hygro-

Hygro- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “wet,” “moist,” or “moisture.” It is often used in medical and scientific terms.

Hygro- comes from the Greek hygrós, meaning “wet” or “moist.”

What are variants of hygro-?

When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, hygro- becomes hygr-, as in hygroma.

One example of a scientific term that features the combining form hygro- is hygrometer, “any instrument for measuring the water-vapor content of the atmosphere.”

Hygro- means “moisture,” as we’ve seen. The second part of the word, -meter, means “measure.” Hygrometer, then, literally translates to “moisture measurer.”

What are some words that use the combining form hygro-?

• hygrogram
• hygrograph
• hygrophyte
• hygrophilous
• hygrostat
• hygroscope
• hygrothermograph

What are some other forms that hygro- may be commonly confused with?

• hydro-
• hymeno-

The combining form -phyte means “plant.” With this in mind, in what conditions does a hygrophyte plant thrive in?