Biology prefixes, root words, and suffixes

Mrs. Harris2015

pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis

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pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis

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What Makes Biology So Hard?

Vocabulary – If you knew the prefixes and suffixes, you can tackle the tough words!!!

Have you ever heard of pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis?

Yes, this is an actual word. What does it mean?

 

It is an obscure term ostensibly referring to a lung disease caused by silica dust, sometimes cited as one of the longest words in the English language.

What do these terms mean?

Ursus maritimus

Odocoileus virginianus

nocturnal enuresis

borborygmi.

gustatory rhinitis

horripilation.

crepitus

Biology can be filled with words that sometime seem incomprehensible. By "dissecting" these words into discrete units, even the most complex terms can be understood. The following pages are designed to give you the tools needed to understand the most common prefixes and suffixes in biology. By using these prefixes and suffixes, even the most difficult words like the one above can be easily understood.

 

Means - A or An – Not or without

Examples – asexual, abiotic

Anti

Means – Against or opposite

Example - Antibiotic

Aqua - water

-ase meaning – enzymes

Example - Lactase

Auto – meaning: self

Examples - autotroph

Bacter – bacteria

Examples: Bacteria

Bi

Means – two, twice, double

Example - biceps

Bio

Means – life

Example - biotechnology

Carcin- meaning: cancer causing

Examples - carcinogen

Carn

Means – meat or flesh

Example - Carnivore

Cholor-

Means - green

Example - chlorophyll

-cid(e)

Means - kill

Example – suicide, pesticide

Cilia

Means – hair like

Example - ciliates

Co -

Means – together or with

Example - coevolution

Cyt-

Means - cell

Example - cytoplasm

Di -

Means –two

Example – diurnal & dichotomous

Eco

Means – house

Example – ecosystem

Endo

Means – inner

Example - endoderm

Eu-

Means – true or good

Example – eukaryotic cells

Epi-

Means –above or uponExample - epidermis

Ex(o)

Means – out or from

Example - exocytosis

gene

Means – origin or birth

Example - biogenesis

Glyco()

Means – sugar

Example - glycogen

Gluc-

Means – sugar

Example - glucose

Herb

Means – plant

Example - herbivore

Hetero

Means – other or different

Example - heterosexual

Mr. & Mrs. Forman July 2004

Hibern –

Means – Sleep

Example - Hibernate

Homo or Homeo

Means – same

Example - homocercal

Hyper-

Means – above, greater than normal

Example – hypertension

Hydr

Means – water

Example - hydrology

Hypo-

Means – below or less than normal

Example - hypotonic

-ist

Means – person who studies

Example - cytologist

-itis

Means – inflammation

Example - arthitis

Karyo-

Means – cell nucleus

Example – prokaryotic cell

-lys

Means – decompose, split, dissolve

Example – analysis or cell lysis

Macr(o)-

Means – large

Example - Macromolecule

Micro-

Means – small

Example – microscope

Multi-

Means – many

Example – multicellular

ology

Means – study of

Example – paleontology

-phil

Means – love

Example – hydophilia or hemophilia

phob

Means – fear

Example – arachnophobia

photo

Means – light

Example – photosynthesis or phototropism

-phyll

Means –leaf

Example – chlorophyll

-plasm

Means – jelly or formative substance

Example -cytoplasm

-pod

Means – foot

Example - arthopod

Poly-

Means – many

Example – polymers usually used in chemistry

Pseudo-

Means – false

Example – pseudopod

sacchar

Means – sugar

Example - polysaccaride

syn

Means – to put together

Example - photosynthesis

Troph

Means – nourishment or one who feeds

Example - Autotroph

-therm

Means – heat

Example – endothermic or exothermic

uni-

Means – one or single

Example - unicellular

-vor-

means- devour or eat

Examples - carnivore

Zo/zoa

Means – animal

Example – protozoa – protist that are animal like - consumer

Zyg-

Means – union or to form

Example - zygote

Homework

Monday 8/18

There will be a matching quiz on these words.

Create at least 20 flash cards to study – due

day of quiz

Practice!