ather/o
fatty plaque
From Greek athere, gruel, for the soft, porridge-like plaque
Meaning
What does ather/o mean?
ather/o is a root meaning fatty plaque. It comes from Greek athere, gruel, for the soft, porridge-like plaque.
Inside words it is spelled ather.
Atherosclerosis (plaque in artery walls) is the most common kind of arteriosclerosis, any hardening of the arteries.
In real words
Medical words with ather/o
relating to or affected by atherosclerosis, the buildup of fatty plaque in artery walls
atherosclerosis
buildup of fatty plaque and scar tissue in the inner lining of arteries, which stiffens and narrows them · In the dictionary
a fatty deposit (plaque) in the wall of an artery
removing plaque from inside a blood vessel with a catheter that has a cutting or grinding tip
Don't mix it up
Parts easily confused with ather/o
Sources
Checked against
Written for biofideX in plain words, after checking these references:
- 10.1 – Introduction to the Blood Vessels and Blood – Building a Medical Terminology Foundation 2e
- 9.2 Word Components Related to the Cardiovascular System – Medical Terminology – 2e
- ATHERO- Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we'll correct it.
Heart, blood and vessels
ather/o is one of 11 parts in this lesson. Learn them together, then take real words apart.
Start the Lesson