There are many Greek prefixes which are used in English. Some appear in common vocabulary words, while others only appear in technical and scientific terminology.
Check the box below to display only the common Greek prefixes.
Showing Greek prefixes
Greek prefixes starting with A
acanth- is a Greek prefix which is mostly used in botany and zoology. It comes from the ancient Greek word akantha (ἄκανθα) meaning thorn.
acaro- : from « akari » (ἄκαρι) meaning “mite” or “tick” (a minuscule insect).
acro- : this prefix comes from the Greek word akros (ἄκρος) which means "at the extremity” or “peak”. Examples of English words with this prefix are acronym and acrobat
actino- : this Greek prefix appears mostly in technical words from biology. It comes from the Greek word aktis (ἀκτίς) meaning “ray”, or “radial”. An example word with this prefix is actinomorphic (a flower with petals arranged in radial symmetry).
adeno- is a prefix which comes from the Greek word aden (ἀδήν) meaning “gland”.
aeolo- : from « aiolos » (αἰόλος) meaning “moving” or “changing”.
aero- : from « aer » (ἀήρ) meaning “air”. This Greek prefix appears in many English vocabulary words, for example: aerobic, aerospace and aerosol.
aesthesio- : from « aesthetes » (αἰσθητής) meaning “one who perceives”.
ailuro- : this prefix comes from the Greek word ailouros (αἴλουρος) which means “cat”. Ailurophobe and ailurophilia are examples of English vocabulary words containing this prefix.
aleuro- : from « aleuron » (ἄλευρον) meaning “flour”. This Greek prefix is only found in very technical terms, such as aleurone (a protein found in cereals).
allo- is a Greek prefix derived from the word allos (ἄλλος) meaning “other”. allosteric, allophone and allotrope are examples of English words which contain this prefix.
amnio- : from « amnion » (ἀμνίον) meaning “membrane”.
ampelo- : a rather rare prefix which is derived from the Greek word ampelos (ἄμπελος) meaning “vine”. This prefix appears in English words such as ampelographer
amphi- is derived from the Greek word amphi (ἀμφί) which means “on both sides”. Some examples of English words containing this prefix are amphibian and amphitheatre.
ana- : from « ana » (ἀνά) meaning “above” or “throughout”. Some examples of vocabulary words with this prefix are analysis, analogy and analogous.
andro- is a Greek prefix which can mean either “human” or “male”. It is derived from the Greek word andros ( ἀνδρός). An example word formed with this prefix is android (a robot which looks like a human). In the case of the word androgen, the meaning of the prefix is man (instead of human).
anemo- is a Greek prefix which means “wind”. It is derived from the ancient Greek word anemos (ἄνεμος) meaning “wind”. Anemometer and anemone are English words containing the prefix anemo.
angio- is a Greek prefix which means “relating to blood vessels”. It comes from the Greek word « angeion » (ἀγγεῖον) meaning “urn” or “pot”.
aniso- : from « anisos » (ἄνισος) meaning “unequal”. This Greek prefix is only found in very technical terms, such as anisogamy and anisotropic.
antho- : from « anthos » (ἄνθος) meaning “flower”. Some examples of vocabulary words with this prefix are anthocyanin and anthophila.
anthropo- : from « anthropos » (ἄνθρωπος) meaning “man” or “human”. Some examples of vocabulary words with this prefix are anthropology, anthropomorphic and anthropocentric.
anti- : from « anti- » (ἀντι-) meaning “against”. Some examples of vocabulary words with this prefix are antioxidant, antidote and antithesis.
apeiro- : from « apeiros » (ἄπειρος) meaning “infinite” or “boundless”.
apo- : from « apo » (ἀπό) meaning “from” or “away from”. Some examples of vocabulary words with this prefix are apology, apocalyptic and apoptosis.
arachno- : this Greek prefix means “spider”. It comes from the ancient Greek word arakhnē (ἀράχνη) meaning “spider”. The prefix arachno- appears in English vocabulary words such as arachnid, arachnologist and arachnophobia.
archaeo- this prefix means “ancient” or “primitive”, and is derived from the Greek word arkhaîos (ἀρχαῖος). Some examples of vocabulary words with this prefix are archaeology and archaeopteryx.
archi- : from « arkhi- » (ἀρχι-) meaning “chief” or “leading”. An example of a vocabulary word with this prefix is architect which etymologically means “chief builder”.
areo- : this prefix should not be confused with “aero-”. It from « Ares » (Ἄρης) meaning “Mars” (the planet). Some examples of vocabulary words with this prefix are areostationary and areology.
argyr- is a Greek prefix which only appears in rare words like scientific names (genuses) insects. This prefix means “silver” and comes from the Greek word arguros (ἄργῠρος).
aristo- : from « aristos » (ἄριστος) meaning “best”. Some examples of vocabulary words with this prefix are aristocracy and aristotle (the second part of this name is “telos” which means “completion”).
arithmo- comes from the Greek word arithmos (ἀριθμός) which relates to numbers and arithmetic. This Greek prefix appears in vocabulary words such as arithmomania and arithmophobia.
arteri- is a Greek prefix which comes from the word « arteria » (ἀρτηρία) which means “artery”.
arthro- comes from the Greek word arthron (ἄρθρον) which means “joint” or “articulation”. An example of a vocabulary word with this prefix is arthropod.
astro- : appearing in words such as astronomy and astronaut, astro- is a Greek prefix which comes from the word astron (ἄστρον) meaning “celestial body”.
athero- is a Greek prefix which comes from the word « athera » (ἀθήρα) which means “gruel”.
auto- : from « auto- » (αὐτο-) meaning “self-”. Some examples of vocabulary words with this prefix are autonomous, autobiography and autograph.
axo- : from « axon » (ἄξων) meaning “axis”.
