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Xero- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “dry.” It is often used in scientific terms, including in pathology and ecology.

Xero- comes from the Greek ��ŧ���Dz�, meaning “dry.”

What are variants of xero-?

When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, xero- becomes xer-, as in xerarch.

One example of a medical term that features the combining form xero- is xeroderma, a disease in which the skin becomes dry, hard, and scaly.

We know that the combining form xero- means “dry.” The second part of the word, -derma, might also look familiar from such words as epidermis or dermatology. It’s from the Greek ��é������, meaning “skin.” Xeroderm translates literally to “dry skin.”

What are some words that use the combining forms xero- or xer-?

• xerochilia
• xerography
• xeroma
• xerophthalmia
• xeromorphic
• xerophyte

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

• xeno-

The brand-name Xerox has become a generic term for photocopying. The name comes from the process known as xerography, which is a “dry” copying technique (it doesn’t use any liquid chemicals).

The combining form xero- should not be confused with the proper noun Xero, which has been variously used as the name for a brand of minimalist shoes, the name of a New Zealand-based accounting software, and an early moniker for the rock band Linkin Park.

The combining form -philous means “liking” or “having an affinity for.” What kind of environment, then, is a xerophilous plant adapted to?