before vowels pneum-, word-forming element meaning “lung,” from Greek pneumōn “lung,” altered (probably by influence of pnein “to breathe”) from pleumōn (which was an alternative form in Attic), literally “floater,” probably cognate with Latin pulmo “lung(s),” from PIE root *pleu- “to flow.” The notion perhaps is from …

What is the root of the word pneumonia?

pneumonia (n.) 1600, from Modern Latin, from Greek pneumonia “inflammation of the lungs,” from pneumōn “lung” (see pneumo-).

What is the prefix for pneumothorax?

Pneumococcus. Pneumo is defined as air, lungs or respiration. An example of the pneumo prefix is in the word pneumonia, which is the name of a disease caused by bacteria or viral infections that inflame the lungs.