-drome

The combining form -drome is used like a suffix meaning “running,” “course,” or “racecourse.” It is occasionally used in technical terms.

The form -drome comes from Greek drómos, meaning “a running,” “course,” or “place for running.”

What are variants of -drome?

In adjectives that correspond to nouns that end in -drome, the form becomes -dromous, as in heterodromous.

One example of a technical term that uses the form -drome is motordome, “a rounded course or track for automobile and motorcycle races.”

The motor- part of the word refers to motor-powered vehicles, either automobiles or motorcycles. As we know, the -drome portion of the word means “racecourse.” Motordrome literally translates to “automobile or motorcycle racecourse.”

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

• airdrome
• hippodrome (using the equivalent form of -drome in Greek)
• palindrome (using the equivalent form of -drome in Greek)
• seadrome
• syndrome (using the equivalent form of -drome in Greek)
• velodrome (using the equivalent form of -drome in French)

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

• -derm
• -dom
• -rama

The combining form hippo- means “horse.” With this in mind, what does hippodrome mean?