ombro-

Ombro- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “rain.” It is used in some scientific terms, including in ecology.

Ombro- comes from the Greek ombros, meaning “rain shower.”

One term from biology that features ombro- is ombrogenous, a term describing plants that are able to flourish in wet conditions.

As we know, ombro- means “rain.” The second part of the word, -genous ultimately comes from a Greek form meaning “born, produced.” Ombrogenous, then, has the literal sense of “produced in rain.”

What are some words that use the combining form ombro-?

• ombrophilous
• ombrophobous
• ombrotrophic

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

• embryo-
• omphalo-

The combining form ombro- is not to be confused with such words as ombre, a kind of hair-coloring pattern, and hombre, a Spanish term for “man.” Learn about the origins of these words at our entries for them.

The combining form -philous means “liking” or “having an affinity for.” With this in mind, what kind of environment can an ombrophilous plant survive in?