CYST Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

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cyst

[ sist ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

Pathology. a closed, bladderlike sac formed in animal tissues, containing fluid or semifluid matter.
a bladder, sac, or vesicle.
Botany, Mycology.
1. a sporelike cell with a resistant, protective wall.
2. a cell or cavity enclosing reproductive bodies.
Zoology.
1. a sac, usually spherical, surrounding an animal that has passed into a dormant condition.
2. such a sac plus the contained animal.
3. a capsule or resistant covering.

cyst-

variant of cysto-, before a vowel:
cystectomy.

-cyst

variant of cysto-, as final element in a compound word:
statocyst.

-cyst

combining form

indicating a bladder or sac
otocyst

cyst

/ ��ɪ�� /

noun

pathol any abnormal membranous sac or blisterlike pouch containing fluid or semisolid material
anatomy any normal sac or vesicle in the body
a thick-walled protective membrane enclosing a cell, larva, or organism

cyst

/ ��ĭ�� /

An abnormal membranous sac in the body, containing a gaseous, liquid, or semisolid substance.
A small, capsulelike form of certain organisms that develops in response to adverse or extreme conditions. Under adverse conditions, for instance, dinoflagellates form nonmotile resting cysts that fall to the ocean or lake bottom and can remain there for years before reviving. Certain invertebrates, such as the water bear (phylum Tardigrada), also develop cysts.

cyst

An abnormal saclike structure that develops in the body and is filled with fluid or semisolid material.

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of cyst¹

First recorded in 1705–15; from New Latin cystis, from Greek ��ý��پ�� “bag, pouch, bladder”; akin to ��ŷ�� cyma

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of cyst¹

from Greek kustis bladder

Origin of cyst²

C18: from New Latin cystis, from Greek kustis pouch, bag, bladder

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�y��vlogs That Use -cyst

What does -cyst mean?

The combining form -cyst is used like a suffix meaning “cyst,” which is a scientific term for a bladder, sac, or vesicle. It is often used in scientific terms, especially in biology.

The form -cyst comes from Greek ��ý��پ��, meaning “bag,” “pouch,” or “bladder.”

What are variants of -cyst?

When used as a prefix, the combining form -cyst variously becomes , cysti-, or cysto- (as in cystoma). Want to know more? Read our �y��vlogs That Use articles for these forms.

Examples of -cyst

An example of a scientific term that features the form -cyst is macrocyst, “a large cyst or spore case.”

The form macro- may look familiar; it means “large,” from Greek ��ó��. As we have seen, -cyst means “cyst.” Macrocyst literally translates to “large cyst.”

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

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

-cyte
-sis

Break it down!

The combining form tricho- means “hair.” With this in mind, what is a trichocyst?

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