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)