Greek prefixes starting with B
baro- : from « baros » (βάρος) meaning “weight”. An example of a vocabulary word with this prefix is barometer.
bary- comes from the Greek word barus (βαρύς) which means “heavy”. Barycenter (center of mass) is an example of a word starting with this prefix.
batho- : from « bathus » (βαθύς) meaning “deep”. Some examples of words containing this prefix are batholith and also Bathophilus nigerrimus (a deep sea dragonfish).
bathy- comes from the ancient Greek word bathus (βαθύς) which means “deep”. Example words with this prefix are bathymetry (measuring sea depth), and the adjective bathyal which refers to the ocean bottom.
biblio- : from « biblion » (βιβλίον) meaning “paper” or “document”. Some examples of vocabulary words with this prefix are bibliography and bibliophile.
bio- : from « bios » (βίος) meaning “life”. This is a very common Greek prefix which appears for example in the English words biography and biology
blasto- from « blastos » (βλαστός) meaning “sprout”
blepharo- is a Greek prefix which means “eyelid”. Etymologically, it comes from the ancient Greek word blepharon (βλέφαρον) which means “eyelid”.
boreo- is a Greek prefix which comes from the word « boreas » (Βορέᾱς) which means “the north”. An example of a word containing this prefix is aurora borealis, or polar lights.
brachy- is a Greek prefix which means “short”. Etymologically, it comes from the ancient Greek word brakhus (βραχύς) meaning “short”.
brady- is a Greek prefix which means “slow”. It comes from the ancient Greek word bradus (βραδύς) meaning “slow”. For example, the word bradypus (the prefix “brady” meaning “slow”, combined with the suffix “pus” meaning “foot”) is a biological genus which includes some species of sloths.
branchio- is a prefix which relates to the breathing system of fish (gill). It is derived from the ancient Greek word brankhion (βράγχιον) meaning “gill”.
brepho- : from « brephos » (βρέφος) meaning “baby”.
bronto- : from « bronte » (βροντή) meaning “thunder”. An example of a vocabulary word with this prefix is brontosaurus.
bryo- : from « bruon » (βρύον) meaning “moss”.
but- is a Greek prefix used in chemistry, which appears in words such as butane and butyl. It indicates the presence of a chain with 4 carbone atoms. Etymologically, this prefix comes from the Greek word bouturos (βούτυρος) meaning “butter”.
Greek prefixes starting with C
caco- : The most common English word with this prefix is cacophony which is a discordant combination of sounds. The prefix caco- simply means bad. It comes from the ancient Greek word kakos (κᾰκός) which means bad, ugly or vile.
calli- : from « kallos » (κάλλος) meaning “beauty”. The best know example of a word containing this suffix is calligraphy, but this suffix also appears in the scientific names of some species of plants and insects.
capno- : from « kapnos » (καπνός) meaning “smoke”.
carcino- : this Greek prefix comes from the word karkinos (καρκίνος) meaning “crab”.
cardio- : this is a commonly used Greek prefix. Etymologically, it is derived from the Greek word kardia (καρδία) meaning “heart”.
carpo- is a Greek prefix which is derived from the word karpos (καρπός) meaning “wrist”.
cata- : from « kata » (κατά) meaning “downwards”. Some examples of vocabulary words formed with this Greek prefix are catalog, catastrophic and catalysis.
ceno- is not one of the most common Greek prefixes. It comes from the word kainos (καινός) meaning recent or new. An example English word with this prefix is cenozoic which is the geological era starting 65 million years ago and going up to the present time.
cephalo- from « kephale » (κεφαλή) meaning “head”. An example of a word containing this prefix is cephalopod.
cerauno- : from « keraunos » (κεραυνός) meaning “lightning, thunderbolt”.
chalco- : from « khalkos » (χαλκός) meaning “copper”.
cheilo- comes from the Greek word kheîlos (χεῖλος) meaning “lip”.
chilia- comes from the Greek word khilioi (χίλιοι) meaning “thousand”.
chion- is a prefix which comes from the Greek word khion (χιών) which means “snow”. This is one of those Greek prefixes which is rarely used outside of some scientific names of plants or animals.
chiro- is a Greek prefix derived from the word kheir (χείρ) which means “hand”. One of the more common English vocabulary words containing this prefix is chiropractor.
chlamydo- : from « khlamus » (χλαμύς) meaning “cloak” or “mantle”.
chloro- : from « khloros » (χλωρός) meaning “pale green”.
choano- : from « khoane » (χοάνη) meaning “funnel”.
chole- this prefix comes from the Greek word for bile, which is khole (χολή). A common English vocabulary word containing this prefix is cholesterol.
chondro- : from « khondros » (χόνδρος) meaning “grain” or “cartilage”.
chromato- is a common Greek prefix which comes from the word khroma (χρῶμα) meaning “color”.
chromo- : from « khroma » (χρῶμα) meaning “color”.
chrono- is a very common Greek prefix which means “time”. It is derived from the word khronos (χρόνος) and appears in some widely used English vocabulary words such as chronological and chronometer
chryso- : derived from the ancient Greek word khrusos (χρυσός) meaning “gold”, this prefix appears mostly in biology-related vocabulary words, for example chrysalis.
clado- is derived from the Greek word klados (κλάδος) meaning “branch”. This is one of those Greek prefixes which is rarely used outside of highly specialized botanical and biological words.
clino- is a Greek prefix which mostly appears in chemistry-related words. It means “sloped” or “having an angle”, and is derived from the Greek verb klinō (κλίνω) which means “to bend” or “to lean”.
coen- : a Greek prefix which means “common”. Etymologically, it comes from the word koinos (κοινός) meaning “common”. This prefix is mostly found in the scientific names of plants or insects, for example in the word coenonympha which refers to a genus of butterflies.
