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 |
|---|---|
| apo- | (Gr., away or separate), apodeme , ingrowth from the exo-skeleton of most arthropods. |
| antr- | (L., cavity), antrum , cavity of a bone. |
| anti- | (Gr., opposed or opposite), antitoxin , antibody opposed to or neutralizing a toxin. |
| antho- | (Gr., anthos = flower), Anthozoa-flower-like coelenterates. |
| ante- | (L., before in time or space), antedorsal , placed before dorsal. |
| angio- | (Gr., enclosed), angiosperm , plant with enclosed or protected seeds. |
| ana- | (Gr., back or again), anabolism , building-up processof metabolism. |
| amyl- | (L., starch), amylase enzyme that changes starch to sugar. |
| amphi- | (Gr., on both sides), Amphibia , class of vertebrateanimals living in water and on land. |
| ambly | (Gr., ambulus, dull, dim) e.g. amblypoda, rangeextinct animals of the Eocene period. |
| ambi- | (L., both), ambidextrous , being able to use eitherhand. |
| algia | (Gr., pain), neuralgia , pain in a nerve. |
| alb | (L., white), albino , organism exhibiting no pigment. |
| aer- | (Gr, air), aerobe , organism that requires free air. |
| ae | (L., plural ending of singular Latin nouns ending in a) alga and algae |