UFLI 127 bi-, tri-, uni- affixes Flashcards
(18 cards)
What does the prefix uni- mean?
one, 1
uniform –> one form
Uni- comes from the Latin ūnus, meaning “one.” The Greek counterpart of uni- is mono-, as in monologue.
What does the prefix bi- mean?
two, 2
bisect –> split in two
Bi- is a combining form used like a prefix, and it means “two” or “twice.” It is often used in scientific terms, but it crops up in everyday language as well. Bi- comes from Latin bis, meaning “twice, doubly.” The Greek equivalent of this combining form is di-, as in diacid.
What does the prefix tri- mean?
three, 3
triangle –> three angles
triple –> three of something
Tri- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “three.” Tri- is often used in a great variety of both everyday and technical terms. Tri- ultimately comes from both Greek treîs, tría and Latin trēs, tria, all of which mean “three.”
unicycle
one-wheel pedal bike
-cycle- comes from Greek, where it has the meaning “cycle; circle; wheel. ‘’ This meaning is found in such words as: bicycle, cycle, cyclo, cyclone, cyclotron, recycle, tricycle.
bicycle
regular bike with two wheels
-cycle- comes from Greek, where it has the meaning “cycle; circle; wheel. ‘’ This meaning is found in such words as: bicycle, cycle, cyclo, cyclone, cyclotron, recycle, tricycle.
tricycle
three-wheeled bike
-cycle- comes from Greek, where it has the meaning “cycle; circle; wheel. ‘’ This meaning is found in such words as: bicycle, cycle, cyclo, cyclone, cyclotron, recycle, tricycle.
uniform
one form, so everyone looks the same
From the Latin unus (meaning one), and forma (meaning form)
biweekly
twice a week or every two weeks
triathlon
tri refers to the three sports: swimming, biking, and running
athlos = Greek word for competition
unify
To make one
from Latin uni- “one” (see uni-) + combining form of facere “to make” (from PIE root *dhe- “to set, put”).
bilingual
Latin lingua “tongue,” also “speech, language,” from Old Latin dingua, from PIE *dnghu- “tongue”
tripod
a three-legged stool or table
pod = pous (genitive podos) “foot” (from PIE root *ped- “foot”)
triangle
three angles
bisect
split in two
Latin secare “to cut” (from PIE root *sek- “to cut”)
triple
three of something
Medieval Latin triplare
from Latin triplus = threefold, triple,
plus = “-fold”
triplet
three lines of poetry, three notes in the time of two, or three children at the same birth
couple became couplet, so triple used that model and became triplet
trilogy
Greek trilogia = series of three related tragedies performed at Athens at the festival of Dionysus
tri- “three” + logos “story”
trio
musical composition for three solo parts
from tri- “three”; patterned on duo
