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-oid
- a suffix meaning “resembling,” “like,” used in the formation of adjectives and nouns (and often implying an incomplete or imperfect resemblance to what is indicated by the preceding element):
alkaloid; anthropoid; cardioid; cuboid; lithoid; ovoid; planetoid.
-oid
suffix forming adjectives
- indicating likeness, resemblance, or similarity
anthropoid
–oid
- A suffix meaning “like” or “resembling,” as in ellipsoid, a geometric solid that resembles an ellipse.
Word History and Origins
Word History and Origins
Origin of -oid1
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Words That Use -oid
What does -oid mean?
The suffix –oid means “resembling” or “like.” It is often used in scientific terms, especially in biology.
The suffix –oid comes from Greek –oeidēs, from eîdos meaning “form.”
What are variants of –oid?
The plural form of –oid used in the names of zoological classes is –oidea, as in cynoidea. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use article on –oidea.
Examples of -oid
An example of a word you may have encountered that features –oid is
factoid, “an insignificant or trivial fact.” It also refers to something presented as fact but is not necessarily true.
The fact– part of the word here literally means “fact,” as in “something that actually exists.” The suffix –oid means “resembling,” as we have seen. Factoid literally means “resembling a fact.”
What are some words that use the suffix –oid?
What are some other forms that –oid may be commonly confused with?
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