allo-

¹

1. a combining form meaning “other,” used in the formation of compound words ( allotrope ) and in chemistry to denote the more stable of two geometric isomers.

allo.

²

abbreviation for

1. allegro.

allo-

combining_form

1. indicating difference, variation, or opposition

   allonym

   allopathy

   allomorph

   allophone

Word History and Origins

Origin of allo-¹

< Greek, combining form of állos other; cognate with Latin alius, else

Word History and Origins

Origin of allo-¹

from Greek allos other, different

Example Sentences

Robbie Amell and Andy Allo star in this bright and cynical afterlife comedy, where the only thing more certain than the icy finger of death is the rapaciousness of capitalist greed.

From New York Times

The director of the "Allo, Beirut?" exhibition, Delphine Abirached Darmency, is a Franco-Lebanese journalist.

From Reuters

"Allo, Beirut?" opened on Sept. 15 and is scheduled to run until 2023.

From Reuters

This tribe is known for its use of “alloparenting,” with the Greek root “allo” meaning “other.”

From Washington Post

Surrounding the central relationship of appealing leads Andy Allo and Robbie Amell is an ensemble of funny weirdos and a world in which one’s consciousness can be “uploaded” into a virtual afterlife, essentially declining death.

From Los Angeles Times

Words That Use Allo-

What does allo- mean?

Allo- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “other” or “different.” It is frequently used in a variety of medical and scientific terms.

In chemistry, allo- denotes the more stable of two geometric isomers. Isomers are molecules that contain the same numbers of the same kinds of atoms but in which the atoms have different structural arrangements.

Allo- comes from Greek állos, meaning “other.” This word’s distant cousins in Latin, alius and alter, which have similar definitions, give us words such as alien and alternative. The opposite of allo- is the form auto-, from Greek autós, “self.”

What are variants of allo-?

When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, allo- typically becomes all-, as in allonym.

Want to learn more? Read our Words That Use all- article.

Examples of allo-

One example of a scientific term that features the combining form allo- is allogamy, “cross-fertilization in plants (opposed to autogamy).”

We know allo- means “other,” so what about the -gamy portion of the word? The form -gamy has a variety of meanings, including “fertilization,” “pollination,” or even “marriage” in certain contexts. Allogamy literally translates to “other fertilization,” that is, when a flower of one kind of plant is fertilized from the flower of a different kind of plant.

What are some words that use the combining form allo-?

• alloantibody
• allobaric
• alloerotism
• allogeneic
• allograph
• allopathy (using the equivalent form of allo- in German)
• allolalia
• allorhythmia
• allosome

What are some other forms that allo- may be commonly confused with?

• algo-
• allanto-
• alto-
• oleo-
• oligo-

Not every word that begins with allo- is using the combining forming allo- to denote “other.” Learn why allocate means “distributed” at our entry for the word.

Break it down!

An autograph is a person’s own signature. Based on the meanings of allo- and autograph, what is an allograph?