orchi-

American  

1. variant of orchido-.

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Usage

What does orchi- mean? Orchi- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning either “testicle” (testis) or "orchid." In medicine, it refers to testicles. In botany, it refers to orchid flowers.Orchi- comes from the Greek órchis, meaning “testicle.” How did the Greek word for testicle give rise to the name of a type of beautiful flower? Well, the roots of orchids were thought to resemble testicles. Learn more at our entry for orchis.Orchi- is a variant of orchido-. Other variants include orchid-, as in orchiditis, and orchio-, as in orchioplasty, is also used to represent "testicle" in medical terminology.Want to know more? Read our Words That Use orchido- article.