Liste lateinischer und griechischer Wörter in der biologischen Systematik

This list of Latin and Greek words commonly used in systematic names is intended to help those unfamiliar with classical languages understand and remember the scientific names of organisms. The binomial nomenclature used for animals and plants is largely derived from Latin and Greek, as are some of the names used for higher taxa such as orders and above. At the time when Carolus Linnaeus (1707–1778) published the books that are now accepted as the starting point of binomial nomenclature, Latin was used in Western Europe as the language of science, and scientific names were in Latin or Greek: Linnaeus continued this practice.

Although Latin is now largely unused except by classical scholars and for certain purposes by botanists and the Roman Catholic Church, Latin can still be found in scientific names. It is helpful to be able to understand the source of scientific names. While the 'Latin names' do not always correspond to the current English common names, they are often related, and if their meanings are understood they are easier to recall.

Often a genus name or specific descriptor is simply the Latin or Greek name for the animal (e.g. Canis is Latin for a dog). These words are not included in the table below, because they will only occur for one or two taxa. The words listed below are the common adjectives and other modifiers that repeatedly occur in the scientific names of many organisms.

The list also includes a collection of scientific words and common prefixes used in English. Words that are very similar to their English forms are not included.

Usage of Latin and Greek

The two languages used in the creation of scientific names, in accordance with the conventions establised by Linnaeus, are Latin and Ancient Greek (also known as Classical Greek in some circles). The usage of Ancient Greek as opposed to Modern Greek (a living language that has evolved from, but is also distinct from, Ancient Greek) is of importance and should be noted to avoid confusion where the ancient and modern languages differ.

While Latin is mostly found in use with biological studies, the remaining sciences and arts depend on an almost exclusively Greek lexicon. Medicine, for example, has an 80% Greek lexicon, although when biological studies are included the rate drops to 65%.

Where a scientific name is derived from a Greek word, rules and conventions exist for transforming the original Greek spelling (which uses a different alphabet from Latin and modern European languages) into a 'Latinised' form. An excellent and detailed explanation of the rules for 'Latinising' Greek words for use in a scientific name can be found in The Scientific Names Of The British Lepidoptera : Their History And Meaning by A. Maitland Emmet (published by Harley Books, ISBN 0-946589-35-6).

Scientific names of more modern vintage may also integrate words from other languages: an example being that of the Siamese Fighting Fish, Betta splendens: the generic name Betta is derived from a local native name for the fish, Ikan bettah (this and many other scientific name derivations for fishes can be found in Exotic Aquarium Fishes by Dr William T. Innes, published by TFH publications, ISBN 0-87666-090-1).

Additionally, a species may be named after a person of note, be that person a scientist who has worked with the organisms in question, or a person notable for some other reason. When a species is named thus in honour of a person, the person's name is converted in accordance with established rules into a 'Latinised' form, most typically by the appending of a Latin genitive ending. For a male person, the suffix -i is added (as in Spheniscus humboldti, the scientific name for Humboldt's Penguin), while for a female person, the ending -ae is added (as in Labeotropheus trewavasae, a species of Cichlid fish from Lake Malawi, named in honour of Dr Ethelwynn Trewavas, whose life work centred upon these fishes). Even though such species descriptors are derived from the proper names of persons, they are still written beginning with a small letter, in conformity with the conventions for naming species. Examples of organisms named after persons other than scientists working in the field are Mirolabrichthys imeldae (a species of Anthiid coral reef fish named after Imelda Marcos) and Tanichthys albonubes (another fish species, the generic name Tanichthys translating as "Tan's Fish", after the Chinese boy who brought the fish to the attention of collectors).

The list includes personal names only where their Latin form is markedly different from their English or other original language form. Words that are very similar to their English forms are not included.

Note that not all the attributions to languages in this table are authoritative.

See also

• List of Greek words with English derivatives
• List of Latin words with English derivatives

List of words

In this table L = Latin, G = Greek, and LG = similar in both languages.

A

Latin/Greek	Language	English	Example
albus	L	White	American White Ibis, Eudocimus albus
archaeos	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Ancient	Archaeopteryx
arctos	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Bear	Grizzly Bear, Ursus arctos
astro	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Star	Astronomy
argentatus	L	Silvery	Herring Gull, Larus argentatus
arvensis	L	From the field	Skylark, Alauda arvensis
australis	L	Southern	Australia Kauri, Agathis australis

B

Latin/Greek	Language	English	Example
baccata	L	Berry-bearing	Common yew, Taxus baccata
borealis	L	Northern	Northern Right Whale Dolphin, Lissodelphis borealis
brachys	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Short	Smallhead Rush, Juncus brachycephalus
bradys	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Slow	Three-toed sloth, Bradypus
brevis	L	Short	Silvery-cheeked Hornbill, Ceratogymna brevis

