apo-

a prefix occurring originally in loanwords from Greek, where it was joined to verbs, deverbal forms, and other parts of speech. Among its functions in Greek, apo- has the spatial sense “away, off, apart” (apogee; apocope; apostasy; apostrophe); it occurs with deverbals that denote a response or defense (apodosis; apology) and is found on verbs having perfective force relative to a corresponding simple verb (apoplexy; aposiopesis). In modern scientific coinages in English and other languages, apo- marks things that are detached, separate, or derivative (apocarpous; apoenzyme).

Also especially before a vowel, ap-.

Origin of apo-

< Greek, prefixal use of apó; akin to off, Sanskrit apa, Latin ab

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British Dictionary definitions for apo-

apo-

ap-

prefix

away from; offapogee
indicating separation ofapocarpous
indicating a lack or absence ofapogamy
indicating derivation from or relationship toapomorphine

Word Origin for apo-

from Greek apo away, off

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for apo-

before vowels ap-, word-forming element meaning "from, away from, separate, free from," from Greek apo "from, away from; after; in descent from," in compounds, "from, asunder, away, off; finishing, completing; ceasing from; back again," from PIE root *apo- "off, away" (cf. Sanskrit apa "away from," Avestan apa "away from," Latin ab "away from, from," Gothic af, Old English of "away from").

apo- in Medicine

apo-

pref.

Away from; off:aponeurosis.
Separate:apocrine.
Without; lacking; not:apoferritin.
Related to; derived from:apomorphine.