What it means
The root in words about growth, often seen in the ending -physis. The hypophysis (the pituitary gland) is the "undergrowth" below the brain, and the epiphysis is the end of a long bone, which grows from its growth plate. Do not confuse it with physi/o, which means nature or function, as in physiology.
Related terms
-logy
A word ending that means the study of something.