osteo-

Combining form of Ancient Greek ὀστέον (ostéon, “bone”).


milli-

milli- (multiplying the unit to which it is attached by 10⁻³)


im-

Assimilated form of in-, before b-/p-/m-.


in-

From Latin in-, a prefixation of in (“in, into”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁én.


in-

From Latin in- (“un-, not”), from Proto-Indo-European *n̥-, zero grade form of the sentence negative *ne.

used to denote negation or opposition or privation; un-; in-; a-


auto-

From Ancient Greek αὐτός (autós, “self”).

(highly productive) auto-, self- (regarding oneself; by oneself)

(highly productive) auto-, self- (automatic)


zoo-

From (combining form of) Ancient Greek ζῷον (zôion, “animal”).


micro-

From Ancient Greek μικρός (mikrós, “small”).


mega-

From Ancient Greek μέγας (mégas, “great, large, mighty”).


ambi-

From Latin ambi- (“both”), from ambo (“both”).


tetra-

From Ancient Greek τέτταρες (téttares), τέσσαρες (téssares, “four”).


anti-

From Ancient Greek ἀντι- (anti-, “against”).


mono-

From Ancient Greek μόνος (mónos, “alone, only, sole, single”).


penta-

Borrowed from Ancient Greek πεντα- (penta-), combining form of πέντε (pénte, “five”).


extra-

Borrowed from Latin extra. Doublet of stra-, which was inherited.


semi-

From Latin sēmi-, from Proto-Indo-European *sēmi (“half”).


necro-

From Ancient Greek νεκρός (nekrós, “dead”).


biblio-

From Ancient Greek βιβλίον (biblíon, “small book”).


aero-

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἀέρος (aéros), the genitive singular of ἀήρ (aḗr, “air”).


re-

Borrowed from Latin re-. The prefix re- is borrowed from Latin, while the variant ri- is inherited from Latin.


dodeca-

Borrowed from Ancient Greek δώδεκα (dṓdeka, “twelve”).


ecto-

From Ancient Greek ἐκτός (ektós, “outside”).


gastr-

(prevocalic) Alternative form of gastro-


franco-

Franco- (relating to France, the French or the Franks)


endo-

From Ancient Greek ἔνδον (éndon, “inner; internal”).


ferro-

forms terms relating to railways/railroads


gastro-

Coined based on Ancient Greek γαστήρ (gastḗr, “stomach”).


de-

de- + nuclearizzare (“to nuclearize”) → denuclearizzare (“to denuclearize”)

de- + grado (“grade”, “level”) → degradare (“to gradually diminish in height”)

de- + trarre (“to draw, extract”) → detrarre (“to subtract”)

de- + crescita (“growth”) → decrescita (“degrowth”)

de- + limitare (“to contain, restrict”) → delimitare (“to delimit”)

de- + carbossilazione (“carboxylation”) → decarbossilazione (“decarboxylation”)

(chemistry) denoting subtraction of one or more atoms, radicals or molecules:


an-

Alternative form of a- indicating lack or loss


dis-

From Latin dis-, from Proto-Indo-European *dwís. See also s-.

dis- + fare (“do”) → disfare (“undo”)

dis- + organizzare (“organize”) → disorganizzare (“disorganize”)


di-

From Latin de- (“indicating removal or descent”).


con-

Inherited from Latin con-, from cum (“with”).


proto-

From Ancient Greek πρωτο- (prōto-), combining form of πρῶτος (prôtos, “first”), superlative of πρό (pró, “before”).


s-

In most cases, this prefix stems from Latin ex- (see ex). In some cases, it stems from Latin dis-.

