thanato-

American  

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

   thanatophobia.

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Usage

What does thanato- mean? Thanato- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “death.” It is used in some technical terms, including in psychiatry.Thanato- comes from the Greek thánatos, meaning “death.” In Greek mythology, Thanatos was the personification of death. Similar in meaning and use to thanato- is the more common combining form necro-, from the Greek nekrós, “dead person, corpse.”The name Thanos, as notably borne by the powerful Marvel Comics supervillain, is from the Greek Athanasios, which is closely related to thánatos and meaning “without death” (see a-, “not, without”). The supervillain Thanos has, effectively, powers of immortality.

Etymology

Origin of thanato-

Combining form representing Greek thánatos

Example Sentences

To the fancier of phobias, batho-to claustro-to thanato-, life aboard a submarine seems designed to drive a man out of his mind.

From Time Magazine Archive