Latin in Scientific Terminology

Lecture 7
Based on Ayers (1972), chapters 21–23.
Prefixes
ab-, a-, abs-
‘away from’, ‘from’
abduction, abnormal, aversion, avocation, abstraction, abstain
ad-, ac-, ag- (etc.)
‘to’, ‘toward’, ‘near’
adrenal, adverb, access, aggression, alleviate
NB: Assimilation will cause the last consonant of this prefix to become the same as the first consonant of the root.
ambi-, ambo-
‘both’, ‘around’
ambidextrous, ambition, ambisexual, amboceptor, ambosexual
ante-
‘before’, ‘in front of’
antechamber, antecedent
circum-, circu-
‘around’
circumference, circumstance, circuitous
con-, com-, co-, etc.
‘with’, ‘together’, ‘very’
conduct, confine, compose, compress, correspond, cooperate, collect
NB: Assimilation will cause the last consonant of this prefix to become the same as the first consonant of the root.
contra-, contro-
‘opposite’, ‘against’ (through French, counter-)
contradict, contraceptive, controversy, controvert, counteract, counterindicate
de-
‘down’, ‘away’, ‘off’, ‘thoroughly’
describe, descend, depression
dis-, di-, dif-
‘apart’, ‘in different directions’, ‘thoroughly’
dissect, dispersion, divorce, digress, divert, differ, diffusion
ex-, e-, ef-
‘out’, ‘from’, ‘removal’, ‘completely’
exclude, expel, exclamation, emit, elect, elongate, effective
NB: after ex- an initial s in a root sometimes disappears, as in ex-(S)PECT and ex-(S)PIRE.
extra-, extro-
‘outside of’, ‘beyond’
extraordinary, extrasensory, extrovert
in-, im-, etc.
‘into’, ‘on’ (through French, en-)
incision, induce, illuminate, imprint, irrigation, enclose
NB: Assimilation will cause the last consonant of this prefix to become the same as the first consonant of the root.
intra-, intro-
‘within’
intramural, introduce, introvert
in-, im-, etc.
‘not’
infirm, inefficient, impossible, illegible, irresponsible
NB: Assimilation will cause the last consonant of this prefix to become the same as the first consonant of the root.
infra-
‘below’
infrared, infrahuman, infraspecific
inter-
‘between’, ‘among’
interrupt, intercept, interact
juxta-
‘by the side of’, ‘close to’
juxtaposition, juxtaspinal
ob-, etc.
‘against’, ‘toward’, ‘completely’
obstruct, obstacle, obvious, oppose, offer, occur
NB: Assimilation will cause the last consonant of this prefix to become the same as the first consonant of the root.
per-
‘through’, ‘wrongly’, ‘completely’
perfect, permeate, pervade, perjury
post-
‘behind’, ‘after’
postpone, postscript, postgraduate
pre- (prae-)
‘before’, ‘in front of’
prevent, prepare, precaution, praenomen, praetorian
pro-
‘forward’, ‘in front of’
progress, project, prolong
re-, red-
‘back’, ‘again’, ‘against’
reduce, reject, recede, redundant, redemption
retro-
‘backwards’, ‘behind’
retroactive, retrospective, retrograde
se-
‘aside’, ‘away’
secede, select, secrete
sub-, sus-, suc-, etc.
‘under’, ‘up from under’, ‘somewhat’
submarine, subscribe, submerge, suspend, suffer, support
NB: Assimilation will cause the last consonant of this prefix to become the same as the first consonant of the root.
super-, supra-
‘above’
supernatural, superstructure, supersonic, suprarenal
trans-, tran-, tra-
‘across’, ‘through’
transmit, transfer, transfusion, transcribe, transcend, trajectory, travesty, tradition
ultra-
‘beyond’
ultraviolet, ultramodern, ultrasonic
Roots, Part I
CAUD-
‘tail’ (cauda)
e-CAUD-ate, without a tail; NUDI-CAUD-ate, having a tail not covered with hair or fur; SACRO-CAUD-al, pertaining to the sacrum and tail region
CEREBR-
‘brain’ (cerebrum)
CEREBR-al; CEREBR-in, a nitrogenous glycoside obtained from brain and similar tissue
CID-, CIS-
‘to cut’, ‘to kill’
MATRI-CIDE; REGI-CIDE; CON-CISE; suc-CISE, abrupt, appear as if a part were cut off; in-CIS-ura, a notch, depression or indentation, as in bone, stomach, liver, etc.
DORS-
‘back’
ante-DORS-al, situated in front of the dorsal fin in fish; DORS-ALG-ia, pain in the back; DORSO-CAUD-ad, to or toward the dorsal surface and caudal end of the body
DUC-, DUCT-
‘to lead’, ‘to draw’
DUCT; de-DUCT-ion; ab-DUCT-ion, withdrawal of a part from the axis of the body or of an extremity; LEVO-DUCT-ion, movement to the left, especially of the eye
ERR-
‘to wander’, ‘to deviate’
ERR; ERR-or; ERR-ata; ERR-ant, with a tendency toward moving, straying or deviating
FLEX-, FLECT-
‘to bend’
re-FLECT-ion; re-FLEX, an involuntary, invariable, adaptive response to a stimulus; retro-FLEX-ion, the state of being bent backwards
FUND-, FUS-
‘to pour’, ‘to melt’ (through French, FOUND-)
FUS-ion; FUSE; dif-FUSE, spread out; per-FUS-ion, the introduction of fluids into tissues by their injection into arteries, or the passage of fluids through spaces
GREG-
‘flock’, (grex)
con-GREG-ate; se-GREG-ate; e-GREG-ious; GREG-arious, tending to herd together, or growing in clusters
LACT-
‘milk’ (lac)
LACT-at-ion, the period during which the child is nourished from the breast, or the formation or secretion of milk; LACTI-FER-ous, forming or carrying milk
LATER-
‘side’ (latus)
LATERI-GRADE, walking sideways, as a crab; ambi-LATER-al, relating to or affecting both sides; HETERO-LATER-al, pertaining to or situated on the opposite
MEDI-
‘middle’ (medius)
MEDI-ate; MEDIO-DORS-al, on the median line of the back
OV-
‘egg’ (ovum)
OV-ul-at-ion; BIN-OV-ular, pertaining to two ova, applies to twinning; OVI-CIDE, an insecticide effective against an egg stage
PON-, POSIT-, -POSE
‘to place’, ‘to put’ (through French, POUND-)
ex-PON-ent; im-POUND; ap-POSIT-ion, the state of being in juxta-POSIT-ion or proximity; trans-POSIT-ion, a change of position
RUG-
‘wrinkle’ (ruga)
RUGA, a fold or wrinkle, as of the mucous membrane of certain organs; RUG-os-ity, a condition exhibiting many folds in a tissue or integument
SANGUI(N)-
‘blood’ (sanguis)
SANGU-ine; SANGUI-MOT-or, of or relating to the circulation of blood; con-SANGUIN-eous, related by birth or blood
SICC-
‘dry’ (siccus)
ex-SICC-ata, dried specimens; ex-SICC-ant, drying or absorbing moisture; SICC-ant, drying, tending to make dry
VAL-
‘to be strong’, ‘to be well’
VAL-id; VALE-DICT-ory; bi-VAL-ent, applies to paired homologous chromosomes; VAL-ence, capacity of atoms to combine with other atoms in different proportions
VARIC-
‘twisted and swollen (vein)’ (varix)
VARIC-ose, descriptive of blood vessels that are dilated, knotted and tortuous; NEURO-VARIC-osis, a varicosity on a nerve fibre; VARIX (pl. varices), prominent ridges across the whorls of univalve shells; VARIC-eal, relating to or involving a varix; VARICO-cele, a mass of varicose veins in the spermatic cord
VERT-, VERS-
‘to turn’
VERTEX, the highest point (Latin ‘whirlpool, crown of a head’), from which the word vertical comes; a-VERS-ion; VERS-at-ile, hung or attached near the middle and moving freely, as an anther; VERSI-COLOUR-ed, changing from one colour to another in different lights
Roots, Part II
ARTICUL-
‘joint’ (articulus)
inter-ARTICUL-ar, between articulating parts of bones (applies to certain ligaments and fibrocartilages); BI-ARTICUL-ar, two-jointed
BUCC-
‘cheek’, ‘mouth’ (bucca)
BUCC-al, relating to the cheek or mouth; BUCCO-LINGU-al, pertaining to the cheeks and tongue; BUCCO-VERS-ion, condition of tooth’s being out of the line of the normal occlusion in the buccal direction
CLUD-, CLUS-, CLOS-
‘to close’, ‘to shut’
con-CLUDE; in-CLUS-ive; e-CLOS-ion, the act of emerging from the pupal case, or of hatching from the egg; ex-CLUS-ion, the process of shutting out in a surgical operation by which part of an organ is disconnected but not excised
CORD-
‘heart’ (cor)
ac-CORD; con-CORD; CORD-ate, heart-shaped; sub-CORD-ate, tending to be heart-shaped; post-CORDI-al, situated behind the heart; pre-CORD-ium the area of the chest overlying the heart
COST-
‘rib’ (costa)
COST-ate, with one or more longitudinal ribs or ridges; BI-COST-ate, having two longitudinal ridges or ribs, as a leaf; sub-COST-ALG-ia, pain beneath the ribs or over a subcostal nerve
CRUR-
‘leg’ (crus)
CRURA (pl. of CRUS); the shanks, or leg-like or columnar structures GENITO-CRUR-al, pertaining to genitalia and leg
CUR(R)-, CURS-
‘to run’, ‘to go’
CURR-ent; oc-CUR; con-CUR; ex-CURR-ent, pertaining to ducts, channels or canals where there is an outgoing flow, or with an undivided main stem, or having midrib projecting beyond the apex
DENT-
‘tooth’ (dens)
in-DENT; TRI-DENT; DENT-ition, the process of teething, or the arrangement of the teeth; DENT-in, a hard, elastic substance, chemically resembling bone, composing the greater part of teeth; DENT-icle, a small, toothlike process
FEBR-
‘fever’, (febris)
FEBR-ile, pertaining to or characterized by fever; FEBR-icula, a slight and transient fever
FER-
‘to bear’, ‘to carry’, ‘to produce’
suf-FER; re-FER; trans-FER; af-FER-ent, bringing toward (applies to nerves carrying impulse to nervous centres); OVI-FER-ous, serving to carry eggs; PROLI-FER-ate, to multiply
FOLI-
‘leaf’ (folium)
FOLI-age; FOLI-aceous, having the form or texture of a foliage leaf; pre-FOLI-at-ion, the form and arrangement of foliage leaves in a bud; ef-FOLI-at-ion, shedding of leaves
HER-, HES-
‘to stick’
ad-HER-ent, attached to a substratum; co-HES-ion, the attractive force between the same kind of molecules; ad-HESIO-tomy, the surgical cutting or division of adhesions
JECT-
‘to throw’, JACUL-, ‘dart’ (jaculum)
e-JECT; re-JECT; pro-JECT-ile; OVI-JECT-or, a highly muscular part of the oviduct in many nematode worms that forces the eggs through the genital pore; JACULAT-ory, darting out, capable of being emitted
MUR-
‘wall’ (murus)
inter-MUR-al, situated between the walls of an organ; extra-MUR-al, outside the wall of an organ; MUR-al, pertaining to a wall, as a mural pregnancy
NOMIN-, NOM-
‘name’ (nomen)
NOMIN-al; NOMINAL-ism; para-NOM-ia, nominal aphasia, characterized by an inability name objects; BI-NOM-ial, consisting of two names
RADI-
‘spoke of a wheel’, ‘ray’ (radius)
RADI-ate; RADIO-re-CEPT-or, a terminal organ for receiving light or temperature stimuli; RADI-ole, a spine of a sea urchin; RADIO-therapy treatment of disease by x-rays, radium and other radioactive substances
SEMIN-
‘seed’ (semen)
dis-SEMIN-at-ion; SEMIN-al; SEMIN-at-ion, dispersal of seeds, discharge of spermatozoa; SEMIN-uria, discharge of semen in the urine
TEG-, TECT-
‘to cover’