s- + fatto (“done”, “made”) → sfatto (“(of a bed) unmade”)

used to form words that have an opposing sense: un-, in-

s- + gancio (“hook”) → sganciare (“to unhook”)

s- + borsa (“bag”) → sborsare (“to disburse”)

used to form verbs that have a sense of undoing an action: de-, dis-, un-

s- + bocca (“mouth”) → sboccato (“foul-mouthed”)

s- + buco (“hole”) → sbucare (“to pop out”)

s- + confine (“boundary”) → sconfinare (“to stray away from”)

used to form verbs with a sense of exit, separation: dis-, ex-, trans-

s- + buccia (“skin”, “peel”) → sbucciare (“to peel”)

s- + fame (“hunger”) → sfamare (“to feed”, “to satiate”)

s- + bianco (“white”) → sbiancare (“to whiten or bleach”)

s- + gocciola (“droplet”) → sgocciolare (“to drip”)

used to derive verbs from a noun, adjective or verb

s- + cacciare (“to hunt”, “to drive away”) → scacciare (“to expel”, “to drive away”)

discendere (“to descend”) → scendere


lipo-

From Ancient Greek λῐ́πος (lípos, “animal fat”).


emo-

Borrowed from Ancient Greek αἱμο- (haimo-), from αἷμα (haîma, “blood”).


iso-

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἴσος (ísos, “equal”).


caco-

From Ancient Greek κακός (kakós, “bad”).


masto-

From Ancient Greek μαστός (mastós, “breast”).


trans-

Borrowed from Latin trāns (“across, on the far side, beyond”). Doublet of tra-, which was inherited.


copro-

From Ancient Greek κόπρος (kópros, “excrement”).


acro-

From Ancient Greek ἄκρος (ákros, “highest”).


mis-

Probably a confluence of Latin minus and Old High German missa-.

mis- + credere (“to believe”) → miscredere (“to disbelieve”)

mis- + fatto (“fact; deed”) → misfatto (“misdeed”)


pro-

Borrowed from Latin prō (“in front of”).


cosmo-

From Ancient Greek κόσμος (kósmos, “universe”).


vaso-

(medicine, pathology) vaso- (pertaining to blood vessels or the vascular system)


post-

pos-

before t, or before any consonant in commonly used words

forms terms relating to post / mail (especially in Swiss Italian)


oligo-

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ὀλίγος (olígos, “few”).


omo-

From Ancient Greek ὁμός (homós, “same”).


i-

Assimilated form of in-, before s- + consonant.


idro-

From Ancient Greek ὑδρο- (hudro-), from ὕδωρ (húdōr, “water”).


areo-

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἀραιός (araiós).


cloro-

From Ancient Greek χλωρός (khlōrós, “pale green”).


macro-

From Ancient Greek μακρός (makrós, “long”).


chilo-

From Ancient Greek χίλιοι (khílioi, “one thousand”).


peri-

From Ancient Greek περί (perí, “about, around”).


ana-

ana- (almost always words of Greek origin)

(chemistry) ana- (derived from naphthalene or quinoline)


supra-

Learned borrowing from Latin suprā- (“above, over, beyond”).


stereo-

From Ancient Greek στερεο- (stereo-), combining form of στερεός (stereós, “firm, solid”).


cardio-

From Ancient Greek καρδία (kardía, “heart”).


angio-

(anatomy, medicine) angio- (relating to blood vessels or lymph vessels)


sino-

From Medieval Latin Sina (“China”), from Latin Sinae (“the Southern Chinese; Southern China”), from Ancient Greek Σῖναι (Sînai), q.v. Doublet of cino-.


megalo-

Borrowed from Ancient Greek μεγάλος (megálos), from μέγας (mégas).


ipsi-

From Ancient Greek ὕψι (húpsi, “on high”).


entomo-

From Ancient Greek ἔντομος (éntomos, “dissected”).


laparo-

From Ancient Greek λαπάρα (lapára, “flank”), from λαπαρός (laparós, “slack, weak, hollow”).


chiro-

Borrowed from New Latin chiro-, from Ancient Greek χείρ (kheír, “hand”).


bin-

Alternative form of bi- (sometimes used before a vowel)


aniso-

From Ancient Greek ἄνισος (ánisos, “unequal”).


foto-

From Ancient Greek φωτο- (phōto-), from φῶς (phôs, “light”).


dendro-

From Ancient Greek δένδρον (déndron, “tree”).


