Roots of Common Terms in Cells
(L=Latin, G=Greek, F=French)
Cell
cell = small room (L)
Chloroplast
chloro = pale green (G); plast = formed, molded (G)
Cytoplasm
cyto = cell (G); plasma = form, shape (L)
Cytoskeleton
cyto = cell (G); skeleton = framework (L)
Endoplasmic reticulum
endo = within, inside (G); plasma = form, shape (L); reticulum = little twisted net (L)
Endosymbiosis
endo = within, inside (G); sym = together (G); bios = life (G)
Eukaryote
eu = true, well (G); karyo = nut, kernel (G)
Hydrophilic
hydro = water (G); phil = love (G, L)
Hydrophobic
hydro = water (G); phob = fear (G)
Lysosome
lyse = loosening, breaking (G); some = body (G)
Mitochondrion
mito = thread (G); chondrion = little granule (G)
Nucleus
nucleus = kernel (L)
Phagocytosis
phago = to eat (G); cyto = cell (G)
Pinocytosis
pino = to drink (G); cyto = cell (G)
Prokaryote
pro = before (G); karyo = nut, kernel (G)
Ribosome
ribo = nucleic acid; some = body (G)