pheno-

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

   phenocryst.

2. a combining form used in the names of chemical compounds that contain phenol or the phenyl group, are related to aromatic compounds, or derive from benzene:

   phenobarbital.

pheno-

combining_form

1. showing or manifesting

   phenotype

2. indicating that a molecule contains benzene rings

   phenobarbital

Word History and Origins

Origin of pheno-¹

< New Latin phaeno- < Greek phaino- shining, combining form of phaínein to shine, appear; in chemical senses, used originally with reference to products from the manufacture of illuminating gas

Word History and Origins

Origin of pheno-¹

from Greek phaino- shining, from phainein to show; its use in a chemical sense is exemplified in phenol, so called because originally prepared from illuminating gas

Example Sentences

“The pheno­typing community has rushed off to collect data and the computing is an afterthought.”

From Nature

Some scientists complain that the pheno­typing approach is unreliable because when different laboratories knock out the same gene, they may see different consequences — adding to the current crisis in the reproducibility of biomedical results.

From Nature

The following cablegram came to me from America: Cendrillon hier, success pheno menal.

From Project Gutenberg