oculo-

1. a combining form meaning “eye,” “ocular,” used in the formation of compound words:

   oculomotor.

oculo-

combining_form

1. indicating the eye

   oculomotor

Word History and Origins

Origin of oculo-¹

Combining form of Latin oculus eye; -o-

Word History and Origins

Origin of oculo-¹

from Latin oculus eye

Example Sentences

Item ad idem, Matth�i quinto: Dictum est antiquis: Oculum pro oculo etc.

From Project Gutenberg

Uno oculo? ah centum potius mihi, millia centum: Nam quis ibi, in coelo, quis satis Argus erit?

From Project Gutenberg

Sive oculo, sive illa tua dignabere dextra; Dextram oculumque dabis posse decere tuum.

From Project Gutenberg

Hinc oculo, hinc astro: at parili face nictat utrumque; Aetheris os, atque os aethereum Pueri.

From Project Gutenberg

Quo ridet patri, hoc tacite quoque respicit hastam, Quoque oculo matrem mulcet, in arma redit.

From Project Gutenberg

Words That Use Oculo-

What does oculo- mean?

Oculo- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “eye” or “ocular,” a term that means “of or relating to the eye.” It is used in some medical terms, especially in anatomy and pathology.

Oculo- comes from the Latin oculus, meaning “eye.” See more about oculus at our entry for the word. The Greek word for “eye” is ophthalmós, source of the combining form ophthalmo-. Related to ophthalmós is ṓps, Greek for “eye” or “face,” and source of such combining forms as -opia, -opsia, and opto-.

What are variants of oculo-?

When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, oculo- becomes ocul-, as in oculist.

Examples of oculo-

One example of a medical term that features the combining form oculo- is oculomotor, “moving or tending to move the eyeball,” as in oculomotor muscles.

We know that oculo- means “eye.” The –motor part of the word has a specific meaning in medical terms: it means “causing or producing motion,” especially used of nerves and muscles. So, oculomotor has a literal sense of “making the eye move.”

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

• oculoauriculovertebral dysplasia
• oculocerebrorenal syndrome
• oculocutaneous
• oculodermal melanosis
• oculofacial
• oculography
• oculogyria
• oculonasal

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

• octo-
• octa-

Break it down!

The word nasal means “of or relating to the nose.” With this in mind, what parts of the body does something oculonasal involve?