gyne-

1. a variant of gyneco-:

   gynephobia.

Example Sentences

This term has Latin roots: Andro- meaning “man” and -gyne, meaning “woman.”

From The Daily Beast

Here he telles e in quych side of e boke or of e tabul ou schalle be-gyne to wyrch duplacio, diuisio, and multiplicacio.

From Project Gutenberg

Words That Use gyne-

What do gyne- and -gyne mean?

The combining form gyne- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “woman,” “female.” It is used in a few scientific terms. Similarly, the combining form -gyne is used like a suffix meaning “female reproductive organ.” It is very occasionally used in scientific terms, especially in botany.

The forms gyne- and -gyne ultimately come from Greek gynḗ, meaning “woman,” among other related senses.

What are variants of gyne-?

The form gyne- is a variant of gyneco-, which has a number of other variants. When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, gyneco- becomes gynec-, as in gynecic. In British English, gyneco- is chiefly spelled gynaeco-, as in gynaecology. The combining forms gyno- and gyn- are also variants of gyneco-.

What are variants of –gyne?

While -gyne doesn’t have any variants, it is related to the suffixes -gynous and -gyny. Learn about their overlap and distinctions in the Words That Use articles for each form.

As you can see, Greek gynḗ has proven to be very productive in English.

Examples of gyne- used like a prefix

One of the few words that features the form gyne- is gynephobia, “an abnormal or irrational fear of women.”

The gyne- part of the word means “woman,” while the form -phobia might also seem familiar; it means “fear,” from Greek phobos. Gynephobia literally translates to “fear of women.”

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

• glyco-
• gono-
• gymno-
• gyro-

Break it down!

The combining form -(o)cracy means “rule” or “government.” With this in mind, what is a gyneocracy?

 

Examples of -gyne used like a suffix

One example of a scientific term that features the form -gyne is trichogyne, “a hairlike prolongation of a carpogonium, serving as a receptive organ for the spermatium.” In other words, a trichogyne is a part of the reproductive system of some plants or fungi.

The first part of the word, tricho-, means “hair,” from Greek thríx, while the -gyne part of the word means “female reproductive organ.” Trichogyne literally translates to “hair(y) female reproductive organ.”

What are some words that use the combining form –gyne?

• androgyne (using the equivalent form of -gyne in Greek)
• epigyne

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

• -gamy
• -genous
• -geny
• -gyny

Break it down!

The combining form epi- means “over” or “above.” With this in mind, what part of a female spider is covered by the epigyne, also known as the epigynum?