Origin

from Greek akros extreme, topmost

acro-

Word Origin

a combining form with the meanings “height,” “tip end,” “extremities of the body,” used in the formation of compound words:

acrophobia.

Also, especially before a vowel, acr-.

Origin

< Greek, combining form of ákros topmost, highest; akin to Latin ācer sharp. Cf. acme, ear²

Related Words

acr-
acrobat
acrocarpous
acrocentric
acrocephaly
acrocyanosis

acro-a word element meaning 'tip', 'top', 'apex', or 'edge', as in acrogen.

Also, (before vowels), acr-. [Greek akro-, combining form of akros at the top or end]

acro-
combining form
⇨ see acr-

acro-Gr. ἀκρο- combining form of ἄκρος a. terminal, highest, topmost; n. a tip, point, extremity, peak, summit; as in ἀκρό-λιθος stone-tipped, acrolith; ἀκρόπολις the highest city, Acropolis; ἀκρόνυχ-ος happening at the point of night-fall, acronychal. Largely used in its various senses to form modern technical terms. Add: acrocyaˈnosis Path. [ad. F. acrocyanose (coined by J.B. Crocq 1896, in Arch. de Neurologie II. 218)], cyanosis of the extremities.1897Index Medicus XIX. 864/1 (Index), *Acrocyanosis.1907Jrnl. Nerv. & Mental Dis. XXXIV. 746 Perhaps the simplest form of vasomotor neurosis is simple acrocyanosis.1930Heart XV. 240 Acrocyanosis presents distinct contrasts with the variety of Raynaud's malady previously investigated.1982D. E. Bayly Reflexol. Today (rev. ed.) ix. 32, I have seen many old people suffering from acrocyanosis (blueness of the extremities).acrodynia |-ˈdaɪnɪə| Path. [ad. F. acrodynie (coined by M. Chardon 1830, in Rev. Med. Française et Étrangère III. 51), f. Gr. ὀδύνη pain], (a) (now rare) a painful erythematous disease, chiefly affecting the hands and feet of children; (b) = pink disease s.v. pink n.⁴ and a.¹ C. c.1839Dunglison Dict. Med. Sci. (ed. 2) 12/1 *Acrodynia, a painful affection of the wrists and ancles especially.1920Arch. Pediatrics XXXVII. 518 What knowledge we possess of acrodynia is derived chiefly from the..Paris epidemic..first observed in June, 1828.1922Brit. Jrnl. Children's Dis. XIX. 23 The cases in young children in America, described during 1920 and 1921 as acrodynia.., are of the same nature as the Australian ‘erythrœdema’ [sc. pink disease] cases.1987Oxf. Textbk. Med. (ed. 2) I. vi. 14/2 Acrodynia in infancy, or ‘pink disease’, has been associated with the use of mercury-containing teething powders.

acro-

word-forming element meaning "highest, topmost, at the extremities," before vowels, acr-, from Greek akro- "pertaining to an end, extreme," comb. form of akros "at the end, at the top" (see acrid).

acro- /ˈakrəʊ/ combining form of Greek akros tip, peak: see -o-.

DERIVATIVE acroˈcarpous adjective (of a moss) bearing the archegonia and capsules at the tip of a stem or main branch (opp. pleurocarpous) M19.
acroˈcentric adjective (Cytology) (of a chromosome) having the centromere close to the end M20.
acrodont adjective (Zoology) having the teeth attached to the ridge of the jaw, as in certain lizards M19.
acrogen noun (Botany) a cryptogam with a distinct permanent stem; a fern, a moss: M19.
acrolect noun [-lect] Linguistics the dialect or variety of any language with the greatest prestige M20.
acrolith noun (Greek Antiquities) a statue with the head and extremities of stone, the trunk usu. of wood M19.
acroˈlithic adjective of or pertaining to an acrolith M19.
acromeˈgalic adjective & noun pertaining to acromegaly; (a person) affected with acromegaly: E20.
acroˈmegaly noun (Medicine) abnormal enlargement of the hands, feet, and face; disease caused by excessive growth-hormone secretion, of which this is a symptom: L19.
ˌacroparaesˈthesia, *-paresˈthesia noun (Medicine) paraesthesia of the extremities L19.
aˈcropetal adjective [Latin petere seek] Botany characterized by successive development of parts from below upwards L19.
aˈcropetally adverb in an acropetal manner L19.
acrophobe noun a person affected with acrophobia M20.
acroˈphobia noun irrational fear of heights L19.
acroˈphobic adjective pertaining to or affected with acrophobia M20.

acro-
— see acr-

acro-

Prefix

sharp
tip
extremity
peak

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἄκρος (ákros, “highest, at the extremity”).

