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.

Search for glossary terms (regular expression allowed)
Term Definition
dis-

(L., away), distal , away from the point of origin.
di-

(Gr., twice), diploblastic , possessing two germ layers ; dicotyledon , plant possessing two cotyledons.
derrn-

(Gr., skin), dermis , part of the skin.
dendr-

(Gr., brush or tree), dendrite , tree-like structure of a nerve cell.
de-

(L., off), degenerate , to lose generative ability, dehydration.
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.