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Aero– is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “air.” It is often used in scientific terms, especially in biology.

Aero– comes from Greek ��ḗr, meaning “air.”

What are variants of aero-?

When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, aero– becomes aer–, as in aerate. When combined with word elements of Latin origin, aero– becomes aeri–, as in aeriferous. Want to know more? Read our �������t¶��s That Use articles for aer– and aeri-.

An example of a word you may have encountered that features aero– is aerosol, “a system of colloidal particles dispersed in a gas and commonly formed as smoke, fog, mist, haze, or smog.”

We know aero– means “air,” and the –sol portion of the word means “a fluid colloidal ���DZ��ܳپ��Dz�.” Aerosol roughly translates to “a substance dispersed in the air.”

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

• aerocele
• aerodyne
• aerofoil
• aerometer
• aeronaut (using the equivalent form of aero– in French)
• aeroplane (using the equivalent form of aero– in French)
• aerophyte

What are some other forms that aero– may be commonly confused with?

• aesthesio-
• agri-
• agro-

The combining form –phyte means “plant.” With this in mind, what does aerophyte mean?