xanth-

1. variant of xantho- before a vowel:

   xanthoma.

Words That Use Xanth-

What does xanth- mean?

Xanth- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “yellow.” It is used in many medical and scientific terms.

In some instances, xanth- specifically represents the chemicals xanthine and xanthic acid.

Xanth- comes from the Greek xanthós, meaning “yellow.” Xanthan gum is a substance with a variety of applications, including as a food additive. It is a substance exuded by colonies of the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris. The name of the genus, Xanthomonas, comes from the Greek xanthós (“yellow”) and monas (“entity”), a reference to the yellow color of the bacteria colonies.

Xanth- is a variant of xantho-, which loses its -o– when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels.

Want to know more? Read our Words That Use xantho- article.

Examples of xanth-

One example of a term from medicine that features the combining form xanth– is xanthopsia, an eye condition that causes objects to appear yellow.

The first part of the word, xanth-, means “yellow.” So, what about -opsia? The combining form -opsia denotes “a condition of sight or the visual organs.” Xanthopsia has a literal sense of “seeing yellow.”

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

• xanthic (using the equivalent form of xanth– in French)
• xanthine (using the equivalent form of xanth– in French)
• xanthemia
• xanthelasma
• xanthoma

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

• xen-
• xer-
• xyl-

Break it down!

The combining form -emia is used to denote blood conditions. Xanthemia, also known as carotenemia, is a condition involving excess carotene in the blood, often turning the skin yellow. What does xanthemia literally translate to?