ampho-, amph-, amphi-

(Greek: around, about, both, on both sides of, both kinds)

amphisarca
A superior indehiscent many-seeded fruit with pulpy interior and woody exterior.
Amphisaurus
This nomenclature (“near lizard”) is no longer recognized by scientists because they found that it described an animal that was previously given another name which is Anchisaurus. Named by Othniel Charles Marsh (1831-1899) in 1882 and previously by Thomas Pallister Barkas in 1870.
amphisbaena, amphisbaenae, amphisbaenic
1. A legless lizard with a rounded tail resembling a second head. Native to tropical America of the family Amphisbaenidae.
2. A mythological serpent in classical mythology, a poisonous snake with a head at each end of its body, allowing it to move in either direction.
amphiscian (s); amphiscians , amphiscii (pl)
1. A name given to inhabitants of the torrid zone, where shadows in one part of the year are cast to the north, and in the other part of the year to the south, depending on when the sun is south or north of their zenith.
2. An inhabitant of the tropics, where the shadow of the sun falls in different ways according to the time of year.
amphistomous, amphistomatic
Having a sucker at each extremity, as certain entozoa, which are used to adhere to environmental surfaces.
amphistylar
In architecture, having columns at both front and back or on each side, as some Greek temples.
amphitheater, amphitheatre
1. An oval, circular, or semicicular auditorium with tiers of seats rising from a central open area.
2. An outdoor theater in this style, especially in ancient Greece.
3. A landform suggesting an amphitheater, having a relatively flat floor surrounding by steeply sloping slides.
amphithecium
1. The outer layer of cells of the spore-containing capsule of a moss.
2. The layer or one of the layers of cells in the capsule of a moss surrounding the spores.
2. In certain lichens, a layer of cells that surrounds the fungal apothecium.
amphithymia
A condition characterized by both depression and mania.
amphitoky
Parthenogenesis in which both male and female offspring are produced.
amphitopic
A reference to a population of species showing broad, variable tolerance of habitual and environmental conditions.
amphitrichous, amphitrichate
Having a flagellum or flagella (hairlike structures) at both extremities of a microbial cell; denoting certain microorganisms.
amphitrophic, amphitroph
1. A reference to an organism that lives as a phototroph during daylight and as a chemotroph in darkness.
2. Organisms that can grow either in the day, photosynthetically; or at night, chemotrophically.
amphitropous (adjective), more amphitropous, most amphitropous
A description of an ovule or a seed: Amphitropous seeds are half inverted and straight, with the hilum lateral (scar or point of attachment of the seed); an ovule that is curved back along its funiculus (free stalk of an ovule or seed) so that the base and micropyle (minute opening on the ovule through which the pollen tube usually enters) are close together.
amphivore (s) (noun), amphivores (pl)
An animal, including humans, that eat both animal and vegetable foods.
Boy is eating hotdog and ice cream.
This young boy is an example of an amphivore.
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Related "around, round, surrounding" units: ambi-; circ-; circum-; cyclo-, -cycle; gyro-; peri-.