Biology

How etymology (learning root words)

can help in understanding
biological terms better…
 What Makes Biology So Hard?
• Vocabulary – If you knew the
prefixes and suffixes, you can tackle
the tough words!!!

• Have you ever heard of

pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolc
anoconiosis?
• Yes, this is an actual word. What does it
mean?

• It is an obscure term ostensibly

referring to a lung disease caused
by silica dust, sometimes cited as
one of the longest words in the
English language.
 What do these terms mean?

• Ursus maritimus
• Odocoileus virginianus
• nocturnal enuresis
• borborygmi.
• gustatory rhinitis
• horripilation.
• crepitus
Biology can be filled with words that
sometime seem incomprehensible. By
"dissecting" these words into discrete units,
even the most complex terms can be
understood. The following pages are
designed to give you the tools needed to
understand the most common prefixes and
suffixes in biology. By using these prefixes
and suffixes, even the most difficult words
like the one above can be easily understood.
•
Means - A or An – Not or
without
Examples – asexual, abiotic
Anti
Means – Against or
opposite
Example - Antibiotic
Aqua - water
-ase meaning – enzymes
Example - Lactase
Auto – meaning: self
Examples - autotroph
• Bacter – bacteria
• Examples: Bacteria
Bi
Means – two, twice,
double
Example - biceps
Bio
Means – life
Example - biotechnology
• Carcin- meaning: cancer causing
• Examples - carcinogen
Carn
Means – meat or
flesh
Example - Carnivore
Cholor-
Means - green
Example - chlorophyll
-cid(e)
Means - kill
Example – suicide, pesticide
Cilia
Means – hair like
Example - ciliates
Co -
Means – together or
with
Example - coevolution
Cyt-
Means - cell
Example - cytoplasm
Di -
Means –two
Example – diurnal & dichotomous
Eco
Means – house
Example – ecosystem
Endo
Means – inner
Example - endoderm
Eu-
Means – true or good
Example – eukaryotic
cells
Epi-
Means –above or upon
Example - epidermis
• Ex(o)
• Means – out or from
• Example - exocytosis
gene
Means – origin or
birth
Example - biogenesis
Glyco()
Means – sugar
Example - glycogen
Gluc-
Means – sugar
Example - glucose
Herb
Means – plant
Example - herbivore
Hetero
Means – other or different
Example - heterosexual

Mr. & Mrs. Forman

July 2004
Hibern –
Means – Sleep
Example - Hibernate
Homo or Homeo
Means – same
Example - homocercal
Hyper-
Means – above, greater
than normal
Example – hypertension
Hydr
Means – water
Example - hydrology
Hypo-
Means – below or less
than normal
Example - hypotonic
-ist
Means – person who
studies
Example - cytologist
-itis
Means – inflammation
Example - arthitis
Karyo-
Means – cell nucleus
Example –
prokaryotic cell
-lys
Means – decompose,
split, dissolve
Example – analysis or
cell lysis
Macr(o)-
Means – large
Example -
Macromolecule
Micro-
Means – small
Example – microscope
Multi-
Means – many
Example – multicellular
ology
Means – study of
Example – paleontology
-phil
Means – love
Example – hydophilia or
hemophilia
phob
Means – fear
Example – arachnophobia
photo
Means – light
Example – photosynthesis
or phototropism
-phyll
Means –leaf
Example – chlorophyll
-plasm
Means – jelly or
formative substance
Example -cytoplasm
-pod
Means – foot
Example - arthopod
Poly-
Means – many
Example – polymers
usually used in chemistry
Pseudo-
Means – false
Example – pseudopod
sacchar
Means – sugar
Example - polysaccaride
syn
Means – to put together
Example - photosynthesis
Troph
Means – nourishment
or one who feeds
Example - Autotroph
-therm
Means – heat
Example – endothermic
or exothermic
uni-
Means – one or single
Example - unicellular
-vor-
means- devour or eat
Examples - carnivore
Zo/zoa
Means – animal
Example – protozoa –
protist that are animal
like - consumer
Zyg-
Means – union or to form
Example - zygote