Bactericidal
L. cida = killer or slayer. This root can be found in homicide, suicide, genocide etc.
Bacterium
L. bacterium is the latinisation of the Greek bakterion = staff, cane. The first bacteria observed by Dutch microscopist Antonie van Leeuwenhoek in 1676, were rod-shaped. The term was introduced as a scientific word…
Bicuspid
L. bi = two, and cuspis = sail. Refers to the left atrioventricular valve, or mitral valve.
Bile
L. bilis = bile. Many medical terms come from this root, bilis, including bilirubin (ruber = red) and biliverdin (viridis = green).
Botox
L. botulus = sausage, Gr. kloster = spindle. Botox, the brand name for botulinum toxin, is a neurotoxin produced by the 1895 isolated anaerobic bacterium Clostridium botulinum. The term refers to…