pro-TECT; de-TECT; TEG-men, the inner seed coat, or a covering structure or roof, esp. the thin plate over the tympanic atrium; sub-TEG-min-al, under the tegmen or inner coat of a seed
TUSS-
‘cough’ (tussis)
TUSS-ive, pertaining to or caused by a cough; TUSS-ilago, a genus of plants used as a remedy for cough
VEN-
‘vein’ (vena)
RECTI-VEN-ous, having straight veins; VEN-at-ion, the system or disposition of veins; VEN-ule, small vein of a leaf or insect wing
Roots, Part III
ARBOR-
‘tree’ (arbor)
ARBOR-eous, treelike or pertaining to trees; ARBOR-iz-at-ion, a conformation or arrangement resembling the branching of a tree
CAL-
‘to be warm’
CALE-FACI-ent, an externally applied medicine that causes a sensation of warmth; de-CAL-esc-ence, the decrease in temperature when rate of heat absorption exceeds rate of heat input
CARIN-
‘keel’ (carina)
CARINA, any keel-like structure, as at the tracheal bifurcation; para-CARIN-al, beside a carina, especially the urethral carina
CERN-, CRET-, CRE-
‘to separate’, ‘to distinguish’, ‘to secrete’
se-CERN-ment, secretion, applied to the function of a glad; in-CRET-ion, internal secretion, se-CRET-agogue, substance promoting or causing secretion
CILI-
‘eyelid’, ‘eyelash’ (cilium)
super-CILI-ous; CILIA, hairlike, vibratile outgrowths of the ectoderm; CILI-ata, a class of phylum Protozoa characterized by the presence of cilia; CILIO-GRADE; progressing by movement of cilia
CORN(U)-
‘horn’ (cornu)
CORNU-COPIA; UNI-CORN; BI-CORNU-te, with two hornlike processes; CAVI-CORN, hollow-horned, applies to some ruminants; CORNI-FIC-ation, degenerative process by which cells of epithelium are converted into dead, horny tissue
CUB-, CUMB-, CUBIT-
‘to lie’
suc-CUMB; in-CUMB-ent; in-CUB-us; pro-CUMB-ent, prone, lying face down (in dentistry, said of a tooth whose long axis approaches the horizontal); suc-CUB-ous, with each leaf covering part of the leaf beneath it
DORM-, DORMIT-
‘to sleep’
DORMIT-ory; ob-DORMIT-ion, numbness of a part due to interference with nervous function, sensation of a part ‘being asleep’; DORMIT-ive, inducing sleep
FET- (FOET-)
‘offspring’ ‘fetus’
FET-at-ion, the formation of a fetus, pregnancy; ex-FET-at-ion, extopic or extrauterine pregnancy
FRANG- (-FRING-), FRAG-, FRACT-
‘to break’, ‘to bend’
FRACT-ion; FRAG-ment; FRACT-ure; re-FRACT, to cause the deviation of a ray of light from a straight line in passing obliquely from one transparent medium to another of different density
GRAD-, GRESS-
‘to step’, ‘to go’
DIGITI-GRADE, walking with only digits touching the ground; ORTHO-GRADE, walking or standing in the upright position; sub-PLANTI-GRADE, incompletely plantigrade, walking with the heel slightly elevated
LINGU-
‘tongue’, ‘language’ (lingua)
LINGU-ist-ics; BI-LINGU-al; FISSI-LINGU-al, having a bifid or cleft tongue; LINGUO-VERS-ion, displacement of a tooth on the lingual side of its proper occlusion
MENT-
‘chin’ (mentum)
MENT-al, pertaining to the chin; sub-MENT-al, beneath the chin; MENT-alis, a muscle of the lower lip
PLIC-, PLICIT-
‘to fold’
PLICA, a fold of skin or membrane; com-PLIC-ate, folded (said of leaves or of insect wings); PLIC-at-ion, the act or process of folding
POT-
‘to be powerful’
POT-ent-ial; OMNI-POT-ent; UNI-POT-ent, giving rise to only one cell or tissue type (said of an embryonic or multiplying cell); POT-ent-at-ion,effect of a substance which, when, added to another, makes the latter more potent as a drug
PUR-
‘pus’ (pus)
PUR-ulent, containing, consisting of, or forming pus; sup-PUR-ate, to form pus; PURO-HEPAT-itis, suppurative inflammation of the liver
REN-
‘kidney’ (ren)
ad-REN-al, adjacent to the kidneys, or relating to or derived from adrenal glands or their secretion; sub-REN-iform, slightly kidney-shaped; RENO-TROP-ic, specifically attracted to kidney tissue
SON-
‘sound’ (sonus)
ultra-SON-ic, pertaining to sounds with a frequency above that of audible sound; SONI-FIC-at-ion, the act or process of producing sounds, as stridulation of insects
SUD-
‘to sweat’
ex-SUD-at-ion, process of oozing out slowly; SUDORI-FIC, inducing sweating; SUD-at-orium, a hot air bath or a room for such a bath
TRUD-, TRUS-
‘to push’, ‘to thrust’
in-TRUDE; in-ob-TRUS-ive; ex-TRUS-ion, a forcing out (in dentistry, extension of a tooth beyond the occlusal plain)
Lecture 8
Based on Ayers (1972), chapters 24–26.
Suffixes I
-al, (-ial, -eal)
‘pertaining to’, ‘like’, ‘belonging to’, ‘having the character of’ (-alis)
abdominal, legal, oral, corporal
-ile, -il
‘pertaining to’, ‘like’, ‘belonging to’, ‘having the character of’ (-ilis)
hostile, juvenile, virile, civil
-ar
‘pertaining to’, ‘like’, ‘belonging to’, ‘having the character of’ (-aris)
lunar, solar, popular
-ine
‘pertaining to’, ‘like’, ‘belonging to’, ‘having the character of’ (-inus)
bovine, marine, feminine
-ic, -tic
‘pertaining to’, ‘like’ (-icus, -ticus)
pelvic, civic, lunatic
-ary
‘pertaining to’, ‘connected with’, ‘having the character of’ (-arius)
military, literary, sanguinary
-an, -ane
‘pertaining to’, ‘like’, ‘belonging to’, ‘having the character of’ (-anus)
urban, veteran, Canadian
-form (usually -iform)
‘like’, ‘having the shape of’ (-formis)
reniform, muriform, oviform
-ate (occasionally -ite)
‘having’, ‘having the shape of’, ‘characterized by having’ (-atus)
effeminate, accurate, dentate, favourite
-(u)lent, -(o)lent
‘full of’, ‘disposed to’ (-lentus)
fraudulent, purulent, sanguinolent, virulent
-ose
‘full of’ (-osus)
verbose, rugose, comatose
-ous (-ious, -eous)
‘full of’, ‘having the character of’ (-osus, -us)
various, populous, nervous
-aceous
‘belonging to’, ‘resembling’
herbaceous, cretaceous, chartaceous
Roots, Part I
ACIN-
‘grapes in a cluster’ (acinus)
ACIN-ar, pertaining to an acinus, a small seed or kernel, as of a grape; inter-ACIN-ar, among alveoli of a racemose gland; ACIN-iform, grape- or berry- shaped (applies to a type of silk gland in a spider)
AL-
‘wing’, (ala)
ALA, any winglike projection or structure; ex-AL-ate, not having winglike appendages, apterous; ALI-FER-ous, having wings; ALI-NOT-um, the dorsal plate of an insect to which wings are attached
ANNUL-
‘ring’ (annulus)
ANNULUS, any ringlike structure; ANNUL-ose, possessing rings
APIC-
‘tip’, ‘summit’, ‘apex’ (apex)
sub-APIC-al, nearly at the apex; peri-APIC-al, around an apex; APIC-ul-ate, forming abruptly to a small tip, as a leaf
ARGENT-
‘silver’ (argentum)
ARGENT-eous, like silver; ARGENTI-FER-ous, producing or containing silver; ARGENT-in-idae, family of small, silvery marine fishes
CAN-
‘dog’ (canis)
CAN-in-idae, family which includes dogs, wolves and jackals; CAN-in-iform, having the form of a typical canine tooth
CAPIT- (-CIPIT-)
‘head’ (caput)
CAPIT-al; BI-CEPS; CAPIT-ulum or CAPIT-ellum, knoblike swelling on the end of bone; CAPIT-ell-idae, family of worms with small heads
DUR-
‘hard’, ‘dura mater’ (durus)
en-DURE; ob-DUR-ate; in-DUR-at-ion, the hardening of a tissue or part; epi-DUR-al, space between the dura mater and the wall of the vertebral canal; DUR-amen, hard darker central region of a tree stem, heart-wood
EQU-
‘horse’ (equus)
EQU-estrian; EQU-it-at-ion; EQU-it-ant, overlapping saddle-wise, as leaves in a leaf-bud; EQU-idae, family of mammals having a single extant genus, Equus, which includes the horse, ass and zebra
LACRIM- (LACHRYM-)
‘tear’ (lacrima)
LACRIM-al, pertaining to tears or to tear-secreting organs, the lacrimal bone; NASO-LACRIM-al, pertaining to the nose and lacrimal apparatus
LACUN-
‘small pit’, ‘gap’ (lacuna)
LACUNA, a space between cells; a sinus; a cavity in bone; a small cavity or depression on the surface of lichens; a leaf gap; LACUN-oso-RUG-ose, having deep furrows or pits, as some seeds and fruits
LIMIN-
‘threshold’ (limen)
e-LIMIN-ate; LIMEN, threshold, minimum stimulus or quantitative difference in stimulus that is perceptible, or boundary; LIMEN NASI, boundary between the osseous and cartilaginous portions of the nasal cavity; LIMIN-al, pertaining to a threshold, applies to stimulus, sensations
MAL-
‘cheek’, ‘cheekbone’ (mala)
MAL-ar, pertaining to the cheek or to the zygoma
OCUL-
‘eye’ (oculus); OCELL-, ‘little eye’ (ocellus)
MON-OC-le; OCELL-ate, like an eye or eyes, applies to marking in many animals; TRANS-OCUL-ar, extending across the eye; MON-OCULE, a one-eyed animal
PALAT-
‘palate’, ‘roof of the mouth’ (palatum)
PALAT-ine, pertaining to or in the region of the palate (said of artery, bone, foramen); PALAT-itis, inflammation of the palate; PALAT-iform, resembling the palate
PARIET-
‘wall’ (paries)
PARIES, wall of a hollow structure; PARIET-al, pertaining to or forming part of the wall of a structure (of cells, membrane, etc.), also the parietal bone in the roof of the skull; UTERO-PARIET-al, pertaining to the uterus and abdominal wall
PLANT-
‘sole of the foot’, ‘sprout’ (planta)
PLANTA-, the sole of the foot, or the first tarsal joint of insects; PLANTI-GRADE, walking on the full sole of the foot; im-PLANT; trans-PLANT-at-ion
PONT-
‘bridge’ (pons)
PONT-oon; PONTI-FF; PONS, a process or bridge of tissue connection two parts of an organ, or a convex white eminence situated at the base of the brain; CEREBRO-PONT-ine, relating to cerebrum and pons; PONTO-BULB-ar, pertaining to the pons and the medulla oblongata
PULVIN-
‘cushion’ (pulvinus); PULVIL-, ‘little cushion’ (pulvillus)
PULVINUS, a cellular swelling at the junction of axis and leaf stalk; PULVILLUS or PULVIN-ulus, pad, process or membrane on the foot or between the claws, the lobe between each claw
SEN-
‘old’ (senex)
SEN-ior; SEN-ate; pre-SEN-il-ity, premature old age; SEN-OP-ia, the change of vision in the aged in which persons formerly myopic acquire what seems to be normal vision because of presbyopia
Roots, Part II
AQU(A)-
‘water’ (aqua)
AQUA-tic, AQUE-DUCT; AQUI-FER, a water-bearing bed or stratum of permeable rock, sand or gravel; AQUA REGIA, a mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acids which dissolves gold
BREV-
‘short’ (brevis)
BREV-ity; ab-BREVI-ate; BREVI-PED, having short legs; BREVI-FOLI-ate, having short leaves; BREVI-LINGU-al, with a short tongue
CAPILL-
‘hair’ (capillus)
CAPELL-ini; CAPILL-ary; CAPILL-ar-ec-TAS-ia, dilatation of the capillaries; CAPILL-aceous, having hairlike filaments
COLL-
‘neck’ (collum)
COLL-ar bone, the clavicle; TORTI-COLL-ar, affected with wry-neck or TORTI-COLL-is
CORON-
‘crown’ (corona); COROLL-, ‘little crown’ (corolla)
