oste-

1. variant of osteo- before a vowel:

   osteitis.

Example Sentences

Whan you haue dyned make no delayeBut paye your oste, and go your waye.

From Project Gutenberg

Then hee cryed to hys oste and hys ostes, and to the ostler, for drinke, and no man would here hym.

From Project Gutenberg

Parquoi je vous prie que veuillez tenir la main pour moy qu'elle ne me soit oste, car plus grand dplaisir ne me scauroit-on faire.

From Project Gutenberg

Mais auant qu'ils couchent ensemble, il s'accouple auec elles, oste la virginité des filles.'

From Project Gutenberg

Words That Use oste-

What does oste- mean?

Oste- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “bone.” It is often used in medical terms, especially in anatomy.

Oste- comes from the Greek ostéon, meaning “bone.”

Oste- is a variant of osteo-, which loses its -o- when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use osteo- article.

Examples of oste-

An example of a word you may have encountered that features oste- is ostealgia, meaning “a pain in a bone.”

We know oste- means “bone.” The combining form –algia, from the Greek álgos, means “pain.” Ostealgia, then, literally translates to “bone pain.”

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

• osteal
• osteitic 
• osteitis
• osteichthyan

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

• oto-
• ortho-

Despite appearances, the word ostentatious, meaning “characterized by pretentious or conspicuous show in an attempt to impress others,” does not use the combining form oste-. Learn what ostentatious makes so “showy” at our entry for the word.

Break it down!

Given that oste- means “bone” and –ectomy means “excision,” what kind of medical procedure is an ostectomy?