Other definitions for oct- (2 of 3)
Other definitions for oct- (3 of 3)
WORDS THAT USE OCT-
What does oct- mean?
Oct- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “eight.” It is used in a great many scientific and technical terms.
Octo- comes from the Greek oktṓ, meaning “eight.” The Latin equivalent, which is almost identical in spelling and pronunciation, is octō.
What are variants of oct-?
Oct- is a variant of octa- or octo-, which loses its –a– or –o– when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels.
Want to know more? Check out our Words That Use entries for both octa- and octo-.
Examples of oct-
One example of a term that features the combining form oct- is octad, “a group or series of eight.” Octad comes from Greek oktás, which uses the equivalent of the form oct-.
The form oct- means “eight,” while the -ad portion of the word is a suffix denoting “a group or unit.” Octad literally translates to “a group of eight.”
What are some words that use the combining form oct-?
- octane
- octave (using the equivalent form of oct- in Latin)
- octennial (using the equivalent form of oct- in Latin)
- octet
- octillion (using the equivalent form of oct- in French)
What are some other forms that oct- may be commonly confused with?