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
pre-

(L. before), prenatal , before birth.
post-

(L., after), postnatal , after birth.
poly-

(Or., many), Polymorphous , having many for iris.
plio-

(Or., more), Pliocene , more recent geologic period.
platy-

(Or., nat), Platyhelminthes, phylum of Flatworms.
physio-

( Or., nature), physiology , study of the nature or function of living matter.
phyco-

(Or., alga, or seaweed), Phycomycetes , alga like fungus.
photo-

(Or., light), photosynthesis , formation of carbohydrates in the presence of light.
phor-

(Or., to bear), sporophore , part of a sporophyte that bears spores.
phago-

(Or., to eat), phagocyte , cell that eats or destroys.
phaeo-

(Or., dark or brown), Phaeophyta , phylum of brown algae.
peri-

(Gr., around), peristome , region around an opening or mouth.
ped-

(L., feet), pedal , pertaining to the foot.
path-

(gr., disease), pathogenic , capable of causing disease.
para-

(Gr., beside), parapodia , appendages beside others.