ri-

From Latin re-. The prefix ri- is inherited from Latin, while the variant re- is borrowed from Latin.


cata-

From Latin cata-, from Ancient Greek κατά (katá, “under”).


so-

so- + gola (“throat”) → soggolare (“to fit with a wimple”)

so- + reggere (“to bear; to hold”) → sorreggere (“to support, sustain”)

so- + friggere (“to fry”) → soffriggere (“to fry slowly with moderate heat”)

so- + bollire (“to boil”) → sobbollire (“to simmer”)

so- + fermare (“to stop”) → soffermare (“to linger”)

used in the formation of verbs where the root action is attenuated


lepido-

Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek λεπίς, λεπίδος (lepís, lepídos, “scale”).

lbor

λεπίς, λεπίδος


poli-

From Ancient Greek πολύς (polús, “many, much”).


tardo-

late (relating to the final stages of a historical period)


psico-

From Ancient Greek ψυχή (psukhḗ, “soul”).


sovra-

From Vulgar Latin *subrā, a variant of suprā either through intervocalic voicing or influenced by sub. Doublet of sopra- and sor-.


esa-

From Latin hexa-, from Ancient Greek ἑξα- (hexa-), from ἕξ (héx, “six”).


bis-

bis- + croma (“quaver”) → biscroma (“demisemiquaver”)

bis- + nonno (“grandfather”) → bisnonno (“great-grandfather”)


bis-

bis- + unto (“oily, greasy”) → bisunto (“very oily or greasy”)

used with adjectives or verbs to denote a generic pejorative connotation


elio-

Representing a combining form of Ancient Greek ἥλιος (hḗlios, “sun”).


xilo-

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ξύλον (xúlon, “wood”).


crono-

From Ancient Greek χρόνος (khrónos, “time”).


crono-

From Ancient Greek Κρόνος (Krónos, “Cronus”).

crono- + secante → cronosecante


alo-

From Ancient Greek ἅλς (háls), ἁλός (halós, “salt”).


anfi-

amphi- (Note. Words are either of Greek or Latin derivation)


anemo-

From Ancient Greek ἄνεμος (ánemos, “wind”).


anto-

From Ancient Greek ἄνθος (ánthos, “flower”).


criso-

From Ancient Greek χρυσός (khrusós, “gold”).


lito-

From Ancient Greek λίθος (líthos, “stone”).


scia-

Borrowed from Ancient Greek σκῐά (skiá, “shade”).


antropo-

Combining form of Ancient Greek ἄνθρωπος (ánthrōpos, “man, human”).


carcino-

From Ancient Greek καρκίνος (karkínos, “crab”).


glico-

From Ancient Greek γλυκύς (glukús, “sweet”).


cito-

From Ancient Greek κύτος (kútos, “vessel, container”).


morfo-

Borrowed from Ancient Greek μορφο- (morpho-) and -μορφος (-morphos), from μορφή (morphḗ, “form, shape”).


ittio-

From Ancient Greek ἰχθύς (ikhthús, “fish”).


noso-

From Ancient Greek νόσος (nósos, “disease”).


orto-

From Ancient Greek ὀρθο- (ortho-), combining form of ὀρθός (orthós, “straight, upright, erect”).


crio-

From Ancient Greek κρύος (krúos, “cold, frost, ice”).


termo-

From Ancient Greek θερμός (thermós, “warm, hot”).


pedo-

From Ancient Greek παῖς (paîs, “child”).


pedo-

From Ancient Greek πέδον (pédon, “ground”).


galatto-

From Ancient Greek stem γάλακτ- (gálakt-) of γάλα (gála, “milk, milky sap, the Milky Way”).


ipno-

From Ancient Greek ὕπνος (húpnos, “sleep”).


mio-

From combining form of Ancient Greek μῦς (mûs, “mouse; muscle”).


trico-

From Ancient Greek θρίξ (thríx, “hair”).


piro-

From Ancient Greek πυρο- (puro-), combining form of πῦρ (pûr, “fire”).


