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The combining form carbo- is used like a prefix meaning “carbon.” It is often used in scientific terms, especially in chemistry.

The form carbo- ultimately comes from Latin ��������ō, meaning “charcoal.” Yes, charcoal. The dishes carbonara and carbonade are also related to the Latin ��������ō.

The Greek translation of Latin ��������ō is á�Գٳ������, “charcoal” or “carbuncle,” which is the source of the word . Find out more at our entry for the word.

What are variants of carbo-?

When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, carbo- becomes carb-, as in carbene. Want to know more? Read our �y��vlogs That Use article for carb-.

An example of a word you may have encountered that features carbo- is carbohydrate, “any of a class of organic compounds made of hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen that form the supporting tissues of plants and are important food for animals and people.”

We know carbo- means “carbon,” while the -hydrate portion of the word refers to “combined with or contains water,” from Greek ��ý��ō��, meaning “water.” Carbohydrate literally translates to “carbon combined with water.”

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

• carbobenzoxy
• carbocholine
• carbocyclic
• carbohydrase
• carbohydaturia

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

• carboxy-
• carcino-
• cardi-

The word cyclic in chemistry means “of or relating to a compound that contains a closed ring of atoms.” With this in mind, what does the chemistry term carbocyclic mean?