The Language of Science

The main reason students find it difficult to understand science is because of all the hard to write, spell and read words. Actually, scientific vocabulary is a hodge podge of little words that are linked together to have different meanings. If you learn the meanings of the little words, you'll find scientific vocabulary much easier to understand.

Word
Meaning
a or an not or non
meso middle
endo inner, inside
aero needing oxygen or air
anti against
amphi both, doubly
aqua water
arthro joint
auto self
bi two, twice, double
bio life, living
cephal head
chloro green
chromo color
cide killer, kill, killing
cyto cell
derm skin
di two, double
ecto (exo) outer, external
endo internal
epi above
gastro stomach
genesis origin, beginning
herba plants
hetero different
homo alike, similar
hydro water
Word
Meaning
hemo blood
hyper above
hypo below
intra within, inside
itis disease, inflammation
lateral side
logy study of
lys break down
meter measurement
mono one, single
morph form
micro small
macro large
multi many
pod foot
phobia dislike, fear
philia like
proto first
photo light
poly many
synthesis to make
sub lesser, below
troph eat, consume
therm heat
tri three
zoo, zoa animal

Use the list above to guess the meaning of each of the following terms

1. Hydrology

2. Cytology

3. Protozoa

4. Epidermis

5. Spermatogenesis

6. Cytoskeleton

7. Abiotic

8. Dermatitis

9. Hypodermic

10. Hemophilia

11. Endocystosis

12. Insecticide

13. Anaerobic

14. Bilateral

15. Endotherm

16. Subspecies

17. Arthropod

18. Micrometer

19. Hypothermia

20. Bilateral