colpo- is derived from the Greek word kolpos (κόλπος) which means “a hollow space” or “a womb”.
copro- : from « kopros » (κόπρος) meaning “excrement”.
cosmo- is a Greek prefix which means “universe” or “world”. Etymologically, it is derived from the ancient Greek word kosmos (κόσμος) meaning “universe”. Examples of English words containing this prefix are cosmopolitan and cosmology.
cryo- is a Greek prefix which means “cold” or “freezing”. Etymologically, it is derived from the ancient Greek word kruos (κρῠ́ος) which means “cold” or “frost”.
crypto- comes from the ancient Greek word kruptos (κρυπτός) which means “hidden” or “secret”. Cryptography is a common English word containing this prefix.
cteno- : this Greek prefix is generally only used in the scientific names of certain plants and animals. It comes from the ancient Greek word kteis (κτείς) meaning “comb”.
cyano- : found in words such as “cyanobacteria”, this Greek prefix refers to a dark blue-green color. It is derived from the word kuaneos (κυάνεος).
cyclo- is a Greek prefix which means “circular” or “circle”. It comes from the Greek word kuklos (κύκλος ). Some examples of words formed with this prefix are “cyclone” and “cyclops”.
cyno- : comes from the ancient Greek word kuōn (κύων) meaning “dog”. This prefix appears in the scientific names of some plants and animals.
cyrto- is a Greek prefix which means “curved”, “arched” or “hooked”. It comes from the word kurtos (κυρτός). The use of this prefix is mostly restricted to some scientific names of animals or plants.
cyto- is a Greek prefix which means “cell” (in the biological sense). It comes from the word kutos (κύτος) which means “container”.
Greek prefixes starting with D
dactylo- : from the Greek word daktulos (δάκτυλος), this prefix means “pertaining to the finger”. An example of a word with this prefix is dactylography (the study of fingerprints)
dasy- : from « dasus » (δασύς) meaning “hairy”.
deca- : from « deka » (δέκα) meaning “ten”. Examples of vocabulary words formed using this Greek prefix include decade and decathlon.
deipno- : from « deipnon » (δεῖπνον) meaning “dinner”.
demo- : from « demos » (δῆμος) meaning “people”. Some examples of vocabulary words formed using this Greek prefix are democracy and demography.
dendr- : from « dendron » (δένδρον) meaning “tree”. An example of a word containing this prefix is dendrite (it refers to the tree-shaped extensions of a neuron).
dermato- : from « derma » (δέρμα) meaning “skin”.
dermo- : from « derma » (δέρμα) meaning “skin”.
desmo- : from « desmos » (δεσμός) meaning “connection” or “band”. This Greek prefix only used in technical words such as desmosome for example.
dia- : from « dia » (διά) meaning “across” or “through”. Examples of vocabulary words formed using this Greek prefix include dialogue and diameter.
dino- : this Greek prefix comes from the word deinos (δεινός) which can mean “terrible” or “mighty”. As an example, it is the prefix used in the word dinosaur, where it is combined with the word “saûros” meaning lizard.
diphy- : from « diphues » (διφυής) meaning “double”.
diplo- : from « diplous » (διπλοῦς) meaning “double”. An example of a word containing this prefix is diplodocus. The word diplomacy is however etymologically unrelated to this prefix.
dipso- : from the Greek word dipsa (δίψα) meaning “thirst”.
docosa- : from « dokosi » (δώκοσι) meaning “twenty-two”.
dodeca- : from « dodeka » (δώδεκα) meaning “twelve”.
dolicho- is a Greek prefix which is used a lot in taxonomic names (scientific names of families of plants and animals), but aside from those it appears rarely in English words. It comes from the Greek word dolikhos (δολιχός) meaning “long” or “protracted”.
dromo- : from the Greek word dromos (δρόμος) meaning “running”, “race course”. An example of an English vocabulary word with this prefix is dromomania.
dynamo- is a Greek prefix which comes from the word dunamis (δύναμις) meaning “power”. Examples of vocabulary words formed using this Greek prefix include dynamic and dynamo.
dys- : from « dus- » (δυσ-) meaning “difficult” or “bad”. Examples of vocabulary words formed using this Greek prefix include dysfunction and dystopia (the opposite of utopia).
Greek prefixes starting with E
echino- : Mostly used in zoology, this Greek prefix comes from the word ekhînos (ἐχῖνος) meaning “sea urchin” or “hedgehog”. As a prefix it pertains to spikes.
eco- : from « oikos » (οἶκος) meaning “house, household”.
ecto- : from « ektos » (ἐκτός) meaning “outside”.
eicosa- : from « eikosi » (εἴκοσι) meaning “twenty”.
electro- : from « elektron » (ἤλεκτρον) meaning “amber”.
emeto- : from « emeo » (ἐμέω) meaning “vomit”.
enantio- : from « enantios » (ἐναντίος) meaning “opposite”. This Greek prefix is used scientific words, for example in the word enantiomer.
encephal- : from « enkephalos » (ἐγκέφαλος) meaning “brain”.
end- : from « endon » (ἔνδον) meaning “within”.
endo- : from « endon » (ἔνδον) meaning “inner” or “internal”. Examples of vocabulary words formed with this Greek prefix include endogamy and endogenous.
ennea- : from « ennea » (ἐννέα) meaning “nine”.
entero- : from « enteron » (ἔντερον) meaning “intestine”.
ento- : this prefix is a synonym of the prefix endo-
entomo- : from « entomos » (ἔντομος) meaning “dissected”.
eo- : from « eos » (ἠώς) meaning “dawn”.
epi- : from « epi » (ἐπί) meaning “on top of”. Examples of vocabulary words formed using this Greek prefix include epistemology, epilogue and epigenetic.
ergato- : from « ergates » (ἐργάτης) meaning “workman”.
