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Branchi- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “gills.” It is used in some scientific terms.

Branchi- comes from the Greek ����á�Գ��󾱲�, meaning “gills,” plural of ����á�Գ��󾱴Dz�, “fin.” ����á�Գ��󾱲� is also the source of the English word branchia, meaning “gill.” Learn more at our entry for the word.

Branchi- is a variant of branchio-, which loses its -o– when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels.

Want to know more? Read our 51�Թ�s That Use branchio- article.

An example of a term from biology that features the combining form branchi- is branchiform, “shaped like a gill.”

As we have seen, the first part of the word, branchi-, means “gill.” The second part of the word, -form, is a combining form meaning “having the form of,” as you may have guessed. Branchiform literally translates to “gill-formed.”

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

• branchial
• branchial arch
• branchial cell
• branchiate

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

• brachi-
• brachio-
• brachy-
• bronch-
• broncho-

While they share the letters branchi-, the word branching and the combining form branchi- are not related. Find out where branch comes from at our entry for this word.

Based on the meaning branchi-, what does the adjective branchial mean?