ornitho-

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

   ornithology.

ornitho-

combining_form

1. bird or birds

   ornithosis

   ornithoscopy

   ornithomancy

   ornithology

   ornithopter

Word History and Origins

Origin of ornitho-¹

Combining form representing Greek ornīth- (stem of órnīs ) bird

Word History and Origins

Origin of ornitho-¹

from Greek ornis, ornith- bird

Words That Use Ornitho-

What does ornitho- mean?

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

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

What are variants of ornitho-

When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, ornitho- becomes ornith-, as in ornithoid.

Examples of ornitho-

One example of a term that features the combining form ornitho- is ornithology, “the branch of zoology that deals with birds.” A bird expert is known as an ornithologist.

We know ornitho- means “bird,” so what does the -logy portion of the word mean? That’s right, -logy refers to “a field of study,” from the Greek lógos. Ornithology literally translates to “the study of birds.”

What are some words that use the combining form ornitho-?

• ornithopod (using the equivalent form of ornitho- in New Latin)
• ornithomancy (based on the equivalent form of ornitho- in Greek)
• ornithophily
• ornithoscopy (based on the equivalent form of ornitho- in Greek)

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

• opistho-
• organo-
• ortho-

Break it down!

The combining form -philous means “liking” or “having an affinity for.” With this in mind, how are ornithophilous plants pollinated?