Prefixes & Suffixes
The following list is by no means complete, but it may help in understanding some difficult terminology. The following abbreviations are used ; Gr., for the Greek ; L., for the Latin.
Term | Definition |
---|---|
cyt- | (Gr., cell), cytology , branch of biology studying cell structure and function. |
cyst- | (Gr., sac), cyst, pouch or sac. |
cyan- | (Gr., blue), Cyanophyta ,phylum of blue-green algae. |
creta- | (L., chalk), Cretaceous , chalk period of geologic times. |
cotyl- | (Gr., cup shaped), cotyledon , cup-shaped seed leaf. |
corn- | (L., together), commensalism , living together. |
con- | (L., cone), conifer , cone-bearing tree ; or (L., with), concretion , something that has grown together. |
coleo- | (Gr., sheathed), Coleoptera , order of sheathedinsects, such as beetles. |
coeno- | (Gr., common), coenosarc , common tissue in certain animals. |
coel- | (Gr., hollow), coelom ( celom ), hollow body cavity. |
cloaca | (L., sewer), cloaca , outlet for excretions. cnido- (Gr., nettle), cnidoblast , nettle cell of certain animals. |
circum- | (L., around), circumoesophageal , around the oesophagus. |
cili | (L., eyelash), cilia , minute, hair-like processes. |
chrom- | (Gr., color), chromatophore , colour-bearing cell. |
chondro- | (Gr., cartilage), chondrocranium , part of the cranium developing from cartilage. |