ophthalm-

¹ American  

1. variant of ophthalmo- before a vowel.

   ophthalmitis.

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ophthalm. ² American  

Or ophthalmol

abbreviation

1. ophthalmology.

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Usage

What does ophthalm- mean? Ophthalm- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “eye.” It is occasionally used in medical terms, especially in anatomy and pathology.Ophthalm- comes from the Greek ophthalmós, meaning “eye.” Related to ophthalmós is ṓps, Greek for “eye” or “face,” and source of such combining forms as -opia, -opsia, and opto-. The Latin word for “eye” is oculus, source of the combining form oculo-.Ophthalm- is a variant of ophthalmo-, which loses its -o- when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels.Want to know more? Read our Words That Use ophthalmo- article.