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Anatomy & Physiology vocabulary · Prefixes, Suffixes and Roots

Osteo-

Meaning in anatomy & physiology, with examples

/ˈɑːstioʊ/prefixCommon term

In anatomy & physiology, osteo- means: A word part from Greek meaning 'bone'. It appears in osteocyte (bone cell), osteoblast (bone-building cell), osteology (the study of bones) and osteoporosis.

In Turkish: osteo-, kemikle ilgili

How it is used

It appears as oste- before a vowel (osteitis) and osteo- before a consonant. The Latin equivalent, oss-, gives osseous (bony) and ossification (bone formation). Turkish keeps it as osteo-: osteoblast, osteoporoz.

Example sentences

  1. Osteoblasts build new bone, while osteoclasts break old bone down.

  2. Osteology is usually the first part of the anatomy course.

Common collocations

  • osteocyte
  • osteoblast
  • osteoclast
  • osteology
  • osteoporosis
  • boneThe hard, living tissue that forms the skeleton, and each organ made of it. Bones support the body, protect organs, store calcium and contain the marrow that makes blood cells.
  • -cyteA word ending from Greek meaning 'cell'. It appears in erythrocyte (red blood cell), leukocyte (white blood cell), osteocyte (bone cell) and hepatocyte (liver cell).
  • -ologyA word ending meaning 'the study of' or 'the science of'. Histology is the study of tissues, cytology the study of cells and neurology the study of the nervous system and its diseases.
  • skeletonThe framework of bones and cartilage that supports the body, protects the organs and allows movement. An adult skeleton usually has 206 bones.

More terms: Prefixes, Suffixes and Roots

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.