ergo- is a Greek prefix which means “work”, and is derived from the Greek word « ergon » (ἔργον). Ergonomic is an example vocabulary word containing this prefix.
eroto- : from « erotos » (ἔρωτος) meaning “love”.
erythro- : from « eruthros » (ἐρυθρός) meaning “red”.
eth- : from « aither » (αἰθήρ) meaning “ether”.
ethno- : from « ethnos » (ἔθνος) meaning “a people, a nation”. Examples of vocabulary words formed using this Greek prefix include ethnography, ethnocentric and ethnolinguistic.
eu- : from « eu » (εὖ) meaning “good” or “well”. Examples of vocabulary words formed with this Greek prefix include euphoria and euphemism.
exa- : from « hex » (ἕξ) meaning “six”.
exo- : from « ex » (ἐξ) meaning “out of”. Some examples of vocabulary words formed with this Greek prefix are exotic, exogenous and exodus.
Greek prefixes starting with G
gastro- : derived from the Greek word gaster (γαστήρ) meaning “stomach”, this prefix is found in English words such as gastronomy and gastropod.
geno- : from the ancient Greek word genos (γένος) meaning “race”, this prefix appears for example in the word genome.
geronto- : this prefix is derived from the Greek word gerrōn (γέρων) which means “old man”. Gerontology and gerontocracy are examples of English vocabulary words containing this suffix.
giga- : is a prefix which comes from the Greek word gigas (γίγας) meaning “giant”. As a prefix it means multiplying the unit by a billion, although in computing it can mean multiplying by 2 to the 30 th power (which is close to a billion). Words containing this prefix are for example gigabyte, gigahertz and gigawatt.
glio- is a prefix which comes from the Greek word glia (γλία) meaning glue.
glott- is a Greek prefix which comes from the word « glotta » (γλῶττα) which means “tongue”. Glottalization is an example of a vocabulary word containing this prefix.
gluco- comes from the Greek word glukus (γλυκύς) which means “sweet”.
glyco- like gluco-, this is another prefix which comes from the Greek word glukus (γλυκύς) which means “sweet”.
gnatho- is a prefix which comes from the Greek word gnathos (γνάθος) meaning “jaw”.
gon- : this Greek prefix comes from the word gonos (γoνος) which means “genitals”.
gonio- : this is a rather rare Greek prefix which comes from the Greek word gōnia (γωνία) which means angle.
gymno- is a Greek prefix which is derived from the word gumnos (γυμνός) meaning “naked”.
gynaeco- is a Greek prefix which means “woman” or “female”. It comes from the ancient Greek word gunaikos (γυναικός).
gyno- : this prefix is a synonym of the prefix gynaeco-.
gyro- is a Greek prefix which comes from the word « guros » (γῦρος) which means “circle”. Gyroscope is an example of a vocabulary word containing this prefix.
Greek prefixes starting with H
haemato- is a Greek prefix which comes from the word « haima » (αἷμα) which means “blood”.
haemo- is an alternate form of the Greek prefix haemato-
hagio- is a Greek prefix which comes from the word « hagios » (ἅγιος) which means “holy”.
halo- is a suffix which comes from the ancient Greek word hals (ἅλς) which means salt. An example vocabulary word containing this suffix is halophile, which is an organism that thrives in a high salt environment.
haplo- is derived from the Greek word haploos (ἁπλόος) which means single or simple. This suffix appears for example in the word haploid, a genetic term for organisms having a single set of unpaired chromosomes.
hebe- : from « hebe » (ἥβη) meaning “youth”.
hecato- : from « hekaton » (ἑκατόν) meaning “hundred”.
hecto- : from « hekaton » (ἑκατόν) meaning “hundred”. Some examples of vocabulary words formed with this Greek prefix are hectoliter, hectogram and hectopascal.
helio- : from « helios » (ἥλιος) meaning “sun”. This Greek prefix is used in words such as heliocentrism and heliophile.
hemi- : from « hemisus » (ἥμισυς) meaning “half”. Examples of vocabulary words containing this Greek prefix include hemisphere and hemicycle.
hendeca- : from « hendeka » (ἕνδεκα) meaning “eleven”.
heort- : from « heorte » (ἑορτή) meaning “feast”.
hepato- : from « hepar » (ἧπᾰρ) meaning “liver”.
hepta- : from « hepta » (ἑπτά) meaning “seven”.
heptakis- : from « heptakis » (ἑπτάκις) meaning “seven times”.
herpet- : from « herpeton » (ἑρπετόν) meaning “snake” or “reptile”. An example of a word containing this prefix is herpetology (the branch of biology devoted to the study of reptiles and amphibians).
hetero- : from « heteros » (ἕτερος) meaning “other, different”.
hexa- : from « hex » (ἕξ) meaning “six”.
hexakis- : from « hexakis » (ἑξάκις) meaning “six times”.
hiero- : from « hieros » (ἱερός) meaning “sacred”, “holy”. The most well-known word containing this prefix is hieroglyph.
hippo- from « hippos » (ἵππος) meaning “horse”. An example of a word containing this prefix is hippodrome.
histo- : from « histos » (ἱστός) meaning “web, tissue”.
historio- : from « historia » (ἱστορία) meaning “history”.
hodo- : from « hodos » (ὁδός) meaning “path” or “journey”.
holo- : from « holos » (ὅλος) meaning “whole”. An example of a word containing this prefix is holographic.
homeo- this prefix means “similar”. It is derived from the ancient Greek word homoios (ὅμοιος) which means similar. homeostasis and homeomorphic are examples of English words containing this prefix.
homo- : from « homos » (ὁμός) meaning “same”. Examples of vocabulary words containing this Greek prefix include homogeneous and homonym.