Related terms

English words prefixed with acro-

词汇	acro-
词根词缀	AHD Collins Dictionary.com Macquarie MWCD OED Online Etymology Dictionary SOED Webster Wiktionary acro- 或 acr- pref.（前缀） Top; summit: 顶部；顶峰： acropetal. 向顶的 Height: 高度： acrophobia. 恐高症 Tip; beginning: 起首；开头： acronym. 首字母缩拼词 Extremity of the body: 肢端：肢体的端部： acromegaly. 肢端肥大症语源 From Greek akros [extreme] * see ak- 源自希腊语 akros [极端] 参见 ak- acro- combining form denoting something at a height, summit, top, tip, beginning, or end ⇒ acropolis ⇒ acrogen denoting an extremity of the human body ⇒ acromegaly Origin from Greek akros* extreme, topmost acro- Word Origin 1 a combining form with the meanings “height,” “tip end,” “extremities of the body,” used in the formation of compound words: acrophobia. Also, especially before a vowel, acr-. Origin < Greek, combining form of ákros topmost, highest; akin to Latin ācer sharp. Cf. acme, ear² Related Words acr- acrobat acrocarpous acrocentric acrocephaly acrocyanosis acro-a word element meaning 'tip', 'top', 'apex', or 'edge', as in acrogen. Also, (before vowels), acr-. [Greek akro-, combining form of akros at the top or end] acro- combining form ⇨ see acr- acro-Gr. ἀκρο- combining form of ἄκρος a. terminal, highest, topmost; n. a tip, point, extremity, peak, summit; as in ἀκρό-λιθος stone-tipped, acrolith; ἀκρόπολις the highest city, Acropolis; ἀκρόνυχ-ος happening at the point of night-fall, acronychal. Largely used in its various senses to form modern technical terms. Add: acrocyaˈnosis Path. [ad. F. acrocyanose (coined by J.B. Crocq 1896, in Arch. de Neurologie II. 218)], cyanosis of the extremities.1897Index Medicus XIX. 864/1 (Index), Acrocyanosis.1907Jrnl. Nerv. & Mental Dis. XXXIV. 746 Perhaps the simplest form of vasomotor neurosis is simple acrocyanosis.1930Heart XV. 240 Acrocyanosis presents distinct contrasts with the variety of Raynaud's malady previously investigated.1982D. E. Bayly Reflexol. Today* (rev. ed.) ix. 32, I have seen many old people suffering from acrocyanosis (blueness of the extremities).acrodynia \|-ˈdaɪnɪə\| Path. [ad. F. acrodynie (coined by M. Chardon 1830, in Rev. Med. Française et Étrangère III. 51), f. Gr. ὀδύνη pain], (a) (now rare) a painful erythematous disease, chiefly affecting the hands and feet of children; (b) = pink disease s.v. pink n.⁴ and a.¹ C. c.1839Dunglison Dict. Med. Sci. (ed. 2) 12/1 *Acrodynia, a painful affection of the wrists and ancles especially.1920Arch. Pediatrics XXXVII. 518 What knowledge we possess of acrodynia is derived chiefly from the..Paris epidemic..first observed in June, 1828.1922Brit. Jrnl. Children's Dis. XIX. 23 The cases in young children in America, described during 1920 and 1921 as acrodynia.., are of the same nature as the Australian ‘erythrœdema’ [sc. pink disease] cases.1987Oxf. Textbk. Med. (ed. 2) I. vi. 14/2 Acrodynia in infancy, or ‘pink disease’, has been associated with the use of mercury-containing teething powders. acro- word-forming element meaning "highest, topmost, at the extremities," before vowels, acr-, from Greek akro- "pertaining to an end, extreme," comb. form of akros "at the end, at the top" (see acrid). acro- /ˈakrəʊ/ combining form of Greek akros tip, peak: see -o-. DERIVATIVE acroˈcarpous adjective (of a moss) bearing the archegonia and capsules at the tip of a stem or main branch (opp. pleurocarpous) M19. acroˈcentric adjective (Cytology) (of a chromosome) having the centromere close to the end M20. acrodont adjective (Zoology) having the teeth attached to the ridge of the jaw, as in certain lizards M19. acrogen noun (Botany) a cryptogam with a distinct permanent stem; a fern, a moss: M19. acrolect noun [-lect] Linguistics the dialect or variety of any language with the greatest prestige M20. acrolith noun (Greek Antiquities) a statue with the head and extremities of stone, the trunk usu. of wood M19. acroˈlithic adjective of or pertaining to an acrolith M19. acromeˈgalic adjective & noun pertaining to acromegaly; (a person) affected with acromegaly: E20. acroˈmegaly noun (Medicine) abnormal enlargement of the hands, feet, and face; disease caused by excessive growth-hormone secretion, of which this is a symptom: L19. ˌacroparaesˈthesia, -paresˈthesia noun (Medicine) paraesthesia of the extremities L19. aˈcropetal adjective [Latin petere seek] Botany characterized by successive development of parts from below upwards L19. aˈcropetally adverb in an acropetal manner L19. acrophobe noun a person affected with acrophobia M20. acroˈphobia noun irrational fear of heights L19. acroˈphobic adjective pertaining to or affected with acrophobia M20. acro-* — see acr- acro- Prefix sharp tip extremity peak Etymology From Ancient Greek ἄκρος (ákros, “highest, at the extremity”). Related terms ► English words prefixed with acro-
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