Hylo
/ˈhaɪloʊ/noun
A combining form meaning “wood” or “forest,” used in scientific and philosophical terms.
Did you know?*Hylo-* comes from Greek *hylē*, a word that could mean “wood” or “matter,” which is why it became a serious term in philosophy, not just botany.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Gk
hylē
“wood; timber; forest; later, matter”
Late Greek
Gk
hylikos
“material; made of matter”
19th Century
English
hylo-
“combining form meaning wood; later used in philosophical compounds about matter”
Modern English
English
hylo-
“a combining form in scientific and philosophical terms meaning wood or matter”