oste-

Oste- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “bone.” It is often used in medical terms, especially in anatomy.

Oste- comes from the Greek ostéon, meaning “bone.”

Oste- is a variant of osteo-, which loses its -o- when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use osteo- article.

An example of a word you may have encountered that features oste- is ostealgia, meaning “a pain in a bone.”

We know oste- means “bone.” The combining form –algia, from the Greek álgos, means “pain.” Ostealgia, then, literally translates to “bone pain.”

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

• osteal
• osteitic 
• osteitis
• osteichthyan

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

• oto-
• ortho-

Despite appearances, the word ostentatious, meaning “characterized by pretentious or conspicuous show in an attempt to impress others,” does not use the combining form oste-. Learn what ostentatious makes so “showy” at our entry for the word.

Given that oste- means “bone” and –ectomy means “excision,” what kind of medical procedure is an ostectomy?