Vocab 4 Flashcards
HEMI- (ἡμι-)
‘half’
- HEMI-SPHERE, a half of a sphere;
HEMI-BRANCH, a gill having
filaments on one side only, a halfgill; - HEMI-NEPHR-ectomy, removal of
part of a kidney; - HEMI-an-OP-ia or HEMI-an-OP-sia,
blindness over half the field of
vision; - HEMI-ALG-ia, pain affecting one
half of the body.
MON- (μόνος)
‘single’, ‘one’
- MON-ARCH;
- MONO-GRAPH, a detailed written
study of a single specialized subject
or an aspect of it; - MONO-CARP-ic, a plant flowering
only once and then dying; - MONO-TRICH-ous, having only
one flagellum at one pole (opp.
amphi-TRICH-ous)
PROT- (πρῶτος)
‘first’, ‘original’, ‘primitive’
- PROTO-CEPHAL-on, first of six
segments composing an insect’s
head; - PROTO-PHYTE, any plant of the
lowest and most primitive type; - PROTO-ZO-an, a unicellular or
noncellular animal organism
DI- (δι-)
‘twice’, ‘double’
- DI-LEM-ma, a situation in which a
difficult choice has to be made
between two or more alternatives; - DI-PLO-ma (‘folded paper’);
- DI-ARTHR-osis, a freely movable
articulation; - DI-oecious, having sexes separate,
usually refers to plants which have
male and female flowers on different
individuals - NOTE: not to be confused with prefix dia-
‘through’ of List 1 or the Latin prefix dis-
/di- ‘apart’ of List 6.
DICH- (δίχα)
‘in two’
- DICHO-tomy, a division or contrast
between two things (in botany,
repeated branching into two equal
parts); - DICH-OP-tic, having the borders of
the compound eyes separate, or
having the eyes wide apart (of an
insect)
DEUT-, DEUTER- (δεύτερος)
‘second’
- DEUTER-AGON-ist, the person
second in importance to the
protagonist in a drama; - DEUTERO-nomy (‘second law’);
DEUTERO-GENE-sis, second phase
of embryonic development
TRI- (τρεῖς)
‘three’
- TRI-POD;
- TRI-CYCLE;
- TRI-CHROMAT-ic, able to perceive
the three primary colours; - TRI-DACTYL, having three digits;
- TRI-COCC-us, a three-carpel fruit
TETR(A)- (τετράς)
‘four’
- TETRA-meter;
- TETRA-CHEIR-ous, having four
hands; - TETRA-CYCL-ic, with four whorls
PENT(A)- (πέντε)
‘five’
- PENTA-GON;
- PENTA-meter;
- PENTA-DACTYL, having all four
limbs normally terminating in five
digits
HEXA- (ἕξ)
‘six’
- HEXA-GON-al;
- HEXA-meter;
- HEXA-GYN-ous, having six pistils;
- HEXA-hedron, a POLY-hedron
having six faces; - HEX-ose, any monosaccharide
containing six carbon atoms
HEPT(A)- (ἑπτά)
‘seven’
- HEPTA-GYN-ous, having seven
pistils; - HEPTA-HYDR-ate, a compound
with seven molecules of water
OCT(A)- (ὀκτώ)
‘eight’
- OCTO-PUS;
- OCT-ODONT, having eight teeth;
- OCT-OPTHALM-us, having eight
eyes
ENNE(A)- (ἐννέα)
‘nine’
- ENNE-ad, a group of nine;
- ENNEA-GON, a nine-sided
polyhedron; - ENNE-ANDR-ous, having nine
stamens
DEC(A)- (δέκα)
‘ten’
- DECA-LOGUE, the Ten
Commandments; - DECA-HYDR-ate, compound with
ten molecules of water; - DECA-hedron, a ten-sided
polyhedron; - DECA-POD, having ten legs
HECT- (ἑκατόν)
‘hundred’
- HECT-ARE, one hundred acres
(10,000 square metres); - HECTO-GRAM, one hundred grams
KILO- (χίλιοι)
‘one thousand’
- KILO-CALOR-ie, one thousand
calories (equal to one large calorie); - KILO-GRAM, one thousand grams
ALL- (ἄλλος)
‘other’, ‘different’
- ALLE-GOR-y, a story, poem, or
picture which can be interpreted to
