ornith-

¹

1. variant of ornitho- before a vowel:

   ornithoid.

ornith.

²

abbreviation for

1. ornithological.
2. ornithology.

Words That Use Ornith-

What does ornith- mean?

Ornith- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “bird.” It is used in some scientific terms, especially in biology and zoology.

Ornith- comes from the Greek órnīs, meaning “bird.”

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

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

Examples of ornith-

An example of a word that features the combining form ornith- is ornithoid, meaning “resembling a bird.”

As we know, ornith- means “bird.” The suffix -oid means “resembling” or “like.” Ornithoid literally translates to “bird-like.”

The chemistry term ornithine refers to an important amino acid. The term is based on ornithuric acid, a substance in the urine of birds and reptiles.

What are some words that use or are related to the combining form ornith-?

• ornithic
• ornithischian (from the equivalent form of ornith- in New Latin)
• ornithosis from the equivalent form of ornith- in New Latin)

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

• organo-
• ortho-

Break it down!

The suffix -ic means “having some characteristics of.” With this and the meaning of ornith- in mind, what does ornithic mean?