sarco-

1. a combining form meaning “flesh,” used in the formation of compound words:

   sarcocarp.

sarco-

combining_form

1. indicating flesh

   sarcoma

Word History and Origins

Origin of sarco-¹

< Greek sark- (stem of sárx ) + -o-

Word History and Origins

Origin of sarco-¹

from Greek sark-, sarx flesh

Example Sentences

As the sarco-lactic acid liberated in the muscles is not oxygenated a condition of acidosis ensues.

From Project Gutenberg

Between the bottom of the curb and the top of the wooden floor is a three-quarter-inch cushion of “Sarco.”

From Project Gutenberg

At five o'clock Gen. Head arrived in front of Sarco and demanded its surrender.

From Project Gutenberg

Gen. Sherwood arrived at Sarco very soon and was gratified that the place, with its great quantity of supplies, was safe.

From Project Gutenberg

By daylight our troops were in the fort and on the skirmish-line at Sarco.

From Project Gutenberg

Words That Use sarco-

What does sarco- mean?

Sarco- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “flesh.” It is often used in medicine and biology.

Sarco- comes from the Greek sárx, meaning “flesh.” Did you know the word sarcasm also comes from this Greek root? What could “bitter derision” or “harsh irony” possibly have to do with flesh? Learn more at our entry for sarcasm.

What are variants of sarco-?

When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, sarco- becomes sarc-, as in sarcoma.

Examples of sarco-

One word you may be familiar with that features sarco- is sarcophagus, “a stone coffin, especially one bearing sculpture, inscriptions, etc., often displayed as a monument,” especially in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. The word sarcophagus—not to be confused with the related word sacrophagous—comes from a Greek word meaning “flesh-consuming”; the Greeks believed there was a kind of stone thought to consume the flesh of corpses, and so it was used for coffins.

Our conservators have been busy getting objects ready for our upcoming #TroyExhibition.

Here old restorations are being removed on a Roman marble sarcophagus, which is decorated with scenes from the life of Achilles https://t.co/ZpvWN8n1n2 pic.twitter.com/PCbsswtWHj

— British Museum (@britishmuseum) July 27, 2019

Another term using sarco- that you may have heard is sarcomere, an anatomical term for a part of certain types of muscle. Now, we know sarco- means “flesh.” The second part of the word, -mere, comes from the Greek méros, meaning “part.” Sarcomere literally translates to “part of flesh.” Fortunately, the word sarcomere is far more specific than its literal meaning would suggest!

Sarco- also appears in sarcosuchus, the name of an extinct relative of the crocodile that clocked in at over 30 feet long and nearly 10,000 pounds. This formidable “super-croc,” whose name literally means “flesh crocodile,” lived over 100 million years ago in what is now Africa and South America. The sarcosuchus notably figures in the 2017 video game Ark: Survival Evolved, where the giant reptile is popularly called Sarco for short.

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

• sarcocarp
• sarcocarcinoma
• sarcocele
• sarcolactic acid
• sarcology
• sarcoplasm
• sarcophagous

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

• sacro-
• sclero-

Break it down!

The combining part -carp denotes “fruit” and “fruiting body.” With this in mind, what would you say sarcocarp means in everyday words?