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This list of Latin and Greek words commonly used in systematic names is intended to help those unfamiliar with classical languages understand and remember the scientific names of organisms. The binomial nomenclature used for animals and plants is largely derived from Latin and Greek, as are some of the names used for higher taxa such as orders and above. At the time when Carolus Linnaeus (1707–1778) published the books that are now accepted as the starting point of binomial nomenclature, Latin was used in Western Europe as the language of science, and scientific names were in Latin or Greek: Linnaeus continued this practice.
Although Latin is now largely unused except by classical scholars and for certain purposes by botanists and the Roman Catholic Church, Latin can still be found in scientific names. It is helpful to be able to understand the source of scientific names. While the 'Latin names' do not always correspond to the current English common names, they are often related, and if their meanings are understood they are easier to recall.
Often a genus name or specific descriptor is simply the Latin or Greek name for the animal (e.g. Canis is Latin for a dog). These words are not included in the table below, because they will only occur for one or two taxa. The words listed below are the common adjectives and other modifiers that repeatedly occur in the scientific names of many organisms.
Words that are very similar to their English forms are not included.
[edit] See also
[edit] List of words
In this table L = Latin, G = Greek, and LG = similar in both languages.
| Latin/Greek
| Language
| English
| Example
|
| acaulis | G ἄκαυλος | Stemless | Stemless Gentian, Gentiana acaulis; Dwarf Thistle, Cirsium acaule
|
| acutus | L | Sharpened, pointed | American Crocodile, Crocodylus acutus
|
| agrestis | L | From the field, wild | Field Vole, Microstus agrestis; Green Field-speedwell, Veronica agrestis
|
| albus | L | White | American White Ibis, Eudocimus albus; White Oak, Quercus alba; Mistletoe, Viscum album
|
| ampulla | L | Bottle, flask | Northern Bottlenose Whale, Hyperoodon ampullatus
|
| anthropos | G ἄνθρωπος | Man, human being | Paranthropus
|
| archaeos, archaeo- | G ἀρχαῖος, ἀρχαιο- | Ancient | Archaeopteryx
|
| arctos | G ἄρκτος | Bear | Grizzly Bear, Ursus arctos
|
| argentatus | L | Silvery | Herring Gull, Larus argentatus
|
| arvensis | L | From the field | Skylark, Alauda arvensis
|
| astron, astro-, astero- | G ἄστρον, ἀστρο-, ἀστερο- | Star | Starfish (class), Asteroidea
|
| aureus | L | Golden, gold coin | Golden Jackal, Canis aureus; Staphylococcus aureus (bacteria)
|
| australis | L | Southern | Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
|
| Latin/Greek
| Language
| English
| Example
|
| baccata | L bacca, berry | Berry-bearing | Common yew, Taxus baccata
|
| blanda | L | Pleasant, smooth, alluring | Greek Windflower, Anemone blanda
|
| borealis | L | Northern | Northern Right Whale Dolphin, Lissodelphis borealis
|
| brachion | G βραχίων | Arm | Brachiopoda (phylum); Brachiosaurus
|
| brachys, brachy- | G βραχῦς, βραχυ- | Short | Brazilian Gold Frog, Brachycephalus didactylus
|
| bradys, brady- | G βραδῦς, βραδυ- | Slow | Three-toed sloth, Bradypus
|
| branchia | LG βράγχια | Gills | Lamellibranchia (class, syn. Bivalva); Branchiopoda (class, brine shrimps)
|
