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The combining form -odus is used like a suffix meaning “toothed” or “having teeth.” It is used in some scientific terms, especially in the names of genera in zoology.

The form -odus ultimately comes from the Greek �ǻ��ú��, meaning “tooth.” The Latin word for “tooth” is ��ŧ�Բ�, source of the combining forms denti- and dento-.

The form -odus is a variant of -odont.

Want to know more? Read our �y��vlogs That Use -odont article.

A corresponding form of -odont combined to the beginning of words is odonto-, which you can learn more about in our �y��vlogs That Use article for the form.

One example of a scientific term that features the combining form -odus is ceratodus, a kind of lungfish.

The first part of the word, cerat-, means “horned.” As we have seen, the combining form -odus means “toothed.” Ceratodus literally translates to “having horned (as in ‘spiky’) teeth.”

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

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• Neoceratodus
• Ctenodus
• Ecterodus

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

• -odynia
• dendro-
• odyno-
• onto-

Other words, such as exodus, end in the letters odus but are not using -odus as a combining form to mean “toothed.” For example, exodus is one of those words. Learn more about it at our entry for the word.

The combining form cteno- means “comb.” With this and the meaning of –odus in mind, what does the genus name Ctenodus literally mean?