Most Useful Biological Prefixes and Suffixes for the Biology Olympiad

Students preparing for the biology olympiad should be able to recognize word parts since they often give a clue as to the meaning of a word. Science terminology is predominately based on the Latin and Greek languages. Thus, Biolympiads.com compiled a list of the most common word parts which are common in biology.

Homework vector created by pch.vector – www.freepik.com

Prefix	Meaning	Example
A
a-, an-	not, without, lacking, deficient	apetalous, atypical
ab-	away from, out from	abaxial epidermis
acou-, acous-	hear	acoustic
-aceous	of or pertaining to	proteinaceous
ad-	to, toward	adaxial epidermis, adhere
aden-	gland	adenohypothesis
adip-	fat	adipocytes
aero-	air	aerophile
agglutin/o	clumping; sticking together	aggliutination
agri-	field, soil	Agrobacterium
aig-, -algia	pain	neuralgia
alb-	white	albino
-algia	pain	neuralgia
alto-	high	altitude
ambi-	both	ambivalence
ameb-	change, alternation	ameboid
amni-	fetal membrane	amnion
amphi-, ampho-	both	amphibolic, amphipathic, amphibians
amyl-	starch	amylopectin
ana-	away, up, back, again	anabolism
an-	without	anhydrous
andro-	male	androecium, androgen
anemo-	wind	anemophily
ang-	choke, feel pain	angina
angi-	blood, vessel, duct	angiogenesis, angiotensin
ante-	ahead of time, before	anterior
anter-	front	anterograde
antho-	flower	antophytes
anti-	against, opposite	antitoxin, antibody
antrhopo-	man, human	anthropology
apo-, ap-	away from, out from	apoplexy, apocarp
aqu-	water	aquaporin
archaeo-, arche-	primitive, ancient	archeology
arteri-	artery	arteriole
arthr-	joint	arthropod
aster-,	astr star	Asteroidea
-ase	enzyme	amylase
atmo-	vapor	atmosphere
audi-	hear	audible
aur-	ear	auricle
auto-	self	autoimmune
avi-	bird, flying	avian
B
bacter-, bactr-	bacterium, stick,	bactericidal
baro-	pressure	barophile, barometer
bi-	two	biradial
bi-, bio-	(Greek) life, living	abiotic, biotic
-blast-	sprout, germ, bud	blastula, erythroblast
brachi-	arm	triceps brachii
brachy-	short	brachycardia
brady-	slow	bradycardia
branchi-	fin	Branchiostoma
bronch-	windpipe	bronchioles
but-	with 4 carbons	butane
C
calor-	heat	calorimeter
capit-	head	decapitate
carcin-	cancer	carcinogeneic
cardi-	heart	cardiomyocyte
carn-	meat, flesh	carnivore
carp-	fruit	pericarp
carpal-	wrist	metacarpal
cata-	breaking down	catabolism
caud-	tail	caudal
centi-	hundredth	centipedes
centr-	center	central
cephal-	head	cephalic
cerebr-	brain	cerebrospinal
cervic-	neck	cervical vertebrae
cheli-, chela-	claw, pincer	chelicerate
chem-	dealing with chemicals	chemotherapy, chemotaxis
chir-	hand	Chiroptera
chlor-	green	chlorophyll
chondr-	cartilage	chondrocyte
chrom-, -chrome	chrome color	chromosome
chron-	time	heterochrony
-chym	chym juice	chyme
cide	to kill, a killer	bacteriocidal
circa-, circum-	around, about	circumvallate
co-	with	cooperativity
coel-, -coelom	cavity, space w/in body	acoelomates
coll-	glue	colligative
coni-	cone	conifer
contra-	against	contralateral
corp-	body	corpuscle
cort-, cortic-	outer layer	cortex
cotyl-	cup	cotyledon
counter-	against	counterattack
crani-	skull	extracranial
crypt-	hidden, covered	cryptic coloration