| brevis | L | Short | Silvery-cheeked Hornbill, Ceratogymna brevis
|
| Latin/Greek
| Language
| English
| Example
|
| caecus | L | Blind | Blind Mole, Talpa caeca; Northern Eyed Hawkmoth, Smerinthus caecus
|
| caeruleus | L | Blue | Blue Tit, Parus caeruleus; Blue Passion Flower, Passiflora caerulea
|
| canadensis | L | From Canada | Bighorn Sheep, Ovis canadensis
|
| canus | L | Gray (haired), pale gray | Grey-headed Woodpecker, Picus canus
|
| cauda | L | Tail | Long-tailed Tit, Aegithalos caudatus; Thintail Skate, Dipturus leptocaudus
|
| caulos | G καυλός | Stem, stalk | Stemless Gentian, Gentiana acaulis
|
| cephale | G κεφαλή | Head | Mediterranean Gull, Larus melanocephalus
|
| ceps | L | Head | Pygmy Sperm Whale, Kogia breviceps
|
| ceros | G κέρας | Horn | Narwal, Monodon monoceros
|
| chilensis | L | From Chile | Paradise Tanager, Tangara chilensis
|
| chlorοs | G χλωρός | Green | Common Moorhen, Gallinula chloropus
|
| cneme | G κνήμη | Shin, leg | White-legged Damselfly, Platycnemis pennipes
|
| cola | L | Dweller | Eurasian Woodcock, Scolopax rusticola
|
| corax | G κόραξ | Crow, raven | Common Raven, Corvus corax
|
| coronatus | L | Crowned | Crowned Lemur, Eulemur coronatus
|
| costatus | L | Ribbed | Striped Raphael catfish, Platydoras costatus
|
| crass- | L | Thick | Creeping blueberry, Vaccinium crassifolium
|
| cristatus | L | Crested | Aardwolf, Proteles cristatus
|
| crocos | G κρόκος | Yellow | Saffron, Crocus sativus; Bicoloured White-toothed Shrew, Crocidura leucodon
|
| cyanos | G κυανός | Blue-green | Azure-winged Magpie, Cyanopica cyana
|
| Latin/Greek
| Language
| English
| Example
|
| dactylοs | G δάκτυλος | Finger or toe | Black-legged Kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla
|
| deca | G δέκα | Ten | Lesser African threadfin, Galeoides decadactylus
|
| decem | L | Ten | Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata
|
| derma | G δέρμα | Skin | Yellow Staining Mushroom, Agaricus xanthodermus
|
| di- | G δι- | Two | Diptera
|
| dino-, deino- | G δεινο- | Terrible | dinosaur, Deinotherium
|
| diplo- | G διπλο- | Double | Diplodocus
|
| dodeca | G δώδεκα | Twelve | Shooting star, Dodecatheon ("twelve gods")
|
| dolicho- | G δολιχο- | Elongated | Caribbean Anole, Anolis dolichocephalus
|
| domesticus | L | From the house, domestic | House Sparrow, Passer domesticus
|
| dorsum | L | Back | Black-striped Weasel, Mustela strigidorsa
|
| dulcis | L | Sweet | Almond, Prunus dulcis
|
| dynam- | G δύναμις | Power, Force | Dynamics, Thermodynamics
|
| Latin/Greek
| Language
| English
| Example
|
| eburneus, eburni- | L | Ivory-colored | Ivory Gull, Pagophila eburnea
|
| echinatus | G ἐχῖνος | Prickly, spiny | Edisto Crayfish, Procambarus echinatus; Shortleaf Pine, Pinus echinata
|
| echinos, echino- | G ἐχῖνος | Hedgehog, sea-urchin, spiny | Globe thistle sp., Echinops ritro; Sea-urchin cactus, Echinopsis; Echinodermata
|
| edulis | L | Edible | Oyster, Ostrea edulis; Common Cockle, Cerastoderma edule
|
| electr- | G ἤλεκτρον | 1. Amber, amber-colored;
2. Electric (modern usage) | Broad-billed Motmot, Electron platyrhynchum;
Electric Eel, Electrophorus electricus
|
| enanti | G ἔναντι | Opposite | Enantiornithes
|
| ennea | G ἐννέα | Nine | Scurvy-grass Sorrel, Oxalis enneaphylla; Banded Sunfish Enneacanthus obesus
|
| ensatus | L | Sword-like | California Giant Salamander, Dicamptodon ensatus
|
| ensi-, ensis | L | Sword, lance | Jackknife Clam, Ensis minor; Swordleaf Rush, Juncus ensifolius
