Biology Prefixes - A

a- or an- [Greek a- and an- un-, non-] Negative, not (abiotic, acaulescent, acephalia, aphasia, asexual, atrophy, anorexia). Note: a- is used before consonants other than h (and sometimes even before h); before vowels, and usually before h, an- is used.

ab- [Latin ab departing from] Away from, outside of (abaxial).

abdomin- or ab- or abdomino- [from Latin abdomen] Denotes the abdomen (abdominogenital).

abro- [from Greek habros delicate] Delicate, graceful (Abrocoma = a genus of fine-haired, South American rodents).

ac- See: ad-.

acanth- or acantho- [from Greek akantha thorn] Thorn, spine, any sharp process (acanthoid).

acar- or acari- or acario- or acaro- [from Greek akari mite] Denotes ticks or mites (acarine, acarology).

accipitr- [Latin accipiter hawk] Denotes a bird of prey, usually goshawks or sparrowhawks (accipitral).

acet- or aceto- or acetyl- [from Latin acetum vinegar, sour wine] Vinegar, acid, acetic, acetyl (acetamide).

aci- Indicates the acid of a tautomeric compound.

acicul- [from Latin acicula small pin] Needle, needlelike (aciculate).

acipenser- [Latin acipenser sturgeon] Denotes sturgeon (Acipenseriformes).

acou- or acous- or acouso- or acoust- [from Greek akouein to hear] Denotes hearing (acoumeter).

acr- or acro- [from Greek akros uppermost] At the top or apex (acrogenous, acromion).

acrid- or acrido- [from Greek akris grasshopper] Denotes grasshopper(s) (Acrididae).

acromio- [from Greek akromion acromion] Denotes the acromion (acromiohumeral).

actin- or actino- [from Greek aktis ray] Having rays, radiating spines, or tentacles (Actinophrys).

acu- [from Latin acus needle, pin] With a needle (acupuncture, acusection).

acule- or aculeo- [from Latin aculeus sting, spine, thorn, prickle, point, spike] Stinging, prickly; prickle, thorn, spine (aculeolate).

acumin- [from Latin acumen sharpened point, spur; sting; peak] Pointed, sharp, tapering, stinging (acuminate).

acuti- or acuto- [from Latin acutus sharp, sharpened, pointed; severe; acute] Pointed, sharp, severe, acute (acutifoliate).

ad- [Latin ad to, up to, towards; near, at; on] Toward, at, on (adducent, adrenal). Note: ad- becomes ac- before c, k, or q (acclimation); af- before f (afferent); ag- before g (agglutinate); al- before l (rare); ap- before p (approximal); as- before s (rare); at- before t (rare).

aden- or adeno- [Greek aden gland] Denotes gland (adenocarcinoma).

adren- or adrenal- or adreno- [from Latin and renalis pertaining to the kidney] Denotes the adrenal gland (adrenosterone). See: ad-.

aer- or aeri- or aero- [from Greek aer air] Air (aerobic).

aequi- In taxonomic names: variant of equi.

aesthesi- See: (esthesi-).

aetio- See: (etio-).

af- See: ad-.

ag- See: ad-.

agr- or agri- or agrio- [from Latin ager field, farm] Denotes farming, fields, rusticity, or wildness (agriculture).

alb- or albi- or albid- or albu- [from Latin albus white, pale, fair, gray; bright, clear] White, pale, bright (albino).

alg- or alge- or alges- or algesi- or algesio- or algi- or algio- or algo- [from Greek algesia sense of pain] Denotes pain or sensitivity to pain (algesia).

all- or allo- [from Latin alius other, another; different, changed] Other, different, dissimilar, extraneous (allopolyploid).

alli- [from Latin allium garlic] Pertaining to the onion genus Allium.

alkal- or alkali- [Arabic al-qili ashes of saltwort] Alkali (alkaline).

amb- or ambi- [Latin ambo both] Both (ambilateral).

amethyst- [Greek amethystos amethyst] Lavender, purple (Lampornis amethystinus).

amid- or amido- Containing the amino group (—NH₂) group; generally in combination with a acid radical (amidine).

amin- or amino- Containing the amino group (—NH₂) group in combination with a non-acid radical (aminoacetic acid).

amnio- [from Greek amnion caul] Pertaining to the amnion (amniorrhexis).

ampel- [from Greek ampelos grapevine] Denotes vines, especially grapevines (ampelinum).

amph- or amphi- [from Greek amphoos around, on both sides] Around, on both sides (amphibian, amphimixis).

amphor- [from Greek amphoreus amphora] Shaped like an amphora, a type of ancient Grecian urn (amphorata).

ampl- [from Latin ampliare enlarge, augment, widen] In taxonomic names: large, ample (Syzygium_amplifolium).

