dendr-

1. variant of dendro- before a vowel:

   dendrite.

Words That Use Dendr-

What does dendr- mean?

Dendr- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “tree.” It is used in some medical and scientific terms, including in biology and botany.

Dendr- comes from the Greek déndron, meaning “tree.”

Dendr- is a variant of dendro-, which loses its -o– when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels.

Want to know more? Read our Words That Use dendro- article.

Another variant of dendro-, used when combined with words or word elements of Latin origin, is dendri-, as in dendriform.

The corresponding form of dendr- and dendro- combined to the end of words is -dendron, as in rhododendron.

Examples of dendr-

In anatomy, a dendrite, also known as a dendron, is “the branching process of a neuron that conducts impulses toward the cell.”

As you have deduced from the meaning of dendro-, dendrite comes from a Greek word that literally means “pertaining to a tree.” And indeed, dendrites are treelike branches at the end of neurons, also called nerve cells.

What are some words that are related to the combining form dendr-?

• dendrachate
• dendranatomy
• dendranthropology
• dendral
• dendritic (formed from dendrite)

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

• demo-
• demono-
• dento-
• deutero-
• odonto-

Break it down!

Anthropology is the study of humanity’s origins. Dendranthropology is a rare term, but a fascinating one. According to an obscure idea known as dendranthropology, where did humans originate from?