Since Biology involves so many new terms, it is worth your while to figure out what they mean. The regularities in the use of the word roots (e.g., cyto- ) that are used in scientific terminology will help you to understand new terms as they come along (e.g., "cytoskeleton"). They can also help you remember their meanings as new vocabulary starts to accumulate. Below are some word derivations, along with some definitions of terms. In general I have not included the definitions. I think that you will profit more from figuring them out yourselves...
Taxonomy
taxonomy (taxo-, "arrangement" + -nomy, "the study of")
systematics
morphology (morpho-, "shape, form", + -logy, "study of")
phylogeny (phylo-, "tribe, race", + -geny, "origin of")
binomial nomenclature
specific epithet (literally "the name of the species," a.k.a. "trivial name")
taxon [pl. taxa] (a "back formation" from the word taxonomy): a taxonomic group
kingdom: no particular ending
phylum: names end in -phyta or -mycota
class: names end in -opsida, -phyceae or -mycetes
order: names end in -ales
family: names end in -aceae
genus [pl. genera]
species [pl. species]
homologous features (homo-, "branch" + -logo-, "word" + -y, nominal suffix -- literally, they "say the same thing")
homoplasic features (homo-, "same" + -plasy, "form, shape")
convergent evolution
cladistics (clado-, "branch" + -istic, adjectival suffix)
cladogram (clado-, "branch" + -gram, "picture")
monophyletic (mono-, "one", + -phyleto-, "tribe, race" + -ic, adjectival suffix)
polyphyletic (poly-, "one", + -phyleto-, "tribe, race" + -ic, adjectival suffix)
paraphyletic (para-, "beside, similar to", + -phyleto-, "tribe, race" + -ic, adjectival suffix)
Cyanobacteria (cyano-, "blue-green" + -bacteria): the phylum that comprises the blue-green algae; also known as....
Cyanophyta (cyano-, "blue-green" + -phyta, "alga") individuals in this phylum are called cyanophytes
photoautotroph (photo-, "light" +auto-, "self" + -troph, "nourishment"): a photosynthetic organism, which gets energy from light and make its own organic carbon: producers
heterotroph (hetero-, "other, different" + -troph, "nourishment"): an organism that ingests organic molecules made by other living things; consumers, e.g., herbivores, predators, decomposers
hormogonium [pl. hormogonia] (hormo-, "chain, necklace" + -gonium, "seed, procreative element")
peptidoglycan (peptido-, "protein" + -glycan, "sugar")
mucilaginous (adj. form of "mucilage")
chromatoplasm (chromato-, "color" + -plasm, short for "cytoplasm")
centroplasm (centro-, "in the center" + -plasm, short for "cytoplasm")
thylakoid (thylak-, "sack" + -oid, "like, resembling")
carotenoid (caroten-, from "carotene", a pigment isolated form carrots + -oid, "like, resembling")
phycobilisome (phyco-, "algae" + -bili-, "bile" + -some "body"): clumps of accessory pigments on the surface of the thylakoids; made up of phycobilins and proteins
phycobilin (phyco-, "algae" + -bil-, "bile" + -in suffix for a chemical)
phycoerythrin (phyco-, "algae" + -erythr-, "red" + -in suffix for a chemical): a kind of phycobilin
phycocyanin (phyco-, "algae" + -cyan-, "blue-green" + -in suffix for a chemical): another kind of phycobilin; gives blue-green algae their characteristic color
carboxysome (carb-, from 'carbon' + -oxy-, "from 'oxygen'" +-some "body")
gas vesicle (vesicle: L. "small sac or vessel")
cyanophycean starch (cyano-, "blue-green" + -phyc-, "algae" +-ean suffix for an adjective)
cyanophycin granule (cyano-, "blue-green" + -phyc-, "algae" + -in suffix for a chemical)
polyphosphate granule (poly- "many" + -phosphate)
heterocyst (hetero- "other, different" + -cyst, "cell")
akinete (a- "not" + -kinet-, "motion")
stromatolite (stromato-, "layered" + -lite, "stone, rock")
symbiosis (sym-, "together" + -bi-, "life, living" + -osis, suffix for a process: i.e., "the process of living together")
mutualism: a +/+ interspecific interaction, mutually beneficial to either partner
lichen: a symbiosis between algae and fungi
eutrophic (eu-, "well, true", + -troph-, "to feed", + -ic, suffix for an adjective): having an excessive growth of algae (in a lake) because of nutrient enrichment
Prochlorophyta (pro-, "before + -chloro-, "green, + -phyta, "plant [phylum name]")
prokaryote (pro-, "before" + karyo, "kernel, nut" [i.e., nucleus])
eukaryote (eu-, "good, true" + karyo, "kernel, nut" [i.e., nucleus])
prokaryote (pro-, "before" + karyo, "kernel, nut" [i.e., nucleus])
eukaryote (eu-, "good, true" + karyo, "kernel, nut" [i.e., nucleus])
mitosis
meiosis
gamete
fertilization
plasmogamy: (plasmo-, from "cytoplasm" + -gamy, "union, joining, marriage")
karyogamy: (karyo-, "kernel, nut" [i.e., nucleus] + -gamy, "union, joining, marriage")
syngamy: (syn-, "together" + -gamy, "union, joining, marriage")