amplexi- [from Latin amplecti surround, encircle, embrace, clasp] Clasping, grasping (amplexifoliate).

ampulla- [from Latin ampulla ampulla = a small bottle used by the Romans] Denotes a bladder or flask (ampullaceous).

amygdal- [from Latin amygdalum almond] Almond(s) (amygdaliferous).

amyl- [from Latin amylos unmilled] Starch (amylase).

an- See: a-

an- or ana- [from Greek ana up, on] up, upward (anabolic, anagenesis).

an- or ano- [from Latin anus anus] Pertaining to the anus (anorectal).

ancyl- or ancylo- or anchyl- or anchylo- See ankyl--.

andr- or andro- [from Greek andros genitive of aner, man] (1) of or pertaining to a man or men; male (androgen); (2) in plants, pertaining to the stamen.

anem- or anemo- [Greek anem wind] Denotes wind (anemochore).

angio- [from Greek angos vessel] Relating to blood or lymph vessels (angiorrhexis).

aniso- [from an- + iso-] Unequal, not uniform (anisogamy).

ankyl- or ankylo- or ancyl- or ancylo- or anchyl- or anchylo- [from Greek ankylos bent; the second sense of fusion from reference to the fused joints of crooked limbs] (1) bent, curved (Ancylostomatidae); (2) fusion, stiffness, growing together (ankylodactylia).

ano- See: an-.

ante- [Latin ante in front, in view; before, facing] Before, in front, forward (antepenultimate).

anter- or antero- [from Latin ante in front, in view; before, facing] Anterior (anteriad, anterolateral, anteroposterior).

anth- or antho- [from Greek anthos flower] (1) flower; (2) flowerlike (anthocyanin).

anthrac- or anthraco- [from Greek anthax coal, carbuncle] (1) coal (anthracosis); (2) anthrax-related.

anthrop- or anthropo- [from Greek anthropos human] Of or relating to human beings (anthropomorphism).

ant- or anti- [from Greek anti against] (1) against; (2) opposing (antienzyme); (2) neutralizing (antidote).

api- [from Latin apis bee] Bee (apiphobia).

apic- or apici- or apico- [from Latin apex, apicis point, top, summit; cap, crown] Tip, end, summit (apical).

apl- or aplo- See: haplo-.

aplano- [from Greek aplanes fixed] Non-mobile (aplanospore).

apo- or ap- or aph- [from Greek apo away from, off] Away from, off, detached; separate (apocarpous).

arachn- or arachno- [from Greek arachne spider] (1) spider(s) (arachnodactyly); (2) relating to the arachnoid membrane (arachnitis)

arch- or archo- [from Greek archos anus] Denotes the anus or rectum (archocele).

archa- or arche- or archeo- [from Greek arche beginning] Original, initial, at the beginning (archetype, archeokinetic).

arteri- or arterio- [from Greek arteria artery] Artery (arteriography, arteriogram).

arteriol- or arteriolo- [from arteri- + -ole] Arteriole (arteriolopathy).

arthr- or arthro- [from Greek arthron joint] Joint (arthritis).

as- See: ad-.

asc- or asci- or asco- [from Greek askos bag] bladder, sac, ascus (ascospore).

aster- or astero- or astro- [from Greek aster star] star, star-shaped (asteroidea, astrobiology).

asthen- or astheno- [from Greek asthenes weak] Denotes weakness or loss of strength (asthenia).

at- See: ad-.

atel- or atelo- [from Greek atelos imperfect, defective] Imperfect, incomplete, developmental or structural defect (atelopodia, atelorachidia).

ater- or atri- or atro- [from Latin ater black, dark] Black, dark (atriceps).

atri- or atrio- [from Latin atrium the main room of a Roman house] Relating to an atrium, usually of a heart (atrioventricular).

attico- [from Greek attikos upper part] Denotes the tympanic attic (atticitis).

atto- [from Danish atten eighteen] 10^-18 (attomole).

aur- or auri- or auro- [from Latin aurum gold] Gold, gold-colored (auric).

auri- or auricul- or auriculo- [from Latin auris ear] (1) relating to the ear, earlike (Auricula); (2) relating to an auricle of the heart (auriculoventricular).

austral- or australo- [from Latin australis southern] Southern (australopithecine).

aut- or auto- [from Greek autos same, self] Self (autolysis).

avi- [from Latin avis bird] Bird (aviculture).

axill- or axillo- [from Latin axilla side, armpit] Armpit (axillobifemoral).

az- or azo- [from a- + Greek zoe life; referring to the insufficiency of nitrogen alone to sustain life] (1) containing nitrogen (2) containing the group N=N bonded to carbon on both ends (azobenzene).