Word Root Practical Flashcards
a- , an-
absence, lack
Ex:
abiotic, in the absence of life;
anaerobic, in the absence of oxygen
-able
Able to, capable of
Ex:
Viable, having the ability to live or exist
actino-
Ray
Ex:
Actinomycetes, Bacteria that form star- shaped (with rays) colonies
aer-
Air
Ex:
Aerate, to add air
albo-
White
Ex:
Streptomyces albus produces white colonies
amphi-
Around
Ex:
Amphitrichous, tufts of flagella at both ends of a cell
amyl-
Starch
Ex:
Amylase, an enzyme that degrades starch
ana-
Up
Ex:
Anabolism, building up
ant- , anti-
Opposed tom preventing
Ex:
Antimicrobial, a substance that prevents microbial growth
Archae-
Ancient
Ex:
Archaebacteria, “ancient” bacteria thought to be like the first form of life
aur-
Gold
Ex:
Staphylococcus aureus, gold pigmented colonies
aut- , auto-
Self
Ex:
Autotroph, self-feeder
bacillo-
A little stick, rod
Ex:
Bacillus, rod-shaped
basid-
Base
Ex:
Basidium, a cell that bears spores
bio-
Life
Ex:
Biology, the study of living things
blast-
Bud
Ex:
Blastospore, spores formed by budding
bovi-
Cattle
Ex:
Myicobacterium bovis, a bacterium found in cattle
brevi-
Short
Ex:
Lactobacillus brevis, a bacterium with short cells
campylo-
Curved
Ex:
Campylobacter, curved rod
carcin-
Cancer
Ex:
Carcinogen, a cancer causing agent
caseo-
Cheese
Ex:
Caseous, cheeselike
cerato-
Horn
Ex:
Keratin, the horny substance making up skin and nails
chlamydo-
Covering
Ex:
Chlamydocondria, condidia formed inside hyphae
chloro-
Green
Ex:
Chlorophyll, green-pigmented molecule
chrom-
Color
Ex:
chromosome, readily stained molecule; metachromatic, intracellular colored granules
chryso-
Golden
Ex:
Streptomyces chryseus, bacteria with golden colonies
-cide
Killing
Ex:
bactericide, an agent that kills bacteria
cili-
Eyelash
Ex:
Cilia, a hairlike organelle
co- , con-
Together
Ex:
Concentric, having a common center, together in the center
cocci-
A berry/spherical
Ex:
Coccus, a spherical cell
col- , colo-
Colon
Ex:
Escherichia coli, a bacterium found in the large intestine
conidio-
Dust
Ex:
Conidia, spores developed at the end of aerial hypha, never enclosed
-cul
Small form
Ex:
Particle, a small part
-cut or cut-
The skin
Ex:
Firmicutes, bacteria with a firm cell wall, gram positive
cyano-
Blue
Ex:
Cyanobacteria, blue-green pigmented organisms
cyst-
Bladder
Ex:
Cystitis, inflammation of the urinary bladder
cyt-
Cell
Ex:
Cytology, the study of cells
de-
Undoing, reversal, loss, removal
Ex:
Deactivation, becoming inactive
di- , diplo-
Twice, double
Ex:
Diplococci, pairs of spherical bacteria
dia-
Through, between
Ex:
Diaphragm, the wall through or between two areas
dys-
Difficulty, faulty, painful
Ex:
Dysfunction, disturbed function
ec- , ex- , ecto-
Out, outside, away from
Ex:
Excrete, to remove materials from the body
en- , em-
In, inside
Ex:
Encysted, enclosed in a cyst
entero-
Intestine
Ex:
Enterobacter, A bacterium found in the intestine
eo-
Dawn, early
Ex:
Eobacterium, a 3.4 billion-year-old fossilized bacterium
epi-
Upon, over
Ex:
Epidemic, Number of cases of a disease over the normally expected number
erythro-
Red
Ex: Erythema, redness of the skin.
eu-
Well, proper, new
Ex: Eukaryote, a cell with a proper “kernel”/nucleus
Exo-
Outside, outer layer.
Ex: exogenous, from outside the body
extra-
Outside, beyond
Ex: extracellular, outside the cells of an organism
firmi-
Strong
Ex: Bacillus firmus, forms resistant endospores
flagell
A whip
Ex: Flagellum, a projection from a cell; in eukaryotes it pulls cells in a whiplike fashion
flav-
Yellow
Ex: Flavobacterium cells produce yellow pigment
fruct-
Fruit
Ex: fructose, fruit sugar
-fy
To make
Ex: magnify, to make larger
gamet-
To marry
Ex: Gamete, reproductive cells
gastr-
Stomach
Ex: Gastritis, inflammation of the stomach
gel-
To stiffen
Ex: Gel, a solidified colloid
-gen
An agent that initiates
Ex: pathogen, any agent that produces disease
-genesis
Formation
Ex: Pathogenesis, production of disease
germ, germin
Bud
Ex: germ, part of an organism capable of developing
-gony
Reproduction
Ex: Schizogony, multiple fission producing many new cells
gracili-
Thin
Ex: Aquaspirillum gracile, a thin cell
halo-
Salt
Ex: halophile, an organism that can live in high salt concentrations
haplo-
One, single
Ex: Haploid, half the number of chromosomes
hema- , hemato- , hemo-
Blood
Ex: Haemophilius, a bacterium that requires nutrients from blood cells
hepat-
Liver
Ex: Hepatitis, inflammation of the liver
herpes
Creeping
Ex: Herpes, lesions appear to creep along the skin
hetero-
Different, other
Ex: Heterotroph, obtains organic nutrients from other organisms; other feeder
hist-
Tissue
Ex: Histology, the study of tissues
hom- , homo-
Same
Ex: Homofermenter, an organism that produces on one type of acid from carbohydrate fermentation
hydr- , hydro-
Water
Ex: Dehydration, loss of body water
hyper-
Excess
Ex: Hypertonic, having a greater osmotic pressure in comparison with another.
hypo-
Below, deficient
Ex: Hypotonic, having a lesser osmotic pressure in comparison with another
im-
Not, in
Ex: Impermeable, not permitting passage.
inter-
Between
Ex: Intercellular, between cells