zygote (Gk. zygotos, "yoked, joined")
spore
haplontic
diplontic
diplohaplontic
isomorphic (iso-, "same, equal" + -morpho-, "shape, form" + -ic suffix for an adjective)
heteromorphic (hetero-, "different" + -morpho-, "shape, form" + -ic suffix for an adjective)
Myxomycota (myxo-, "slime, mucus" + -mycota, "fungus")
Physarum polycephalum
swarm cell: a flagellated haploid cell of the myxomycetes
plasmodium [pl. plasmodia] (plasmo-, "formed element" + -dium, suffix for a noun)
sclerotium [pl. sclerotia] (sclerot-, "hard, dried up" + -ium, suffix for a noun)
Dictyosteliomycota: cellular slime molds
Dictyostelium (dictyo-, "net" + -stelium, "stalk, pillar" [the stalk of its sporangium is composed of cells, and has a netlike appearance])
mxyamoeba (myxo-, "slime, mucus" + -amoeba)
microcyst (micro- "small" + -cyst)
cAMP: cyclic AMP
pseudoplasmodium [pl. pseudoplasmodia] (pseudo- "false" + -plasmodium)
sporangium [pl. sporangia] (spor-, "seed" + -angium, "vessel")
macrocyst (macro-, "large" + -cyst)
autotroph (auto-, "self" + -troph, "nourishment")
heterotroph (hetero-, "other, different" + -troph, "nourishment")
mixotroph (mixo-, "mixed" + -troph, "nourishment")
auxotrophic (auxo-, "to grow, increase" + -troph, "to feed")
phagocytosis (phago-, "to eat" + -cyt-, "cell" + -osis, suffix for a process)
endosymbiosis (endo-, "inside" + -sym-, "together" + -bi-, "life, living" + -osis, suffix for a process: i.e., "the process of living together")
endosymbiont (endo-, "inner, inside of" + -sym-, "together" + -biont, "one who lives") [one who lives inside of another cell]
Glaucophyta (glauco-, "pale green" + -phyta, "plant [phylum name]")
cyanelle (cyan-, "blue-green" + -elle, diminutive suffix)
Dinophyta (dino-, "spinning" + -phyta, "plant [phylum name]")
Pyrrhophyta (pyrrho-, "fire" + -phyta, "plant [phylum name]") an alternate name for the phylum
dinoflagellate (dino-, "spinning" + -flagellate)
transverse flagellum
girdle
longitudinal flagellum
sulcus (L., "furrow")
theca [pl. thecea] (from Gk. "case")
epicone (epi-, "top" + -cone)
hypocone (hypo-, "lower" + -cone)
trichocyst (tricho-, "hair" + -cyst)
dinokaryotic (dino-, from "dinoflagellate" + karyo, "kernel, nut" [i.e., nucleus])
mesokaryote (meso-, "middle, intermediate" + karyo, "kernel, nut" [i.e., nucleus])
peridinin (peridin-, from the genus Peridinium + -in, suffix for a molecule)
Pfiesteria piscicida (Pfiesteria, after the phycologist Lois Pfiester + pisci-, "fish" + -cida, "to kill [e.g., homicide is the killing of humans]")
zooxanthella [pl., zooxanthellae] (zoo-, "animal" + -xanth-, "yellow" + -ella, diminutive suffix)
coral bleaching
red tides
Rhodophyta (rhodo-, "red, rose" + -phyta, "plant [phylum name]")
agar
carrageenan
coralline: resembling a coral
Floridean starch
polar rings: structures that organize the spindle apparatus in red algae
pit plug: (a.k.a. pit connection, although that term refers more to the opening that is blocked by the pit plug)
spermatium [pl. spermatia]
spermatangium [pl. spermatangia] (where spermatia are formed)
carpogonium [pl. carpogonia] (carpo-, "fruit"): the female gamete in red algae
trichogyne (tricho-, "hair" + -gyne, "female")
carposporophyte (makes carpospores)
carposporangium [pl. carposporangia ] (where carpospores are formed)
carpospore
tetrasporophyte (makes tetraspores)
tetrasporangium [pl. tetrasporangia] (where tetraspores are formed)
tetraspore
Euglenophyta (eu-, "good, true" + -gleno-, "eye" + -phyta, "plant [phylum name]")
euglenoid (eu-, "good, true" + -gleno-, "eye" + -id, suffix for a thing)
reservoir
eyespot (= stigma)
stigma [pl. stigmata] (Gk., "spot")
pellicle (diminutive of L., pellis, "skin")
paramylon (para-, "similar to" + -amylon, "starch")
open mitosis: eukaryotic nuclear division in which the nuclear envelope disperses
closed mitosis: eukaryotic nuclear division in which the nuclear envelope persists
auxotrophic (auxo-, "to grow, increase" + -troph-, "to feed" + -ic, suffix for an adjective) [a nutritional strategy, can fix their carbon, but need certain organic molecules as nutritional supplements]
Cryptophyta (crypto-, "hidden" + -phyta, "plant [phylum name]")
cryptomonad (crypto-, "hidden" + -monad, "single object [unicell]")
gullet
trichocyst(tricho-, "hair" + -cyst)
periplast (peri-, "around" + -plast, "cytoplasm")
nucleomorph (nucleo-, "nucleus" + -morph, "shape, form")
Haptophyta (hapto-, from haptonema + -phyta, "plant [phylum name]")
haptonema (hapto-, "to touch" + -nema, "thread")
coccolith (cocco-, "berry" + -lith, "stone" [i.e., "stones (scales) on the berry (nonflagellated cell)"])
coccolithophorid (cocco-, "berry" + -litho-, "stone" + -phor-, "to bear" + -id, suffix for a thing)
dimethyl sulfide (DMS) CH3- S - CH3
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