-cardium

American  

1. a combining form occurring in compounds that denote tissue or organs associated with the heart, as specified by the initial element.

   myocardium; pericardium.

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Usage

What does -cardium mean? The combining form -cardium is used like a suffix to mean "heart tissues or organs." It is often used in medical terms, especially in anatomy. The form -cardium ultimately comes from Greek kardíā, meaning "heart." The Latin cognate, cor, "heart," is the source of words such as cordial, courage, and discord. To learn more, check out our entries for each word. What are variants of -cardium?While -cardium doesn't have any variants, it is related to the form -cardia, as in tachycardia. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use article for -cardia. Also closely related to -cardia and -cardium are cardio- and cardi-, combined to beginning of words like a prefix and meaning “heart.” Read our Words That Use articles on these forms to learn more.

Etymology

Origin of -cardium

Probably generalized from pericardium