xylo-, xyl- +

(Greek: wood; the first element of various scientific and technical words that refer to wood)

xylograph (s) (noun, xylographs (pl)
A wood-engraving that is either an engraving on wood, or an impression from one; especially, something from the distant past.
xylographer (s) (noun, xylographers (pl)
A wood-engraver; especially, from an early period.
xylographic (adjective), more xylographic, most xylographic
1. Pertaining to something that is achieved with wood-engraving.
2. Descriptive of block books in which the illustrations are printed from woodcuts and the text added in manuscript or handwriting.
xylographical (adjective), more xylographical, most xylographical
Pertaining to the method of wood-engraving.
xylography (s) (noun), xylographies (pl)
1. Wood-engraving; especially, of an early period or of a primitive kind.
2. A printing from woodblocks as distinct from type: Xylography is the art of printing texts or illustrations, sometimes with color, from blocks of wood, as distinct from arranging pieces of metal with raised letters or characters on their upper surfaces and printing from them as in typography.
xyloid
Relating to or resembling wood; of or relating to wood or like wood.
xylology
The science of woods and forests.
xyloma
A woody tumor on a tree or plant.
xylomancy
Divination with small pieces of wood; interpreting the forms or appearance of fallen tree branches or other wood seen on the ground; also the positions of logs and the manner of their burning in a fire; for example, if one falls suddenly, a surprise is due.
xylophagan
Names in different classifications for various groups of insects whose larvae devour wood.

An insect belonging to one of these groups.

xylophage
A wood-eating insect.
xylophagist
1. Organisms which eat wood; those thriving on wood as a source of food; such as, certain molluscs, insects, and fungi.
2. Eating or boring into wood, as the larvae of certain insects.
Insects showing xylophagy.
These eager xylophagous insects are showing us just what xylophagy is all about.
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xylophagous
Feeding on wood, as an insect larva, or boring into and destroying wood, as a mollusc or crustacean.
xylophagy
The eating of wood as is done by certain insects; such as, termites.

Many xylophagous insects have symbiotic protozoa and/or bacteria in their digestive system which assist in the breakdown of wood cellulose.

The cellulose, or inert carbohydrate which is the chief constituent of the cell walls of plants and of wood, cotton, hemp, paper, etc. that exist in a termite's food is digested by myriads of flagellated protozoans living in the termite's digestive tract.

Without the protozoans in the termites digestive areas, the termites would starve because the cellulose could not be digested without the protozoans.

Other organisms, especially among the groups feeding on decaying wood, apparently derive much of their nutrition from the digestion of various fungi that are growing within the wood fibers.

xylophilan
Belonging to the group Xylophili of beetles, that live in decayed wood; a beetle of this group.

Related "wood" word units: hylo-; ligni-.