rino-

Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek ῥινός (rhinós), genitive of ῥίς (rhís, “nose”).


artro-

From Ancient Greek ἄρθρον (árthron, “a joint”).


cino-

From Ancient Greek κυνός (kunós, “dog”).


cino-

Back-formation from cinese (“Chinese”), from Cina + -ese. Doublet of sino-.


condro-

From Ancient Greek χόνδρος (khóndros, “grain; cartilage”).


austro-

From Latin Austria, a Latinization of Old High German Ostarrîchi.


calli-

From Ancient Greek κάλλος (kállos, “beauty”).


callo-

Alternative form of calli- (“beautiful”)


carpo-

(anatomy) forms terms concerning the bones of the wrist


ceno-

From Ancient Greek καινός (kainós, “new, recent”).


centro-

centro- + africano → centroafricano (“Central African”)

centro- + europeo → centroeuropeo (“Central European”)


chemio-

chemo- (related to chemical substances or reactions)


cine-

cine-; forms words relating to the cinema or cinematography


circon-

Semi-learned borrowing from Latin circum-.


clado-

Borrowed from Ancient Greek κλάδος (kládos, “shoot, branch”).


coleo-

(sciences) having the shape of a sheath or case


carto-

forms terms relating to paper or card/cards


dattilo-

From Latin dactylo-, derived from Ancient Greek δάκτυλος (dáktulos, “finger”).


cripto-

From Ancient Greek κρυπτός (kruptós, “hidden, secret”).


desmo-

From Ancient Greek δεσμός (desmós, “band, connection”).

uder

desmo- (forms terms relating to bonds, adhesion or ligaments)


dolico-

From Ancient Greek δολιχός (dolikhós, “long”).


dermato-

From Ancient Greek δέρματο- (dérmato-), combining form of δέρμα (dérma, “skin”).


epato-

From the Ancient Greek ἠπᾰτ- (ēpat-), the stem of ἧπᾰρ (hêpar, “liver”).


eno-

From Ancient Greek οἶνος (oînos, “wine”).

oeno- (used to form terms related to grapes or wine)


erio-

From Ancient Greek ἔριον (érion, “wool”).

used to form terms relating to wool or other fibres


eroto-

From Ancient Greek Ἔρωτος (Érōtos), genitive of Ἔρως (Érōs, “Eros”).


estesio-

esthesio- / aesthesio- (forming terms related to sensation or perception)


fanta-

used to form terms relating to fiction or to fantasy


aden-

(before vowels) Alternative form of adeno-


fito-

From Ancient Greek φυτόν (phutón, “plant”).


adeno-

From Ancient Greek ἀδήν (adḗn, “gland”).


fisio-

From Ancient Greek φύσις (phúsis, “nature”).


flebo-

From Ancient Greek φλέψ (phléps, “vein”).


fuori-

fuori- + moda (“fashion”) → fuorimoda (“out of fashion”)

fuori- + misura (“size”) → fuorimisura (“outsized”)

used to form terms meaning outside of or beyond something


geronto-

geronto- (Forms terms related to old age or the elderly)


igro-

From Ancient Greek ὑγρός (hugrós, “wet”, “moist”).


gonio-

used to form terms relating to (the measurement of) angles


gono-

From Ancient Greek γόνος (gónos, “genitals”).

used to form terms relating to sexual reproduction


gravi-

forms terms relating to weight, and thus to both gravity and pregnancy


icono-

forms terms relating to images or to icons


iatro-

From Ancient Greek ἰατρός (iatrós, “doctor”).


iero-

From Ancient Greek ἱερός (hierós, “sacred, holy”).


intro-

forms words relating to in, into or inward


ippo-

From Ancient Greek ἵππος (híppos, “horse”).

hippo- (forming terms relating to horse)


ipso-

From Ancient Greek ὕψος (húpsos, “height, peak”).


leuco-

From Ancient Greek λευκός (leukós, “white”).


malaco-

From Ancient Greek μαλακός (malakós, “soft”).

