Greek Combining Forms in Science

Use common Greek building blocks to read scientific vocabulary at a glance.

Scientists have borrowed from ancient Greek for centuries because Greek parts combine neatly into precise new terms. A combining form is a word part that joins with others, often linked by an o. Learn a handful and hundreds of terms open up: bio (life), geo (earth), hydro (water), thermo (heat), graph (write or record), meter (measure), phon (sound), chron (time), astro (star). Worked example: 'hydrothermal vent. ' Hydro means water and thermo means heat, so the vent releases heated water from the sea floor. Try another: 'chronometer.

' Chron means time and meter means measure, so it is a precise time-measuring instrument. The method is always the same. Split at the linking vowel, translate each part, then assemble the meaning in the order the sentence needs.

• 1Greek combining forms join, often with a linking o.
• 2Bio, geo, hydro, thermo, chron, and graph appear constantly in science.
• 3Split, translate each part, then reassemble the meaning.