-gyny

The combining form -gyny is used like a suffix to indicate the abstract noun form of adjectives ending in -gynous, a form meaning “of women” or “of females.” It is occasionally used in scientific terms, especially in botany.

In terms from botany, -gyny specifically means “state of having pistils,” the seed-bearing female organ of a flower. In some rare instances, such as the term monogyny, the form is used to mean “the state of having a wife.”

The form -gyny comes from Greek -gynos, roughly meaning “female.”

What are variants of -gyny?

While -gyny doesn’t have any variants, it is related to several other combining forms: gyn-, -gyne, gynec-, gyneco-, gyno-, and -gynous. Want to know more? Check out our Words that Use articles for each form.

One example of a word you may have encountered that features the form -gyny is misogyny, “hatred, dislike, or mistrust of women.” Misogyny comes from Greek misogynía, which uses the equivalent form of -gyny.

The miso- part of the word means “hate,” from Greek mîsos, while -gyny means “of women.” Misogyny literally translates to “hatred of women.”

What are some words that use the combining form -gyny?

• androgyny
• monogyny
• philogyny (using the equivalent form of -gyny in Greek)
• polygyny (using the equivalent form of -gyny in Greek)

What are some other forms that -gyny may be commonly confused with?

• -gamy
• -genous
• -geny

The combining form philo- means “loving.” With this in mind, what is philogyny?