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xeno-
- a combining form meaning “alien,” “strange,” “guest,” used in the formation of compound words:
xenogamy, xenolith.
xeno-
combining_form
- indicating something strange, different, or foreign
xenogamy
Word History and Origins
Origin of xeno-1
Word History and Origins
Origin of xeno-1
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Words That Use xeno-
does xeno- mean?
Xeno- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “alien,” “strange,” or “guest.” It is used in a variety of domains, including in botany, medicine, mineralogy, the social sciences, and zoology.
Xeno- comes from the Greek éԴDz, a noun meaning “stranger, guest” or an adjective meaning “foreign, strange.” The name of the chemical element (and noble gas) Xenon also derives from the Greek éԴDz.
are variants of xeno-?
When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, xeno- becomes xen-, as in xenarthral.
Examples of xeno-
An example of a word you may have heard that features xeno- xenophobia, “an aversion or hostility to, disdain for, or fear of foreigners, people from different cultures, or strangers.”
We know xeno- can refer to “foreigner.” And the -phobia portion of the word? That’s right, -phobia designates abnormal or irrational fears. So, xenophobia literally translates to “fear of foreigners.”
A connection to xeno- in popular culture is xenomorph, a name for the alien creature in the sci-fi horror franchise Alien. Learn more about this unusual specimen of a word in our entry for the term.
are some words that use the combining form xeno-?
- xenobiotic
- xenoblast
- xenocurrency
- xenocryst
- xenodiagnosis
- xenogamy
- xenogenesis
- xenolith
- xenomorphic
- xenoparasite
are some other forms that xeno- may be commonly confused with?
We’d forgive you for confusing xeno- with Zeno, the name of two influential ancient Greek philosophers. But do note the name and combining form are unrelated. Xeno- is also not to be confused with the occasional combining form zeno-, used in a few words to refer to the planet Jupiter.
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