COROLLA, the petals of a flower; COROLL-aceous, pertaining to a corolla; CORON-illa, genus of flowers named for crown-shaped flowers
CORTIC-, CORT-
‘bark’, ‘outer layer’ (cortex)
CORTEX, outer or more superficial part of an organ, the cerebral cortex; infra-CORTIC-al, beneath the cortex; CORTICI-PET-al, conducting toward the cortex
CRUC-
‘cross’ (crux)
CRUCI-FY; ex-CRUCI-at-ing; CRUCI-FER, a plant with four petals and tetradynamous stamens, a member of the family Cruciferae; CRUCI-ate, cross-shaped
CUNE-
‘wedge’ (cuneus)
CUNE-iform; CUNE-ate, wedge-shaped; prae-CUNE-us, the medial surface of the parietal or the quadrate lobe of the cerebrum
ENS-
‘sword’ (ensis)
ENS-iform, sword-shaped, as the ensiform cartilage
FALC-
‘sickle’ (falx)
FALX, sickle-shaped fold of dura mater; FALC-ate, sickle-shaped, hooked
FUG-
‘to flee’, ‘to put to flight’
re-FUGE; FUGI-tive; NIDI-FUG-ous, leaving the nest soon after hatching; CEREBRI-FUG-al, applies to nerve fibres which pass from the brain to the spinal cord; LACTI-FUGE, a drug or agent that lessens the secretion of milk
LINE-
‘line’ (linea)
LINE-ar; de-LINE-ate; LINE-at-ion, an arrangement of lines; LINE-ol-ate, marked by fine lines or striae
LUC-
‘light’, ‘to shine’ (lux)
LUC-id; e-LUC-id-ate; NOCTI-LUC-ent, phosphorescent, luminescent; LUCI-FUG-al, fleeing from or avoiding light
MATR-, MATERN-
‘mother’ (mater, maternus)
MATRO-CLIN-ous, derived from or inherited from the maternal line; MATR-ix, something within which something else originates or takes form or develops
MONT-
‘mountain’ (mons)
MONTI-COL-ous, inhabiting mountainous regions; MONT-iculus, largest part of the superior vermis of the cerebellum; MONT-icules, small eminences or prominences
MULT-
‘many’ (multus)
MULTI-CARIN-ate, having many carinae or ridges; MULTI-COST-ate, with many ribs, ridges or veins; MULTI-OCUL-ur, many-eyed
RET-
‘net’, ‘network’ (rete)
RETE, a network or net; RET-ina, the light-receptive layer and terminal expansion of the optic nerve in the eye; RET-icle or RET-iculum, a delicate network of cell protoplasm
ROSTR-
‘beak’ (rostrum)
ROSTRUM, beak or beaklike process; LONGI-ROSTR-al, with a long beak; ROST-ell-iform, shaped like a small beak
TORQU-, TORT-, TORS-
‘to twist’
TORT; re-TORT; TORT-ure; dis-TORS-ion, the act of twisting; LATERO-TORS-ion, a twisting to one side; con-TORTU-PLIC-ate, applies to a bud with contorted and plicate leaves
VERM-
‘worm’ (vermis)
VERMI-celli; VERM-icul-at-ion, wormlike or peristaltic movement, or fine, wavy markings; VERMI-LINGU-al, having a worm-shaped tongue; VERMI-PAR-ous, producing wormlike young, as do blowflies
Roots, Part III
BULL-
‘bubble’, ‘blister’ (bulla); BULLI-, ‘to boil’
BULLA, a large bleb or blister forming either within or beneath the epidermis and filled with lymph; VESI-oluo-BULL-ous, characterized by both vesicles and bullae at the same time
COL-
‘to inhabit’
FUNGI-COL-ous, living in or on fungi; LATEBRI-COL-ous, inhabiting holes; DESERTI-COL-ous, desert-inhabiting; RADICI-COL-ous, with the flower seated immediately upon the crown of a root, or dwelling in the root, as a parasite
CORI-
‘skin’ (corium)
CORIUM, the deep layer of the skin; CORI-aceous, leathery (applies to leaves); CORI-aria, a genus of poisonous shrubs used in dyeing and tanning
CRIST-
‘crest’ (crista)
CRISTA, a crest; CRISTA TERMIN-alis, crest on the wall of the right atrium; inter-CRIST-al, between the surmounting ridges of a bone, organ or process (used particularly in intercristal diameter of pelvis, the distance between two clear crests)
FAEC- (FEC-)
‘excrement’, ‘sediment’ (faeces)
FAECA-LITH, concretion or calcified mass of faecal material (= COPRO-LITH); FAEC-al-oid, resembling faeces; FAEC-ula, the faecal pellet of an insect
FLA-, FLAT-
‘to blow’
ex-suf-FLAT-ion, forced discharge of breath; FLAT-ul-ence, having gas in the stomach and intestinal tract
FLOR-
‘flower’ (flos)
FLOR-ist; FLOR-id; ef-FLOR-esc-ence, eruption of exanthemous disease; extra-FLOR-al, situated outside the flower; pre-FLOR-at-ion, the form and arrangement of flowers in the bud
FORNIC-
‘arch’ (fornix)
FORNIX, an arched body or surface, such as the fornix cerebri; FORNIC-al, like or pertaining to a fornix
GER-, GEST-
‘to carry’, ‘to bear’
di-GEST, to convert food in assimilable form; in-GEST, to take substances into the body; OVI-GER, a leg modified for carrying the eggs in some pycnogonids (sea spiders)
GUTT-
‘drop’ (gutta)
GUTT-er; GUTT-ate, having drop-like markings; GUTT-at-ion formation of drops of water on plants; GUTT-iform, drop-shaped; GUTT-ul-ate, in the form of a small drop, as markings
NAEV- (NEV-)
‘birthmark’, ‘mole’ (naevus)
NAEVUS, birthmark; NAEV-al, of or related to a naevus; NAEVO-XANTHO-endo-THELI-oma, a group or group of yellowish brown nodules sometimes found on extremities in early childhood
NID-
‘nest’ (nidus)
NID-at-ion, the renewal of uterine lining between menstrual periods; de-NID-at-ion, disintegration and ejection of superficial part of uterine mucus; NID-ament-al, applies to glands which secrete material for an egg-covering
PULVER-, PULV-
‘dust’ (pulvus)
PULVER-ize; PULVI-PLUME, a powder-down feather; PULVER-aceous, covered with a layer of powdery granules
RADIC-
‘root’ (radix)
RADIC-al; e-RADIC-ate; RADIC-ul-ose, having many rootlets; MONO-RADIC-ul-ar, having only one root; MYELO-RADIC-ul-itis, inflammation of spinal cord and roots of spinal nerves
RAM-
‘branch’ (ramus)
RAMI-fic-at-ion; RAM-ate,branched; BI-RAM-ose, divided into two branches; RAMI-FLOR-ous, having flowers on branches
SAX-
‘rock’ (saxum)
SAXI-CAV-ous, applies to rock-borers (as some molluscs), lithophagous; SAXI-FRAGE, plant of the family Saxifraga, perennial herbs frequently found growing in rock crevices; SAXI-COL-ous, inhabiting or growing around rocks
SCUT-
‘shield’ (scutum)
ESCUT-cheon; SCUTE, an external scale, as of reptiles, fish or scaly insects; SCUT-ate protected by large scales or horny plates
SERR-
‘saw’, ‘saw-tooth’ (serra)
SIERRA; SERR-at-iform, like a saw; sub-SERR-ate, somewhat notched or saw-toothed; SERRI-CORN-ia, a genus of beetles with saw-toothed antennae
STERCOR-, STERC-
‘excrement’ (stercus)
STERCO-BIL-in, the brown pigment of faeces; STERC-oma, a fecalith, a hard faecal mass, usually in the rectum; STERC-ul-ia, a type of plant with a fetid odour
SULC-
‘furrow’, ‘groove’ (sulcus)
SULC-ate, furrowed, grooved; BI-SULC-ate, having two grooves; SULCO-MARGIN-al, situated at the margin of the spinal cord adjacent to the ventral median fissure
Lecture 9
Based on Ayers (1972), chapters 27–30.
Suffixes II
-ent (-ient), -ant (-iant)
equivalent to the English present participle ending, ing (-ens, -ans); this suffix often forms words which are used as nouns meaning ‘person who’, ‘that which’
eloquent, innocent, dormant, vigilant, agent, current, inhabitant
-ile
‘able to be’, ‘able to’, ‘tending to’ (-ilis)
fragile, ductile, agile, docile
NB: Distinguishable from the other -ile by the fact that it is attached to verbal roots.
-able, -ible
‘able to be’, ‘able to’, ‘tending to’ (-abilis, -ibilis).
durable, adaptable, incredible, flexible, adaptability, flexibility
NB: When this suffix is followed by another suffix, it becomes -abil-, -ibil-.
-id
‘tending to’, ‘inclined to’ (-idus)
fervid, frigid, vivid
-tude
forms abstract nouns (-tudo)
beatitude, solitude
-uous
‘tending to’, ‘inclined to’ (-uus, -uosus)
continuous, assiduous, impetuous
-ulous
‘tending to’, ‘inclined to’ (-ulus)
incredulous, tremulous, garrulous
-ive
‘tending to’, ‘inclined to’ (-ivus)
active, aggressive, adhesive
-ory
‘tending to’, ‘serving for’ (-orius)
preparatory, introductory, excretory
-itious
‘tending to’, ‘characterized by’ (-icius)
fictitious, excrementitious
-acious
‘tending to’, ‘inclined to’ (-ax)
vivacious, audacious, loquacious
-ory (-orium)
‘place for’, ‘apparatus’
dormitory, lavatory, auditorium, sanatorium
-ary (-arium)
‘place for’, ‘apparatus’
mortuary, library, infirmary, aquarium, sanitarium, herbarium
-y (-ia)
‘quality of’, ‘state of’, ‘act of’
misery, modesty, perjury, neuralgia, insomnia, asonia
Diminutives
-ule, -ole, -le
‘little’ (-ulus, -ula, -ulum; -olus, -ola, -olum; -leus, -lea, -leum)
globule, granule, arteriole, circle, scruple, gladiolus, formula, cupola, capitulum
-el
‘little’ (-ellus, -ella, -ellum)
tunnel, scalpel, morsel, lamella, flagellum, capitellum, cerebellum
-cule, -cle
‘little’ (-culus, -cula, -culum)
molecule, muscle, particle
-il
‘little’ (-illus, -illa, -illum)
codicil, pupil, fibril, fibrilla, Priscilla, armadillo
-uncle
‘little’ (-unculus)
carbuncle, avuncular, furnuncle, pedunculus, ranunculus
-ette, -et
‘little’ (of French origin, but attaching to Latin roots)
statuette, cornet, lancet
Roots, Part I
AUD-, AUDIT-
‘to hear’
AUDIT-orium, AUDIT-ion; AUDIO-meter, an instrument for measuring the acuity and range of hearing; AUDIT-ive or AUDIT-ory, pertaining to heard sounds or the sense of hearing
CAMER-
‘chamber’ (camera)
CAMERA; CAMER-ation, division into a number of separate chambers; UNI-CAMER-al, having only one cavity or chamber
CAD-, (-CID-), CAS-
‘to fall’, ‘to befall’
CAD-ence; de-CAD-ent; de-CID-uous; in-CID-ence, the act or manner of falling upon; the way in which one body strikes another, as angle of incidence
CAP- (-CIP-), CAPT- (-CEPT-)
‘to take’, ‘to seize’
CAPT-ive; re-CEPT-ion; CON-CEPT-ion; EXTERO-CEPT-or, a receptor which receives stimuli from outside the body
CREPIT-
‘to creak’, ‘to crackle’
de-CREPIT; de-CREPIT-at-ion, the breaking up or crackling of certain crystals on heating; CREPIT-at-ion or CREPIT-at-io or CREPITUS, the grating of fractured bones, or the crackling of a joint
GRAV-
‘heavy’ (gravis)
in-GRAV-esc-ent, increasing in weight or severity; GRAVI-GRADE, any of several large, heavy-footed mammals, as elephants; PRIMI-GRAV-ida, a woman who is pregnant for the first time
JAC-
‘to lie’
ad-JAC-ent, lying nearby, having a common border; sub-JAC-ent, lying beneath
LAB-, LAPS-
‘to slip’, ‘to fall’, ‘to glide’
LAPSE; col-LAPSE; re-LAPSE; LAB-ile, unstable, readily changing, moving from place to place; LAB-il-ity, in psychiatry, very rapid fluctuation in intensity and modality of emotions
MOLL-
‘soft’ (mollis)
MOLL-ities, softness; MOLL-SOL, surface layer of permanently frozen ground in which ice melts during the summer; e-MOLL-ient, a substance used externally to soften the skin
MORB-
