1. Biology How etymology (learning root words) can help in understanding biological terms better…

2. 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?

3. 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.

4. What do these terms mean?
Ursus maritimus
Odocoileus virginianus
nocturnal enuresis
borborygmi.
gustatory rhinitis
horripilation.
crepitus

5. Biology can be filled with words that sometime seem incomprehensible
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.

6. Means - A or An – Not or without Examples – asexual, abiotic

7. Anti Means – Against or opposite Example - Antibiotic

8. Aqua - water

9. -ase meaning – enzymes
Example - Lactase

10. Auto – meaning: self Examples - autotroph

11. Bacter – bacteria
Examples: Bacteria

12. Bi Means – two, twice, double Example - biceps

13. Example - biotechnology
Means – life
Example - biotechnology

14. Carcin- meaning: cancer causing
Examples - carcinogen

15. Carn Means – meat or flesh Example - Carnivore

16. Cholor- Means - green Example - chlorophyll

17. Example – suicide, pesticide
Means - kill
Example – suicide, pesticide

18. Cilia Means – hair like Example - ciliates

19. Co - Means – together or with Example - coevolution

20. Cyt- Means - cell Example - cytoplasm

21. Di - Means –two Example – diurnal & dichotomous

22. Eco Means – house Example – ecosystem

23. Endo Means – inner Example - endoderm

24. Eu- Means – true or good Example – eukaryotic cells

25. Epi- Means –above or upon Example - epidermis

26. Ex(o)
Means – out or from
Example - exocytosis

27. gene Means – origin or birth Example - biogenesis

28. Glyco() Means – sugar Example - glycogen

29. Gluc- Means – sugar Example - glucose

30. Herb Means – plant Example - herbivore

31. Means – other or different Example - heterosexual
Mr. & Mrs. Forman July 2004

32. Hibern – Means – Sleep Example - Hibernate

33. Homo or Homeo Means – same Example - homocercal

34. Hyper- Means – above, greater than normal Example – hypertension

35. Hydr Means – water Example - hydrology

36. Hypo- Means – below or less than normal Example - hypotonic

37. -ist Means – person who studies Example - cytologist

38. -itis Means – inflammation Example - arthitis

39. Karyo- Means – cell nucleus Example – prokaryotic cell

40. -lys Means – decompose, split, dissolve Example – analysis or cell lysis

41. Macr(o)- Means – large Example - Macromolecule

42. Micro- Means – small Example – microscope

43. Multi- Means – many Example – multicellular

44. ology Means – study of Example – paleontology

45. -phil Means – love Example – hydophilia or hemophilia

46. phob Means – fear Example – arachnophobia

47. photo Means – light Example – photosynthesis or phototropism

48. -phyll Means –leaf Example – chlorophyll

49. -plasm Means – jelly or formative substance Example -cytoplasm

50. -pod Means – foot Example - arthopod

51. Poly- Means – many Example – polymers usually used in chemistry

52. Pseudo- Means – false Example – pseudopod

53. sacchar Means – sugar Example - polysaccaride

54. syn Means – to put together Example - photosynthesis

55. Means – nourishment or one who feeds Example - Autotroph

56. -therm Means – heat Example – endothermic or exothermic

57. uni-
Means – one or single
Example - unicellular

58. -vor-
means- devour or eat
Examples - carnivore

59. Zo/zoa Means – animal Example – protozoa – protist that are animal like - consumer

60. Zyg- Means – union or to form Example - zygote