reveal a hidden meaning, typically a
moral or political one; - ALLO-plasty, a plastic operation in
which material outside the human
body is used; - ALLO-PATR-ic, animals or plans
occurring in separate nonoverlapping geographical areas
ANKYL- (ἀγκύλος)
‘bent’, ‘stiff’, ‘adhesion of parts’
- ANKYLO-CHEIL-ia, adhesion of
the lips; - ANKYL-osis, abnormal stiffening
and immobility of a joint due to
fusion of the bones; - ANKYLO-SAUR, a heavily built
dinosaur
BRACHY- (βραχύς)
‘short’
- BRACHY-ODONT or BRACHYDONT, a molar tooth with a low
crown; - BRACHY-PODUS;
- BRACHY-logy, concise or shortened
expression
NOTE: Not to be confused with the similar
BRACHI- ‘arm of List 3
CAC-, (KAK-) (κακός)
‘bad’
- CACO-PHON-y;
- CAC-AESTHE-sia, any morbid
sensation; - CAC-OSM-ia, imaginary odours,
particularly putrefactive odours
CAU-, CAUS- (καίω; καῦμα)
‘to burn’
- CAUS-tic;
- en-CAUS-tic;
- CAUM-AESTHE-sia, experience of
a sense of heat when temperature is
not high; - CRYO-CAUT-ery, the destruction of
tissues by application of extreme
cold; - CAUT-er-ize to apply an agent
capable of burning or destroying
tissue
CLI-, CLEI-; CLEIST- (κλείω; κειστός)
‘to close’; ‘closed’
- CLEISTO-GAM-y, state of having
small, inconspicuous, self-fertilizing
flowers; fertilization without opening
of florets; - CORE-CLI-sis, pathologic closure or
obliteration of the pupil
CLY(S)- (κλύζω)
‘to wash’
- cata-CLYSM;
- ENTERO-CLY-sis, injection of a
fluid preparation into the rectum;
hypo- - DERMO-CLY-sis, introduction of
large quantities of fluids into
subcutaneous tissues
CROT- (κρότος)
‘pulse beat’
- TRI-CROT-ism, the condition of
having three waves corresponding to
one pulse beat
CYCL- (κύκλος)
‘circle’, ‘wheel’
- BI-CYCLE;
- en-CYCLO-PED-ia;
- a-CYCL-ia, state of arrested
circulation of bodily fluids; - CYCLO-COEL-ic, with intestines
coiled in one or more distinct spirals
CYN- (κύων, κυνός)
‘dog’
- CYN-ic;
- CYNO-CEPHAL-ous, with the head
shaped like a dog’s; - CYNO-POD-ous, with non-retractile
claws
DOLICH- (δολιχός)
‘long’
- DOLICHO-PLATY-CEPHAL-us, a
person having a long skull which is
unusually broad; - DOLICHO-RRHINE, having a long
nose
ER-, EROT- (ἔρως, ἔρωτος)
‘love’, ‘sexual love’
- AUTO-EROT-ic, relating to sexual
excitement generated by stimulating
or fantasizing about one’s own body; - ALLO-EROT-ism, sexual
excitement induced by and directed
toward another
GENY-; GENI- (γένυς; γένειον)
‘jaw’, ‘cheek’; ‘chin’
- GENY-plasty, surgical
reconstruction of the jaw; - GENIO-GLOSS-us, muscle of the
tongue arising from the mandible
GLAUC- (γλαυκός)
silvery’, ‘grey-green’
- a-GLAUC-OP-sia, green-blindness
GON(Y)-, GONAT- (γόνυ, γόνατος)
‘knee’
- GON-ALG-ia, pain in the knee joint;
- GON-ARTHR-itis, inflammation of
the knee joing; - GONATO-CELE, knee tumour
NOTE: not to be confused with root GON(I)- ‘angle’
of List 5
HAPL- (ἁπλόος)
‘single’, ‘simple’
- HAPLO-id, have the number of
chromosomes characteristic of
mature germ cells for the organism
in question; - HAPL-OP-ia, single vision, as
opposed to DIPL-OP-ia
(H)APT-; (H)APH-; APS- (ἅπτω –⟩ ἅψω,
ἑάφθη)
‘to touch’; ‘sense of touch’
- HAPH-ALGE-sia, a sensation of
pain experience on the mere
touching of an object; - HAPT-ics, the branch of psychology
