Root of the Week: BIO (Thursday)

Amphibian  (Noun) 

The Greek root “amphi” means “of both kinds.” When it is a prefix for “bio” (ending the word with “an” makes it a noun),” it refers to a life form “of both kinds”—specifically, an animal that is at home in water and on land.  Amphibians include frogs, toads, salamanders, and newts. They are cold-blooded, usually smooth-skinned, and lay their eggs in or near water. 

Amphious (Adjective)

The adjective amphibious is also applied to vehicles, even though vehicles don’t have bio (they aren’t alive).  An early type of amphibious vehicle was the Conestoga wagon, a covered wagon used in North America to cross both prairies and streams. Later, various kinds of self-propelled amphibious vehicles were devised for military, recreational, and other uses.