tricho-
a combining form meaning “hair,” used in the formation of compound words:
trichocyst.
combining_form
indicating hair or a part resembling hair
trichocyst
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Word History and Origins
Origin of tricho-1
< Greek tricho-, combining form of thríx (genitive trichós )
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Word History and Origins
Origin of tricho-1
from Greek thrix (genitive trikhos ) hair
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Words That Use Tricho-
What does tricho- mean?
Tricho- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “hair.” It is used in many medical and scientific terms.
Tricho- comes from the Greek thríx, meaning “hair.” Another combining form meaning “hair,” and especially “bristles,” is chaeto-, which you can learn more about in our Words That Use article for the form.
What are variants of tricho-?
When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, tricho- becomes trich-, as in trichitis.
Examples of tricho-
One example of a scientific term that features the combining form tricho- is tricholith, “a small mass of hair”—that is, a hairball.
The first part of the word, tricho-, means “hair.” What about the -lith portion of the word? The combining form -lith means “stone,” from the Greek líthos. In pathology, such a “stone” can denote various types of small masses or concretions. Tricholith literally translates to “hair stone.”
What are some words that use the combining form tricho-?
- trichobezoar
- trichocyst
- trichodiscoma
- trichoepithelioma
- trichoglossia
- trichopathy
What are some other forms that tricho- may be commonly confused with?
- dicho-
- tracheo-
- trache-
- tropho-
In a few instances, tricho- is used to mean “three parts,” from the Greek trícha, source of trichotomy. This rare use of tricho- is modeled on dicho- (“in two parts”), which you can learn more about in our Words That Use article for this form.
Break it down!
The combining form -pathy is often used to denote “disease.” With this in mind, what does the medical condition of trichopathy involve?