phyllo

Phyllo– is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “leaf.” It is often used in scientific terms, especially in biology.

Phyllo– comes from Greek ���ý������n, meaning “leaf.” The Latin cognate of ���ý������n is folium, also meaning “leaf,” which is the source of words such as foil, foliage, and folio. To learn more, check out our entries for these three terms.

������ are variants of phyllo-?

When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, phyllo– becomes phyll–, as in phyllite.

When combined as a suffix at the end of the word, this combining form becomes –phyll or –phyl, as in chlorophyll. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use articles on phyll-, –phyll, and –phyl.

An example of a word that features the form phyllo– is phyllophagous, “feeding on leaves.”

The form phyllo– means “leaf,” and the –phagous part of the word means “eating” or “feeding on,” from Greek –phagos. Phyllophagous literally translates to “eating leaves.”

������ are some words that use the combining form phyllo-?

• phylloclade (using the equivalent form of phyllo– in Latin)
• phyllogenetic
• phyllomania
• phyllophore
• phyllopod (using the equivalent form of phyllo– in Latin)
• phyllosphere

������ are some other forms that phyllo– may be commonly confused with?

• philo-
• phyl-
• phylo-

The combining form –phore means “thing or part bearing” or “bearer of.” With this in mind, what part of a palm is a phyllophore?