colpo-

combining_form

1. indicating the vagina

   colpotomy

   colpitis

Word History and Origins

Origin of colpo-¹

from Greek kolpos womb

Example Sentences

The phrase “to deal the killshot” also sent me back to the original, where I found “dar loro il colpo di grazia.”

From The New Yorker

Milan and, more important, worked with Jorge Mendes, Ronaldo’s agent, to complete what has been called il colpo del secolo: the deal of the century.

From New York Times

In the chapel beneath St. Dominic is said to have flagellated himself three times nightly, "perch� uno colpo solo non abbastava per mortificare la carne."

From Project Gutenberg

Era un istante ch'io mi stava in chiesa allora che di colpo mi sentii preso da inesprimibile conturbamento.

From Project Gutenberg

Aria di finestra, colpo di balestra.

From Project Gutenberg

Words That Use colpo-

What does colpo- mean?

Colpo- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “vagina.” It is often used in medical terms, especially in anatomy and pathology.

Colpo- comes from the Greek kolpos, meaning “womb.”

Another ancient Greek word for womb, hystéra, is the root of the word hysteria. Learn what hysterical has to do with wombs—and why using it may be offensive—in our slideshow, “These Common Words Have Offensive Histories.”

What are variants of colpo-?

When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, colpo- becomes colp-, as in colpitis.

Examples of colpo-

One example of a medical term that features the combining form colpo- is colpotomy, meaning “incision of the vagina.”

As we have seen, colpo- means “vagina.” The second part of the word, -tomy, means “cutting, incision.” Putting it all back together, colpotomy literally translates to “vagina incision.”

What are some words that use the combining form colpo- or its variant colp-?

• colpalgia
• colpectomy
• colpocele
• colpocystitis
• colpohyperplasia
• colpomicroscopy
• colpopexy
• colpoplasty
• colpospasm

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

• carpo-
• coel-
• collo-

Break it down!

The combining form -odynia means “pain.” With that in mind, what does the medical condition of colpodynia involve?