|
| erectus | L | Upright | Homo erectus ("upright man"); Upright chickweed, Moenchia erecta
|
| erion, erio- | G | Wool, woolly | Common Cottongrass, Eriophorum angustifolium
|
| erosus | L | Indented, jagged, serrated | Jícama, Pachyrhizus erosus; Serrated Hinge-back Tortoise, Kinixys erosa
|
| erythros, erythro- | G ἐρυθρός | Red[1][2] | Spotted Redshank, Tringa erythropus; Dog's-tooth Violet, Erythronium dens-canis
|
| Latin/Greek
| Language
| English
| Example
|
| familiaris | L | Domestic, common | Dog, Canis familiaris
|
| flavus | L | Golden yellow, light yellow | Yellow Pitcher Plant, Sarracenia flava; Yellow-necked Mouse, Apodemus flavicollis
|
| flor- | L | Flower | Southern Magnolia, Magnolia grandiflora; Largeflower aster, Symphyotrichum grandiflorum
|
| folium | L | Leaf | American Beech, Fagus grandifolia
|
| fulvus | L | Deep yellow, tawny | Pacific Golden Plover, Pluvialis fulva; Yellow Ground Squirrel, Spermophilus fulvus
|
| fuscus | L | Dark, dark brown | Sooty Tern, Sterna fuscata; Dusky Hopping Mouse, Notomys fuscus
|
| Latin/Greek
| Language
| English
| Example
|
| haema-, hema- | G αἷμα | Blood | Haemosporida; Bacteria sp., Haemophilus influenzae
|
| hali-, halio- | G | Of the sea, salt | Grey Seal, Halichoerus grypus; Black Abalone, Haliotis cracherodii
|
| haplo- | G ἁπλόος | Simple, single | Mountain Beaver, Apoldontia rufa; Mongolosaurus haplodon
|
| hedra- | G ἕδρα | Seat, facet | Chinese Ephedra, Ephedra sinica; (Polyhedron; Tetrahedron)
|
| heli-, helio- | G ἥλιος | Sun | Sunflower, Helianthus annuus; Sun Spurge, Euphorbia helioscopia
|
| hexa- | G ἕξα- | Six | Water Primrose, Ludwigia hexapetala
|
| hippo- | G ἵππος | Horse | Seahorse, Hippocampus; Lesser Horseshoe Bat, Rhinolophus hipposideros
|
| hirsuta | L | Hairy | Hairy Bittercress, Cardamine hirsuta; Hairy Fruit-eating Bat, Artibeus hirsutus
|
| homo | L | Human, man | Modern human, Homo sapiens; Neandertal, Homo neanderthalensis
|
| hortensis | L | From the garden | Orphean Warbler, Sylvia hortensis
|
| hydro- | G ὕδωρ, ὑδρο- | Water | Chinese Water Deer, Hydropotes inermis
|
| hyper- | G ὑπέρ | Over, above | St John's Wort, Hypericum perforatum
|
| hypo-, hyp- | G ὑπό- | Under, beneath | Zebra Pleco catfish, Hypancistrus zebra; Common Cat's-ear, Hypochoeris radicata
|
| Latin/Greek
| Language
| English
| Example
|
| indicus | L | Indian | Malaysian Tapir, Tapirus indicus
|
| Latin/Greek
| Language
| English
| Example
|
| maculatus | L | Spotted | Spotted Sandpiper, Actitis macularius
|
| major | L | Greater | Great Tit, Parus major
|
| malabaricus | L | From Malabar | Sturnus malabaricus, Chestnut-tailed Starling
|
| mauro- | G μαυρο- | Dark, Black | Dark Shrew, Crocidura maurisca
|
| maximus | L | Largest | Royal Tern, Sterna maxima
|
| megas | G μέγας | Large, great | Megalodon shark, Carcharodon megalodon
|
| melano- | G μελανο- | Black | Black-browed Albatross, Thalassarche melanophris
|
| micro | G μικρόν | small | Littleleaf pussytoes, Antennaria microphylla
|
| minimus | L | Smallest | Least Flycatcher, Empidonax minimus
|
| minor | L | Smaller | Great Frigatebird, Fregata minor
|
| mono- | G μονο- | Single | Swinhoe's Storm-petrel, Oceanodroma monorhis
|
| montanus | L | Mountains | Tree Sparrow, Passer montanus
|
| morpho- | G μορφο- | Shape | Lagomorpha
|
| mys | G μῦς | Mouse | As rodent, e.g. Phoberomys, Telicomys.
