galact-

American  

1. variant of galacto- before a vowel.

   galactagogue.

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Usage

What does galact- mean? Galact- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “milk.” It is occasionally used in medical terms, especially in anatomy and pathology. Galact- comes from Greek gála (stem galakt-), meaning “milk.” The Latin cognate of gála is lac (stem lact-), also meaning “milk,” which is the source of lactose, latte, and perhaps even lettuce. To learn more, check out our Words That Use articles on the combining forms lact-, lacti-, and lacto-. What are variants of galact-?Galact- is a variant of galacto-, which loses its -o- when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use galacto- article.