B
Root Meaning in English Origin language Etymology (root origin) English examples ba-(ΒΑ) to step Greek (), (), (), (), (), (), acrobat, acrobatic, adiabatic, aerobatic, anabasis, anabatic, antiparabema, base, basic, basidiocarp, basidioma, basidiomycete, basidiospore, basidium, basion, basionym, basis, basophilic, bema, catabasis, catabatic, diabase, diabatic, diabetes, diabetic, dibasic, hyperbaton, hypobasis, katabasis, katabatic, monobasic, polybasic, stereobate, stylobate, tribasic bac- rod-shaped Latin baculiform, baculum, bacteria bal-, bel-, bol-(ΒΑΛ) throw Greek (), (), () ametabolic, ametabolism, amphibole, amphibolic, amphibolite, amphibolous, amphiboly, anabolic, anabolism, astrobleme, ball, ballism, ballista, ballistic, ballistospore, belomancy, belonephobia, bolide, bolometer, catabolic, catabolism, devil, diabolic, emblem, emblematic, embolic, embolism, embolismic, embolize, embolon, embolus, emboly, hemiballismus, holometabolism, hyperbola, hyperbole, hyperbolic, hyperboloid, metabolic, metabolism, metabolite, metabolize, palaver, parable, parabola, parabolic, paraboloid, parle, parley, parol, parole, problem, problematic, symbol, symbolic, symbolism, symbolist, symbolize, symbology, taurobolium, thromboembolism bapt-(ΒΑΦ) dip Greek (), () abaptiston, Anabaptist, baptism, baptize bar- weight, pressure Greek (), () abarognosis, antibaryon, baresthesia, bariatric, baritone, barognosis, barogram, barograph, barometer, barometric, barophobia, barostat, barycentre, barycentric, baryogenesis, baryon, barysphere, baryton, barytone, hyperbaric, hypobaric, isobar, isobaric bas- step Greek bath- deep, depth Greek (), () batholith, bathophobia, bathos, bathymetry, bathyscaphe, bathysphere, isobathic be-, beat- bless Latin , beatification bell-, belli- war Latin , antebellum, bellicose, belligerent, rebellion ben- good, well Latin (adverb) beneficence, benefit, benevolent, benign, benignant, benignity bet- B, b Greek beta alphabet, alphabetic, analphabetic, panalphabetic, polyalphabetic bi-, bin-, bis- two Latin , "twice"; , "in twos" bicycle, biennial, bifocal, bisexual, bigamy, binary, binoculars, bipod bipolar biscotti bib- drink Latin , bib, beer, beverage, imbibe bibl- book Greek (), () "book" bible, biblioclasm, biblioclast, bibliogony, bibliographic, bibliography, biblioklept, bibliomancy, bibliomania, bibliophile, bibliophilia, bibliophobe, bibliophobia, bibliotaph bio-, bi- life Greek (), () "life", (), (), () abiogenesis, abiotic, aerobiology, anhydrobiosis, anoxybiosis, antibiotic, astrobiology, autobiography, biocentrism, biochron, biocoenosis, biogenesis, biographic, biography, biologism, biologist, biology, biome, biometric, biomorph, biomorphism, biophilia, biophysicist, biophysics, biopoiesis, biopolymer, biopsy, biorhythm, biosemiotic, biosphere, biostasis, biosynthesis, biota, biotic, biotin, biotope, biotype, biozone, chemobiosis, cryobiosis, cryptobiosis, ectosymbiosis, endosymbiont, endosymbiosis, enterobiasis, exobiology, macrobiotic, microbiology, osmobiosis, probiotic, symbiogenesis, symbiology, symbiont, symbiosis, symbiotic blast- germ, embryo, bud, cell with nucleus Greek (), "to sprout, bud", (), () blastema, blastochyle, blastocoel, blastocoele, blastocyst, blastoderm, blastoma, blastula, cytotrophoblast, diploblasty, ectoblast, endoblast, entoblast, fibroblast, osteoblast, sideroblast blenn- slime Greek () blennadenitis, blennophobia, blennosperma, blennorrhagia bol- throw Greek bol- clod, lump Greek () bole, bolus, embolism bomb- boom Greek , , bomb, bound bon- good Latin bonify, bonitary bore- north Latin from Greek "northern" from () "the north wind" borealis botan- plant Greek , (), botanic, botanist, botanology, botany bov-, bu- cow, ox Latin (genitive bovis) "ox, cow" beef, boor, bovine, bucinator muscle brachi-, brachio- arm Latin from Greek brachiferous, brachial artery, brachiocubital brachi-, brachio-, brachion-, brachioni- arm Greek () brachialgia, brachionerysipelas, brachionigraph, brachiorrhachidian, Brachiosaurus brachy- short Greek () amphibrach, brachistochrone, brachycephaly, brachydactyly, brachyury, dibrach, tribrach brady-, bradys- slow Greek (), () bradycardia, bradysuria, bradytelic branchi- gill Greek () branchiopneustic, branchiopod, nudibranchbroc-rain, wetGreekἐμβροχή (embrokhḗ)embrocation, embrocate brev- brief, short (time) Latin , abbreviate, brevextensor, brevicaudate, brevity, brief bromat-, bromato-, broma-, bromo- food Greek () bromatium, bromateccrisis, bromatherapy, bromatology, bromography brom- oats Greek , () "oats" brome, Bromus, Bromus ramosus brom- stench Greek () "stench, clangor" bromate, bromide, bromine, bromoderma, organobromine bronch- windpipe Greek (), () bronchia, bronchiole, bronchion, bronchitis, bronchomalacia, bronchopneumonia, bronchus, tracheobronchomalacia bront- thunder Greek () brontology, brontophobia, Brontosaurus brot- mortal Greek () ambrosia, ambrotype bucc- cheek, mouth, cavity Latin buccal, buccilingual, buccolingual bulb- bulbous Latin bulbiform, bulbiparous, bulboartrial, bulborrhexis, bulbous, bulbule bull- bubble, flask Latin , bullectomy, bulliferous, ebullient, ebullism burs- pouch, purse Latin bursa, bursalogy, bursar, bursary, bursectomy, bursiform, disburse butyr- butter Greek () butyric byss- bottom Greek () abyss, abyssopelagic, hypabyssal byss- flax Greek () byssus References