|
| Latin/Greek
| Language
| English
| Example
|
| obscurus | L | Dark | Dusky Dolphin, Lagenorhynchus obscurus
|
| occidentalis | L | Western | Eastern Arborvitae, Thuja occidentalis
|
| ocean | G Ὠκεανός | Ocean | seaside tube lichen, Hypogymnia oceanica
|
| octo-, octa- | G ὀκτο- | Eight | Octopus
|
| -odon, -odus | G οδων, οδους | Tooth | Dimetrodon, Rhizodus
|
| oeos- | G | Tubular
|
| officinalis | L | For the workshop; medicinal | Rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis
|
| oleum | L | Oil | Jack O'Lantern, Omphalotus olearius
|
| ops | G | Face | Triceratops
|
| opsis | G ὄψις | Face, appearance | Carolina Parakeet, Conuropsis carolinensis
|
| orientalis | L | Eastern | Oriental cockroach, Blatta orientalis
|
| ortho- | G ὀρθο- | Straight | Orthoptera
|
| Latin/Greek
| Language
| English
| Example
|
| pachy- | G παχύς, παχυ- | Thick, stout | Pachycephalosaurus
|
| palustris | L | Of the marsh | Mugger Crocodile, Crocodylus palustris
|
| pan- panto- | G πάν, genitive παντός | All | Pandemic, Panorama, Pantomime, Pantotheria
|
| parvus | L | Small | Mountain Pygmy Possum, Burramys parvus
|
| pedi- | L pes, pedis | Foot | Showy lady slipper, Cypripedium reginae
|
| pelag- | G πέλαγος | Open sea | Pelagic Cormorant, Phalacrocorax pelagicus
|
| penn- | L penna | Feather (specifically remex) | Great Auk, Pinguinus impennis
|
| pennatus | L | Winged | Booted Eagle, Aquila pennata
|
| penta- | G πέντα- | Five | Chalcides pentadactylus, a type of skink
|
| petra | G πέτρα | Rock, stone
|
| phobia | G φοβία | fear | Arachnophobia, Agoraphobia
|
| phyllo- | G φύλλον | Leaf | Garden Lupin, Lupinus polyphyllus
|
| physi- | G φύσις | Nature | Physics
|
| phyto- | G φυτόν | Plant | Phytoplankton
|
| platy- | G πλατύς, πλατυ- | Flat or broad | Flathead trout, Salmo platycephalus
|
| poly- | G πολύς, πολυ- | Many | Polymer
|
| pratensis | L | From the meadow | Meadow Foxtail, Alopecurus pratensis
|
| protos | G πρῶτος | First | Proton
|
| pter- | G πτερόν | Wing or remix | White-winged Tern, Chlidonias leucopterus
|
| pubescens | L | Downy | Downy oak, Quercus pubescens
|
| punctatus | L | Spotted | Thirteen-spotted lady beetle, Hippodamia tredecimpunctata
|
| Latin/Greek
| Language
| English
| Example
|
| repandus | L | Curved upwards, turned up | Peruvian Apple Cactus, Cereus repandus; Hedgehog Mushroom, Hydnum repandum
|
| repens | L | 1. Creeping, crawling (rēpens);
2. Unexpected (rĕpens) | Creeping Buttercup, Ranunculus repens; White Clover, Trifolium repens
|
| reptans | L | Creeping, crawling | Creeping Cinquefoil, Potentilla reptans; Reptilia
|
| rhis, rhinos | G ῥις, ῥινός | Nose | Orange Leaf-nosed Bat, Rhinonicteris aurantia
|
| rhiza | G ῥίζα | Root | Bushy Seedbox, Ludwigia helminthorrhiza; Rhizobium (nitogen-fixing soil bacteria)
|
| rhynchos | G ῥύγχος | Beak or snout | Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos
|
| rhyti-, rhytis | G ῥυτῖς | Wrinkled, folded | Shaggy Moss, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus; Rhytidodon (syn. Rutiodon)
|
| rostra | L | Beak, bill, snout | Common Crossbill, Loxia curvirostra
|
| rostralis | L | With a beak | Buttoned Snout moth, Hypena rostralis
|
