-tomous

suffix

Describes the cleavage of minerals.

OriginLatin -tomus ← Ancient Greek τόμος →
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Meanings

suffix
  1. chemistryDescribes the cleavage of minerals.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekτόμος“slice, something cut”
  2. Latin-tomus
  3. English-tomous

From Latin -tomus, introduced by James Dwight Dana, from Ancient Greek τόμος (tómos, “slice, something cut”). Perhaps modelled on Ancient Greek ἀκρότομος (akrótomos, “cut off sharply”, adjective).

More words from Latin, Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

-tomous. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-tomous

MLA

“-tomous.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-tomous. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “-tomous,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-tomous.

Source: -tomous on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.