uro-

¹ American  

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

   urology.

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uro- ² American  

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

   uropod.

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uro- ¹ British  

combining form

1. indicating urine or the urinary tract

   urochrome

   urogenital

   urolith

   urology

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uro- ² British  

combining form

1. indicating a tail

   urochord

   uropod

   urostyle

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Usage

What does uro- mean? Uro- is a combining form used like a prefix that has two unrelated senses. The first is “urine.” It is often used in medical terms, especially in pathology. In some terms, such as urostomy, uro- is used to denote the urinary tract, the system for removing urine from the body. This ur- comes from Greek oûron, meaning “urine.” Other combining forms that mean "urine," such as urino- and urin-, come from the Latin for "urine," ūrīn(a). The second is “tail.” It is occasionally used in scientific terms, especially in anatomy and zoology. This ur- ultimately comes from Greek ourá, meaning “tail.” The name of the uroboros, a mythological symbol of the snake eating its own tail, comes from this same Greek word. What are variants of uro-?When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, both uro- combining forms become ur-; ur- with the sense “urine” forms uremia, while ur- with the sense “tail” forms urite. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use ur- article.

Etymology

Origin of uro-¹

< Greek, combining form of oûron urine

Origin of uro-²

< New Latin ūro-, combining form representing Greek ourá