-poda

The combining form –poda is used like a suffix meaning “those having feet” or “those having legs.” It is often used in scientific terms, particularly to name classes in zoology.

The form –poda comes from Greek –pous, meaning “-footed.” The Latin cognate of –pous is –pēs, “-footed,” and is the source of several combining forms related to the lower extremities, including –ped, –pede, and pedi–. Discover more at our Words That Use articles for each of these three forms.

What are variants of –poda?

Though –poda doesn’t have any variants, it shares an origin with the combining forms pod–, podo–, –pod, –pode, –podium, and –podous. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use articles for all six forms.

An example of a scientific term that features the form –poda is Arthropoda, “the phylum comprising the arthropods,” which includes insects and spiders. Arthropoda comes from the Latin equivalent of the form.

The form arthro– means “joint’ or “jointed,” from Greek árthron, while –poda means “those having feet.” Arthropoda literally translates to “those having jointed feet.”

What are some words that use the combining form –poda?

• Brachiopoda
• Branchiopoda
• Cardiapoda
• Ornithopoda
• Trichopoda

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

• -pedia
• -penia
• -ploid

The combining form tricho– means “hair.” With this in mind, what is unique about flies in the genus Trichopoda?