‘disease’ (morbus)
MORB-id; MORB-ose; morbus anglicus, rickets; morbus divinus or morbus caducus, epilepsy; morbus hungaricus, typhus
MOV-, MOT-
‘to move’
pro-MOTE; de-MOT-ion; OCULO-MOT-or, causing movements of the eyeball (applies to the third cranial nerve); VENO-MOT-or, causing veins to contract or dilate
NASC-, NAT-
‘to be born’
NAT-ive, NAT-ure; NAT-ion; ad-NATE, congenitally attached or united; in-NATE, inherited, present from birth; ante-NAT-al, occurring or existing before birth, prenatal
PATI-, PASS-
‘to suffer’, ‘to endure’
PATI-ent; PASS-ion, an intense emotion; com-PAT-ibil-ity, congruity; the power of a medicine or a substance in a medicine to mix with another without deleterious chemical change or loss of therapeutic power; refers also to blood types
PLAN-
‘flat’ (planus)
PLANE; de-PLAT-ate, levelled, flattened; PLAN-at-ion, a process of erosion that produces flat surfaces; PLAN-ula, very young, flat-bodied larva or free-swimming coelenterates
PRUR-, PRURIT-
‘to itch’
PRURITUS, itching; anti-PRURIT-ic, relieving or preventing itching; PRUR-igo, a chronic inflammatory disease of the skin characterized by itching
REG- (-RIG-), RECT-
‘to make straight’, ‘to rule’; RECT-, ‘straight’, ‘rectum’ (rectus)
REG-ent; di-RECT; ar-RECT-or a muscle which erects; para-RECT-al, beside or near the rectum; REG-imen, a systematic plan or course to maintain or improve health
RUMP-, RUPT-
‘to break’, ‘to burst’
ab-RUPT; inter-RUPT; ab-RUPT-ion; RUPT-ure, a forcible tearing of a part, or a hernia; RUPT-io, rupture of a vessel or organ
SCIND-, SCISS-
‘to cut’, ‘to split’
re-SCIND; SCISS-ile, separating, easily split; ab-SCIND, to cut off; dis-SCISS-ion, state of being torn apart
TANG- (-TING-), TIG-, TACT-
‘to touch’
con-TACT; con-TING-ent; TACT-ile, pertaining to the sense of touch; a-TACT-ia, loss of the tactile sense; MYO-TACT-il-ic, relating to the muscular sense
VESIC-
‘bladder’, ‘blister’ (vesica)
VESIC-le, a small bladder, especially a small sac containing fluid, a small bulla; peri-VESICUL-itis, inflammation around a seminal vesicle; VESIC-at-ion, the formation of a blister, or a blister
Roots, Part II
AMBUL-
‘to walk’
AMBLE; AMBUL-ance; AMBUL-ant or AMBUL-at-ory, walking or able to walk, designating a patient not confined to bed but requiring medical care; SOMN-AMBUL-ism, sleepwalking
CED-, CESS-
‘to go’, ‘to yield’
con-CEDE; intro-CESS-ion, a depression, as of a surface; pro-CESS, a prominence or outgrowth; suc-CED-an-eous, relating to or acting a substitute; pertaining to that which follows after, as a permanent tooth replacing a deciduous tooth
DEXTR-
‘right hand’ (dexter)
DEXTRO-DUCT-ion, movement of the visual axis toward the right
FAC- (-FIC-), FACT- (-FECT-)
‘to do’, ‘to make’
FACT-ory; FACT; FICT-ion; ef-FIC-acious, having the power to bring about a desired effect; FAC-ul-tat-ive, voluntary, optional; having the power to do or not do a thing
FID-, FISS-
‘to split’
FISS-ure; FISS-ion; FISS-ile, fissionable; FISSI-ROSTR-al, with deeply cleft beak; PENTA-FID, divided in five divisions or lobes
GUST-
‘to taste’
dis-GUST; GUST-at-ion, the sense of taste, the act of tasting; de-GUST-at-ion, the act of tasting; GUSTO-meter, an apparatus used to determine taste thresholds
INSUL-
‘island’ (insula)
INSUL-ate; PEN-INSULA; INSULA, that portion of the cortex overlying the corpus striatum INSUL-oma, a tumour arising from the cells of the islets of the pancreas; INSUL-in, the antidiabetic hormone arising from the islets of Langerhans
JUNCT-
‘to join’; JUG-, ‘yoke’ (jugum)
JUNCT-ion; sub-JUG-ate; con-JUG-at-ion, the temporary union or complete fusion of two gametes or unicellular organisms, or the pairing of chromosomes; dis-JUNCT-ion divergence of paired chromosomes at anaphase
LEV-
‘left hand’ (laevus)
LEVO-DUCT-ion, movement to the left, especially of the eye; LEVO-GYR-ate or LEVO-ROT-ary, rotating the plane of polarized light to the left
MACUL-
‘spot’ (macula)
im-MACUL-ate; MACCHI-ato; MACULA, a spot or patch of colour, or a small pit or depression; MACULA LUTEA, the yellow spot on the retina, the point of clearest vision; MACUL-at-ion, the arrangement of spots on a plant or animal
NOCT-
‘night’ (nox)
NOCTI-phobia, morbid fear of night; per-NOCT-at-ion, staying up all night; NOCT-VAG-ant, going about in the night, night-wandering
PAR-, PART-
‘to give birth to’, ‘to produce’
MULTI-PAR-ous, bearing more than one offspring at a time; BI-PAR-ous, having two young at a time; RAMI-PAR-ous, producing branches, OCTI-PARA, a woman who has been in labour eight times
PEND-, PENS-
‘to hang’, ‘to weigh’, ‘to pay’
de-PEND; im-PEND; ex-PENS-ive; com-PENS-at-ion, a psychic phenomenon in which strong of guilt or inferiority prompt excessive defensive reactions
PRED-
‘prey’ (praeda)
PRED-at-ism, the habit or practice of living by predation; PRED-acious, preying on other animals; PRED-ac-ity, quality or state of being predacious
ROT-
‘wheel’ (rota)
ROT-ate, shaped like a wheel, rotiform; ROT-ul-iform, shaped like a small wheel; MUTA-ROT-at-ion, a change in optical rotation of solutions of certain sugars
SALI- (-SILI-), SALT- (-SULT-)
‘to leap’, ‘to jump’
ex-ULT; re-SULT; con-SULT; in-SULT, trauma or other stress to tissues or organs; SALTI-GRADE, moving by leaps as some insects
SORB-, SORPT-
‘to suck in’
ab-SORPT-ion, in physiology, the taking up of fluids or gases through osmosis and capillarity, or infiltration into the skin, or incorporation into the body through blood and lymph
STRING-, STRICT-
‘to draw tight’
STRICT, stiffly upright, rigid, erect; a-STRING-ent, an agent that produces contraction of organic tissues or arrests haemorrhage, diarrhea, etc.
TEN- (-TIN-), TENT-
‘to hold’
TEN-ant; con-TIN-uous; de-TENT-ion; in-con-TIN-ent, not having the ability to control the natural evacuations, as the faeces or urine; sus-TIN-acul-ar, supporting (applies to connective tissue acting as a supporting framework for an organ
VIV-
‘living’ (vivus)
sur-VIVE; VIV-id; VIV-acious; VIVI-dif-FUS-ion, passage of diffusible substances from the blood of a living animal; VIV-PAR-ous, bringing forth the young alive
Roots, Part III
AC(U)-
‘sharp’, ‘sour’, ‘needle’ (acus)
ACU-PUNCT-ure; ACU-ol-ate, beset with small prickles; ACUTI-COST-al, having projecting ribs
ARE-
‘space’ (area)
ARE-ola, any minute interstice or space in a tissue; or a pigmented ring surrounding some central point or space, as a nipple or a pustule, or the part of the iris enclosing the pupil; ARE-ol-et, a small areola
AUR-
‘ear’ (auris)
end-AUR-al, pertaining to the inner surface or part of the external auditory canal; AUR-icle, any ear-like, lobed appendage, or the external ear, or the atrium, or anterior chamber, of the heart
CALC-
‘limestone’, ‘pebble’, ‘calcium’ (calx)
CALC-ulus; CALCI-COLE, a plant that thrives in soils rich in calcium salts; CALCI-FIC-at-ion, the deposition of lime salts in tissue; CALC-ar-eous, containing calcium carbonate (chalky)
CAPS-
‘box’ (capsa)
CAPS-ule; en-CAPS-ul-at-ion, the process of surrounding a part with a capsule; de-CAPS-ul-at-ion, removal of a capsule or enveloping membrane
CAR(N)-
‘flesh’ (caro)
CARN-al; CARN-eous, flesh-coloured; in-CARN-at-ive, an agent which produces flesh or promotes granulation; CARNI-VOR-ous
CUT-
‘skin’ (cutis)
intra-CUT-aneous, within the skin substance (applied to the injection of substances into the skin); CUT-in, a substance allied to cellulose found in external layers of thickened epidermal cells
FIBR-
‘fibre’ (fibra)
FIBR-il, a component filament of a fibre, as of a muscle or a nerve; FIBR-in, the fibrous, insoluble protein in the network involved in blood clotting
FOLL(I)-
‘bag’ (follis)
FOLLI-cle, a capsular fruit which opens on one side only, or a cavity or sheath (as an ovarian or hair follicle), or a small secretory cavity or sac (as an acinus or alveolus); peri-FOLLI-cul-ar, surrounding a follicle
FUN-
‘rope’, ‘cord’ (funis)
FUN-ic, relating to or originating in the umbilical cord; FUNI-PENDUL-ous, suspended by a rope or cord
LOC-
‘place’ (locus)
LOC-al; al-LOC-ate; LOCO-MOT-ion; LOC-ellus, a small compartment of an ovary; BI-LOC-ul-ar, containing two cavities or chambers
LUN(A)-
‘moon’ (luna)
LUN-ate, crescent-shaped; SEMI-LUN-ar, half-moon-shaped; LUN-ette, the transparent lower eyelid of snakes
OST-
‘door’, ‘opening’ (ostium)
OSTIUM, any mouthlike opening, such as the opening of the fallopian tubes; OSTI-ole, the opening of a conceptacle, perithecium, stoma, or another sac, or the inhalant aperture of a sponge
PART-
‘part’, ‘to divide’ (pars)
PARTI-CIP-ate; PART-ic-ul-ar; BI-PART-ite, having two parts; DIGITI-PART-ite, having leaves divided in a hand-like pattern
PED-
‘foot’ (pes)
PED-al; im-PEDE; ex-PED-ient; PEDI-cel, any slender stalk, especially one that supports a fruiting or spore-bearing organ; SCUTI-PED, having the foot or part of the foot covered by scutella
PELL-
‘skin’ (pellis)
PELL-icle, a thin skin or film, such as a film on the surface of a liquid
PLUM-
‘feather’ (pluma)
PLUMI-GER-ous, feathered; PULVI-PLUME, a powder-down feather
RACEM-
‘cluster of grapes or berries’ (racemus)
RACEM-ose, arranged in a cluster, or bearing flowers in clusters; RACEM-ic acid, named from its being found in the juice of grapes
RIM-
‘crack’, ‘chink’ (rima)
RIM-ate, having fissures; RIM-iform, in the shape of a narrow fissure; BI-RIM-ose, having two clefts or slits
VOR-
‘to eat’
VOR-acious; HERBI-VOR-ous, living on vegetable food; FUNGI-VOR-ous, fungus-eating animals and plants; in-SECTI-VOR-ous, living on insects
Roots, Part IV
ANS-
‘jug handle’, ‘loop’ (ansa)
ANSA, loop, as of certain nerves; ANSA CERVIC-alis, a nerve loop in the neck
DIGIT-
‘finger’, ‘toe’ (digitus)
DIGIT-ule, any small, fingerlike process; SEX-DIGIT-ate, with six fingers or toes
FORMIC-
‘ant’ (formica)
FORMIC acid, a colourless acid occurring in ants and some plants; FORMIC-IDE, a substance used for destroying ants; FORMIC-at-ion, an abnormal sensation of insects crawling on the skin
HAUST-
‘to draw out’, ‘to drink’
ex-HAUST-ion; HAUST-ellum, a proboscis adapted for sucking; HAUST-orium, an organ of certain parasitic protozoa by which they attach themselves to the host
MENT-
‘mind’ (mens)
MENT-at-ion, the mechanism of thought, mental activity; de-MENT-ia, deterioration or loss of the intellectual faculties, the reasoning power, etc.