C

Latin/Greek	Language	English	Example
canadensis	L	From Canada	Bighorn Sheep, Ovis canadensis
cauda	L	Tail	Long-tailed Bush Warbler, Bradypterus caudatus
caulos	G	Stem, stalk	Stemless Gentian, Gentiana acaulis
cephale	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Head	Mediterranean Gull, Larus melanocephalus
chilensis	L	From Chile	Paradise Tanager, Tangara chilensis
chlorοs	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Green	Common Moorhen, Gallinula chloropus
cola	L	Dweller	Eurasian Woodcock, Scolopax rusticola
corax	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Crow, raven	Common Raven, Corvus corax
crass-	L	Thick	Creeping blueberry, Vaccinium crassifolium
cristatus	L	Crested	Aardwolf, Proteles cristatus
cyanos	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Blue-green	Azure-winged Magpie, Cyanopica cyana

D

Latin/Greek	Language	English	Example
dactylοs	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Finger or toe	Black-legged Kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla
deca	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Ten	Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata
derma	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Skin	Yellow Staining Mushroom, Agaricus xanthodermus
di-	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Two	Diptera
dino-, deino-	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Terrible	dinosaur, Dinotherium
diplo-	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Double	Diplodocus
dodeca	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Twelve	Dodecahedron
dolicho-	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Elongated	Caribbean Anole, Anolis dolichocephalus
domesticus	L	From the house, domestic	House Sparrow, Passer domesticus
dorsum	L	Back	Black-striped Weasel, Mustela strigidorsa
dulcis	L	Sweet	Almond, Prunus dulcis
dynam-	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Power, Force	Dynamics, Thermodynamics

E

Latin/Greek	Language	English	Example
echinus	G	Spine	Sea-urchin cactus, Echinopsis
electr-	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Amber	Electricity, Electron
enanti	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Opposite	Enantiornithes
ennea	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Nine	Scurvy-grass Sorrel, Oxalis enneaphylla
erectus	L	Upright	extinct subspecies of humans: Homo erectus ("upright man")
erythros	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Red	Spotted Redshank, Tringa erythropus

F

Latin/Greek	Language	English	Example
familiaris	L	Common	Dog, Canis familiaris
flora	L	Flower	Southern Magnolia, Magnolia grandiflora
folius	L	Leaf	American Beech, Fagus grandifolia
fuscus	L	Dark brown	Sooty Tern, Sterna fuscata
fulvus	L	Yellow	Pacific Golden Plover, Pluvialis fulva

G

Latin/Greek	Language	English	Example
gaster	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Belly	Common fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster
glycys	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Sweet	Soybean, Glycine max
gyrinos	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Tadpole	as "Labyrinthodont amphibian", e.g. Crassigyrinus, Proterogyrinus

H

Latin/Greek	Language	English	Example
haema-	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Blood	Hemoglobin
helio-	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Sun	Heliosphere, Heliophysics
hexa-	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Six	Water Primrose, Ludwigia hexapetala
hirsuta	L	Hairy	Kiwa hirsuta
homo	L	Man	genus Homo of recent and extinct humans: Homo sapiens, Homo erectus
hortensis	L	From the garden	Orphean Warbler, Sylvia hortensis

I

Latin/Greek	Language	English	Example
indicus	L	Indian	Malayan Tapir, Tapirus indicus

L

Latin/Greek	Language	English	Example
lateralis	L	Side	Black-footed Rock Wallaby, Petrogale lateralis
leucοs	G Vorlage:Polytonic	White	White-winged Tern, Chlidonias leucopterus
lineatus	L	Lined or striped	Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata
lutea	L	Yellow	Red-billed Leiothrix, Leiothrix lutea

M

Latin/Greek	Language	English	Example
maculatus	L	Spotted	Spotted Sandpiper, Actitis macularius
major	L	Greater	Great Tit, Parus major
maximus	L	Largest	Royal Tern, Sterna maxima
megas	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Large, great	Megalodon shark, prefix Mega
melano-	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Black	Black-browed Albatross, Thalassarche melanophris
micro	G Vorlage:Polytonic	small	Microscope, prefix micro with symbol μ
minimus	L	Smallest	Least Flycatcher, Empidonax minimus
minor	L	Smaller	Great Frigatebird, Fregata minor
mono-	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Single	Swinhoe's Storm-petrel, Oceanodroma monorhis
montanus	L	Mountains	Tree Sparrow, Passer montanus
morpho-	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Shape	Lagomorpha
mauro-	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Dark, Black	Dark Shrew, Crocidura maurisca
mys	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Mouse	As rodent, e.g. Phoberomys, Telicomys.

