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Gastro- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “stomach.” It is often used in medical terms, particularly in anatomy and pathology.

Gastro- comes from the Greek ��������ḗr, meaning “stomach” or “belly.”

What are variants of gastro-?

When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, gastro- becomes gastr-, as in gastralgia.

One word you may have encountered that uses the combining form gastro- is gastrology, “the study of the structure, functions, and diseases of the stomach.”

We know gastro- means “stomach,” so what does the -logy portion of the word mean? That’s right, -logy refers to “science,” ultimately from the Greek ��ó���Dz�, meaning “word, thought” among many other senses. Gastrology literally translates to “stomach science.”

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

• gastrocardiac
• gastrocolitis
• gastrodermis
• gastromalacia
• gastropathy
• gastropod

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

• astro-

The gastro- in the word gastropub, a bar that serves good food and high-quality drinks, is actually short from gastronomy, “the art or science of good eating.” Related is gastronome, “a connoisseur of good food.”

Gastropod is the name for a type of mollusks, including snails and slugs. The combining form -pod means “one having a foot.” What, then, is the literal translation of the name gastropod?