caco-
a combining form meaning “bad,” occurring in loanwords from Greek (cacodemon); on this model, used in the formation of compound words (cacogenics).
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Nearby words
- cack-handed,
- cackermander,
- cackle,
- cackleberry,
- cacky,
- cacodemon,
- cacodyl,
- cacodyl group,
- cacodylate,
- cacodylic
Also especially before a vowel, cac-.
Origin of caco-
< Greek, combining form of kakós
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
caco-
combining form
bad, unpleasant, or incorrectcacophony
Word Origin for caco-
from Greek kakos bad
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
caco-
before vowels cac-, word-forming element meaning "bad, ill, poor" (e.g. cacography, the opposite of calligraphy), from Latinized form of Greek kako- a hard-working prefix in ancient Greek, from kakos "bad, evil," considered by etymologists probably to be connected with PIE *kakka- "to defecate" (see caca).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
caco-
pref.
Bad:cacogeusia.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
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