-cul-, -cule	small, diminutive	molecule
cuti-	skin	pulmocutaneous
cyan-	blue	cynobacteria
cyt-, cyto-, -cyte	, cyto-, -cyte cell, hollow container	cytoplasm
-cyst- sac	cyst- sac, pouch, bladder	oocyst
-cycle	ring, circle	pericycle
D
dactyl-	finger	polydactylyl
de-	away from, down	degradation
deca-	ten	decapod
deci-	tenth	decimeter
demi-	half	demineralisation
dendr-	tree	dendrochronology
dent-	tooth	periodontitis
derm-	skin	epidermis
di- bi-, du-, duo-, dipl-	two, double	biramaous
dia-	(Greek) through	diapedesis
digit-	finger, toe	digital artery
diplo-	two	diploblastic
dis-	apart, out	disequilibrium
dorm-	sleep	dormancy
dors-	back	dorsal
dynam-	power	dynamometer
dys-	bad, abnormal, difficult	dyspepsia
E
ec-	out of, away from	ectopic
echin-, echino-	spiny, prickly	echinoderm
eco-	house	ecology
-ectomy	ectomy	appendectomy
ecto-	outside of	ectoparasite
-emia	emia blood	anemia
en-, em-, endo-, ent-	in, into, within, inside	embolism, endoskeleton
encephal-	brain	encephalitis
ennea-, novem-	nine	–
enter-, entero-	intestine, gut	enterokinase
entom-	insects	entomology
-elle	elle small	micelle
epi-	upon, above, over	epiglottis
erythro-	red	erythrocyte, phycoerythrin
equi-	horse	equisetophyte
eth-	with 2 carbons	ethylene
eu-	proper, real, well, good, true, normal	eumetazoans
eury-	widen	euryhaline
ex-, exo-	out of, away from	exothermic
extra-	beyond, outside	extraembryonic
F
ferro-	iron	ferritin
-fer-	bear, carry, transport	afferent, efferent, transferin
fibr- fiber	fiber, thread	fibrinogen
fiss-, -fid	divided into, split	fission
flor-	flower	florigen
flu-,fluct-	flux flow	influx, eflux
foli-	leaf	–
fore-	before	forebrain
fract-	break	fracture
G
gam-	marriage	gamete
gastro-, gastr-	stomach	pneumogastric, gastrin
gen-	beginning	genetics, glycogen
geo	earth, land	geotaxis
gloss-	tongue	hypoglossal
gluc-, glyc-	sweet, sugar	glycosuria
glut-	buttock	gluteus
glyco-	glucose	glycogen
-gnath-	jaw	gnathostoma
-gnosis	gnosis knowledge, to know	diagnosis
graph	to write, to draw	electroencephalography
grav-	heavy	–
gymno-	naked, bare	gymnosperm
gyn-, -gynous	female	gynoecium
gyr-	ring, circle, spiral	gyrus
H
halo-	salt	halophile
hapl-, haplo-	simple	haploid
cent-, cente-	100	–
hector-	hundred	–
-helminth	helminth worm	anthelminthic
hem-, heme-, -hemo	blood	hemorrhage
hemi-	half	hemichordate
hepar-, hepat-	liver	hepatitis
hepta- septem-, septi-	seven	–
herb-	grass, plants	herbicide, herbivore
herp-	snakes, reptile	herpetology
hetero-	different, other	heterozygous
hex-, hexa-	six	–
hidr-	sweat	hidrosis
hist-	tissue	histology
holo-	entire, whole	holoblastic
homo-	man, human (Latin)	Homo sapiens
homo-	same, alike	homozygous
hort-	garden	horticulture
hydr-	water	hydrolytic
hygr-	moist, wet	hygrophile
hyper-	above, beyond, over	hypersecretion
hyph-	weaving, web	hyphae
hypo-	below, under, less	hyposecretion, hypocotyl
hyster-	womb, uterus	hysterectomy
I
-iasis	iasis disease, abnormal condition	atelectasis
ichthy-	fish	osteichthyes
ign-	fire	ignite
in-, il-, im-, ir-	not, toward, into	influx
-itis	itis inflammation	appendicitis
infra-	below, beneath	infrared
inter-	between	intercostal
intra-	inside	intrathoracic
iso-	equal, same	isovolumetric
ir-	not	irregular
