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The combining form -phyte is used like a suffix meaning “plant.” It is often used in scientific terms, especially in biology and botany.

The combining form –phyte comes from the Greek �����ó��, meaning “plant.” The Greek �����ó�� also helps form the word �Ա�ó����ٴDz�, source of the word neophyte, a “beginner” or “novice.” Neophyte literally means “newly planted” and originally referred to a newly baptized Christian.

The corresponding form of -phyte combined to the beginning of words is phyto-.

Want to know more? Read our 51�Թ�s That Use phyto- article.

One example of a scientific term that features the combining form -phyte is macrophyte. A macrophyte is “a plant, especially a marine plant, large enough to be visible to the naked eye.”

You might be familiar with the combining form macro-, which means “large,” among other senses. As we have seen, -phyte means “plant.” Macrophyte, then, literally translates to “large plant.”

What are some words that use the combining form -phyte?

• aerophyte
• cormophyte
• ectophyte
• endophyte
• epiphyte
• hygrophyte
• microphyte
• geophyte
• sciophyte
• zoophyte (ultimately from the equivalent form of -phyte in Greek)

What are some other forms that -phyte may be commonly confused with?

• -phyll
• photo-
• phyco-
• phylo-
• psycho-
• pyelo-

The opposite of macro- is micro-, meaning “small.” With this in mind, what does microphyte literally translate to?