NERV-
‘nerve’, ‘vein of insect wing or leaf’ (nervus)
TRI-NERV-ate, having three veins or ribs running from the bast to the margin of a leaf; ab-NERV-al, away from a nerve (of the direction of an electric current passing through muscle fibres away from the point of entrance of a nerve)
PECTOR-
‘breast’ (pectus)
PECTOR-al, pertaining to the chest, in the chest region; MEDIO-PECTOR-al, applies to the middle part of the sternum; ex-PECTOR-at-ion, ejection of material from the mouth
PIL-
‘hair’ (pilus)
PIL-ose, hairy, downy; PILI-FER-ous, bearing or producing hair; PILI-MIC-at-ion, the passing of urine containing hairlike filaments
PISC-
‘fish’ (piscis)
PISC-ine, of, relating to, having the characteristics of fish; PISCI-VOR-ous, fish-eating
PRESS-
‘to press’
de-PRESS-ion, im-PRESS-ion, re-PRESS, op-PRESS-ion; de-PRESSO-MOT-or, any nerve which lowers muscular activity
ROD-, ROS-
‘to gnaw’
ROD-ent; cor-ROS-ive, a substance which destroys organic tissue by chemical means or by inflammation; e-ROS-ion, an eating, gnawing or wearing away
SEB-
‘grease’, ‘tallow’ (sebum)
SEBUM, the oily secretion of the SEB-aceous glands which lubricates and protects the hair and skin; SEBO-RRHEA, a functional disease of the sebaceous glands, characterised by an excessive secretion or disturbed quality of sebum
SENS-, SENT-
‘to feel’, ‘to perceive’
SENT-ence; con-SENT; as-SENT; dis-SENT; SENS-ile, capable of affecting a sense; SENTI-ent, of cells that are sensitive and perceptive; SENS-illa, a small sense organ
SOL-
‘sun’ (sol)
SOL-arium; in-SOL-at-ion, exposure to the sun’s rays; SOL-ASTER-idae, a family of starfishes, typically brightly coloured and having numerous arms
SOMN-
‘sleep’ (somnus)
SOMNI-FACI-ent, a medicine producing sleep, a hypnotic; SOMNI-FUG-ous, driving away sleep; hyper-SOMN-ia, excessive sleepiness
SQUAM-
‘scale’ (squama)
SQUAMI-FER-ous, bearing scales; e-SQUAM-ate, having no scales; SQUAM-ul-ate, having minute scales
TER(R)-
‘earth’ (terra)
TERR-aneous, applies to land vegetation; TERRI-COL-ous, living in the earth
UTER-
‘womb’ (uterus)
UTER-ismus, uterine contraction of a spasmodic and painful character; UTERO-GEST-at-ion, the part of the gestation period passed in the uterus; UTRI-cle or UTRI-culus, an air bladder of aquatic plants, or the membranous sac of the ear labyrinth
VACU-
‘empty’ (vacuus)
VACUUM; VACU-ole, one of the spaces in cell protoplasm containing air, sap or partially digested food; VACU-ol-is-at-ion, the formation of vacuoles
VAS-
‘vessel’ (vas)
VASE; VAS-cul-ar, consisting of or containing vessels adapted for transmission or circulation of fluid; CARDIO-VAS-cul-ar, pertaining to the heart and blood vessels; VASO-di-LAT-ion, relaxing or enlarging the vessels
Lecture 10
Based on Ayers (1972), chapters 31–33.
Suffixes III
-itude
‘quality of’, ‘state of’ (-itudo)
longitude, multitude, gratitude
-ity (-ety, -ty)
‘quality of’, ‘state of’ (-itas)
gravity, dexterity, brevity
-ance, -ancy; -ence, -ency
‘quality of being’, ‘state of being’ (-antia, -entia)
vigilance, hesitancy, eloquence, innocence, fluency
-or
‘she or he who’, ‘that which’ (-or)
actor, motor, victor, incisor
-ion
‘act of’, ‘state of’, ‘result of the act of’ (-io)
action, commotion, incision
-ure
‘act of’, ‘result of the act of’ (-ura)
rupture, capture, fracture
-us
‘act of’, ‘result of the act of’
prospectus, consensus, impetus
-or (-our)
‘state of’, ‘result of the act of’
tumour, pallor, error
-men, -min-
‘result of’, ‘means of’, ‘act of’ (-men)
specimen, regimen, acumen, acuminate
-ment (-mentum)
‘result of’, ‘means of’, ‘act of’
ligament, ferment, excrement, momentum
-ble, -bul- (-bula, -bulum)
‘result of the act of’, ‘means of’, ‘place for’
fable, fabulous, mandible, mandibular, pabulum, infundibulum
-cle, -cul- (-culum)
‘result of the act of’, ‘means of’
spectacle, receptacle, obstacle, tentacle, tentacular, curriculum, vinculum, tentaculum
-crum, -cr-
‘result of the act of’, ‘means of’
fulcrum, simulacrum, involucrum, involucral
-trum, -tr-
‘result of the act of’, ‘means of’
spectrum, rostrum, claustrum, claustrophobia
Roots, Part I
ADIP-
‘fat’ (adeps)
ADIP-os-ity, corpulence, obesity
CALL-
‘hard skin’ (callus)
CALL-ous, pertaining to an are of hardened and thickened skin, a CALLUS; CORPUS CALLOSUM, a structure of white matter in the brain
CRE-, CRESC-, CRET-
‘to grow’
in-CRE-ment; CRESC-ent; CRESC-endo; con-CRESC-ence, a growing together of the roots of two teeth; inter-CRESC-ence, a growing into each other, as of tissue
FA-, FAT-
‘to speak’
af-FA-ble; in-ef-FA-ble; FA-ble; in-FA-nt, a child, usually up to two years (in Latin, literally ‘not speaking’ or ‘without speech’)
FLU-, FLUX-
‘to flow’; FLUVI-, ‘river’ (fluvius)
in-FLU-ence; FLU-ency; af-FLUX, flow of blood or other fluid to a part; con-FLU-ent, running together, the opposite of discrete; in anatomy, coalesced or blended (applied to two or bones originally separate)
FOSS-
‘ditch’, ‘trench’, ‘to dig’ (fossa)
FOSSA, a pit or trench-like depression; FOSS-ette, a small pit or a socket containing the base of the antennule in arthropods; FOSS-ori-al, adapted for digging (applies to the claws and feet of animals)
MAGN-
‘large’, ‘great’ (magnus)
MAGN-ate; MAGN-ANIM-ous; MAGNI-LOQU-ent; MAGNI-fy, cause to appear larger; MAGN-itude, spacial quality or size
MAMM-
‘breast’ (mamma)
MAMM-al; MAMM-il-itis, inflammation of the MAM-illa, or nipple
MORT-
‘death’ (mors)
MORT-al, liable to death or causing death; MORT-al-ity, the quality of being mortal or the death rate; NATI-MORT-al-ity, the proportion of stillbirths to the general birth rate
NOC-, NOX-
‘harm’ (noxa)
in-NOC-ent; NOCI-FENS-or, efferent fibres which release chemical substances at their terminals, thus stimulating pain endings; NOCI-per-CEPT-ion, perception of pain by the central nervous system
PAT-
‘to spread or lie open’
PAT-ent, open, exposed; pre-PAT-ent period, the period in parasitic disease between the introduction of the organism and its demonstration in the body
PET-, PETIT-
‘to seek’
PET-it-ion; com-PET-it-ion; PET-ul-ant; RECTI-PET-al-ity, the tendency to rectilinear growth; ACRO-PET-al, ascending (applies to leaves, flowers or roots developing successively from an axis so that the youngest arise at the apex)
PROPRI-
‘one’s own’ (proprius)
ap-PROPRI-ate; ex-PROPRI-ate; im-PROPRI-ety; PROPRIO-SPIN-al, pertaining wholly to the spinal cord (applies to fibres)
SEC-, SEG-, SECT-
‘to cut’
in-SECT; re-SECT-ion, the operation of cutting out as the removal of a segment or section of an organ; SECT-or-ial, formed or adapted for cutting, as certain teeth
SED- (-SID-), SESS-
‘to sit’, ‘to settle’
re-SIDE; pre-SID-ent; SESS-ion; in-SESS-or-ial, adapted for perching; re-SID-ual, pertaining to that which cannot be evacuated or discharged (as residual air in the lungs, residual urine in the bladder)
SET-
‘bristle’ (seta)
SETA, any bristle-like structure, as the sporophore of liverworts and mosses; SETI-GER, a segment or process bearing bristles
TRACT-
‘to draw’, ‘to drag’
TRACT-or; at-TRACT-ive; dis-TRACT-ile, widely separate (usually applies to long-stalked anthers); CEPHALO-TRACT-or, obstetric forceps
TUBER-
‘swelling’ (tuber)
TUBER, a thickened, fleshy underground stem with surface buds; TUBER-iform, resembling or shaped like a tuber; TUBER-in, a simple protein of the globular type which occurs in potatoes
VEH-, VECT-
‘to carry’
ad-VEH-ent, afferent, carrying to an organ; con-VECT-ion, a transmission or carrying, as of heat; VECT-or
VIT-
‘life’ (vita)
VIT-al, pertaining to or necessary for life; AQUA VITAE, spirit or eau-de-vie
Roots, Part II
CAV-
‘hollow’ (cavus)
CAVI-CORN, hollow-horned; inter-CAV-it-ary, within a CAV-ity
COCT-
‘to cook’, ‘to boil’
con-COCT-ion, preparation made by combining different crude ingredients; COCTO-STA-ble, able to withstand the temperature of boiling water without change
CUT-, CUSS-
‘to shake’, ‘to strike’
con-CUSS-ion, shock, the state of being shaken, a severe shaking or jarring of a part; per-CUSS-ion, the act of firmly tapping the surface of the body with a finger or a small hammer to elicit sounds or vibratory sensations of diagnostic value
DOL-
‘to feel pain’, ‘to cause pain’
con-DOL-ence; in-DOL-ent, sluggish, usually applied to slowness in healing or growing, as an indolent ulcer, or causing little or no pain, as an indolent tumour
EBURN-
‘ivory’ (ebur, eburnus)
EBURN-eous, ivory white, white more or less tinged with yellow; EBURN-itis, increased hardness and density of the tooth enamel
FENESTR-
‘window’, ‘opening’ (fenestra)
FENESTR-ate, having small perforations or transparent spots (applies to insect wings); CRANIO-FENESTR-ia, congenital bony defect involving the total thickness of the skull, lacuna skull
GLUTIN-
‘glue’ (gluten)
GLUTEN, a mixture of proteins found in the seeds of cereals, which confers the property of toughness to dough; GLUTIN-ous, viscid, gluelike
HI-, HIAT-
‘to stand open’
HIAT-us, a space or opening; de-HI-sc-ence, the spontaneous opening of an organ or structure along certain lines in a definite direction; in-de-HI-sc-ent, not splitting at maturity (applies to certain fruits)
I-, IT-
‘to go’
in-IT-ial; ex-IT; ob-IT-uary; amb-IT-us, the outer edge or margin or the outline of an echinoid shell viewed from the apical pole; ab-I-ent, tending away from the source of stimulus (opp. ad-I-ent)
LAMIN-
‘thin plate’ (lamina); LAMELL-, dimin. (lamella)
LAMIN-ate; LAMELLA, a plate or layer; LAMELLI-CORN, having antenna joints expanded into flattened plates; LAMIN-ectomy, surgical removal of one or more neural laminas of the vertebrae
LAT-
‘broad’, ‘wide’ (latus)
di-LAT-ion; LATI-SQUAM-ate, broad-scaled
LIG-
‘to bind’
ob-LIG-at-ion; al-LIG-at-or; LIG-ament, a band of tough, flexible connective tissue; LIG-at-ure, a cord or thread for tying vessels or the act of tying or binding
MEAT-
‘to go’, ‘to pass’
MEATUS, an opening or passage; MEAT-itis, inflammation of the wall of a meatus; SUPRA-MEAT-al, applies to triangle and spine over external acoustic meatus
MIT(T)-, MIS(S)-
‘to send’, ‘to let go’
e-MISS-ary, any venous channel through the skull connecting the venous sinuses with the diploic veins and veins of the scalp; intro-MISS-ion, insertion, the act of putting in, the introduction of one body into another
PLEX-
‘to interweave’, ‘to braid’
PLEXUS, a network of interlacing nerves or anastomosing blood vessels or lymphatics; PLEX-iform, resembling a plexus or network; PLEX-ODONT, having molar teeth with complicated crown patterns and multiple roots
PUNG-, PUNCT-
‘to prick’, ‘point’ (punctum)
com-PUNCT-ion; PUNCT-uate; PUNCT-il-ious; PUNCT-iform, having the nature of qualities of a point, or seeming to be located at a point (of a sensation), or in bacteriology, very minute colonies; PUNG-ent, ending in a rigid and sharp point
RIG-
‘to be stiff’
RIG-id, stiff or hard; RIG-esc-ent, becoming rigid; RIGID-itas, stiffness, rigidity
RUB(R)-
‘red’ (ruber)
BILI-RUBR-in, a reddish-yellow pigment of bile and blood; RUBIGIN-ose, of a brownish-red tint, rust-coloured; e-RUB-esc-ent, blushing red
SCRIB-, SCRIPT-
‘to write’
de-SCRIBE; pre-SCRIBE; sub-SCRIBE; circum-SCRIPT, a marginal sphincter when sharply defined, as in sea anemones
VOLV-, VOLUT-