homoi- : alternate spelling of the prefix homoe-
hopl- : from « hoplon » (ὅπλον) meaning “weapon” or “armour”.
horo- : from « hora » (ὥρα) meaning “time” or “hour”.
hyalo- : from « hualos » (ὕαλος) meaning “glass”.
hydro- : from « hudor » (ὕδωρ) meaning “water”. Examples of vocabulary words formed using this Greek prefix include hydrolysis, hydrophobic and hydrology.
hyeto- : from « huetos » (ὑετός) meaning “rain”.
hygro- : from « hugros » (ὑγρός) meaning “wet” or “moist”.
hyper- : from « huper » (ὑπέρ) meaning “over”. Examples of vocabulary words containing this Greek prefix include hypersonic and hyperlink.
hypno- : from « hupnos » (ὕπνος) meaning “sleep”. An example of a word containing this prefix is hypnotized.
hypo- : from « hupo » (ὑπό) meaning “under”. Examples of vocabulary words containing this Greek prefix include hypothesis and hypocrisy.
hyps- : from « hupsos » (ὕψος) meaning “height”.
hystero- : from « hustera » (ὑστέρᾱ) meaning “the womb”.
Greek prefixes starting with I
iatro- : from « iatros » (ἰατρός) meaning “doctor”.
ichno- : from « ikhnos » (ἴχνος) meaning “footprint” or “trace”. This prefix is mostly used in paleontology vocabulary terms such as ichnology (the study of trace fossils) and ichnogenus ( a genus only known from trace fossils).
ichthyo- : from « ikhthus » (ἰχθύς) meaning “fish”. An example of a word formed with this prefix is ichthyology (the branch of biology devoted to the study of fish).
icono- from « eikon » (εἰκών) meaning “icon”. Examples of vocabulary words containing this Greek prefix include iconography and iconoclast.
icosa- : from « eikosi » (εἴκοσι) meaning “twenty”. An alternate form of this prefix is icosi- and both are mostly used in geometry-related terms such as icosahedron and icosidigon.
ideo- : from « idea » (ἰδέα) meaning “form, semblance”. Examples of vocabulary words containing this Greek prefix include ideology and ideogram.
idio- : from « idios » (ἴδιος) meaning “distinct”, “personal” or “peculiar”. Some example of words containing this prefix are idiosyncratic and idiomatic.
irid- : from « iris » (ἶρις) meaning “rainbow, colored part of the eye”. An example of a word formed with this prefix is iridescent.
iso- : from « isos » (ἴσος) meaning “equal”. Examples of vocabulary words containing this Greek prefix include isomer and isomorphic.
Greek prefixes starting with K
karyo- : from « karuon » (κάρυον) meaning “kernel”.
kerato- : from « keras » (κέρας) meaning “horn”. An example of a word formed with this prefix is keratin.
kerauno- : from « keraunos » (κεραυνός) meaning “lightning, thunderbolt”.
kilo- : from « khilioi » (χίλιοι) meaning “one thousand”. Some examples of vocabulary words formed with this Greek prefix are kilometer, kilowatt and kilobyte.
kine- : from « kineo » (κῑνέω) meaning “to move”. An example of a word formed with this prefix is kinetic.
kinesi- : from « kinesis » (κίνησις) meaning “movement, motion”.
klepto- is a prefix which means “stealing” or “theft”. Examples of English words containing this prefix are kleptomania, and kleptocracy.
konio- comes from the Greek word konia (κονία) which means “dust”. This prefix is not widely used in English. An example of a rather rare word which contains it is koniology which is the study of airborne particles such as dust and pollen.
Greek prefixes starting with L
laparo- : from « lapara » (λαπάρα) meaning “flank”.
lepido- is a Greek prefix derived from the word « lepis » (λεπίς) meaning “scale”. This prefix is rarely used outside of biological taxonomy.
lepto- comes from the ancient Greek word leptos (λεπτός) which means “thin”. An example of a vocabulary word which contains this prefix is leptin (a hormone which regulates appetite).
leuko- is a Greek prefix meaning “white” and originating from the word « leukos » (λευκός). This prefix is used in biology vocabulary terms such as leukocyte (white blood cell).
lexico- : from « lexikos » (λεξικός) meaning “of words”. Examples of vocabulary words containing this Greek prefix include lexicography and lexicology.
limno- : from « limne » (λίμνη ) meaning “lake”. An example of a word formed with this prefix is limnology (the branch of ecology devoted to the study of lakes and ponds).
lipo- : from « lipos » (λῐ́πος) meaning “animal fat”. This prefix is used in biochemistry vocabulary words such as liposoluble and liposome.
lith- : from « lithos » (λῐ́θος) meaning “stone”. Examples of vocabulary words formed with this Greek prefix include lithosphere and lithography.
logo- : from « logos » (λόγος) meaning “word, speech”. Examples of vocabulary words formed with this Greek prefix include logogram and logograph.
lopho- : from « lophos » (λόφος) meaning “crest”.
lyo- : from « luo » (λύω) meaning “to loosen, to dissolve”. This prefix is used in some chemistry-related vocabulary terms such as lyophilization and lyophilic.
lyso- : from « lusis » (λύσις) meaning “a loosening”.
