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Guide to Greek and Latin Roots of Zoological Terms

This is not an exhaustive list of Greek and Latin roots. This will be added to as time goes by. Note that I haven't distinguished between Greek and Latin in this table, which is why there are a large number of synonyms (example: "nose" is the Greek root rhyncho-, Latin root naso-; "stone" is the Greek roots litho- or petro-, Latin root calc-; "foot" is the Greek podo-, -pous, -pus, Latin root pes, pedi-; etc. etc. etc.). Theoretically you shouldn't mix Greek and Latin roots in the same word, but people do it all the time, and it's not as if you're going to be using these to impress any native speakers of Classical Latin anyway. . .

E-mail me with additions or suggestions. Last update:: 7/25/00.

Root Meaning
a-, an- not; no; absent
ab- away from
acantho- thorn; spine
acro- high
actino- ray
ad- towards
adelpho- brother
aegis shield
allo- another
amphi- both
angio- vessel
anthraco-, -anthrax coal
anti- opposite
apso-, apsis opening
archo- old; ancient
arthro- joint
aspido-, -aspis shield
astro- star
austro-, australo- south
auto- self; oneself
avi-, avis bird
batho-, bathy- deep
batracho- frog
bi- two
bio-, -bios life
boreo- north
brachio- arm
branchio-, -branch gill
bronto-, -brontes thunder
caeco-, caecus blind
caeno-, ceno- recent
calci-, -calx, -calcis pebble; stone
capito-, caput head
cardio- heart
cephalo- head
cerato-, cera- horn
chiro-, cheiro- hand
chondro- cartilage
chordo- cord
clasto-, -clasm destroy; tear down
cloaca sewer
coelo-, -coel cavity, hollow
cono- cone
copro- feces
cranio- skull
cyclo- circle
cyno-, -cyon dog
cysto-, -cyst bladder; fluid-filled sac
cyto-, -cyte cell
dactylo-, -dactyl finger
delpho-, -delphis uterus
demo-, demos, -deme people; tribe; population
dendro- tree
dent- tooth
dermo-, dermato-, -derm skin
deutero- second
dextro- right side
di- two
diplo- double
disco- disc-shaped
dorso-, dorsum back
dryo- oak tree
ductus, -duct to lead
duo- two
ecto- outside of
edapho- soil; dirt
eido-, -oides, -oid form; shape
encephalo- brain
endo- inside; within
epi- on top of
eu- true; good
facere, -fact make, made
fer-, -fer bear; carry
fero- wild animal
foramino-, foramen window
form-, -formis shape; form
fossa, fosso- pit
geno- give birth; beget; generate
geo-, gaea- earth
gladio- sword
glosso- tongue
glypho- to carve; engrave
gnatho- jaws
gorgo-, -gorgon monster
grapho-, -graph to write
gymno- naked
haemo-, hemo-, -heme blood
helico-, -helix spiral
helio- sun
herpeto-, -herpes reptile; crawling
hetero- different
hiero- holy
hippo-, hippus horse
holo- complete
homeo-, homoio- similar
homo- same
hydro- water
hyper- above; beyond
hypo- below
hystero- uterus
ichthyo-, -ichthys fish
iso- same, equal
kineto-, kinesis movement
labio-
labyrintho- maze
latero- side
lepido-, -lepis scale
lest-, -lestes thief
lisso- smooth
litho-, -lith stone
logo-, -logos, -logy word; field of study
lyso- to break apart
macro- large
mamma-, mammo- nipple
mano- hand
marsupio-, marsupium pouch; pocket
mega-, megalo- very large
mero-, -mer division; part; subdivisions
meso- middle
meta- alter; change
micro- small
mimo-, -mimus mimic; imitate
mixo-, -mixis mixture; mixed
mono- one
morpho- shape; form
myo- muscle
myxo- slime
naso- nose
necto- swim
nemato-, -nema thread
neo- new
neuro- nerve
novo- new
odonto-, -don, -odon tooth
ophio-, -ophis snake
ornitho-, -ornis bird
osmo- smell
osteo- bone
ostraco- shell; potsherd
oto- ear
ovo-, ovi-, ovum egg
oxi-, oxy-, -oxus sharp
paedo-, pedo- child; juvenile
paleo- old
paro-, para-, par- to give birth
patho-, -pathos, -pathy feeling; suffering
patrio- father; fatherland; homeland
pedo-, -pes foot
penta- five
petro- wood
phago- eat
phalango-, -phalanx marching formation; finger
phero-, -pher bear; carry
philo-, -phile love
phobo-, -phobe fear
phono- sound
phono- sound
photo- light
phryne toad
phyllo- leaf
phylo-, phylum, phylon tribe
pino- drink
placo-, -plax, -placus flat
pluri- many
pneumo-, -pnoi, pneumato- lung; breath; air
poieto-, -poiesis to create
poly- many
potamo- river
primo-, primi- first
procto- anus
proto- first
pseudo- false
psycho-, -psyche soul; butterfly
pterygo-, -pteryx wing; fin
pygo- buttocks
pyro- fire
rapt- to seize; carry off
recto-, rectus straight
rhipido-, -rhipidon fish fin
rhyncho- nose
sarco- flesh
sauro- lizard
scapho-, -scaphe wedge
sclero- hard
scopo-, -scope to see; look; examine
sidero- star; heavens
sinistro- left side
somato-, -some, soma body
spatho- short sword
squamo- scale
stomo-, stomato-, -stome mouth
struthio- ostrich
stylo- pen; stylus; spine
sub- below
sucho-, -suchus crocodile
super- above
tele- far away
telo- final; goal; end
terra- earth
tetra- four
thalasso- ocean
theco-, theca- pocket; pouch; sheath
therio-, -there beast
thermo- heat; temperature
thyro- shield
trema-, tremato-, -treme hole
tri- three
tricho- hair; bristle; filament
trito- third
uro- tail
vago-, vagus to wander
ventro-, venter belly
xipho- sword
xylo- wood
zoo- animal
zygo- yoke; join