N

Latin/Greek	Language	English	Example
nanοs	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Dwarf	Brown-capped Woodpecker, Dendrocopos nanus
nona	L	Nine
nothos	G Vorlage:Polytonic	False, bastard	Nothofagus
notos	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Southern	Hopping mouse, Notomys
novaehollandiae	L	From New Holland (Australia)	Emu, Dromaius novaehollandiae
novaeseelandiae	L	From New Zealand	Southern Boobook Ninox novaeseelandiae
noveboracensis	L	From New York	Northern Waterthrush, Seiurus noveboracensis

O

Latin/Greek	Language	English	Example
obscurus	L	Dark	Dusky Dolphin, Lagenorhynchus obscurus
occidentalis	L	Western	Eastern Arborvitae, Thuja occidentalis
octo-, octa-	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Eight	Octopus
ocean	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Ocean	Ocean
oeos-	G	Tubular
officinalis	L	For the workshop; medicinal	Rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis
oleum	L	Oil	Jack O'Lantern, Omphalotus olearius
opsis	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Face, appearance	Carolina Parakeet, Conuropsis carolinensis
orientalis	L	Eastern	Oriental cockroach, Blatta orientalis
ortho-	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Straight	Orthoptera

P

Latin/Greek	Language	English	Example
pachys	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Thick, stout	Pachycephalosaurus
palustris	L	Of the marsh	Mugger Crocodile, Crocodylus palustris
parvus	L	Small	Mountain Pygmy Possum, Burramys parvus
pedis	L	Footstep	Showy lady slipper, Cypripedium reginae
pelagos	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Open sea	Pelagic Cormorant, Phalacrocorax pelagicus
penna	L	Feather (specifically remix)	Great Auk, Pinguinus impennis
pennat-	L	Winged
penta-	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Five
petra	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Rocky, stony
phyllon	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Leaf	Garden Lupin, Lupinus polyphyllus
physi-	G Vorlage:Polytonic	nature	Physics
phyton	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Plant
platys	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Flat or broad	Flathead trout, Salmo platycephalus
poly	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Many	Polymer
pratensis	L	From the meadow	Meadow Foxtail, Alopecurus pratensis
protos	G Vorlage:Polytonic	First	Proton
pteron	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Wing or remix	White-winged Tern, Chlidonias leucopterus
pubescens	L	Downy	Downy oak, Quercus pubescens
punctatus	L	Spotted	Thirteen-spotted lady beetle, Hippodamia tredecimpunctata

R

Latin/Greek	Language	English	Example
rhiza	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Root	Bushy seedbox, Ludwigia helminthorrhiza
rhynchos	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Beak or snout	Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos
rhytis	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Wrinkled
rubra	L	Red	Summer Tanager, Piranga rubra
rostra	L	Beak	Common Crossbill, Loxia curvirostra
rufus	L	Red	Red Wolf, Canis rufus

S

Latin/Greek	Language	English	Example
sapiens	L	Wise	recent subspecies of humans: Homo sapiens sapiens ("very wise man")
sativus	L	Sown, cultivated	Pea, Pisum sativum
saura	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Lizard	Lancetfish, Alepisaurus, dinosaur
sinensis	L	From China	Tea, Camellia sinensis
sperma	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Seed	African daisies, Osteospermum
sphen-	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Wedge	Tuatara, Sphenodon punctatus
stoichion	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Element	Stoichiometry
stoma	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Mouth, opening	Stomate
striatus	L	Striped	Striated Heron, Butorides striatus
silvestris	L	Of the wood; wild	Wild Cat, Felis silvestris
suchοs	G	Crocodile (from Egyptian)	Eusuchia, Koolasuchus

T

Latin/Greek	Language	English	Example
tele-	G τηλε-	far	Telephone, Telescope
tetra-	G τετρα-	four times	Tetrapanax
tinctorius	L	For dyeing	Woad, Isatis tinctoria
tomentosus	L	Furry	Fuzzy Mock-orange, Philadelphus tomentosus
tres, tris, tri-	LG	Three	Black-legged Kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla
trich-, thrix	G	Hair	Cloud ear fungus, Auricularia polytricha

U

Latin/Greek	Language	English	Example
unus	L	One	Monotropa uniflora

V

Latin/Greek	Language	English	Example
variabilis	L	Variable	Grey Bunting, Emberiza variabilis
variegatus	L	Variegated	Variegated Laughingthrush, Garrulax variegatus
velocis	L	Swift	Velociraptor
ventrus	L	Belly
verrucosus	L	Rough skinned	Warty Pig, Sus verrucosus
viridis	L	Green	Green Alder, Alnus viridis
volans	L	Flying	Southern flying squirrel, Glaucomys volans
vulgaris	L	Common	Beet, Beta vulgaris

W, X, Y, Z

Latin/Greek	Language	English	Example
xanthos	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Yellow	Yellow Staining Mushroom, Agaricus xanthodermus
zygos	G Vorlage:Polytonic	Yolk	Zygoptera

External links

• "The Botanary" at "Dave's Garden".
• Dictionary of botanical epithets
• Classical word roots and combining forms