = skin

-cuel = circular

cyan = blue-green

cyst = capsule

cyt = cell

D

-dae = family

dactyl = finger

de = from, away, down

deca = ten

demi = half

den = tooth

dendr = tree or bush

derm = skin

di = twice, second

dia = apart

digit = finger or to

edin = terrible or whirling

diplo = double

don = tooth

dors = back

duo = two, twice

E

-eal = pertaining to

echin = spiny

eco = house

ect = outside, outer

ef = away

ejacul = throw out

embol = inserted

encephalon = brain

end = inner

engy = narrow

enter = inside

entom = an insect

epi = upon

erythr = red

eu = advanced, typical

eury = wide range of tolerance

ex = outside, from

extra = beyond

F

fasc = bundle

fenestr = window

fer = to bear, carry

fili = thread

flex = bend

foramen = opening (small)

foss = ditch

G

gam = marriage, a joining

gaster = stomach

gangli = knot in string

gen = descent, generate;

also knee, cheek, chin

glia = glue (like)

gly = sugar-containing

glom = ball of yarn

gloss = tongue

gnath = jaw

gono (gona)= sex organ

gymn = naked

gyn = female

H

haem = blood

hali = salt-tolerant

helminth = worm

hemi = half

hepat = liver

herp = creeping

hetero = different or other

hex = six

hipp = horse

histo = tissue

holo = complete

hom = like

homo = the same; human, man

hyal = glass-like

hydr = water

hyper = high activity,above,over

hypo = low activity, below,under

I

ichth = fish

-ida = like

-idia = little

insect = to cut in, divide

inter = between

intra = inside, within

iso = equal

itis = inflammation of

J

K

kary = fusion

kin = moving

L

lab = lip

lacuna = space, void

lamella = leaf layer

lepi = scale

-lemma = membrane

leuc = white

liga = to tie together

lith = stone

log (logy)= treatise, study

lumen = cavity

lumin = light-producing

lutea = yellow

lys = to kill; a dissolution

M

macro = great, large

macula = spot

magni = large

mastig = whip

major = larger

mamma = breast

maxilla = upper jaw

medull = marrow

mela = dark

mening = membrane

mer = part, unit

meso = middle

meta = after

micro = small

mit = thread

moll = soft

mono = single, one

morph = form

muco = slimy, mucus

multi = many

mus = mouse

myce (myco)= fungus

myo = muscle

myst = moustache

 

N

nao = dwarf

narc = drugged, drug-like

necro = death

nema = thread

nephr = kidney

neur = nerve

nidus = nest

nom = law

node = thickened area

noto = back

nudi = naked

O

-oid = like

ocel = eye

odont = teeth

oesoph = gullet

olfact = smelling

oligo = few

oment = fatty skin

oo = egg

ophi = snake

opthalm = eye

opercul = little cover

opt = eye, vision

orb = circle

oral = mouth

ornith = bird

ortho = straight

os = mouth

-ose = a sugar

-osis = increase of

oss (ost) = bone

osti = mouth

ostrac = shell

oti (oto) = ear

ovum = egg

P

pachy = thick

palae = ancient

palmate = webbed

papil = nipple

par = birth

para = beside, near

pariet = wall

parv = small

pect = breast

ped = foot

peduncl = little foot

pelecy = hatchet

penis = tail, penis

pente = five

peri = around

perisso = odd

perenni = permanent

petr = rock

phaeo = brown

phago = eat

phil = loving, liking

phor = carry

photo = light

phragm = fence, partition

phyl = tribe, group

phyl = leaf

physa = bladder

physio = nature

phyte = plant

pino = to drink

pili = hair

pinna = feather

plac = plate, tablet

plan = flat, plane

plantar = sole of foot

plasm = fluid, forming

plast = rod-shaped body

platy = flat, broad

pleio = multiple

pleur = side

plex = interwoven

plica = fold

ploid = chromosome #

plume = feather

pneumo = air, breathing

pod = foot

poly = many

pollex = thumb

pons = bridge

porta = gate

post = behind,after

pre = before

prim = first

pro = in front, toward

process = to project from

proct = anus

profund = deep

proto = first

prox = nearby

pseud = false

ptero = wing, fin

pulmo = lung

pychn = pressure

pyg = rump

Q

quad = four

quat = four

quint = five

R

rami = branch

renal = kidney

rete = little net

retro = back, backward

rhabd = rod

rhach = spine

rhage = tear, rent

rhin = nos

rhiz = root

rhodo = red

rhomb = square

rhynch = snout

rodo = gnaw

rostrum = beak, prow

rota = turn, wheel

S

sacch = sugar

saggi = mid-line

sapr = decaying matter

sarc = flesh

saur = lizard

scaph = hollow

schizo = cleft, split

scler = hard

scrot = pouch

scut = shield

scypho = cup

sect = cut

semi = half, part

sept = seven, wall

ser = fluid on body

serra = saw

set = bristle

sex = six

sinus = hollow

sol = sun

soma = body

spanch = viscera

sperm = seed,semen

sphict = closing

spira = coiling

sporo = spore-producing

squam = scale, flattened

steg = covering

stell = star

sten = narrow

stom = mouth

striet = narrow bands

styl = column

sub = under, below

sulc = groove, furrow

super = above

syn (sym) = together,partnership

T

tachy = fast

tact = touch

taenia = band, ribbon

tax = to arrange

teleo = complete, perfect

tele = far end

tentacul = holding

terti = third

test = shell

testis = male gonad

tetra = four

theca = case

thermo = heat

thero = beast, mammal

thromb = clot

tom = piece or section cut

toti = all, total

trach = tube

trans = across

trema = hole

tri = three

trich = hair

trop = turning

troph = food, feeding

tympan = drum

U

ultra = beyond

unc = hook

ungul = hoof, claw

uni = one, single

uro = tail, excretory

uter = womb

V

vagina = sheath

vague = wandering

venter = belly

verm = worm

vesti = rudimentary

vita = life

vitell = yolk

vitro = glass

viv = alive

volv = turning, womb

vors = devour

W

X

xero = drought-tolerant

xyl = wood

Y

Z

zon = girdle

zoo (zoa) = animal

zyg = yoke

ABC | DEF | GHI | JKL | MNO | PQR | STU | VWX | YZ