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.

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Term Definition
-ectorny

(Gr., cut), appendectomy , removal of the appendix.
-dont

(Gr., odontos, tooth) or Thecodont.
-cide

(L., kill), insecticide , agent that kills insects.
-carp

(Gr., fruit), pericarp , wall around the plant ovary.
-ase

(suffix designating an enzyme), protease enzyme that acts on proteins.