dealing with the tactile sense; - syn-APSE, the region of connection
between two neurons
HOL- (ὅλος)
‘whole’, ‘entire’
- CAT-HOL-ic (in respect of the
whole); - HOLO-CAUST (burning of the
whole); - HOLO-GASTRO-SCHIS-is, fissure
involving the whole length of the
abdomen
HOM-, HOME- (ὁμός)
‘same’, ‘similar’
- HOMO-CHROM-ous, of one colour;
- HOMO-PHONE, pronounced alike
but different in meaning or
derivation or spelling; - HOMO-PTER-ous, having wings
alike
HYPN- (ὕπνος)
‘sleep’
- HYPN-AGOG-ic, inducing sleep,
pertaining to inception of sleep,
applies to visions seen just before
complete sleep
IDE- (ἰδέα)
‘idea’, ‘mental image’
- MONO-IDE-ism, absorption in a
single idea, as in mental depression,
hypnosis or trance; - IDEO-phobia, morbid fear of ideas
KARY-, CARY- (κάρυον)
‘nucleus’, ‘nut’
- CARYO-CLAS-tic, agent which
splits the cell nucleus; - KARYO-GAM-y, the fusion of cell
nuclei, as in fertilization
KERAT-, CERAT-, KER-, CER- (κέρας,
κέρατος)
‘horn’, ‘horny tissue’, ‘cornea’
- RHINO-CER-os;
- BRACHY-CER-ous, short-horned,
or with short antennae; - KERAT-oma, a horny thickening of
the skin; - KERATO-MALAC-ia, softening of
the cornea
KYM-, CYM- (κῦμα)
‘wave’
- KYMO-GRAPH, an instrument for
recording physiologic cycles or
actions in a patient; - MYO-KYM-ia, constant quivering
of a muscle; - CYMO-TRICH-ous, having wavy
hair
LEMM(A)- (λέμμα)
‘sheath’, ‘husk’
- MYO-LEMMA or SARCOLEMMA, the sheath of muscular
fibre; - NEURO-LEMMA, delicate elastic
membrane outside medullary sheath
of nerve fibre; - LEMMO-CYTE, a formative cell for
the neurolemma
LEPID- (λεπίς, λεπίδος)
‘scale (as in on lizards, fish, etc.)’
- HOMO-LEPID-ous, having one kind
of scales; - LEPIDO-SAUR-ia, reptiles with
scaly skin, including lizards and
snakes
LEPT- (λεπτός)
‘thin’, ‘delicate’
- DOLICHO-LEPTO-CEPHAL-us, a
person whose skull, in addition to
being long, is also high and narrow; - LEPTO-DERMAT-ous, thin-skinned
LEUK-, (LEUC-) (λευκός)
‘white’
- LEUK-AEM-ia;
- LEUKO-CYTE, a colourless cell
which circulates in the blood; - LEUKO-ENCEPHAL-itis,
inflammation of the white substance
of the brain
LYMPH- (Lat. lympha from Greek
νύμφη)
‘water’, ‘lymph’
- CYTO-LYMPH, cell-sap, the fluid
part of protoplasm; - KARYO-LYMPH, nuclear sap;
- LYMPHO-CYTE, a small
mononuclear cell of blood or lymph; - LYMPH-ADEN-oma, tumourlike
enlargement of a lymph gland
MES- (μέσος)
‘middle’
- MESO-POTAM-ia; MESO-PHYTE,
plant thriving in a temperate climate
with a normal amount of moisture; - MESO-POD-ium; middle part of the
molluscan foot
MIT- (μίτος)
‘thread’
- MITO-sis, indirect or karyokinetic
cell division, with chromosome
formation, etc.; - MITO-GENE-sis, formation as a
result of mitosis; - MITO-CHONDR-ion, an organelle
found in large numbers in most cells - NOTE: not to be confused with the Latin
Root MIT- ‘send’ of List 9
MYX- (μύξα)
‘mucus’, ‘slime’
- MYX-oma, connective tissue tumour
composed of cells of stellate and
spindle form with processes
separated by mucoid material; - MYXO-POD-ium, a slimy
PSEUDO-POD-ium
NEM-, NEMAT- (νῆμα, νήματος)
‘thread’
- MICRO-NEM-ous, furnished with
short filaments; - NEMAT-ode, roundworm
NOS- (νόσος)
‘disease’
- NOSO-GEO-GRAPH-y, the
geography of endemic diseases; - NOSO-PHYTE, any pathogenic
