ligni-

American  

1. a combining form meaning “wood,” used in the formation of compound words.

   ligniform.

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ligni- British  

combining form

1. indicating wood

   lignocellulose

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Usage

What does ligni- mean? Ligni- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “wood.” It is occasionally used in scientific terms, especially in biology. Ligni- comes from Latin lignum, meaning “wood.” A Greek translation is hȳ́lē, meaning “wood” or “matter,” as in the substance of the universe, source of the combining form hylo-. Another Greek-based combining form meaning “wood” is xylo-. To learn more, check out our Words That Use article on the forms. What are variants of ligni-?When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, ligni- becomes lign-, as in lignin. In some instances, ligni- becomes ligno-, as in lignocellulose. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use articles on lign- and ligno-.

Etymology

Origin of ligni-

< Latin, combining form representing lignum wood