tetr-

American  

1. variant of tetra- before a vowel.

   tetryl.

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Usage

What does tetr- mean? Tetr- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “four.” It is used in many scientific and other technical terms. In chemistry, tetr- is specifically used to indicate the number of atoms or groups of atoms in compounds, e.g., tetroxide. Tetr- ultimately comes from the Greek téttares, meaning “four.” The name of the classic video game Tetris is based in part on this Greek root. Find out the rest of the story of how Tetris got its name here. The Latin word for “four” is quattor, source of the combining forms quadr-, quadra-, quadri-, and quadru-. Learn about their specific applications in our Words That Use articles for the forms. Tetr- is a variant of tetra-, which loses its -a- when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use tetra- article.