| ruber, rubra, rubrum | L | Red | Red Valerian, Centranthus ruber; Summer Tanager, Piranga rubra; Red Maple, Acer rubrum
|
| rufus | L | Reddish, red | Red Wolf, Canis rufus
|
| Latin/Greek
| Language
| English
| Example
|
| sapiens | L | Wise | recent subspecies of humans: Homo sapiens sapiens ("very wise man")
|
| sativus | L | Sown, cultivated | Pea, Pisum sativum
|
| saura | G σαύρα | Lizard | Lancetfish, Maiasaura (dinosaur)
|
| septem- | L | seven | Seven-spot Ladybird, Coccinella septempunctata
|
| silvestris | L | Of the wood; wild | Wild Cat, Felis silvestris
|
| sinensis | L | From China | Tea, Camellia sinensis
|
| specios- | L | showy | Lagerstroemia speciosa, Lilium speciosum
|
| sperma | G σπέρμα | Seed | African daisies, Osteospermum
|
| sphen- | G σφήν- | Wedge | Tuatara, Sphenodon punctatus
|
| stoichion | G στοιχεῖον | Element | Stoichiometry
|
| stoma | G στόμα | Mouth, opening | Stomate, Gnathostomata
|
| striatus | L | Striped | Striated Heron, Butorides striatus
|
| suchοs | G | Crocodile (from Egyptian) | Eusuchia, Koolasuchus
|
| Latin/Greek
| Language
| English
| Example
|
| tardus, tardi- | L | Slow, late | Great Bustard, Otis tarda; Chisos Mountains Oak, Quercus tardifolia
|
| tele-, tel- | G τηλε- | Far, distant | New South Wales Waratah, Telopea speciosissima
|
| tenuis | L | Thin, slender, fine | Slender Rush, Juncus tenuis; Plealeaf Knotweed, Polygonum tenue
|
| tetra- | G τετρα- | Four | Four-leaved Allseed, Polycarpon tetraphyllum; Tetrapoda
|
| tinctorius | L | For dyeing | Woad, Isatis tinctoria
|
| tomentosus | L | Furry | Fuzzy Mock-orange, Philadelphus tomentosus
|
| tres, tris, tri- | LG | Three | Black-legged Kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla
|
| trich-, thrix | G | Hair | Cloud ear fungus, Auricularia polytricha
|
| triquetrus | L | Triangular, three-cornered | Three-cornered Garlic, Allium triquetrum
|
| Latin/Greek
| Language
| English
| Example
|
| variabilis | L | Variable | Grey Bunting, Emberiza variabilis
|
| variegatus | L | Variegated | Variegated Laughingthrush, Garrulax variegatus; Croton, Codiaeum variegatum
|
| velox, velocis | L | Swift | Swift Fox, Vulpes velox; Velociraptor
|
| ventralis | L | Ventral, of the belly | Hispaniolan Parrot, Amazona ventralis; Southern Dwarf Chameleon, Bradypodion ventrale
|
| vernus, vernalis | L | Spring | Spring Gentian, Gentiana verna; Spring Pheasant's Eye, Adonis vernalis
|
| verrucosus | L | Rough skinned | Javan Warty Pig, Sus verrucosus; Reef Stonefish, Synanceia verrucosa
|
| verus | L | True, genuine | True Aloe, Aloe vera; Lady's Bedstraw, Galium verum
|
| villosus | L | Hairy, shaggy | Hairy Woodpecker, Picoides villosus; Hairy Vetch, Vicia villosa
|
| viridis | L | Green | Green Alder, Alnus viridis; Frog Orchid, Coeloglossum viride
|
| virosus | L | Poisonous | Poisonous Lettuce, Lactuca virosa; Cowbane, Cicuta virosa
|
| volans | L | Flying | Southern Flying Squirrel, Glaucomys volans
|
| vulgaris | L | Common | Common Octopus, Octopus vulgaris; Common Privet, Ligustrum vulgare
|
[edit] W, X, Y, Z
[edit] References
- ^ a b The Botanary.
- ^ Chuck Griffith. Dictionary of Botanical Epithets.
[edit] External links
nl:Lijst van Griekse en Latijnse begrippen in de biologie
