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Hepato- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “liver.” It is often used in medical terms, especially in anatomy.

Hepato- comes from the Greek ��ê�貹��, meaning “liver.”

What are variants of hepato-?

When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, hepato- becomes hepat–, as in hepatitis.

An example of a word you may have heard before that includes hepato- ������hepatotoxic, “destructive to liver cells.”

As we’ve seen, the prefix hepato- means “liver.” Something toxic is poisonous to an organism. Hepatotoxic, then, literally translates to “toxic to the liver.”

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

• hepatocellular
• hepatogastric
• hepatogenic
• hepatolith
• hepatology
• hepatoscopy

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

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• herp.
• hyper-
• hypo-

What part of the body does a hepatologist study?