What does the prefix xeno- mean?
Xeno- comes from the Greek xenos, which means "foreign", "strange" or "unknown". It appears in scientific and social vocabulary.
ESEN
Prefix · origin · foreign
xeno-
Means "foreign" or "strange": xenophobia, xenon, xenophile, xenograft, xenobiotic.
Scientific
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
Xeno- in science and society
Xeno- appears in two worlds. In the social sciences, it talks about what we feel toward what comes from outside, whether fear or fondness. In science, it names things that are foreign to where they are: a gas that was named that way because it was hard to identify when it was discovered, a transplant between different species or a rock embedded inside another.
How it is used
Combines with Greek roots in scientific and social vocabulary:
- xeno- + social attitudephobia → xenophobiaphile → xenophilephobic → xenophobicphilia → xenophilia
- xeno- + sciencen → xenongraft → xenograftbiotic → xenobioticlith → xenolith
Pronunciation: /ˈzen.oʊ/ — the x is /z/ at the start of a word in English, not /ks/.
How it is pronounced
xeno-/ˈzen.oʊ/
Tap the button to hear how the prefix sounds. Each word in the table has its own audio.
Examples
Root word
With xeno-
In a phrase
- phobiaxenophobiaXenophobia tends to rise when communities feel economically threatened.
- nxenonXenon is a rare, colourless noble gas found in trace amounts in air.
- philexenophileA true xenophile, she collected music and art from dozens of cultures.
- graftxenograftSurgeons used a xenograft from a pig valve to repair her heart.
- bioticxenobioticPesticides are xenobiotic compounds completely foreign to the human body.
- lithxenolithThe geologist found a xenolith embedded deep in the volcanic rock.
- phobicxenophobicThe politician's xenophobic rhetoric divided the nation sharply and rapidly.
Common mistakes
pronouncing xeno- with /ks/ at the start
the x in xeno- is /z/ in English: xenophobia = /ˌzen.əˈfoʊ.bi.ə/
Unlike "extra" or "example" where x is /ks/ or /ɡz/, the x in xeno- is /z/ at the start of a word. "Xenon" = /ˈziː.nɒn/, "xenophobia" = /ˌzen.əˈfoʊ.bi.ə/. Predictable pattern: Greek-origin words starting with xen- always use /z/ in English.
A trick to remember it
Think of xenophobia, the fear of foreigners: xeno- = foreign, strange. xenophobia, xenophile.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Form the word
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
Why is the noble gas called "xenon"?
Frequently asked questions
What does the prefix xeno- mean in English?
The prefix xeno- means "foreign" or "strange": xenophobia, xenon, xenophile, xenograft, xenobiotic.
How do you pronounce xeno-?
The prefix xeno- is pronounced /ˈzen.oʊ/. For example, "xenophobia".
Can you give an example of a word with xeno-?
"phobia" becomes "xenophobia". It is a typical example of the xeno- prefix.
Other useful prefixes
Learn every English prefix
un-, re-, pre-, dis-, over-, in-... every beginning you need to unlock thousands of English words at once.