pycn-

American  

1. variant of pycno- before a vowel.

   pycnium.

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Usage

What does pycn- mean? Pycn- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “thick,” “dense,” or “compact.” It is used in some medical and scientific terms. Pycn- comes from the Greek pyknós, meaning “thick, dense, closely packed.”Pycn- is a variant of pycno-, which loses its -o- when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use pycno- article. The combining form pycn- is commonly spelled with a -k-, pykn-, as in pyknosis.