K
kata-, cata-	down	catabolism
karyo-	nucleus	karyokinesis
kel-	tumor, swelling	–
kerat-	horn	keratin
kilo-	thousand	kilogram
kine-, kin-	move	kinetic, dyskinesia
L
lachry-	tear	lachrymal gland
lact-	milk	lactase, prolactin
lat-	side	ipsilateral
leuc-, leuk-	white, bright, light	leucocyte
lign-	wood	lignin
lingu-	tongue	lingual
lip-	fat	lipophobic
lith-, -lite	stone, petrifying	cholecystolithiasis
loc-	place	locus
logos, logy	study	biology
lumen-	light	chemolumenescence
luna	moon	–
lyso-, -lysis	break apart	hemolysis
lymph-, lympho-	lymph	lymphocyte
M
macr-, macro-	large	macrophage, macrocephaly
mal-	bad	malabsorption
malac-	soft	osteomalacia
malle-	hammer	malleus
mamm-	breast	mammary gland
marg-	border, edge	marginal
mast-	breast	mastocyte
med-	middle	–
meg-	million, great	megagametophyte
-mer	mer part	metamer
mela-, melan-	black, dark	melanoma, melena
mes-	middle, half, intermediate	mesencephalon
meso-	middle	mesolimbic
met-, meta-	between, along, after	metanephridia
meter	meter (unit)	centimeter
meth-	with 1 carbon	methyl
micro-	small, millionth	microorganism
mid-	middle	midbrain
milli-	thousandth	millimeter
min-	small	–
mis-	wrong, incorrect	–
mit, mis-	send	neurotransmitter
mito-	thread	mitosis
mole-	mass	molecule
mono-	one, single	monocyte, monosaccharide
morph-	form, body	morphology
mort-	death	postmortem
mot-	move	motile
multi-	many	multilobed
mut-, muta-	change	mutagen
my-, myo-	muscle	myosin, myoglobin
myc-	fungus	mycosis
mycel-	threadlike	mycelium
myco-	fungus	mycology
myriad-	many	myriapoda
N
nas-	nose	nasal
necro-	dead	necrosis
nemat-	thread	nematode
neo-	new, recent	neocortex
neprho-	kidney	nephritis
neuro-	nerve	neurilemma
noct-, nov-	night	noctural
non-	not	–
nuc-	center	nucleoplasma
O
ob-	against	obstruction
oct-	eight	octopus
ocul-	eye	ocular
odont-	teeth	odontology
-oid	oid similar to	lymphoid, ameboid
olf-	smell	olfaction
-ole	ole small	bronchiole
oligo-	few, little	oligosaccharide
omni-	all	omnivore
-oma	swelling, tumor	sarcoma
onc-	mass, tumor, bluk	oncosphere, oncotic pressure
onco-	cancer	oncology
oo-, ovul-, ova-	egg	oocyst
ophthalm-	eye	ophtalmology
opt-	eye	optic
orb-	circle, round, ring	orbital
ornith-	bird	ornithology
orth-	straight, correct, right	Orthoptera
oscu-	mouth	osculum
os-, oste-, osteo-	bone	osteology, osteocyte
oto-	ear	otitis
ov-	egg	oviduct, ovipositor
oxy-	sharp, acid, oxygen	anoxygenic
P
proto-	first, primary	protoxylem, protonephridia
pachy-	thick	pachytena
paleo-	old, ancient	paleontology
palm-	broad, flat	palmate
pan-	all	pandemic
par-, para-	beside, near, equal, alongside	parathyroid, parapodia
partheno-	virgin	parthenogenesis
path-, -pathy	disease	pathology
ped-	foot	pedipalp
pent-	five	pentameric
peri-	around	pericardium
permea-	pass, go	permeable
phago-	eat	phagocyte
-philia, -phil-	love, friendship	basophil, eosinophil
-phobia	fear, intense dislike	hydrophobic
phon-, -phone	sound	phonology
photo-	light	photoreceptor
-phore, pher-	bear, carry	chromatophore, electrophoresis
phren-	mind, diaphragm	phrenic nerve
phyco-	seaweed, algae	phycobilin
phyl-	related group	phylogeny
-phyll	phyll leaf	phyllotaxy
physic-	nature, natural qualities	physiology
