List of Greek and Latin roots in English/B

Lists of Greek and Latin roots in English beginning with other letters:
Root Meaning in English Origin language Etymology (root origin) English examples
ba-[1]
(ΒΑ[2])
to step Greek βαίνειν (baínein), βατός (batós),
βάσις (básis), βῆμα, βήματος (bêma, bḗmatos), βάτης (bátēs), βάθρον (báthron), βατεῖν
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 baculum baculiform, baculum, bacteria
bal-, bel-, bol-
(ΒΑΛ[3])
throw Greek βάλλειν (bállein), βολή (bolḗ), βλῆμα (blêma) 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[4])
dip Greek βάπτειν (báptein), βάμμα (bámma) abaptiston, Anabaptist, baptism, baptize
bar-[5] weight, pressure Greek βαρύς (barús), βάρος (báros) 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 βάσις
bath- deep, depth Greek βαθύς (bathús), βάθος (báthos) batholith, bathophobia, bathos, bathymetry, bathyscaphe, bathysphere, isobathic
be-, beat- bless Latin beare, beatus beatification
bell-, belli- war Latin bellum, belli antebellum, bellicose, belligerent, rebellion
ben- good, well Latin bene (adverb) beneficence, benefit, benevolent, benign, benignant, benignity
bet- B, b Greek beta alphabet, alphabetic, analphabetic, panalphabetic, polyalphabetic
bi-, bin-, bis- two Latin bis, "twice"; bini, "in twos" bicycle, biennial, bifocal, bisexual, bigamy, binary, binoculars, bipod bipolar biscotti
bib- drink Latin bibere, bibitus bib, beer, beverage, imbibe
bibl-[6] book Greek βίβλος (bíblos), βιβλίον (biblíon) "book" bible, biblioclasm, biblioclast, bibliogony, bibliographic, bibliography, biblioklept, bibliomancy, bibliomania, bibliophile, bibliophilia, bibliophobe, bibliophobia, bibliotaph
bio-, bi-[7] life Greek βιοῦν (bioûn), βίος (bíos) "life", βιωτός (biōtós), βιωτικός (biōtikós), βίωσις (bíōsis) 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-[8] germ, embryo, bud, cell with nucleus Greek βλαστάνειν (blastánein), "to sprout, bud", βλαστός (blastós), βλάστημα (blástēma) blastema, blastochyle, blastocoel, blastocoele, blastocyst, blastoderm, blastoma, blastula, cytotrophoblast, diploblasty, ectoblast, endoblast, entoblast, fibroblast, osteoblast, sideroblast
blenn- slime Greek βλέννος (blénnos) blennadenitis, blennophobia, blennosperma, blennorrhagia
bol- throw Greek
bol-[9] clod, lump Greek βῶλος (bôlos) bole, bolus, embolism
bomb-[10] boom Greek βομβεῖν, βόμβος, βόμβησις bomb, bound
bon- good Latin bonus bonify, bonitary
bore- north Latin from Greek borealis "northern" from Βορέας (Boréas) "the north wind" borealis
botan- plant Greek βοτάνη, βότανον (botánē, bótanon), βοτανικός botanic, botanist, botanology, botany
bov-, bu- cow, ox Latin bos (genitive bovis) "ox, cow" beef, boor, bovine, bucinator muscle
brachi-, brachio- arm Latin from Greek bracchium brachiferous, brachial artery, brachiocubital
brachi-, brachio-, brachion-, brachioni- arm Greek βραχίων (brakhíōn) brachialgia, brachionerysipelas, brachionigraph, brachiorrhachidian, brachiosaurus
brachy-[11] short Greek βραχύς (brakhús) amphibrach, brachistochrone, brachycephaly, brachydactyly, brachyury, dibrach, tribrach
brady-, bradys-[12] slow Greek βραδύς (bradús), βράδος (brádos) bradycardia, bradysuria, bradytelic
branchi- gill Greek βράγχιον (bránkhion) branchiopneustic, branchiopod, nudibranch
broc- rain, wet Greek ἐμβροχή (embrokhḗ) embrocation, embrocate
brev- brief, short (time) Latin brevis, breviare abbreviate, brevextensor, brevicaudate, brevity, brief
bromat-, bromato-, broma-, bromo- food Greek βρῶμα (brôma) bromatium, bromateccrisis, bromatherapy, bromatology, bromography
brom-[13] oats Greek βρόμος, βρόμη (brómos, brómē) "oats" brome, Bromus, Bromus ramosus
brom- stench Greek βρῶμος (brômos) "stench, clangor" bromate, bromide, bromine, bromoderma, organobromine
bronch-[14] windpipe Greek βρόγχος (brónkhos), βρόγχια (brónkhia) bronchia, bronchiole, bronchion, bronchitis, bronchomalacia, bronchopneumonia, bronchus, tracheobronchomalacia
bront-[15] thunder Greek βροντή (brontḗ) brontology, brontophobia, Brontosaurus
brot-[16] mortal Greek βροτός (brotós) ambrosia, ambrotype
bucc- cheek, mouth, cavity Latin bucca buccal, buccilingual, buccolingual
bulb- bulbous Latin bulbus bulbiform, bulbiparous, bulboartrial, bulborrhexis, bulbous, bulbule
bull- bubble, flask Latin bullire, bulla bullectomy, bulliferous, ebullient, ebullism
burs- pouch, purse Latin bursa bursa, bursalogy, bursar, bursary, bursectomy, bursiform, disburse
butyr-[17] butter Greek βούτυρον (boúturon) butyric
byss-[18] bottom Greek βυσσός, βυσσοῦ (bussós, bussoû) abyss, abyssopelagic, hypabyssal
byss-[19] flax Greek βύσσος (bússos) byssus


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