allo-

¹

especially before a vowel, all-

1. a combining form meaning “other,” used in the formation of compound words (allotrope ) and in chemistry to denote the more stable of two geometric isomers.

allo.

²

abbreviation

1. allegro.

allo-

combining form

1. indicating difference, variation, or opposition

   allopathy

   allomorph

   allophone

   allonym

Word History and Origins

Origin of allo-¹

< Greek, combining form of állos other; cognate with Latin alius, else

Word History and Origins

Origin of allo-¹

from Greek allos other, different

Example Sentences

French authorities told him the number did not exist, but when Galbraith called it himself he heard, on the other end, “Allô?”

From Slate

British shows like Allo Allo and Fawlty Towers aired regularly as a cultural hangover from the colonial era, but none captured Mr Kukoyi's imagination like the time-travelling Doctor did.

From BBC

Robbie Amell and Andy Allo star in this bright and cynical afterlife comedy, where the only thing more certain than the icy finger of death is the rapaciousness of capitalist greed.

From New York Times

The director of the "Allo, Beirut?" exhibition, Delphine Abirached Darmency, is a Franco-Lebanese journalist.

From Reuters

"Allo, Beirut?" opened on Sept. 15 and is scheduled to run until 2023.

From Reuters

When To Use

What does allo- mean?

Allo- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “other” or "different." It is frequently used in a variety of medical and scientific terms.In chemistry, allo- denotes the more stable of two geometric isomers. Isomers are molecules that contain the same numbers of the same kinds of atoms but in which the atoms have different structural arrangements.Allo- comes from Greek állos, meaning “other.” This word’s distant cousins in Latin, alius and alter, which have similar definitions, give us words such as alien and alternative. The opposite of allo- is the form auto-, from Greek autós, “self.”What are variants of allo-?When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, allo- typically becomes all-, as in allonym.Want to learn more? Read our Words That Use all- article.