‘to roll’, ‘to turn’
in-VOLVE; re-VOLUT-ion; VOLUTE; ob-VOLUTE, bent downward and inward (applies to wings, elytra of insects); VOLV-ulus, a twisting of the bowel upon itself so as to occlude the lumen
Roots, Part III
AG-, ACT-
‘to do’, ‘to drive’, ‘to act’
ACT-ion; AG-ile; CUTI-re-ACT-ion, a local skin reaction following inoculation with or the application of extracts of pathogenic organisms
ALB-
‘white’ (albus)
ALBI-FACT-ion, the act or process of blanching or rendering white; ALBUM-in, a protein substance found in nearly every animal and some vegetable tissue; ALBUR-num, sapwood or splint wood (i.e., the soft, white substance between the inner bark and true wood)
CER-
‘wax’ (cera)
CERI-FER-ous, wax-bearing, waxy; CERE-ous, waxy
FIL-
‘thread’ (filum)
FILI-GER-ous, with threadlike outgrowths or flagella; FIL-ar-iasis, a diseased state due to the presence of nematode worms of the super family Filarioidea
FOR-
‘to bore’, ‘to pierce’
FOR-amen, the opening through the coats of an ovule, or any small perforation; FOR-amin-ule, a minute foramen; FOR-amini-FER-a, an order of protozoans with calcareous shells with minute openings for pseudopodia
FOV-
‘pit’ (fovea)
FOVEA, a small pit, fossa or depression, or a small hollow at leaf base; FOVE-ate, pitted; FOVE-ol-ate, having regular, small depressions
FUNG-
‘mushroom’, ‘fungus’ (fungus)
FUNGI-VOR-ous, fungus-eating animals and plants; FUNG-at-ion, the act of growing up rapidly, like a fungus (as certain pathologic growths); FUNG-os-ity, fungous excrescence, fungous quality
GLOMER-
‘ball of yarn’ (glomus)
GLOMUS, a fold of the mesothelium containing a ball of blood vessels; con-GLOMER-ation, that which is made up of parts from various sources
HAL-, HALIT-
‘to breathe’
HALIT-us, a vapour, as that expired by the lungs; HALIT-osis, the state of having offensive breath
MUC-
‘mucus’ (mucus)
MUCI-fic, mucus-secreting; MUCO-CUT-aneous, pertaining to skin and mucous membrane
NUTRI-, NUTRIT-
‘to nourish’
NUTRIC-ism, a relationship of two animals with all the benefit to one partment; NUTRI-ent, that which affords nutrition
PALP-
‘to touch’, ‘to stroke’
im-PALP-able, not capable of being felt, imperceptible to touch; PALP-it-at-ion, any heart action of which the patient is conscious PALPO-CIL, a stiff, sensory filament attached to sense cells of Hydromedusae
SEP-, SEPT-
‘to separate’, ‘wall’ (septum)
SEPTUM, a partition, a dividing wall between two spaces or cavities; e-SEPT-ate, not supplied with septa; SEPT-ectomy, excision of part of the nasal septum
SPIR-
‘to breathe’
SPIRIT; con-SPIRE; a-SPIR-at-or, a negative pressure apparatus for withdrawing liquids from cavities; su-SPIR-at-ion, a sigh, the act of sighing; tran-SPIR-at-ion, exhalation of vapour through pores or stomata
STRU-, STRUCT-
‘to construct’, ‘to build’
STRUCT-ure; de-STRUCT-ion; ob-STRU-ent, obstructing, tending to obstruct
TERMIN-
‘end’, ‘boundary’ (terminus)
ab-TERMIN-al, going from the end inward; at-TERMIN-al, toward the terminal; co-TERMIN-ous, having the same or coincident boundaries
UMBR-
‘shade’, ‘shadow’ (umbra)
UMBR-age; ad-UMBR-ate; ex-UMBR-al, pertaining to the rounded upper surface of a jellyfish; ob-UMBR-ate, with some structure overhanging the parts so as partially to conceal them; UMBR-aculum, any umbrellalike structure
UNGU-
‘nail’ (of finger or toe) (unguis)
UNGUI-FER-ate, having nails, claws or hooklike processes; UNGUI-cul-ata, Mammalia with nails or claws as distinguished from hoofed mammals and cetaceans
VEL-
‘veil’, ‘covering’ (velum)
VELUM, a membrane or structure similar to a veil; VELI-GER, second stage in larval life of certain molluscs when the head bears a velum
VISCER-
‘entrails’ (viscus)
e-VISCER-at-ion, removal of internal organs; VISCERO-SENS-ory, relating to sensation in the viscera
Lecture 11
Based on Ayers (1972), chapters 34–37.
Verb-Forming Suffixes
-ate
‘to make’, ‘to treat’, ‘to do something with’
alleviate, obviate, illuminate
NB: This suffix often combines with the noun-forming suffix -ion (e.g. illumination)
-fy
‘to make’, ‘to cause’
terrify, liquify, pacify
NB: The adjective ending that corresponds to -fy is -fic, ‘making’, ‘causing’ (e.g. terrific, pacific)
-igate, -egate
‘to make’, ‘to drive’
mitigate, fumigate, navigate, variegate
-esce
‘to begin’, ‘to be somewhat’
effervescent, convalescent, arborescent
Roots, Part I
CAUL-
‘stem’, ‘stalk’ (caulis)
CAULI-COL-ous, applies to fungi growing on plant stems; CAUL-ine, pertaining to a stem (applies to leaves growing on the upper portion of a stem; FILI-CAUL-ine, with a threadlike stem
FLAV-
‘yellow’ (flavus)
FLAV-edo, yellowness of the skin; FLAV-in, one of a group of yellow pigments isolated from various plant and animal sources
FLOCC-
‘tuft, as of wool’ (floccus)
FLOCCUS, a tuft of wooly hairs on a plant; FLOCC-ose, covered with woollike tufts (applies to bacterial growths)
LABI-, LABR-
‘lip’ (labium or labrum)
LABIUM, lip, liplike structure; LABIO-GRESS-ion, location of the anterior teeth in front of their normal position
LAT-
‘to bear’, ‘to carry’
re-LATE; e-LAT-ed; trans-LATE; ab-LAT-ion, removal of a part by amputation, excision, etc.
LEV-
‘light’ (in weight) (levis)
LEV-ity; LEV-er; e-LEV-at-or, an instrument for lifting a part or for extracting the roots of teeth; al-LEVI-at-ion, the modification of symptoms, the lessening of pain
LIGN-
‘wood’ (lignum)
LIGNE-ous, woody, of the nature of wood; LIGN-in, a complex substance which, associated with cellulose, causes the thickening of plant cell walls, and so forms wood
LIQU-
‘to be liquid’
LIQUE-FACT-ion, conversion of material into liquid form
LUMIN-
‘light’ (lumen)
LUMEN, the cavity of a tubular part of an organ, or the central cavity of a plant cell; SONO-LUMIN-esc-ence, the emission of light by various liquids when traversed by high-frequency sound or ultrasonic waves
MAN(U)-
‘hand’ (manus)
MANU-FACT-ure, MANU-SCRIPT; BI-MAN-ous, having two hands (applies to certain primates); MANU-DUCT-ion, operation performed by the hands in surgical and obstetric practice
NIGR-
‘black’ (niger)
NIGR-esc-ent, nearly black, blackish
OSS-
‘bone’ (os)
OSS-icle, any small bone; DERMO-OSSI-FIC-at-ion, a bone formed in the skin
PROXIM-
‘near’, ‘nearest’ (proximus, ‘nearest the body’)
PROXIM-ate, nearest, immediate (as proximate cause); PROXIM-al, in dentistry, surface of a tooth next to the adjacent tooth; PROXIMO-LABI-al, pertaining to proximal and labial surfaces of a tooth
SINISTR-
‘left’ (sinister)
SINISTER; SINISTRO-TORS-ion, a twisting or turning toward the left; SINISTR-in, a levorotatory polysaccharide
SPIN-
‘thorn’, ‘spine’ (spina)
SPIN-ul-ate, covered with spines; SPIN-ul-at-ion, a defensive spiny covering, or the state of being spinulate
STIP-, STIPIT-
‘stalk’ (stipes)
STIPIT-ate, stalked; STIP-ule, one of two membranes or foliaceous processes developed at the base of a leaf petiole; BI-STIP-ul-ate, provided with two stipules
STRAT-
‘layer’ (stratum)
BI-STRAT-ose, with cells arranged in two layers; STRAT-iform, applies to fibrocartilage coating osseous grooves
TUM-
‘to swell’
TUM-esc-ent, swollen, enlarged; de-TUM-esc-ence, subsidence of a swelling (esp. of erecto-sexual organs following orgasm)
VARI-
‘varied’, ‘changing’, ‘spotting’ (varius)
VARI-ous; VARI-ety; VARI-egate-d, marked with different colours; VARI-CELLA, chickenpox
VENTR-
‘belly’ (venter)
VENTRI-LOQU-ism; VENTR-icle, a cavity or chamber, as of the heart or brain; BI-VENTR-al, applies to muscles of the biventer type (= digastric, each of a pair of muscles which run under the jaw and act to open it, from GAST- ‘belly’ because the muscle has two fleshy parts or ‘bellies’ at an angle, connected by a tendon)
Counting in Latin
SEMI-
‘half’, ‘partly’
SEMI-LUN-ate, half-moon-shaped; SEMI-CAUD-ate, with a rudimentary tail
UN-
‘one’ (unus)
UN-ique; UN-iform; UN-ANIM-ity; UNI-FOLI-ate, with one leaf; UNI-PAR-ous, producing one offspring at a birth; UNI-STRATE, having only one layer
PRIM-
‘first’ (primus)
PRIM-ary; PRIM-ates, the highest order of the vertebrate class Mammalia, including man, apes, monkeys and lemurs; PRIMI-PAR-ous, pertaining to a woman bearing or giving birth to her first child
SESQUI-
‘one-and-a-half times’
SESQUI-CENT-ENNI-ial; SEQUI-CHLOR-ide, a compound of chlorine and another element containing three parts of chlorine and two of the other element; SESQUI-OX-ide
DU-
‘two’ (duo)
DU-et; DU-al; DU-PLIC-ate; DU-PLICI-DENT, with two pairs of incisors in the upper jaw;
BI-, BIN-
‘two’, ‘twice’
BI-NATE, growing in pairs; BI-FID, forked, opening with a median cleft; BI-STRAT-ose, with cells arranged in two layers
SECOND-, SECUND-
‘second’, ‘following’ (secundus)
SECOND-ary; SECUNDI-GRAV-ida, a woman pregnant the second time
TRI-
‘three’
TRI-DENT; TRI-VI-al; TRI-COST-ate, with three ribs; TRI-FID, cleft to form three lobes
TERTI-
‘third’
TERTI-ary, third, pertaining to third stage of disease; TERT-ian, recurring every other day, as a tertian fever
TERN-
‘three each’; TER-, ‘three times’
TERN-ary, consisting of or based on three, or pertaining to a crystal system in which three-sided forms occur, or an alloy with three elements; TER-VAL-ent, having a valence of three, triple
QUADR(U)-
‘four’
QUADRU-PLE; QUADRI-JUG-ate, applies to pinnate lear having four pairs of leaflets; QUADRU-PED, a four-footed animal
QUART-
‘fourth’; QUATERN-, ‘four each’
QUART-an, recurring every three days (or four, counting inclusively), as on first, fourth and seventh day; QUATERN-ate, in sets of four (applies to leaves growing in fours from one point
QUINQUE-
‘five’
QUINQUE-PART-ite, divided into five parts
QUINT-
‘fifth’; QUIN-, ‘five each’
QUIN-ary, applies to flower symmetry in which there are five parts to a whorl; QUINTU-PL-et, one of five children born at one birth
SEX-
‘six’; SEXT-, ‘sixth’
SEXT-ant, a maximum angle of sixty degrees; SEX-OSTI-atae, group of spiders marked by six cardiac ostia
SEPT-, SEPTEM-
‘seven’; SEPTIM-, ‘seventh’
SEPTEM-ber; SEPTEM-PART-ite, divided into seven parts; SEPTIM-al, based on the number seven
OCT-
‘eight’; OCTAV-, ‘eighth’
OCT-ave; OCT-avo; OCTO-RADI-ate, having eight rays or arms; OCT-ane, the eighth member of the paraffin or marsh gas series
NOVEM-
‘nine’; NON-, ‘ninth’
NOVEM-ber; NON-illion, ten to the thirtieth power; NON-an, having an exacerbation every ninth day
DECEM-
‘ten’; DEC-, DECIM-, ‘tenth’
DECIM-ate; DECI-LITRE, one-tenth of a litre; DECEM-FID, cleft into ten parts
CENT-
‘hundred’, ‘hundredth’
CEN-ENN-ial; CENT-uri-on; CENTI-PEDE, elongated segmented arthropods with many legs; CENTI-metre, one-hundredth of a metre
MIL(L)-
‘thousand’, ‘thousandth’
MILL-ENN-ium; MILLI-PEDE, myriopods constituting the the class Diplopoda having numerous segments and legs; MILLI-metre, one-thousandth of a metre
Roots, Part II
ARC(U)-
‘bow’, ‘arch’ (arcus)
ARC-ade; ARCI-FER-ous, applies to the pectoral arch of toads; ARC-iform, shaped like an arch or a bow; ARCU-alia, small, cartilaginous pieces, dorsal and central, fused or free, on the vertebral column of fishes
CALCAR-
‘spur’ (calcar)
CALCAR-ine, a fissure extending to the hypocampal gyrus on the medial surface of the cerebral hemisphere; CALCAR-ate, having a spur or spur-like point
NB: Compare calx, calc- ‘lime’.
