Roots of Common Terms in Prokaryotes
(L - Latin, G - Greek)
Bacillus
bacillus = small rod or staff (L)
Bacterium
bacterion = staff (G) (* this is because the first bacteria seen had this shape)
Bactericidal
bacterion = staff (G); cida = slayer (L)
Bacteriophage
bacterion = staff (G); phagos = eating (G)
Bacteriostatic
bacterion = staff (G); stasis = stopping (G)
Chemoautotroph
Chemo = of chemical (L); auto = by oneself (G); trophikos = nourishment (G)
Coccus
kokkos = grain, seed, berry (G)
Commensal
Com = together with (or sharing) (L); mensa = a table (L)
Extremophile
extremus = outermost (L); philos = loving (G)
Flagellum
flagellum = whip (L)
Haploid
haploos = single (G)
Lipopolysaccharide
lipos = fat (G); poly = much (G); saccharum = sugar (L)
Mesophile
meso = middle (G); philos = loving (G)
Miasma
stain, defilement (G)
Organelle
organ = tool, instrument (G); ella = diminutive form (L)
Pathogen
pathos = suffering, disease (G); genes = producer of (G)
Peptidoglycan
peptos = cooked, digested (G); glykys = sweet (G)
Periplasm peri
= going around (G); something molded (G)
Pilus
pilus = hair (L)
Plasmid
plasma = something molded (G)
Spirilla
spira = coil (L)
Spirochete
spira = coil (L); chaite = hair (G)
Spore
spora = seed (G)
Symbiosis symbiosis
= living together, companionship (G)
Vector
vector = carrier, bearer (L)