-cardium

1. a combining form occurring in compounds that denote tissue or organs associated with the heart, as specified by the initial element:

   myocardium; pericardium.

Word History and Origins

Origin of -cardium¹

Probably generalized from pericardium

Example Sentences

The rock was a baked sandstone; in the pebbles of the creek I found the impressions of bivalves (one ribbed like Cardium).

From Project Gutenberg

They chiefly consist of the cardium edule, which appear to abound in the kitchen-middens of the Pas-de-Calais.

From Project Gutenberg

In Unio, Cardium, and Hyria, the foot is large and not byssiferous.

From Project Gutenberg

To that era belong the deep beds of oyster shells and Cardium edule, which are still found at the bottom of the fjord.

From Project Gutenberg

No mention is made of lateral teeth: was it then a veritable Cardium?

From Project Gutenberg

Words That Use -cardium

What does -cardium mean?

The combining form -cardium is used like a suffix to mean “heart tissues or organs.” It is often used in medical terms, especially in anatomy.

The form -cardium ultimately comes from Greek kardíā, meaning “heart.” The Latin cognate, cor, “heart,” is the source of words such as cordial, courage, and discord. To learn more, check out our entries for each word.

What are variants of -cardium?

While -cardium doesn’t have any variants, it is related to the form -cardia, as in tachycardia. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use article for -cardia.

Also closely related to -cardia and -cardium are cardio- and cardi-, combined to beginning of words like a prefix and meaning “heart.” Read our Words That Use articles on these forms to learn more.

Examples of -cardium

One example of a medical term that features the form -cardium is myocardium, “the muscular substance of the heart.”

The form myo- means “muscle,” from Greek mŷs, while, the -cardium part of the word means “heart tissue.” Myocardium literally translates to “heart muscle tissue.”

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

• endocardium
• epicardium (using the equivalent form of -cardium in Latin)
• hemopericardium
• mesocardium
• pericardium (using the equivalent form of -cardium in Greek)

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

• -carpous
• -cracy
• -crat

Break it down!

The combining form endo- means “within” or “inside.” With this in mind, what part of the body is the endocardium?