phyto-, phyte	plant	phytohormone
pinni-	feather	pinnate
pino-	drink	pinocytosis
plasm-, -plast-	form, formed into	plasmolema
platy-	flat	Platyhelminthes
pleur-	lung, rib, side	pleura
pneumo-	lungs, air	pneumonia
-pnea	pnea breathing	dyspnea
poly-	many, much polygon, polyester	polysaccharide
pom-	fruit	pome
por-	opening	pore
port-	carry	uniporter, antiporter
post-	after, behind	postganglionic
pre-	before, ahead of time	proenzyme
pri-	first	primitive, primordia
pro-, proto-	first, before,forward,	protostome
prop-	with 3 carbons	propane
proprio-	one’s own	proprioceptors
pseudo-	false	pseudoped
psycho-	mind, mental	psychology
pter-	having wings or fins	aptera
pulmo-	lung	pulmonary
pyr-	heat, fire	pyrogen
quadr-	four	quadriplegic
quin-	five	–
R
radi-	ray	radial
re-	again, back	re-absorption
ren-	kidney	adrenal
ret-	net, made like a net	reticular fibers
retro-	back, backward	retrograde
rhag-, -rrhage	burst forth	hemorrhage
rhe-, -rrhea	flow	diarrhea, rheotaxis
rhino-	nose	rhinoceros
rhiz-	root, rootlike	rhizoid
rhodo-	red	rhodophyte
roto-	wheel	rotifera
rupt-	to break	rupture
S
sacchar-	sugar	disaccharide
sapr-	rotten	saprotroph
sarc-	flesh, muscle	sarcoplasm
saur- lizard	lizard	ichthyosaurian
schis-, schiz-	split, divide	schizogony
scler-	hard	sclereid
script	to write	–
semi-	half, partly	semilunar
sept-	partition, seven	septa
sess-	sit	sessile
sex-	six	–
sol-, helio-	sun	heliotropism
som-, somat-, -some	body	somatic cell
somn-	sleep	insomnia
son-	sound	sonolocation
spec-, spic-	look at	inspection
spermat-, -sperm	seed	spermatophore
spir-, -spire	breathe	spiracles
stat-, -stasis	standing, placed, staying	hemostasis
stell-	stars	stellar
sten-	narrow	stenosis
stereo-	solid, 3-dimensional	steroisomer
steato- , stea-	fat	steatorrhea
stoma-, -stome	mouth, opening	protostome
styl-	pillar	stylus
sub-	under, below	subcellular, sublingual
supra-, super-, sur-	over, above, on top	suprarenal
sym-, syn-	together, with	symporter
T
tachy-	quick, swift	tachycardia
tarso-	ankle	tarsal
tax-	arrange, put in order	taxis
tel-, tele-	distant	telencephalon, telson
telo-	end	telophase
terr-	earth, land	terrestrial
tetra- quadri-, quart-	4	tetrapods
thall-	young shoot	thallus
therm-	heat	thermophilic
thrombo-	clot, coagulation	thrombosis
-tom-, -tomy	cut, slice	tonsillectomy
top-	place	topology
toxi-, toxo-	poison	toxin
trache-	windpipe	tracheids
trans-	across, through	transstadial
tri-	three	–
trich-	hair	trichomes
troph-	feed	autotrophic
-tropic,	tropism turning	phototropic
turb-	whirl	turbine
U
ultra-	beyond	ultrafiltration
-ule	ule small	saccule
un-	not	uncover
uni-	one, single	uniport
ur-, -uria	urine	glycosuria
-ura	tail	Anura
V
vas-	vessel	vasodilation
vect-	carry	vector
ven-, vent-	come	ventrolateral
ventr-	belly, underside	ventral
vig-	strong	vigorous
vit-, viv-	life	viviparous
volv-	roll, wander	Volvox
-vor-	devour, eat	carnivorous
X
xanth-	yellow	xanthophyll
xero-	dry	xerophyte
xyl-	wood	xylem
Z
-zoite (-zoon)	animal	trophozoite
zoo-, zo-, -zoan	animal	zoonotic
zyg-	joined together	zygote

Image source: https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/cute-girl-writing-diary-sitting-desk-flat-illustration_13146280.htm?query=memory