Greek prefixes starting with M
macro- : from « makros » (μακρός) meaning “long”. This is a common Greek prefix which is used to form words such as macroeconomic, macroscopic and macromolecule
magnet- : from « magnes » (μᾰ́γνης) meaning “magnet”.
malaco- : from « malakos » (μαλακός) meaning “soft”.
mast- is a Greek prefix with two different etymologies and meanings. The first is from « mastax » (μάσταξ) meaning “jaws”, and the second is from « mastos » (μαστός) meaning “breast”.
meco- : from « mekos » (μῆκος) meaning “length”.
mega- : from « megas » (μέγας) meaning “large, great, or mighty”.
megalo- : megalomaniac is one of the more common English words formed with this Greek prefix which means “big” and “large”.
mela- : from « melas » (μέλας) meaning “dark” or “black”. An example of a vocabulary word with this prefix is melancholy.
melo- : from « melos » (μέλος) meaning “melody, song”. For example, this Greek prefix is used in the words melodic and melodramatic.
meno- is a Greek prefix which comes from the word « menos » (μηνός) which means “month”.
mero- : from « meros » (μέρος) meaning “part” or “portion”.
mesio- : from « mesos » (μεσος) meaning “half” or “middle”.
meso- : from « mesos » (μέσος) meaning “middle”. This Greek prefix is found for instance in technical terms such as mesolithic and mesozoic.
meta- is a Greek prefix which can have several different meanings, but a common meaning is “a change in position or composition”
metro- : from « meter » (μήτηρ) meaning “mother”, “source” or “origin”.
micro- : from « mikros » (μικρός) meaning “small”. This is a common Greek prefix which appears in many English words such as: microscopic, microphone and microwave.
micto- : from « miktos » (μικτός) meaning “mixed”. This is a Greek prefix which is rarely used outside of biological taxonomy.
miso- : from « misos » (μῖσος) meaning “hatred”. This Greek prefix is used to form words such as misanthropy, misogyny and misandry.
mito- is a Greek prefix which comes from the word « mitos » (μίτος ) which means “thread”. An example of an English word containing this prefix is mitochondria.
mnemo- is a Greek prefix which comes from the word « mneme » (μνήμη ) which means “memory”. Mnemonic is an example of an English word containing this prefix.
mono- : from « monos » (μόνος) meaning “single” or “alone”. This is a common Greek prefix which is used to form words such as monopoly, monologue and monotone
morph- : from « morphe » (μορφή) meaning “form”. This Greek prefix is used to form words such as morphology, morpheme and morphism.
myel- : from « muelos » (μυελός) meaning “marrow”.
myo- : from « mus » (μῦς) meaning “mouse” or “muscle”
myria- : from « murios » (μυρίος) meaning “ten thousand”.
myrmeco- : from « murmex » (μύρμηξ) meaning “ant”.
myso- is a Greek prefix derived from « musos » (μύσος) meaning “uncleanness”. It should not be confused with the similar sounding prefix miso-. An example of a word formed with this prefix is mysophobia.
mytho- : from « muthos » (μῦθος) meaning “myth” or “legend”. This Greek prefix appears in words such as mythology and mythomania.
myxo- : from « muxa » (μύξα) meaning “mucus”.
Greek prefixes starting with N
nano- : from « nanos » (νᾶνος) meaning “dwarf”. This is a common Greek prefix which is used to form words such as nanotechnology, nanosecond and nanometer
narco-: from « narkoo » (ναρκόω) meaning “sleep”.
nemat- : from « nema » (νῆμᾰ) meaning “thread” or “filament”. An example of a vocabulary word with this prefix is nematode (a type of worm).
neo- : from « neos » (νέος) meaning “new” or “young”. Some examples of vocabulary words formed with this Greek prefix are neologism, neolithic and neoclassical.
nepho- : from « nephos » (νέφος) meaning “cloud”. An example of a vocabulary word with this prefix is nephology (the branch of meteorology specialized in the study of clouds).
nephro- : from « nephros » (νεφρός) meaning “kidney”.
neuro- : from « neuron » (νεῦρον) meaning “tendon” or “cord”.
nitro- : from « nitron » (νίτρον) meaning “nitrate” or “nitrogen”.
nomo- : from « nomos » (νόμος) meaning “law”.
noso- : from « nosos » (νόσος) meaning “disease”.
notho- : from « nothos » (νόθος) meaning “crossbred” or “counterfeit”.
noto- : from « notos » (νότος) meaning “south”.
nyct- : from « nux » (νύξ) meaning “night”. This uncommon Greek prefix is mostly used in the scientific names of animals. For example the word nycticorax refers to a genus of night herons.
Greek prefixes starting with O
ochl- : from « okhlos » (ὄχλος) meaning “crowd” or “mob”. This Greek prefix is used to form words such as ochlocracy, ochlophilia and ochlophobia.
octa- : from « okta- » (ὀκτά-) meaning “eight”.
octo- : from « okto » (ὀκτώ) meaning “eight”. This Greek prefix is used to form words such as octopus and october (eighth month of the year).
odonto- : from « odous » (ὀδούς) meaning “tooth”.
oeno- : from « oinos » (οἶνος) meaning “wine”. This Greek prefix is used to form words such as oenology and oenophile.
olig- : from « oligos » (ὀλίγος) meaning “few”. Examples of vocabulary words formed with this Greek prefix include oligopoly and oligarchy.
ombro- : from « ombros » (ὄμβρος) meaning “rain”.
omo- : from « omos » (ὦμος) meaning “the shoulder”.
omphalo- : from « omphalos » (ὀμφαλός) meaning “navel”.
onco- : from « onkos » (ὄγκος) meaning “lump, or mass”.
oneiro- : from « oneiros » (ὄνειρος) meaning “dream”. This Greek prefix is used to form words such as oneiric and oneiromancy.
onomato- : from « onomatos » (ὀνόματος) meaning “word” or “name”. An example of a vocabulary word with this prefix is onomatopoeia (creating a word that phonetically ressembles the sound that it describes).
onto- : from « eimi » (εἰμί) meaning “I am”. The best know example of a word containing this suffix is ontology.
onycho- : from « onux » (ὄνυξ) meaning “claw ” or “nail”.
oo- : from « oion » (ᾠόν) meaning “egg”.
ophid- : from « ophis » (ὄφις) meaning “snake”.
