bacterio-

combining_form

1. indicating bacteria or an action or condition relating to or characteristic of bacteria

   bactericide

   bacteriology

   bacteroid

Word History and Origins

Origin of bacterio-¹

New Latin, from bacteria

Example Sentences

My favorite is Bacterio, a combination of little black squiggles on white that sheaths a 1979 proto-Memphis cabinet for Studio Alchymia and is completed by a windowed door, three fluorescent lights and lunar-module feet.

From New York Times

Words That Use bacterio-

What does bacterio- mean?

Bacterio- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “bacteria,” microscopic single-celled organisms. It is often used in scientific terms, especially in biology and pathology.

Bacterio- comes from Greek baktḗria, meaning “staff, cane.” Discover how the word for “staff” came to denote microorganisms at our entry for bacterium.

What are variants of bacterio-?

When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, bacterio- becomes bacteri-, as in bactericide, or bacter-, as in bacterin. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use bacter– and bacteri– articles.

From a related Greek word, báktron, which means “stick,” English inherits the combining form -bacter. Want to learn more? Check out our Words That Use article for -bacter.

Related to both baktḗria and báktron is the Latin noun baculum, “staff,” which is the source of the combining form bacill-, which refers to a type of rod-shaped bacteria, and baguette, a rod-shaped loaf of bread.

Examples of bacterio-

One example of a scientific term that features the combining form bacterio- is bacteriology, “a branch of microbiology dealing with the identification, study, and cultivation of bacteria.”

We know bacterio- means “bacteria,” while the -logy portion of the word denotes an area of study or science, from Greek logía. Bacteriology literally means “the study of bacteria.”

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

• bacteriocide
• bacteriocidin
• bacteriogenic
• bacteriopexy
• bacteriostat

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

• brachio-
• brachy-

Break it down!

The combining form -genic has a variety of meanings, including “produced or caused by.” With this in mind, what does bacteriogenic mean?