It's Greek To Me!

Greek and Latin Prefixes, Roots and Suffixes used in English
This page © 1999 by Nicholas E. Miller


Basic term

Meaning

Greek
Latin
Prefix
Suffix

octa, octo

eight

Yes
Yes
Yes
Sometimes

Examples

Definition

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contraoctave (4)

(noun) - against + eight = the musical octave begining on the third C below middle C.

four-line octave (5)

(noun) - four line + eighth = the musical octave starting with the third C above middle C.

great octave (5)

(noun) - great + eighth = the musical octave starting on the second C below middle C.

high-octane (2)

(adj.) - high + eight + -ane = a high octane gasoline, i.e. having a high octane number and good antiknock properties; high-powered.

isooctane (4)

(noun) - equal + eight + -ane = a flammable liquid used in determining the octane number of fuels.

octagon (3)

(noun) - eight + angle = a polygon of eight angles and eight sides. Octagonal is the adjective form and octagonally is the adverb form.

octahedron (4)

(noun) - eight + face = a solid with eight plane faces. Plural can be octahedrons or octahedra.

octal (3)

(adj.) - eight + -al = relating to base eight, a number system with a base of eight.

octameter (5)

(noun) - eight + measures = a line of verse with eight metrical feet.

octane (2)

(noun) - eight + -ane = any of several isomeric liquid alkanes, C8H18; related to the octane number. .

octane number (2)

(term) - eight + -ane + number = a number used to measure the antiknock properties of gasoline, the higher the number the smaller likelihood of knocking; also called octane rating.

octant (4)

(noun) - eight(ths) + circle = an instrument for observing altitudes of a star or planet from a ship or aircraft; the eight sections into which a space can divided by three perpendicularly crossing planes.

octapeptide (5)

(noun) - eight + digest = a protein fragment or molecule which consists of eight amino acids linked in a polypeptide chain.

octave (2)

(noun) - from the Latin word = a stanza of eight lines; the whole series of notes or tones, which form the modern scale; an 8-day period of festivities starting on a festival day.

octavo (5)

(noun) - eighth = a piece of paper cut eight from a sheet; or a book, page, or paper this size.

octet (3)

(noun) - from the word = a group or set of eight; a group of eight performers; a musical composition for eight instruments or voices.

octillion (4)

(noun) - eight + -illion (as in million) = the number 1027 or 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000.

octodecillion (5)

(noun) - eighteen + -illion = the number 1057 or 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000.

octogenarian (3)

(noun) - eight + genarian = a person in their eighties. Octogenarian is also the adjective form.

octopus (1)

(noun) - eight + foot = any of the genus Octopus which have eight arms with two rows of suckers; something resembling an octopus.

octopod (4)

(noun) - eight + foot = any of an order Octopoda, sea animals such as an octopus, which have eight arms bearing suckers. Octopod is also the adjective form.

octoroon (5)

(noun) - eight + -roon = a person of one-eighth black lineage.

octosyllable (4)

(noun) - eight + syllable = a word (e.g. o-ver-op-ti-mis-ti-cal-ly) or line of eight syllables (e.g. Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall).

octothorp (5)

(noun) - eight + thorp = the name for the symbol #.

octuplets (4)

(noun) eight + plets = eight children (human or other animal) born at the same time!

subcontraoctave (5)

(noun) - below + against + eighth = the musical octave beginning on the fourth C below middle C.

trisoctahedron (5)

(noun) - three + eight + face = a solid, such as a crystal, with 24 faces meeting on the edges of a regular octahedron .

yocto- (5)

(prefix) - yotta- + octo- = the metric prefix for one septillionth (10-24 ), or 0.000,000,000,000,000,000,000,001.