ophio- : from « ophis » (ὄφις) meaning “snake”. This Greek prefix is found for example in terms such as ophiology (the study of snakes) and ophiophobia (the fear of snakes).
ophthalmo- : from « ophthalmos » (ὀφθαλμός) meaning “eye”.
opistho- : from « opisthen » (ὄπισθεν) meaning “back ” or “rear”.
opto- : from « optikos » (ὀπτικός) meaning “of seeing”.
ornitho- : from « ornis » (ὄρνις) meaning “bird”. This Greek prefix is used in words such as ornithophile and ornithology.
ortho- is a Greek prefix which is found for example in the words orthodox and orthography. It comes from the Greek word « orthos » (ὀρθός) meaning “straight” or “correct”.
osmo- : from « osmos » (ὠσμός) meaning “push”. The best know example of a word containing this suffix is osmosis.
osteo- : from « osteon » (ὀστέον) meaning “bone”.
ot- : from « ous » (οὖς) meaning “ear”.
oxy- : from « oxus » (ὀξύς) meaning “oxygen” or “sharp”. This Greek prefix is used to form words such as oxymoron and oxidation.
Greek prefixes starting with P
pachy- : from « pakhus » (παχύς) meaning “thick”.
paleo- : from « palaios » (παλαιός) meaning “old”. This Greek prefix appears in words such as paleontology, paleolithic, and paleocene.
palin- is a Greek prefix found for instance in the words palindrome and palingenesis. It comes from the Greek word « palin » (πάλιν) meaning “back again”
pan- is a Greek prefix which means “everything” or “everyone”. Panorama and Pantheon are examples of words containing this prefix.
para- : from « para » (παρά) meaning “next to”, “against”, or ”contrary to”. This is a common Greek prefix which is used to form words such as parallel, paragraph and paradox .
patho- is a prefix which comes from the ancient Greek word pathos which means passion or suffering.
pedo- : from « pais » (παῖς) meaning “child”.
penta- : from « pente » (πέντε) meaning “five”.
peri- : from « peri » (περί) meaning “around”. This Greek prefix appears in words such as periodic, periphery, perimeter and periscope.
petro- : from « petra » (πέτρα) meaning “rock” or “stone”. This Greek prefix appears in words such as petroleum, petrochemical, and petrology.
phaco- : from « phakos » (φακός) meaning “lens” or “lentil”.
pharmaco- : from « pharmakon » (φάρμακον) meaning “drug”.
pheno- : from « phaino » (φαίνω) meaning “to make appear”. Examples of vocabulary words formed with this Greek prefix include phenomenon and phenotype.
pheo- : from « phaios » (φαιός) meaning “grey”.
phil- is a prefix which comes from the ancient Greek word philos which means beloved. Philosophy and philanthropy are examples of vocabulary words with this prefix.
phono- : from « phone » (φωνή) meaning “sound” or “voice”. This Greek prefix appears in words such as phonology, phonograph, and phonogram.
photo- : from « phos » (φῶς) meaning “light”. This is a common Greek prefix which is used to form words such as photography, photosynthesis and photovoltaic .
phragmo- : from « phragmos » (φραγμός) meaning “barrier” or “obstruction”.
phylo- : from « phulon » (φῦλον) meaning “genus” or “species”. An example of a word formed with this suffix is phylogeny.
phyto- : derived from the ancient Greek word for plant, φυτόν (phuton), this suffix means “derived from, or pertaining to plants”. Some English vocabulary words which use this suffix are: phytochemical and phytoplankton
piezo- : from « piezo » (πιέζω) meaning “to squeeze”.
pitheco- : from « pithekos » (πίθηκος) meaning “monkey”.
plesio- : from « plesion » (πλησίον) meaning “near”.
pluto- is a Greek prefix which means “wealth” or “money”. It comes from the word ploutos (πλοῦτος). An example of a word formed using this prefix is plutocracy.
pneumato- : from « pneuma » (πνεῦμα) meaning “air-related”.
pneumo- : from « pneumon » (πνεύμων ) meaning “lungs”.
pogono- : from « pogon » (πώγων) meaning “beard”.
poikilo- : from « poikilos » (ποικίλος) meaning “spotted” or “embroidered”.
poly- : from « polus » (πολύς) meaning “many” or “much”. It is among the most common Greek prefixes, and it appears in many English words such as: polyphony, polytechnic and polymer.
porn- : from « porne » (πόρνη) meaning “prostitute”.
potamo- : from « potamos » (ποταμός) meaning “river” or “stream”.
praseo- : from « prasios » (πράσιος) meaning “green”.
prop- : from « pro- » (προ-) meaning “positioned in front”.
protero- : from « proteros » (πρότερος) meaning “anterior”.
proto- : from « pro » (πρό) meaning “before”. Examples of vocabulary words formed with this Greek prefix include prototype and protocol.
psammo- : from « psammos » (ψάμμος) meaning “sand”.
pseudo- : from « pseudes » (ψευδής) meaning “false” or “lies”. This Greek prefix appears in words such as pseudonym, pseudoscience, and pseudocode.
psych- : from the ancient Greek word ψυχή (psukhe) meaning “soul”. This is a common Greek prefix which is used to form words such as psychology, psychoanalysis and psychopath .
pycno- : from « puknos » (πυκνός) meaning “dense” or “thick”. This Greek prefix does not appear in common vocabulary words, only in some scientic names of plants and animals, for example pycnonotidae (which is a family of birds).
pyro- is a Greek prefix which means “fire”. It originally comes from the Ancient Greek word « pûr- » (πῦρ). Some examples of vocabulary words with this prefix are pyrotechnics, pyrolysis and pyromania.
