DictionaryRoot: -ikos
Greek

-ikos

connected with or characteristic of

Forms

  • -ikos
  • -ic — The ending shortened as Greek words entered Latin, French, and English.

Origin

Greek -ikos continued an older Indo-European ending used to describe a connection or kind.

Note

English extended this borrowed ending to newly coined words.

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An isolated anatomical liver with its branching blood vessels and attached gallbladder, making the liver-related focus unmistakable without labels or people.
adjective

hepatic

hih-PAT-ik/hɪˈpætɪk/

Relating to the liver.

Etymology

The Greek noun for “liver” becomes an adjective meaning “pertaining to the liver.” The English medical sense preserves this direct relationship to the organ.

Full entry

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