-trichouscomb. form
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Primary stress is usually attracted to the syllable immediately preceding this combining form, but is occasionally attracted to the first syllable of the combining form itself. Vowels may be reduced accordingly.
Origin: A borrowing from Latin, combined with an English element. Etymons: Latin -trichus , -ous suffix.
Etymology: < scientific Latin -trichus (in e.g. hemitrichus , 1813 or earlier; see also below) < ancient Greek -τριχος (also -τριχος , -θριξ ), combining form (in e.g. οὐλότριχος , also οὐλόθριξ : see ulotrichous adj.) of τριχ- , θρίξ hair (see tricho- comb. form1) + -ous suffix. Compare French -trique.Found in adaptations of words from scientific Latin from the mid 19th cent. Scientific Latin -trichi (plural) is found in frequently in nouns denoting classes of people with hair of a specific type (e.g. Ulotrichi : see ulotrichous adj.), after corresponding French nouns in -trique , especially in the classificatory system of J. B. Bory de Saint-Vincent. Scientific Latin -tricha (feminine singular) is found in taxonomic names of microorganisms (e.g. Holotricha : see holotrichous adj. at holo- comb. form ); compare sense 2.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, November 2010; most recently modified version published online June 2020).