(biology) forms terms relating to molluscs


oftalmo-

From Ancient Greek ὀφθαλμός (ophthalmós, “eye”).


olig-

Alternative form of oligo-, used before a vowel


oltr-

Alternative form of oltre- (used before a vowel)


oltre-

confine (“border”) + oltre- → oltreconfine (“abroad”)

umano (“human”) + oltre- → oltreumano (“superhuman”)

used to form terms with the meaning of "over" or "beyond."


oro-

From Latin ōs (“mouth”, oblique stem ōr-).


oro-

From Ancient Greek ὄρος (óros, “mountain”).


palin-

forms terms, of Greek origin, related to repetition or recapitulation


simil-

(relational) imitation; fake, artificial


plani-

used to form terms relating to plane figures


scafo-

scapho- (shaped like the hull of a ship)


sapro-

From Ancient Greek σαπρός (saprós, “putrid”).

forms terms relating to dead or decaying material


sopr-

Alternative form of sopra-, used before some vowels


sopra-

Inherited from Latin supra-. Doublet of sovra- and more or less a of sor-.


sott-

Alternative form of sotto- (used before some vowels)


steno-

From Ancient Greek στενός (stenós, “narrow”).


tachi-

From Ancient Greek ταχύς (takhús, “swift”).


nucleo-

(biochemistry, cytology) nucleo- (pertaining to the cell nucleus or to nucleic acid)


xero-

From Ancient Greek ξηρός (xērós, “dry”).


strepto-

From Ancient Greek στρεπτός (streptós, “twisted”).


tra-

From Latin trāns (“across, beyond”), from Proto-Indo-European *terh₂- (“through, throughout, over”). Doublet of trans-.


stra-

From Latin extrā (“outside of, beyond”).

stra- + ricco (“rich”) → straricco (“filthy rich”)

prefix used to indicate excessiveness, exaggeration


prano-

faith healing (by the laying on of hands)


palato-

From palato (“palate”, “roof of the mouth”).

(anatomy) palato-; pertaining to the palate

(linguistics, phonetics) palato-; articulated on the palate


nemato-

From Ancient Greek νῆματος (nêmatos, “thread”).


plagio-

From Ancient Greek πλάγιος (plágios, “oblique”).


scoto-

From Ancient Greek σκότος (skótos, “darkness”).


pos-

pos- + domani (“tomorrow”) → posdomani (“the day after tomorrow, overmorrow”)


melano-

From Ancient Greek μέλας (mélas, “black”), (genitive μέλανος (mélanos)).


nict-

Alternative form of nicto- used before a vowel


protero-

From Ancient Greek πρότερος (próteros, “anterior”).


onfalo-

From Ancient Greek ὀμφαλός (omphalós, “navel”).


sor-

Borrowed from Old French sor-. More or less a doublet of sopra-.


tossico-

related to poison or any other harmful substance


farmaco-

From Ancient Greek φάρμακον (phármakon).


nipio-

paedo-/pedo- (related to children or infants)


onico-

From Ancient Greek ὄνυχος (ónukhos), genitive singular of ὄνυξ (ónux, “claw, nail, hoof”).

onycho- (Forms words relating to nails (fingernails or toenails) or claws)


icno-

Internationalism, from Ancient Greek ἴχνος (íkhnos, “footprint”).


vetero-

From Latin vetus (“old”) (genitive veteris).

original or old-fashioned (used, especially, in a religious or political context)


cristo-

From Cristo (“Christ”), from Latin Christus, from Ancient Greek Χριστός (Khristós), proper noun use of χριστός (khristós, “the anointed one”).

pertaining to Christ or Christianity; Christo-


dici-

somewhat equivalent to -teen (used to form cardinal numbers from 17 to 19)


melo-

From Ancient Greek μέλος (mélos, “limb; musical phrase, melody, song”).


ammo-

From Ancient Greek ἄμμος (ámmos, “sand”).


picro-

From Ancient Greek πικρός (pikrós, “bitter”).