CING-, CINCT-
‘to bind’, ‘to gird’
pre-CINCT; suc-CINCT; CING-ulum, a girdle or the waist; sub-CING-ulum, the lower lip part of the cingulum of rotifers; CING-ul-ectomy, the surgical removal of the cingulate gyrus (in the brain)
CLIV-
‘slope’ (clivus)
pro-CLIV-ity; de-CLIVE, a lower or descending part; CLIVUS, a slope; post-CLIV-al, the fissure behind the clivus of the cerebellum
CUSPID-
‘point’ (cuspis)
CUSP, a pocket or fold in the wall of the heart or a major blood vessel that fills and distends if the blood flows backwards, so forming part of a valve; a cone-shaped prominence on the surface of a tooth; a sharp rigid point of a leaf; bicuspid, having two cusps or points; a tooth with two cusps, especially a human premolar tooth; bi-CUSP-id, having two cusps, as bicuspid teeth, or as the mitral valve of the heart
FASCI-
‘band’ (fascia)
FASCIA, a thin sheath of fibrous tissue enclosing a muscle or other organ; FASCI-ated, showing abnormal fusion of parts or organs, resulting in a flattened ribbon-like structure; FASCI-ola, a narrow colour-band; FASC-itis, inflammation of a fascia
FERR-
‘iron’ (ferrum)
FERR-ic, relating to iron; FERR-ule, a ring or cap, typically a metal one, which strengthens the end of a handle, stick, or tube and prevents it from splitting or wearing; FERR-ous, containing or consisting of iron; FERRI-HAEMO-GLOB-in, haemoglobin in which the iron is normally in a ferrous state
FLAGELL-
‘whip’, ‘whip-like appendage’ (flagellum)
FLAGELL-ate; FLAGELL-um, a slender thread-like structure, especially a microscopic whip-like appendage which enables many protozoa, bacteria, spermatozoa, etc. to swim; FLAGELL-in, the structural protein of bacterial flagella
GLABR-
‘hairless’, ‘smooth’ (glaber)
GLABR-ous, free from hair or down, smooth (chiefly of the skin or a leaf); GLAB-ella, the smooth part of the forehead above and between the eyebrows
LIEN-
‘spleen’ (lien)
LIEN-al, pertaining to the spleen (applies to an artery, vein, or nerve plexus); GASTRO-LIEN-al, pertaining to the stomach and spleen
LONG-
‘long’ (longus)
LONGI-tude; LONGI-CORN, having long antennae, former term for longhorn beetle; LONGI-MAN-ous, long-handed
NAS-
‘nose’ (nasus)
NAS-al; NAS-al-ize; NASO-GASTR-ic, reaching or supplying the stomach via the nose; NASO-PHARYNX, the upper part of the pharynx, connecting with the nasal cavity above the soft palate
NUC-
‘nut’ (nux)
NUC-leus; NUC-le-ase, an enzyme that cleaves the chains of nucleotides in nucleic acids into smaller units; NUC-ellus, the central part of an ovule, containing the embryo sac; NUC-le-olus, a small dense spherical structure in the nucleus of a cell during interphase.
OS-, OR-
‘mouth’ (os)
OR-al; OS-culum, a large aperture in a sponge through which water is expelled; OS-CUL-ate, to kiss; OS-CUL-ar, relating to kissing (or to an osculum)
PALLI-
‘mantle’, ‘covering’ (pallium)
PALLI-um, (in zoology) the mantle of a mollusc or brachiopod, (in anatomy) the outer wall of the mammalian cerebrum, corresponding to the cerebral cortex; PALLI-ate, to make (a disease or its symptoms) less severe without removing the cause; PALLI-at-ive, relieving pain without dealing with the cause of the condition
PRON-
‘inclined’, ‘face-down’ (pronus)
prone, lying flat, especially face downwards; PRON-ator, a muscle whose contraction produces or assists in the pronation of a limb or part of a limb.
SAC(C)-
‘bag’, ‘sac’ (saccus)
SACC-ate, dilated to form a sac; SACC-ule (SACC-ulus), a small sac, pouch, or cyst
SIN(U)-
‘curve’, ‘hollow’, ‘cavity’ (sinus)
in-SINU-ate, suggest or hint in an indirect and unpleasant way; SINUS, a cavity within a bone or other tissue, especially one in the bones of the face or skull connecting with the nasal cavities; SINU-ate, having a wavy or sinuous margin; with alternate rounded notches and lobes; SINU-ous, having many curves and turns; SINUS-oid, a small irregularly shaped blood vessel found in certain organs, especially the liver
STA-, STAT-
‘to stand’
circumstance; distant; extant; instant; status; substance; STA-ble, not liable to undergo chemical decomposition, radioactive decay, or other physical change; STA-bile, stationary; DI-ST-al, situated away from the centre of the body or from the point of attachment
VITR-
‘glass’ (vitrum)
VITR-eous, like glass in appearance; VITR-esc-ent, capable of or susceptible to being turned into glass; VITR-eous HUM-our, the transparent jelly-like tissue filling the eyeball behind the lens (cf. aqueous humour); VITR-ectomy, the surgical operation of removing the vitreous humour from the eyeball
Roots, Part III
CALC-, CALCANE-
‘heel’ (calx; calcaneus)
CALC-aneus (pl. calcanei), the large bone forming the heel; CALC-aneal, pertaining to the heel bone; CALC-aneo-CAVUS, a type of talipes (a deformity of the foot)
CERVIC-
‘neck’ (cervix)
CERVIC-al, relating to the narrow neck-like passage forming the lower end of the womb (or simply relating to the neck); CERVIC-itis, inflammation of the neck of the womb; CERVICO-BRACHI-ALG-ia, condition in which pain extends from the cervical region to arms or fingers
CORP-, CORPUS-, CORPOR-
‘body’ (corpus)
CORPOR-al; in-CORPOR-al; CORPS; in-CORPOR-ate; CORPUS-cle, a minute body or cell in an organism, especially a red or white cell in the blood of vertebrates
COX-
‘hip’, ‘hip joint’ (coxa)
COXA, (in anatomy) the hip bone or hip joint; (in entomology) the first or basal segment of the leg of an insect); COX-ALG-ia, pain in the hip joint; EPI-COX-ite, a small process at the end of the toothed part of the coxa in insects
FIBUL-
‘clasp’, ‘brooch’ ‘outer bone of the leg’ (fibula)
FIBULA (pl. fibulae), the outer and usually smaller of the two bones between the knee and the ankle; in-FIBUL-ation, the controversial practice of excising the clitoris and labia of a girl or woman and stitching together the edges of the vulva to prevent sexual intercourse; para-FIBUL-ar, pertaining to an accessory element outside the fibula
FREN-
‘rein’, ‘bridle’ (frenum)
FREN-ulum or FREN-um, (in anatomy) a small fold or ridge of tissue which supports or checks the motion of the part to which it is attached, in particular a fold of skin beneath the tongue, or between the lip and the gum; (in entomology, applying to some moths and butterflies) a bristle or row of bristles on the edge of the hindwing which keeps it in contact with the forewing; FREN-ate, having a frenulum
NB: ‘frenzy’, ‘frenetic’ are from Greek PHREN-.
FURC-
‘fork’ (furca)
FURC-ate; TRI-FURC-ate, to divide into three branches or forks; furca (pl. furcae, an ingrowth of the thorax of many insects; FURC-ula, the wishbone of a bird.
FUS-
‘spindle’ (fusus)
FUSE-LAGE; FUS-illi, spindle-shaped pasta; FUS-arium, a mould of a large genus which includes a number that cause plant diseases, especially wilting; FUS-ee, a conical pulley or wheel, especially in a watch or clock
NB: Not to be confused with FUND-, FUS- (pour, melt), as in ‘fusion’, ‘fuse’.
FUSC-
‘dark’, ‘brown’, ‘tawny’ (fuscus)
ob-FUSC-ate, make obscure, unclear, or unintelligible; FUSC-ous, dark and sombre in colour; FUSC-in, a brown pigment in the retinal epithelium
GEMM-
‘bud’ (gemma)
GEM; GEMMA, a small cellular body or bud that can separate to form a new organism; GEMM-ation, asexual reproduction by the production of gemmae; budding; GEMM-ule, a tough-coated dormant cluster of embryonic cells produced by a freshwater sponge for development in more favourable conditions
GEN(U)-
‘knee’ (genu)
GENU-ine (with reference to the Roman custom of a father acknowledging paternity of a newborn child by placing it on his knee); GENU-FLECT; GENU, the knee; (in Anatomy and Biology) a part of certain structures resembling a knee, in particular a bend in the corpus callosum of mammals; GENI-cul-ate, bent at a sharp angle
GERM-, GERMIN-
‘sprout’, ‘bud’, ‘germ’ (germen)
GERM; GERM-ane; GERMIN-ate; GERM-icide, an agent that kills germs; GERMI-DUCT, the obiduct of a trematode (a parasitic flatworm)
MAL(E)-
‘bad’ (malus)
MALE-FACT-or; MALE-VOL-ent; MAL-FEAS-ance; MALE-DICT-ion; MAL-IGN; MAL-IGN-ant; MAL-PRACT-ice; MAL-ING-er, to pretend to be ill in order to escape duty or work; MAL-OCCLUS-ion, imperfect positioning of the teeth when the jaws are closed
NAR-
‘nostril’ (naris)
NARES, the nostrils; NARI-CORN, the horny part of the nostrils in Turbinares; NARI-form, shaped like nostrils
PAPILL-
‘nipple’ (papilla)
PAPILLA, a small rounded protuberance on a part or organ of the body; PAPILL-oma (pl. papillomas or papillomata), a small wart-like growth on the skin or on a mucous membrane, derived from the epidermis and usually benign
PECTIN-
‘comb’ (pecten)
PECTEN (pl. pectens or pectines), any of a number of comb-like structures occurring in animal bodies; PECTIN-ella, a comb-like membranella of some infusoria
PINN-, PENN-
‘feather’, ‘wing’, ‘fin’ (pinna; penna)
pen; pinnacle; PINNA (in anatomy and zoology) the external part of the ear in humans and other mammals; the auricle; (in botany) a primary division of a pinnate leaf, especially of a fern; (in zoology) any of a number of animal structures resembling fins or wings; BI-PENN-iform, feather-shaped, with sides of a vein of equal size; PINN-ule, a secondary division of a pinnate leaf, especially of a fern; (in zoology) a part or organ like a small wing or fin, especially a side branch on the arm of a crinoid
PULMO(N)-
‘lung’ (pulmo)
PULMON-ary or PULMON-ic, relating to the lungs; GASTO-PULMON-ary, pertaining to the stomach and the lungs
RAD-, RAS-, RAZ-
‘to scrape’
RAZE; RAZ-or; e-RAS-er; RAD-ula, (in a mollusc) a rasp-like structure of tiny teeth used for scraping food particles off a surface and drawing them into the mouth; RAST-er, a rectangular pattern of parallel scanning lines followed by the electron beam on a television screen or computer monitor
VAGIN-
‘sheath’ (vagina)
VAGINA, any sheath-like structure, especially a sheath formed round a stem by the base of a leaf; e-VAGIN-ate, (with reference to a tubular or pouch-shaped organ or structure) to turn or be turned inside out
Lecture 12
Based on Ayers (1972), chapters 38–40.