vegetable organism; - PHOTO-NOS-us, disease from
intense or glaring light, such as snow
blindness
OEDE- (EDE-) (οἰδέω)
‘to swell’
- OEDE-ma, excessive accumulation
of fluid in tissue spaces; - ARTHR-OEDE-ma, oedema
affecting the joints; - TROPH-OEDE-ma, oedema due to
damaged nourishment or nerve
supply
ONC-, -ONCUS (ὄγκος)
‘tumour’, ‘swelling’
- ONCO-logy;
- ADEN-ONCUS, an enlargement or
tumour of a gland; - par-OPTHALM-ONC-osis,
development of tumour near the eye
ONT- (εἰμί –⟩ ὄντος)
‘being’, ‘individual’
- ONTO-logy, the branch of
metaphysics dealing with the nature
of being; - SCHIZ-ONT, a cell that divides by
schizogony to form daughter cells (in
biology, -ont denotes an individual
or cell of a specified type)
ORNIS-, ORNITH- (ὄρνις, ὄρνιθος)
‘bird’
- ORNITHO-logy;
- HELI-ORNITH-idae, a family of
tropical aquatic birds comprising the
sun grebes; - ORNITHO-philous, of flowers
pollinated through the agency of
birds
OXY-, OX- (ὀξύς)
‘sharp’, ‘acid’, ‘oxygen’
- PAR-OXY-sm;
- OXY-GEN;
- OXY-BLEP-sia, acuteness of vision;
- OXY-DACTYL, having slender,
tapering digits; - OXY-philous, tolerating only acidic
soils or substrates
PALAE- (PALE-) (παλαιός)
‘old’, ‘ancient’
- PALAE-ONTO-logy;
- PALAEO-GRAPH-y;
- PALAEO-ENCEPHAL-on, the
phylogenetically old part of the brain
PETR- (πέτρα)
‘rock’
- PETR-OL-eum;
- PETER;
- PETRO-philous, attached to or living
on rocks, especially used of marine
life
PHA-; PHEM- (φήμι; φάσις)
‘to speak’; ‘voice’
- a-PHEM-ia an inability to articulate
words or sentences due to a central
lesion; - HETERO-PHEM-ia, the
unconscious saying of one thing
while another is meant
NOTE: don’t confuse with PHA- ‘appear’ of List 2.
PHON- (φωνή)
‘sound’, ‘voice’
- TELE-PHONE;
- BARY-PHON-ia a heavy or deep
quality of voice; - RHINO-PHON-ia, nasal tone in the
speaking voice
PHOT- (φῶς, φωτός)
‘light’
- PHOTO-GRAPH;
- PHOTO-LY-tic, of a substance
which is decomposed by action of
light; - PHOTO-TROPH-ic, requiring light
as a source of energy in nutrition
PHRA- (φράζω)
‘to speak’
- PHRA-se;
- para-PHRA-se;
- peri-PHRA-sis;
- a-PHRA-sia, loss of power to utter
connected phrases; - em-BOLO-PHRA-sia, insertion of
meaningless words into speech,
embololalia
PHRAG- (φραγμός; φράγνυμι)
‘to block up’, ‘to wall in’
- dia-PHRAG-m;
- em-PHRAC-tic, any agent that
obstructs the function of an organ,
especially the excretory function of
the skin
PHYL- (φυλή)
‘race’
- PHYL-um, (in zoology) a principal
taxonomic category that ranks above
class and below kingdom; - POLY-PHYL-etic, a group of
organisms derived from more than
one common evolutionary ancestor
or ancestral group and therefore not
suitable for placing in the same taxon
PHYLAC(T)- (φύλαξ, φύλακος;
φυλάκτωρ)
‘to guard’, ‘to protect’
- pro-PHYLACT-ic;
- cata-PHYLAX-is, movement and
transportation of phylactic agents,
such as leukocytes, to the site of an
infection (X=c+s)
PLAN- (πλάνος)
‘wandering’
- PLAN-et;
- ANGIO-PLAN-ia, irregularity or
abnormality in the course of a vessel
(ANGI-ec-TOP-ia); - a-PLANO-GAM-ete, a nonmotile,
conjugating germ cell of various
plants and animals; - PLANO-mania, a morbid desire for
wandering
NOTE: don’t confuse with Latin root PLAN- ‘flat’ of
List 7.
