Taxonomic Etymologies EEOB 111

Originally compiled by Michael Guill, modified by Beth Wee. Based on Donald Borror's Dictionary of Word Roots and Combining Forms, Mayfield Publishing Co. Palo Alto, CA. 1960.

Note: In the following outline, taxonomic names are printed in Boldface, terms used to describe organisms are Underlined, and non-taxonomic names for general associations of taxa are put in “Quotation Marks.”

General Terms :

Acoelomate [Greek a-, without; + Greek coel, cavity] animals

“Angiosperms” [Greek angos, vessel; + Greek sperma, seed]

Autotrophic [Greek autos, self; + Greek trophe, from trephein, to nourish]

Coelomate (sometimes Eucoelomate) [Greek eu-, good, (= true); + Greek coel, cavity]

Deuterostomes [Greek deuteros, second; + Greek stoma, mouth]

Eukaryotic [Greek eu, good, well (= true); + Greek karyo,  nut]

“Gymnosperms” [Greek gymnos, naked; + Greek sperma, seed]

Heterotrophic [Greek heteros, other; + Greek trophe, from trephein, to nourish]

Photosynthetic [Greek photo-, from phos, light; + Greek synthesis, to put together]

Prokaryotic [Greek pro-, before; + Greek karyo,  nut]

Protostomes [Greek protos, first; + Greek stoma, mouth]

Pseudocoelomate [Greek pseudo-, false; + Greek coel, cavity] animals

Classification of organisms

Consistent with Mader, 6th edition, Biology Laboratory Manual.

 

Kingdom Monera [Greek moneres, solitary, from monos, single, alone]

Subkingdom Archaebacteria [Greek archae-, ancient; + Greek bakterion, diminutive of baktron, rod]

Subkingdom Eubacteria [Greek eu-, good, well(= true); + Greek bakterion, diminutive of baktron, rod]

Phylum Cyanobacteria [Greek kyanos, dark blue]

Heterotrophic [Greek heteros, other; + Greek trophe, from trephein, to nourish] bacteria

bacillus [diminutive of Latin baculum, rod]

spirillum [diminutive of Latin spira, coil]

coccus [from Greek kokkos, grain, seed]

 

The other four Kingdoms are Eukaryotic [Greek eu-, good, well (= true); + Greek karyon, nut]

 

Kingdom Protista [Greek protista, neuter pl. of protistos, the very first, superlative of protos, first]

Protists resembling animals = “Protozoa” [Greek proto-, first; + Greek zoion, zoon, living being, animal]

Phylum Sarcodina [Greek sarkodes, fleshy, from sarx, sark-, flesh]

Phylum Ciliophora [Latin cilium, lower eyelid (= eyelash); + Greek -phoros, bearing, from pherein, to carry]

Phylum Zoomastigophora [Greek zoion, zoon, living being, animal; + Greek mastig-, whip; + Greek -phoros, bearing, from pherein, to carry]

Phylum Sporozoa [Greek spora, seed; + Greek zoion, zoon, living being, animal]

Protists resembling plants = “Algae” [Latin alga, seaweed]

Phylum Chlorophyta [Greek khloros, green; + Greek phyton, plant]

Phylum Phaeophyta [Greek phaeo-, dusky; + Greek phyton, plant]

Phylum Chrysophyta [Greek khrysos, gold, of Semitic origin; akin to Hebrew harus; + Greek phyton, plant]

Phylum Dinoflagella [Greek dino-, terrible or whirling; + Latin flagellum, whip]

Phylum Euglenophyta [Greek eu-, good, (= true); + Greek glene, eyeball; + Greek phyton, plant]

Phylum Rhodophyta [Greek rhodon, rose (= red); + Greek phyton, plant]

Protists resembling fungi = “Slime Molds”

Phylum Gymnomycota [Greek gymno-, naked; + New Latin -mycetes, from Greek mukes, muket-, fungus]

 

Kingdom Animalia [Latin animale, neuter of animalis, living, from anima, soul]

Phylum Porifera [Latin porus, passage, pore; + Latin -fera, bearing, from ferre, to carry]

Phylum Cnidaria [Latin cnide, nettle; + Latin -arius, of or related to]

Class Hydrozoa [Greek Hydra, a many-headed water serpent; + Greek zoion, zoon, living being, animal]

Class Scyphozoa [Greek skyphos, cup; + Greek zoion, zoon, living being, animal]

Class Anthozoa [Greek anthos, flower; + Greek zoion, zoon, living being, animal]

Phylum Ctenophora [Greek cten-, comb; + Greek -phoros, bearing, from pherein, to carry]

Phylum Platyhelminthes [Greek platy-, flat; + Greek helminth, worm]

Class Turbellaria [Latin turbella, bustle, turmoil (from the motion of their cilia in the water)]

Class Trematoda [Greek trema-, hole, perforation; + Greek oda, Like, a resemblance]

Class Cestoda [Latin cestus, belt; + Greek oda, Like, a resemblance]

Phylum Nematoda [Greek nema, thread; + Greek oda, Like, a resemblance]

Phylum Rotifera [Latin rota, wheel; + Latin -fera, bearing, from ferre, to carry]

Protostomes [Greek protos, first; + Greek stoma, mouth]

Phylum Mollusca [Latin molluscus, thin-shelled, from mollis, soft]

Class Bivalvia [Latin bis, bi-, twice (=two); + Latin valva, folding door, valve]

Class Gastropoda [Greek gaster, stomach; + Greek pous, pod-, foot]