mirmeco-

From Ancient Greek μύρμηξ (múrmēx, “ant”).


avio-

avio- + truppa (“troop”) → aviotruppa (“airborne troop”)

avio- + trasportare (“to carry, transport”) → aviotrasportare (“to transport by air”)

denoting connection to aircraft and aerial navigation in general; aero-


sclero-

From Ancient Greek σκληρός (sklērós, “hard”).


bleno-

From Ancient Greek βλέννα (blénna, “pus, mucus”).

uder

used to form terms relating to pus or mucus


belone-

From Ancient Greek βελόνη (belónē, “needle”).

belone- (forms terms relating to needles)


lombo-

lombo- + sacrale (“pertaining to the sacrum”) → lombosacrale (“lumbosacral”)

(anatomy) related to the lower back or loin; lumbo-


isco-

From Ancient Greek ἴσχο- (ískho-), derived from ἴσχω (ískhō, “I restrain, hold”).


stibo-

From stibio-, itself derived from Latin stibium (“antimony”).


ra-

From a confluence of Latin re- (“again”) and ad- (“towards”).

ra- + freddo (“cold, cool”) → raffreddare (“to cool down”)

ra- + sereno (“serene; (of weather) calm”) → rasserenare (“to calm; (of weather) to clear up”)

used in the formation of verbs with an intensive or iterative sense


rizo-

From Ancient Greek ῥίζα (rhíza, “root”).


orchio-

orchio- + -tomia (“-tomy, incision”) → orchiotomia (“incision of the testicle(s)”)


orchido-

orchido- + -pessia (“-pexy, fastening”) → orchidopessia (“orchidopexy”)


orchi-

From Ancient Greek ὄρχις (órkhis, “testicle”).

der

orchi- + -algia (“-algia, pain”) → orchialgia (“pain in the testicles”)

orchi- + -ectomia (“-ectomy, excision”) → orchiectomia (“removal of one or both testicles”)

(medicine) used to derive words pertaining to testicles


rabdo-

From Ancient Greek ῥάβδος (rhábdos, “rod”).


mielo-

From Ancient Greek μυελός (muelós, “marrow”).


trombo-

From Ancient Greek θρόμβος (thrómbos, “lump, clot, curd”).


nicto-

From Ancient Greek νυκτός (nuktós, “night”).


bdello-

From Ancient Greek βδέλλα (bdélla, “leech”).


acanto-

From Ancient Greek ἄκανθα (ákantha, “thorn”).


pecilo-

From Ancient Greek ποικίλος (poikílos, “multi-colored”).

(sciences) poikilo-
(sciences) variegated, multicolored

(sciences, by extension) of various aspects or kinds


eredo-

From erede (“heir”), eredità (“inheritance”).


istio-

From Ancient Greek ἱστίον (histíon, “tissue”).


meio-

From Ancient Greek μεῖον (meîon, “less”).

meio- + -cardia (“heart condition”) → meiocardia (“maximum decrease in volume of the heart cavity”)

meio- + Ancient Greek πράσσειν (prássein, “to do”) → meiopragia (“reduction in the functional activity of an organ”)

meio- + Ancient Greek πτερόν (pterón, “wing”) → meiotterismo (“reduction of wings in the development of insects”)

used in scientific and medical terms to indicate diminution


pero-

From Ancient Greek πηρός (pērós, “maimed”).

(medicine) indicates a congenital anomaly characterized by the lack of a body part


fillo-

From Ancient Greek φύλλον (phúllon, “leaf”).


troglo-

From Ancient Greek τρώγλη (trṓglē, “cave”).


pinaco-

Borrowed from Ancient Greek πίνακο- (pínako-, “board, plate, picture”).

bor+

pinaco-, used to form words related to paintings, pictures, or things with a flat shape


solf-

Alternative form of solfo- found before vowels


oreo-

From Ancient Greek ὄρος (óros, “mountain”, oblique stem ὄρεο- (óreo-)).

der

oblique stem <i class="Polyt mention" lang="grc">ὄρεο-</i> (óreo-)