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The following list gives the meanings of prefixes, suffixes, and stems that are commonly used to form scientific terms. Whenever you encounter a new term in your study of biology or any science, break it apart and try to find the parts in this list. Such a habit will greatly simplify your mastery of scientific vocabulary. As an example, you might take the word nephrology. The stem nephro- is derived from the Greek word nephros, meaning kidney, while the stem log-is derived from the Greek word logos, meaning thought or study of. You might later encounter the word nephrolith, and you would then only have to determine the meaning of the suffix lith, since you would already know the meaning of the first part of the word. After some practice, you will be surprised how many new words you can define without looking them up. You should also be aware that is has often been necessary to add a vowel when combining word parts for a more pleasing pronunciation. For example, bacteri- + -logy becomes bacteriology. For the same reason it has been necessary at times to drop or change a vowel in a prefix, suffix, or stem. For example, gastro becomes gastric, the adjective pertaining to the stomach. Most scientific terms are derived from either the ancient Greek or the Latin because neither of these languages is currently in use and they are universally studied. Learning the meaning of the following word elements will help develop your biological vocabulary.
See your course syllabus for the schedule of quiz dates. Dates are subject to change if necessarypay attention to updates in class. Know meanings of all terms VERY well! You will be asked to decipher the meanings of new scientific terms that incorporate these word elements. Each quiz will focus on a particular portion of the list, but will also include word elements from previous quizzestherefore; you will need to continuously review past material.
99577140.doc 6/7/2012
99577140.doc 6/7/2012
-karykelkeratkilokinelachrylactlatleio-less leuc-, leuklignlinlinguliplith-, -lite loc-log-logist -logy lumin-lys, -lyt, -lyst macrmalacmallemammmargmastmedmegmela-, melan-mer mesmet-, meta-meter, -metry micromillimismitomolemonomortmotmorphmultimutmymycmycelmyriadmollnasnecrnematneoneprho-nerneurnoct-, nov-node -nom-, -nomy nonnotnucoboculoctodont-ond olfoligo-oma omnioncooopthalmoptorb-orium, -ory
cell nucleus tumor, swelling horn thousand move tear milk side smooth without white, bright, light wood line tongue fat stone, petrifying place word, speech one who studies study of light decompose, split, dissolve large soft hammer breast border, edge breast middle million, great black, dark part middle, half, intermediate between, along, after measurement small, millionth thousandth wrong, incorrect thread mass one, single death move shape, form many change muscle fungus threadlike many soft nose corpse, dead thread new, recent kidney moist, liquid nerve night knot ordered knowledge, law not back center against eye eight tooth form, appearance smell few, little abnormal condition, tumor all mass, tumor egg eye eye circle, round, ring place for something
ornithorthoscu-osis osteoto-ous ovoxypachypaleopalmpanpar-, parapath-, -pathy -ped-pedpentperperipermeaphagpheno-philphon-, -phone -phore,, pherphotophrenphycphyl-phyll physicphyt-, phyte pinopinniplanplasm-, -plastplatypleurpneumo-pod plyporportpostpom preprimprop[rotopseudopsych pterpulmopulspyrquadrquinradirerectrenretrhag-, -rrhage rhe-, rrhea rhinrhizrhodorotorubrsaccharsaprsarcsaurschis-, schizsciscler-scop-scribe, -script
bird straight, correct, right mouth abnormal condition bone ear full of egg sharp, acid, oxygen thick old, ancient broad, flat all beside, near, equal disease, suffering foot child five through around pas, go eat show loving, fond of sound bear, carry light mind, diaphragm seaweed, algae related group leaf nature, natural qualities platn drink feather roaming, wandering form, formed into flat lung, rib, side lungs, air foot many, several opening carry after, behind fruit before, ahead of time first forward, favoring, before first, primary false, deceptive mind having wings or fins lung drive, push heat, fire four five ray again, back right, correct kidney net, made like a net burst forth flow nose root rose wheel red sugar rotten flesh lizard split, divide know hard look, device for seeing write
semisept-septic sesssex-sis solsolvsom-, somat-, -some somnsonspec-, spic-sperm-spherspir-, -spire -sporstat-, -stasis stellstensternstom-, -stome stratstereostrictstylsubsuper-, sursym-, syntachytarsotaxteleteloterrtetrthall-the-, -thes-theltherm-tomtoxicotoptrachetranstritrich-trop-trophturb-ul-, -ule ultrauniur-ura vasvectven-, ventventr-verge vigvit-, vivvolv-vorxanthxeroxylzo-, -zoa zygzym-
half, partly partition, seven infection, putrefaction sit six condition, state sun loosen, free body sleep sound look at seed ball, round breathe seed standing, placed, staying stars narrow chest, breast mouth
divide, arrange
solid, 3-dimensional drawn tight pillar under, below over, above, on top together quick, swift ankle arrange, put in order far off, distant end earth, land four young shoot put cover a surface heat cut, slice poison place windpipe across three hair turn, change nourishment, one who feels whirl diminutive, small beyond one urine tail vessel carry come belly, underside turn, slant strong life roll, wander devour, eat yellow dry wood animal joined together yeast
99577140.doc 6/7/2012