Class Polyplacophora [Greek poly-, many; + Greek plax, plate; + Greek -phoros, bearing, from pherein, to carry]

Class Cephalopoda [Greek kephale, head; + Greek pous, pod-, foot]

Phylum Annelida [Latin anellus, diminutive of anus, ring; + Latin -id, body]

Class Oligochaeta [Greek oligos, few; + Greek khaite, long hair (= bristle)]

Class Polychaeta [Greek poly-, many; + Greek khaite, long hair (= bristle)]

Class Hirudinea [Latin hirudo, leech]

Phylum Arthropoda [Greek arthron, joint; + Greek pod, foot]

Subphylum Chelicerata [Greek khele, claw; + Greek cerat, horn]

Class Arachnida [Greek arakhne, spider]

Class Merostomata [Greek meros, thigh; + Greek stoma, mouth]

Subphylum Crustacea [Latin crusta, shell]

Class Crustacea

Subphylum Uniramia [Latin unus, one; + Latin ramus, branch]

Class Diplopoda [Greek diploos, double; + Greek pod, foot]

Class Chilopoda [Greek kheilos, lip (the foremost pair of legs are jawlike appendages); + Greek pod, foot]

Class Insecta [Latin insecare, cut up (= segmented)]

 

Deuterostomes [Greek deutero,  second; + Greek stoma, mouth]

 

Phylum Echinodermata [Greek ekhinos, spine (figuratively), from sea urchin, or hedgehog (ultimately from ekhis, adder, viper); + Greek derma, skin]

Class Asteroidea [Greek asteroeides, starlike]

Class Crinoidea [Greek krinon, lily]

Class Holothuroidea [Greek, holothurum, a sedentary marine animal, possibly from Greek holos, whole; + ? (maybe Greek thureoeides  (thyroid); or (thureos, oblong shield (from thura, door))]

Class Echinoidea [Greek ekhinos, spine (figuratively), sea urchin, hedgehog (from ekhis, adder, viper)]

Class Ophiuroidea [Greek ophis, snake + Greek oura, tail]

Phylum Hemichordata [Greek hemi; half; + Latin chorda, cord]

Phylum Chaetognatha [Greek khaite, bristle, long hair; + Greek gnathos, jaw]

Phylum Chordata [Latin chorda, cord]

Subphylum Cephalochordata [Greek kephale, head; + Latin chorda, cord]

Subphylum Urochordata [Greek oura, tail; + Latin chorda, cord]

Subphylum Vertebrata [Latin, vertebra, a joint, backbone, from vertere, to turn]

Class Agnatha [Greek prefix a-, not, without ; + Greek gnathos, jaw]

Class Chondrichthyes [Greek khondros, cartilage; + Greek ikhthus, fish]

Class Osteichthyes [Greek osteon, bone; + Greek ikhthus, fish]

Class Amphibia [Greek amphi-, on both sides, around; + Greek bios, life]

Class Reptilia [Latin reptilis, creeping]

Class Aves  [Latin avis, bird]

Class Mammalia [Latin mamma, breast]

 

Kindgom Fungi [Latin fungus, mushroom;  perhaps from Greek spongos, sphongos, sponge]

Note: suffix -mycota [New Latin -mycetes, from Greek mykes, myket-, fungus]

 

Division Zygomycota [Greek zygon, yoke (= paired spores)]

Division Ascomycota [Greek askos, bag]

Division Basidiomycota [Latin basidium, a small pedestal]

“Fungi Imperfecti” [Latin: “imperfect fungi”] (deuteromycota [Greek deutero,  second])

“Lichens” [Greek leikhen, from leikhein, to lick]

 

Kindgom Plantae [Latin planta, sole of the foot, and denominative plantare, to drive in with the sole of the foot, to plant (verb), therefore planta, a plant (noun)]

Note: suffix -phyta [from Greek phyton, plant, from phyein, to make grow]

Nonvascular Plants (Nonseed as well)

Division Bryophyta [Greek bryon, moss, from bryein, to swell, teem]

Division Hepatophyta [Greek hepato, liver]

Division Anthocerotophyta [Greek anthos, flower; + Greek keras, horn]

Vascular Plants

Nonseed

Division Psilotophyta [Greek psilo-, bare, naked]

Division Lycopodophyta [Greek lukos, wolf; + Greek pod, foot]

Division Equisetophyta [Latin equi, a horse]

Division Pteridophyta [Greek pteron, feather, wing]

Seed Plants

“Gymnosperms” [Greek gymnos, naked; + Greek sperma, seed]

Division Pinophyta [Latin pin, pine; Latin pine  = shaped like a pine tree]

            (conifers) [Greek konos, cone; + from Latin ferre, to carry, bear]

Division Cycadophyta [Greek kykas, from (Egyptian ?)koïx, a kind of palm tree]

Division Ginkophyta [Japanese ginkyo]

Division Gnetophyta [possibly from Greek gnesi, genuine]

“Angiosperms” [Greek angos, vessel; + Greek sperma, seed]

Division Magnoliophyta [Latin magni, large, great]

Class Liliopsida [Latin lili, a lily; + Greek opsi; appearance]

            (monocot) from monocotyledon [Greek monos, single, alone; + Greek kotyledon, from kotyle, hollow object]

Class Magnoliopsida [Latin magni, large, great; + Greek opsi; appearance]

            (dicot) from dicotyledon [Greek prefix di-, two; + Greek kotyledon, from kotyle, hollow object]