rhizoverbBeta
DictionaryRoot: con-
Latin

con-

together, with; sometimes thoroughly

Forms

  • con-
  • com- — Used before certain consonants, especially b, p, and m.
  • col- — The final consonant changed before l.
  • cor- — The final consonant changed before r.
  • co- — The final consonant was lost in some combinations.

Origin

From Latin cum, “with,” and an older form com-.

Note

Togetherness could extend to completeness. Not every word containing this prefix retains an obvious “with” meaning.

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adjective / noun

concave

kon-KAYV/kɑːnˈkeɪv/

Curving inward like the inside of a bowl, or a shape with this curve.

The wooden bowl has a broad concave interior that curves inward.

A single shallow wooden bowl viewed obliquely from above, with its broad inward-curving interior clearly exposed.
Etymology
conLatintogether, with; sometimes thoroughly
+caveLatinhollow

The central image is a hollow: a concave surface curves inward like the inside of a bowl or vault. The prefix may simply strengthen that idea.

In context

Siebert Science8:16
one side has a rounded surface kind of a circular is surface and the other bone will have a concave surface
Anatomy of the Ankle Joint | Bones, Ligaments, and Muscles

More examples

  • A concave mirror curves inward at the center.
  • The platter's concave surface keeps sauce from spilling.
  • Light and shadow emphasize the concaves in the sculpture.

Forms

concave · concaves

concavity noun — The inward curvature of a surface.

Similar words

hollow
Describes an empty interior or depression, not necessarily curved.
cupped
Describes a bowl-like shape, often formed by bending something.