Greek prefixes starting with R-S
rhabdo- : from « rhabdos » (ῥάβδος) meaning “rod” or “wand”.
rhino- is a Greek prefix which means “nose”. It is derived from the ancient Greek word « rhis » (ῥίς).
rhodo- : from « rhodon » (ῥόδον) meaning “rose”.
rhyncho- : from « rhunkhos » (ῥύγχος) meaning “snout”.
salpingo- : from « salpinx » (σᾰ́λπῐγξ) meaning “war-trumpet”.
sapro- : from « sapros » (σαπρός) meaning “putrid”.
scato- is a Greek prefix which means “feces”. It originates from the word « skor » (σκῶρ).
sclero- : from « skleros » (σκληρός) meaning “hard”.
scoto- : from « skotos » (σκότος) meaning “darkness”.
selen- : from « selene » (σελήνη) meaning “moon”. This Greek prefix is found in technical terms such as selenium and selenography.
siphono- : from « siphon » (σίφων) meaning “siphon”.
somato- : from « soma » (σῶμα) meaning “body”.
speleo- : from « spelaion » (σπήλαιον) meaning “cave”. An example of a vocabulary word with this prefix is speleology.
spermato- : from « sperma » (σπέρμα) meaning “seed”.
spheno- : from « sphen » (σφήν) meaning “wedge”.
splanchno- : from « splankhna » (σπλάγχνα) meaning “viscera”.
spleno- : from « splen » (σπλήν) meaning “spleen”.
staphylo- : from « staphule » (σταφυλή) meaning “bunch of grapes”.
stauro- : from « stauros » (σταυρός) meaning “cross”.
steato- : from « stear » (στέαρ) meaning “hard fat”.
steno- : from « stenos » (στενός) meaning “narrow”. An example of a vocabulary word with this prefix is stenography (the transcribing of speech using shorthand).
stereo- : from « stereos » (στερεός) meaning “solid”. This is a common Greek prefix which is used to form words such as stereotype and stereophonic.
stetho- : from « strthos » (στῆθος) meaning “chest” or “breast” .
sticho- : from « stikhos » (στίχος) meaning “line” or “verse”.
strepto- : from « streptos » (στρεπτός) meaning “twisted”.
stygo- : from « Styx » (Στύξ) meaning “the river of the Underworld” and by extension “damp and dark”.
syn- : from « sun » (σύν) meaning “together with”. This is a common Greek prefix which is used to form words such as synonymous, synchronous and synthesis.
Greek prefixes starting with T
tachy- : from « takhus » (ταχύς) meaning “swift”.
tapho- : from « taphos » (τάφος) meaning “grave”.
tauto- is a Greek prefix which means “repetition” or “sameness”. It comes from the ancient Greek word tauto (ταὐτό) which means “the same”. Examples of vocabulary words with this prefix are tautology and tautonym.
taxo- : from « taxis » (τάξις) meaning “arrangement”. The best know example of a word containing this suffix is taxonomy.
techno- : from « tekhne » (τέχνη) meaning “skill”. Examples of vocabulary words formed with this Greek prefix include technology and technocrat.
tele- : from « tele » (τῆλε) meaning “at a distance, far away”. This is a common Greek prefix which appears in many English words such as: telephone, television and telescope.
teleio- : from « teleios » (τέλειος) meaning “adult” or “complete”.
teleo- : from « telos » (τέλος) meaning “end” or “purpose”.
teno- : from « tenon » (τένων) meaning “tendon”.
tera- : from « teras » (τέρας) meaning “monster”. Or from « tettares » (τέτταρες) meaning “four”.
terato- : from « teras » (τέρας) meaning “monster”.
tetrakis- : from « tetrakis » (τετράκις) meaning “four times”.
thalasso- : from « thalassa » (θάλασσα) meaning “sea”. Some examples of words formed with this prefix are thalassocracy (a maritime empire) and thalassophile.
theo- is a Greek prefix which means “God”. It comes from the word theos (θεός). Examples of words formed with prefix are theology and theocracy.
thermo- : from « thermos » (θερμός) meaning “warm, hot”. Some examples of vocabulary words formed with this Greek prefix are thermometer, thermodynamics and thermoregulation.
thio- : from « theion » (θεῖον) meaning “sulfur”.
tomo- : from « tomos » (τόμος) meaning “section” or “slice”. An example of a vocabulary word with this prefix is tomography.
tono- : from « tonos » (τόνος) meaning “strain, tension, pitch”.
trachelo- : from « trakhelos » (τράχηλος) meaning “neck”.
tricho- : from « thrix » (θρίξ) meaning “hair”.
trocho- : from « trokhos » (τροχός) meaning “wheel”.
tropho- : from « trophe » (τροφή) meaning “nourishment”.
tropo- : from « tropos » (τρόπος) meaning “turn, way, or manner”. This Greek prefix is only found in very technical terms, such as troposphere.
Greek prefixes starting with U, X, Z
uro- is a Greek prefix which comes from the word « ouron » (οὖρον) which means “urine”.
xanth- : from « xanthos » (ξανθός) meaning “yellow”. An example of a vocabulary word containing this prefix is xanthine (which is yellowish chemical)
xenna- : from « ennea » (ἐννέα) meaning “nine”.
xenno- : from « ennea » (ἐννέα) meaning “nine”.
xeno- : from « xenos » (ξένος) meaning “alien” or “foreign”. This Greek prefix appears in words such as xenophobia and xenobiotic.
yotta- : from « okto » (ὀκτώ) meaning “eight”.
zetta- : from « hepta » (ἑπτά) meaning “seven”.
zoo- : from « zoion » (ζῷον) meaning “animal”. This Greek prefix appears in words such as zoology and zooplankton.
zygo- : from « zugon » (ζυγόν) meaning “yoke”.
Beyond Greek prefixes
This guide to Greek prefixes has a companion article which covers Greek suffixes.
The English language has also incorporated a number of Latin prefixes.