Roots, Part I
FACI-, (-FICI-)
‘face’, ‘surface’ (facies)
BI-FACI-al, applies to leaves with distinct upper and lower surfaces; CORONO-FACI-al, relating to the crown of the head and the face; inter-FACE, a surface which forms the boundary between two faces or systems; super-FICIES, outer surface
FRUG-, FRUCT-
‘fruit’ (frux)
FRUCTI-FIC-at-ion, fruit formation; FRUCT-ose, fruit sugar; FRUCT-esc-ence, the period of maturing of fruits
GEMIN-
‘twin’, ‘paired’ (geminus); GEMELL-, dimin. (gemellus)
GEMIN-ate, growing in pairs, paired; BI-GEMIN-ate, doubly paired, twin-forked; BI-GEMIN-y, the condition of occurring in pairs, or in cardiology, a premature beat coupled with each normal heartbeat
GEN-, GENIT-
‘to produce’, ‘to beget’; GENER-, ‘race’, ‘kind’ (genus)
pro-GENIT-or; con-GENI-al; con-GEN-er, a person, animal, plant or thing allied by origin, nature or function to another; GENIT-al; GENER-ic
GINGIV-
‘the gums’ (gingiva)
GINGIVA, the gums; LABIO-GINGIV-al, pertaining to the lips and gums
INCUD-
‘anvil’ (incus)
INCUS, the middle arc of the chain of ossicles in the ear, so named from its resemblance to an anvil; INCUD-ectomy, surgical removal of the incus
LUTE-
‘yellow’, ‘corpus luteum’ (luteus)
CORPUS LUTEUM, the yellow endocrine body formed in the ovary at the site of a ruptured Graafian follicle; LUTE-al, pertaining to the corpus luteum; LUTE-in, a yellow chemical isolated from egg yolk
MALLE-
‘hammer’ (malleus)
MALLEUS, one of the ossicles of the inner ear having the shape of a hammer; MALLE-at-ion, a spasmodic action of the hands, consisting of continuously striking any nearby object
NOD-
‘knot’ (nodus)
NODE, the knob or joint of a stem at which the leaves arise, or an aggregation of specialized cardiac cells, or any small rounded organ, knob or protuberance
OLE-
‘oil’ (oleum)
OLE-in, a fat which is liquid at ordinary temperatures, found in animal and vegetable tissues; OLEI-FER-ous, producing oil
ORB-, ORBIT-
‘circle’, ‘cavity of the eye’ (orbita)
ORB; ORB-it; ORB-icul-ate, nearly circular in outline (applies to leaves); ORBITO-MAL-ar, pertaining to orbit and malar bones
PALPEBR-
‘eyelid’ (palpebra)
PALPEBRA, either of the two movable folds that protect the eyeball; PALPEBR-ate, furnished with eyelids, or to wink
PEL(L)-, PULS-
‘to push’, ‘to drive’, ‘to beat’
re-PEL; ex-PULS-ion; PULS-at-ile, pulsating, throbbing; PULS-ellum, a flagellum situated at the posterior end of the protozoan body
PLUR-
‘more’, ‘many’ (plus)
PLUR-al-ity; PLURI-VOR-ous, living upon several hosts, as fungus; PLURI-LOC-ul-ar, having more than one compartment or loculus
SCAND- (-SCEND-), SCANS-
‘to climb’
a-SCEND; de-SCEND; SCANS-or-ius, the small, anterior gluteal muscle; SCANS-ores an order of birds having two toes before and two behind, such as parrots
SCOP-
‘broom’, ‘brush’ (scopa)
SCOP-ate, having a tuft of hair like a brush; SCOP-arius, a species of shrub commonly called broom-tops
SOLV-, SOLUT-
‘to loosen’, ‘to dissolve’
SOLUTE, the dissolved substance in a SOLUT-ion; ab-SOL-ute, free from admixture
STRI-
‘furrow’, ‘groove’, (stria)
STRIA, a streak or a line, a narrow, band-like structure; STRI-at-ure, striation, state of being striated, or the arrangement of striae
TEND-, TENS-, TENT-
‘to stretch’; TENDIN-, ‘tendon’ (tendo)
TENS-ion, the act of the stretching, the state of being stretched or strained; dis-TENS-ion, a state of dilation; TENS-or, a muscle that serves to make a part tense
VELL-, VULS-
‘to tear’
a-VULS-ion, the forcible tearing or wrenching away of a part, as a polyp or a limb; re-VULS-ion, the drawing, by irritation, of blood from a distant part of the body
Roots, Part II
ALVEOL-
‘cavity’, ‘hollow’ (alveolus)
ALVEOL-ar, relating to an alveolus; ALVEOL-us, a small cavity, pit, or hollow, in particular: any of the many tiny air sacs of the lungs which allow for rapid gaseous exchange; the bony socket for the root of a tooth; an acinus (sac-like cavity) in a gland; ALVEOL-ation, the formation of alveoli
ATRI-
‘entrance hall’, ‘room’ (atrium)
ATRI-um, each of the two upper cavities of the heart from which blood is passed to the ventricles; ATRIO-VENTR-icular, relating to the atrial and ventricular chambers of the heart, or the connection or coordination between them
AX-
‘axis’ (axis)
AX-ial, relating to or forming an axis; AB-AX-ial, facing away from the stem of a plant (in particular denoting the lower surface of a leaf); AD-AX-ial, facing towards the stem of a plant (in particular denoting the upper surface of a leaf); AXO-POD-ium, a pseudopodium with axial filament
BARB-
‘beard’ (barba)
barber; BARB-ule, a minute filament projecting from the barb of a feather; BARB-ate, bearded; BARBI-cel, a small process on a feather barbule
BIL-
‘bile’ (bilis)
BILI-ous, affected by or associated with nausea or vomiting; BILI-RUB-in, an orange-yellow pigment formed in the liver by the breakdown of haemoglobin and excreted in bile; BILI-VERD-in, a green pigment excreted in bile (the oxidized derivative of bilirubin); BILI-ary, relating to bile or the bile duct.
BRACT(E)-
‘thin plate’ (bractea)
BRACT, a modified leaf or scale, typically small, with a flower or flower cluster in its axil; BRACTE-ate, having or bearing bracts; BRACTE-ole, a small bract, esp. one on a floral stem
BURS-
‘bag’, ‘pouch’ (bursa)
bursary; bursar; disburse; reimburse; BURSA, a fluid-filled sac or sac-like cavity, especially one countering friction at a joint; BURS-itis, inflammation of a bursa, typically one in a shoulder joint; BURS-icle, a pouch-like receptacle
CLAV-
‘club’ (clava)
CLAV-ate or CLAV-iform, club-shaped; thicker at the apex than the base; ob-CLAV-ate, club-shaped and attached at the thicker end
EGO-
‘I’
egotism; egotistical; ALTER-EGO-ism, an altruistic feeling for only those who are in the same situation as oneself; EGO-mania, obsessive egotism or self-centredness; super-EGO, the part of a person’s mind that acts as a self-critical conscience, reflecting social standards learned from parents and teachers
ILE-
‘ileum’ (ileum)
ILEUM, the third portion of the small intestine, between the jejunum and the caecum; ILE-ac, pertaining to the ileum; ILEO-COL-ic, pertaining to the ileum and the colon
ILI-
‘flank, hip’ (ilium)
ILIO-CAUD-al, connecting the ilium and the tail (applies to the muscle); SACRO-ILI-ac, pertaining to the ilium and sacrum
LENT-
‘lentil’, ‘lens’ (lens)
LENT-ic-el, one of many raised pores in the stem of a woody plant that allows gas exchange between the atmosphere and the internal tissues; lenticular, shaped like a lentil, especially by being biconvex; relating to the lens of the eye; LENTI-GER-ous, furnished with a lens
PILE-
‘felt cap’ (pileus)
PILEUS, (in botany) the cap of a mushroom or toadstool; (in anatomy) one of the cerebellar hemispheres; the membrane which sometimes covers a child’s head at birth; PILE-ated, crested (e.g. pileated woodpecker)
SPIC-
‘point’, ‘spike’ (spica)
SPIC-ule or SPIC-ula, a small, spike-shaped bone; a needle-like body; SPIC-ate, spiked; SPIC-ulum, the dart of a snail
UNC-, UNCIN-
‘hook’ (uncus; uncinus)
ad-UNC-ate, crooked; bent in the form of a hook; UNCI-form, shaped like a hook or barb; UNCI-FER-ous, bearing hooks or hook-like processes; UNCIN-ula, a genus of mildew with hooked appendages
Roots, Part III
CAN-
‘white’, ‘grey’ (canus); CAND-, ‘to be glowing white’
candid; candidate; candour; in-CAND-esc-ent, emitting light as a result of being heated; CAN-ities, greyness or whiteness of the hair
CLAV-
‘key’, ‘collarbone’ (clavis)
enclave; exclave; clavichord; CLAV-icle, the collarbone; sub-CLAV-ian, under the clavicle; CLAVIC-ular, pertaining to the clavicle
CLIN-
‘to slope’, ‘to lean’ (KLIN- in Greek)
incline; decline; CLINO-CEPHA-ly, congenital flatness or concavity of the vertex of the head; syn-CLINE, a trough or fold of stratified rock in which the strata slope upwards from the axis
CREN-
‘notch’ (crena)
CREN-ate, having a round-toothed or scalloped edge (especially of a leaf or shell); CREN-ul-ate, having a finely scalloped or notched outline or edge (especially of a leaf, shell, or shoreline)
FAV-
‘honeycomb’ (favus)
FAV-ella, a conceptacle of certain red algae; FAV-eol-ate, honeycombed or alveolate; FAVUS, a distinctive type of tinea capitis characterized by the formation of honeycomb-like mats
FRONT-
‘forehead’, ‘front’ (frons)
FRONS (pl. frontes), the forehead or equivalent part of an animal, especially the middle part of an insect’s face between the eyes and above the clypeus; FRONT-al, relating to the forehead or front part of the skull; FRONT-al BONE, the bone which forms the front part of the skull and the upper part of the eye sockets; FRONT-ad, toward the frontal aspect; FRONTO-NAS-al, pertaining to the frontal sinus and the nose
FRUCTIC-
‘shrub’ (frutex)
FRUTEX, a shrub; FRUTIC-ose, (of a lichen) having upright or pendulous branches; FRUT-esc-ent, shrublike
INGUIN-
‘groin’ (inguen)
INGUIN-al, of the groin; ex-INGUIN-al, occurring outside the groin; INGUINO-DYN-ia, pain in the groin
LAN-
‘wool’ (lana)
LAN-OL-in, a fatty substance found naturally on sheep’s wool; LAN-UGO, fine, soft hair, especially that which covers the body and limbs of a human fetus; LAN-UG-inous, covered with down
LOB-
‘lobe’ (lobus)
LOBO-tomy, a surgical operation involving incision into the prefrontal lobe of the brain, formerly used to treat mental illness; LOB-ule, a small lobe; LOB-ular, pertaining to a lobule
LUMB-
‘loin’ (lumbus)
LUMB-ar, relating to the lower part of the back; LUMB-ago, pain in the muscles and joints of the lower back
NUD-
‘naked’ (nudus)
NUDI-BRANCHI-ate, having gills not covered by a protective shell or membrane; NUDI-CAUD-ate, having a tail not covered by hair or fur
PAR-
‘equal’ (par)
PAR-ity, the state or condition of being equal; PARI-VINC-ular, applies to the bivalve hinge ligament attached to nymphae; PARI-PINN-ate, pinnate without a terminal leaflet; dis-PAR-ate, not situated alike
TEMPOR-
‘the temples’ (tempora, pl.)
TEMPOR-al, (in anatomy) of or situated in the temples of the head; infra-TEMPOR-al, below the temporal fossa; PARIETO-TEMPOR-al, pertaining to the parietal and temporal bones or lobes; TEMPOR-al BONE, either of a pair of bones which form part of the side of the skull on each side and enclose the middle and inner ear; TEMPOR-al-is, a fan-shaped muscle which runs from the side of the skull to the back of the lower jaw and is involved in closing the mouth and chewing
VITELL-
‘yolk of an egg’ (vitellus)
VITELLUS, the yolk of an egg or ovum; VITELL-in, the chief protein constituent of egg yolk; VITELL-ine, relating to the yolk (or yolk sac) of an egg or embryo, or to yolk-producing organs; VITELL-ine MEMBRANE, a transparent membrane surrounding and secreted by the fertilized ovum, preventing the entry of further spermatozoa; VITELLO-GEN-in, a protein present in the blood, from which the substance of egg yolk is derived