B
Root | Meaning in English | Origin language | Etymology (root origin) | English examples |
---|---|---|---|---|
bac- | rod-shaped | Latin | from baculum "rod" | bacilla, bacteria |
bar- | weight, pressure | Greek | βάρος (baros) | barograph, barometer |
basi- | at the bottom | Greek | from βαίνω, I walk, march, βάσις "step" | basic, basis |
bathy-, batho- | deep, depth | Greek | βαθύς (bathús, bathýs) | batholith, bathyscaphe |
be-, beat- | bless | Latin | beare, beatus | beatification |
bell- | war | Latin | bellum, belli | antebellum, bellicose, belligerent |
ben- | good, well | Latin | bene (adverb) | benefit, benignity |
bi- | two | Latin | bis, "twice"; bini, "in twos" | binary, binoculars, bigamy, biscotti |
bib- | drink | Latin | bibere, bibitus | imbibe |
bibl- | book | Greek | βιβλίον (biblíon) "book" | bible, bibliography |
bio- | life | Greek | βίος (bíos) "life" | biography, biologist, biology, biosphere |
blenn- | slime | Greek | βλέννος (blennos) | blennophobia, blennosperma |
blast- | germ, embryo, bud, cell with nucleus | Greek | βλασταίνω (blastainō), "I put forth shoots" | blastula, fibroblast, osteoblast, sideroblast |
bon- | good | Latin | bonus | bonify, bonitary |
bor- | north | Greek / Latin (boreas) | Greek βορρᾶς (borras) "the north wind" | borealis |
botan- | plant | Greek | βοτάνη, βότανον (botanē, botanon) | botany |
bov- | cow, ox | Latin | bos, bovis | bovine |
brachi- | arm | Greek | βραχίων (brakhíōn) | brachial artery, brachiosaurus |
brachy- | short | Greek | βραχύς (brakhús, brakhýs) | brachydactyly |
brady- | slow | Greek | βραδύς (bradús, bradýs) | bradycardia |
branchi- | gill | Greek | βράγχιον (brágkhion, bránkhion) | branchiopod, nudibranch |
brev- | brief, short (time) | Latin | brevis, breviare | abbreviation, brevity |
briz- | nod, slumber | Greek | βρίζω (brizō) | |
brom- | food | Greek | βρῶμα (brōma) | bromatium, bromatology |
brom- | oats | Greek | βρόμος, βρόμη (brómos, brómē) "oats" | brome, Bromus, Bromus ramosus |
brom- | stench | Greek | βρῶμος (brōmos) "stench, clangor" | bromate, bromide, bromine |
bronch- | windpipe | Greek | βρόγχος (brógkhos, brónkhos) | bronchiole, bronchitis, bronchus |
bront- | thunder | Greek | βροντή (brontē) | Brontosaurus |
bucc- | cheek, mouth, cavity | Latin | bucca | buccal, buccinator muscle |
bulb- | bulbous | Latin | bulbus | bulbous, bulbule |
bull- | bubble, flask | Latin | bulla, "bubble" | ebullient, ebullism |
burs- | pouch, purse | Latin | bursa | bursa, bursar, bursary, disburse |
Read more about this topic: List Of Greek And Latin Roots In English