oligo-

before vowels olig-, word-forming element meaning "few, the few," from Greek oligos "few, scanty, small, little," in plural, "the few;" a word of uncertain origin.

Entries linking to oligo-

Oligocene (adj.)

1856, in geology, "pertaining to the Tertiary period between the Eocene and the Miocene," now defined roughly as 34 million to 23 million years before the present, coined in German (1854) by paleontologist Heinrich Ernst von Beyrich (1815-1896), from oligo- "small, little, few" + -cene. So called because few modern fossils were found in Oligocene rocks, which were especially prominent in northern Germany.

oligotrophy (n.)

"deficiency of nutrition," by 1895, from oligo- "small, little" + -trophy "food, nourishment." Related: Oligotrophic.

oliguria (n.)

in pathology, "scantiness of urine," 1843, from oligo- "small, little," + -uria, from Greek ouron "urine" (see urine).

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Dictionary entries near oligo-

olfactory

Olga

oligarch

oligarchic

oligarchy

oligo-

Oligocene

oligopolistic

oligopoly

oligotrophy

oliguria