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Latin and Greek roots used in Microbiology

a-, an- not, without
ab-, a-, abs- away
acr-, acro- height, summit, tip
aer-, aero-   air, atmosphere
albus- white
ambi- both, on both sides
ampulla- botile, flask
ana- again, against, back
angeion – vessel
ant-, anti-   against, opposed to, preventive
ante-, anti- before, in front of, prior to
anth-, antho-   flower
aqu-   water
archaeo-, archeo- ancient
arthr-, arthro- joint
astr-, astro-   star, star-shaped
aur- relating to gold, or gold-colored
aureus – golden, gold coin
avi- bird

bac- rod-shaped
baro- weight, pressure
basi- at thè bottoni
bi- two
bio- life
blast- germ, embryo, bud, celi with nucleus
bon(i)- good
bor- north
brach- short
brachi-, brachio- arm
brachys, brachy – short
brev(i)- brief, short (time)
brevis – short
bronch- windpipe
bucc- check, mouth, cavity
burs- pouch, purse

camp- field
cand- glowing,iridescent
canis – dog, coyote
cap-, -cip-, capt-, -cept- hold, take
capit-, -cipit- head
cav- hollow
cen(o)- new
cephale- head
cephalo- head
cervie- relating to thè neck, relating to thè cervix
chrom- color
chryso- gold
clad- branch
coccus- seed, sphere
cochl- shell
coel- hollow
crypt- hidden
cune- wedge
curv- bent
cyan- blue

deca – ten
derma – skin
dino- terrible
diplo- doublé
dorsum – back

echinos, echino- hedgehog, sea-urchin, spiny ‘
equ- horse
erythros, erythro- red
eu- well
exo- outside

falc- sickle
fase- bundle
felis- cat
ferr- iron
flav- yellow
flavus- Golden yellow, light yellow
fort- strong
fruct-, frug- fruit
fulvus- Deep yellow, tawny
fung-, funct- do
fuse- dark

galact- milk
gastr- stomach
ge(o)- earth
glabra- smooth, hairless

haem(o)- blood
haema-, hema – blood
hali-, hallo – of thè sea, salt
beli-, helio- sun
helico- spirai
hom(o)- same
homeo- like
hydro- water
hyper- above, over

inter- among, between
intra- within

kil(o)- thousand

lact- milk
lat(i)- broad, wide
leuc(o)-, leuk(o)- white
lig- bind
lip(o)- fat
lith(o)- stone
lue- bright, light
lutea- yellow, saffron-colored

macr- long
macro- long, large
mamm- breast
medi-, -midi- middle
meg- great, large
melan- black, dark
mening- membrane
mes- middle
micr(o)-   small
mili- thousand
min- less, smaller
mir- wonder, amazement
mono- single
morph-   form, shape
morpho-   shape
mort-   death
mur-   wall
mut- change
myx-   slime

nanos- dwarf
ne(o)- new
necr(o)- dead
nephr- kidney
neur- nerve
nigr- black
nov- new

ocul- eye
odont- tooth
olig- few
orna- cancer
oo- egg
operculum- little cover
orth- straight
oxy- sharp, pointed

pach- thick
paed- child
palae-, pale- ancient, old
pan- panto – ali
pan-, pam- ali
ped- child
ped- foot
pedi – foot
pen- almost
penia- deficiency
pept- peptic, stomach
peri- around
petr- rock

phaeo- dark
phag- eat
philia- love, friendship
phyl- tribe
phyll- leaf
phyt- plant
pii- hair
pir- pear
plas- mould
plen- full
plesi- near
pleth- full
pleur- side
pneu- air, lung
poly- many
porphyr- purple
post- after, behind
pre- before
prim- first
prot(o)- first
pseud(o)- false
psil(o)- bare
psychr(o)- cold
pulmon- lung
purpur- purple
pyl- gate
pyo- pus
pyro- heat, fire

quadr- four

radi- beam, spoke
ram- branch
retro- backward, behind
rhabd- rod
rhin- nose, snout
rhiza- root
ruber, rubra, rubrum- red

sacchar- sugar
sai- salt
sanguin- blood
sapiens- wise
sarc(o)- flesh
schis- split
scler- hard
scop-, scopy, scept- look at, examine, view,
observe
scut- shield
serr- saw, saw-toothed
sinus- hollow, bay
soma- body
spher- spheroid
spir- breathe
spor- seed
squam- scale
staphylo- grapelike
stom(a)- mouth, opening
strepi- twisted, in chains
sucr- sugar
supra- above, over
syn-, sy-, syl-, sym- with