dermato-

Dermato- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “skin.” It is used in many medical terms, especially in pathology.

Dermato- comes from the Greek dérma, meaning “skin.”

What are variants of dermato-?

When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, dermato- becomes dermat-, as in dermatitis. The combining forms dermo- and derm- are also variants of dermato-.

Closely related to dermato- are the combining forms -derm, -derma, -dermatous, and -dermis. Learn more about their specific applications at our Words That Use articles for the forms.

One example of a word that features the combining form dermato- is dermatology, “the branch of medicine dealing with the skin and its diseases.”

The first part of the word, dermato- means “skin,” as we’ve seen. The second half of the word, -logy, is commonly used to denote a science, body of knowledge, or area of study. So, dermatology literally translates to “the study of skin.”

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

• dermatoautoplasty
• dermatofibroma
• dermatogen
• dermatoglyphics
• dermatoheteroplasty
• dermatolysis
• dermatomegaly
• dermatopathy
• dermatosclerosis

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

• demi-
• demo-
• demono-
• dendro-
• dento-
• spermato-
• spermo-

The combining form –pathy is used to indicate disease. With this in mind, what is dermatopathy?