PLEUR- (πλευρόν)
‘side’, ‘rib’, ‘pleura’
- an-ISO-PLEUR-al, bilaterally
asymmetrical; - eu-DI-PLEUR-al, symmetrical about
a median plane, bilaterally
symmetrical; - PLEUR-ODYN-ia, pain in the
abdominal wall; - PLEURO-SOMATO-SCHIS-is,
lateral abdominal fissure
-PLO- (-πλόος)
‘folded’, ‘fold’ (as in ‘threefold’)
- DI-PLO-ma;
- DI-PLO-m-at;
- DI-PLO-CEPHAL-us, an organism
with two heads; - HETERO-PLO-id, not having a
multiple of the basic HAPLO-id
number of chromosomes; - TETRA-PLO-id, with four times the
normal haploid number of
chromosomes
PNE(A)-, PNEUST- (πνέω; πνευστικός)
‘breathing’
- amphi-PNEUST-ic, having both gills
and lungs throughout life history; - HOLO-PNEUST-ic, with all
spiracles open for respiration; - hyper-PNEA, increase in depth of
inspiration
PNEUM-, PNEUMAT- (πνεῦμα,
πνεύματα)
‘air’, ‘gas’
- PNEUMAT-iz-ation, progressive
development of, or state of having,
air-filled cavities in the bone
NOTE: related to root PNEUMON-, ‘lung’ of List 3
POIE- (ποιέω)
‘to make’
- PO-et;
- ONOMATO-POE-ia;
- ANGIO-POIE-sis, the process by
which certain cells cause the
formation of blood vessels in new
tissue; - HIDRO-POIE-sis, formation of
sweat
PORPHYR- (πορφύρα)
‘purple’
- PORPHYR-in, a heterocyclic ring
derived from porhin, named for its
deep-red or purple colour; - PORPHYR-in-uria, the excretion in
the urine of an abnormal amount of
porphyrin
PRESBY- (πρέσβυς)
‘old’
- PRESBY-CUS-is, progressive
hearing loss occurring with age; - PRESBYO-PHREN-ia, failure of the
sense of location and memory in the
aged
PYEL- (πύελος)
‘pelvis (especially of the kidney)’
- CYSTO-PYEL-itis, inflammation of
the urinary bladder and pelvis of the
kidney; - PYELO-stomy, incision of the renal
pelvis; - PYELO-GRAPH-y, an X-ray
technique for producing an image of
the renal pelvis and urinary tract
PYG- (πυγή)
‘rump’
- PYG-id-ium, the terminal part or
hind segment of the body in certain
invertebrates; - PYGO-POD-ous, having feet set far
back, as some birds
PYR-, PYRET-; PYREX- (πῦρ; πυρετός;
πυρέττω –⟩ ἐπύρεξα)
‘fire’, ‘fever’; ‘fever’
- PYRETO-GEN-ic, causing fever;
- PYRETO-lysis, reduction of fever
RHAPH-, -RRHAPH- (ῥαφή)
‘to sew’
- RHAPE, the seamlike union of the
two lateral halves of a part or organ
(as of a tongue); - dys-RAPH-ism, defective raphe
formation, defective
RHIZ-, -RRHIZ- (ῥίζα)
‘root’
- POLY-RRHIZ-al, having many
roots; - RHIZO-SPHERE, soil immediately
surrounding the root system of a
plant
SARC- (σάρξ, σαρκός)
‘flesh’
- SARCO-PHAG-us;
- SARCO-BI-ont, living on flesh;
- SARCO-CARP, the fleshy or pulpy
part of a fruit
SCLER- (σκληρός)
‘hard’
- SCLER-osis;
- SCLER-a, the sclerotic coat of the
eyeball, i.e., the firm fibrous outer
layer of the eyeball; - SCLERO-MENINX, dense fibrous
lining of the cranial cavity and spinal
canal, dura mater
SEP- (σήπω)
‘to rot’, ‘to putrefy’
- a-SEP-tic, pertaining to the exclusion
of microorganisms causing decay; - anti-SEP-tic, preventing SEP-sis or
poisoning by destruction of or
exclusion of microorganisms from
body tissue
NOTE: don’t confuse with Latin root SEP- ‘separate’
of List 9
SIT- (σῖτος)
‘food’
- para-SITE;
- apo-SIT-ia, aversion to or loathing of
food; - SITO-therapy, the use of food for
therapeutic purposes, a.k.a. DIETOtherapy; - SITO-TROP-ism, tendency to turn in
the direction of food
SPA- (σπάω)
‘to draw’, ‘to jerk’
* SPAS-m;
* anti-SPAS-tic, anti-SPASM-od-ic, or
SPAS-m-o-LY-tic, an agent relieving
convulsions or spasmodic pains
SPLEN- (σπλήν)
‘spleen’
- SPLEN-etic;
- GASTRO-SPLEN-ic, relating to the
stomach and spleen; - SPLEN-ALG-ia, pain originating in
the spleen
STAPHYL- (σταφυλή)
‘bunch of grapes’, ‘uvula’
- BRACHY-STAPHYL-ine, having a
short alveolar arch; - STAPHYLO-COCC-us, spherical
bacteria sometimes occurring in
clusters; - STAPHYLO-RRAPH-y, repair of a
cleft palate by plastic operation and
suture
STEAR-, STEAT- (στέαρ, στέατος)
‘fat’, ‘tallow’
- STEAT-itis, inflammation of adipose
tissue; - STEAT-oma, a sebaceous cyst or
tumour of a sebaceous gland; - STEAR-in, a white crystalline
substance which is the main
constituent of tallow and suet
STEN- (στενός)
‘narrow’
- STENO-GRAPH-y, shorthand;
- STENO-COR-iasis, narrowing of the
pupil; - STENO-STOMAT-ous, narrowmouthed
STETH- (στῆθος)
‘chest’
- MESO-STETH-ium, middle part of
the sternum in vertebrates; - MICRO-STETHO-PHONE, a
STEHO-SCOPE that amplifies the
sounds heard
STREPT-, STROPH- (στρεπτός; στροφή)
‘turned’, ‘twisted’
- PHLEBO-STREP-sis, the twisting of
a vein; - STREPTO-COCC-us, a bacterium of
a genus that includes the agents of
souring of milk and dental decay,
and haemolytic pathogens causing
various infections such as scarlet
fever and pneumonia
STERE- (στερεός)
‘solid’, ‘three-dimensional’
- STEREO-PHON-ic;
- STEREO-ARTHRO-lysis, loosening
stiff joints by operation or
manipulation; - STEREO-PLASM, more solid part
of a protoplasm, opp. of HYDROPLASM
THALL- (θαλλός)
‘young shoot’
- THALLO-PHYTE, plant not
differentiated into stem and root,
such as algae, fungi and lichens; - THALL-us (pl. thalli), a plant body
that is not differentiated into stem
and leaves and lacks true roots and a
vascular system (i.e. algae, fungi,
lichens, and some liverworts)
THYM- (θυμός)
‘mind’, ‘emotions’
- eu-THYM-ia, a joyful but tranquil
mood; - hyper-THYM-ia, heightened
emotional response; - hypo-THYM-ia, subnormal
emotional response and depression
TRIB-, TRIP- (τρίβω –⟩ ἔτρψα)
‘to rub’, ‘to crush’
- OMPHALO-TRIP-sy, separation of
the umbilical cord by a crushing
instrument; - XERO-TRIP-sis, dry friction
XEN- (ξένος)
‘host’, ‘stranger’, ‘foreigner’
- XENO-phobia;
- peri-XEN-itis, inflammation around
a foreign body embedded in the
tissues; - XENO-CHROMA, the effect of
foreign pollen producing a change in
colour of fruit; - XENO-LITH, a fragment of a rock
included in another rock
ZYG- (ζυγόν)
‘yoke’; relating to joining or pairing
- ZYG-ODONT, having molar teeth in
which the four tubercles are united in
pairs; - ZYG-ote, cell formed by the union
of two gametes or reproductive cells
(a fertilized ovum)