necro-

1. a combining form meaning “the dead,” “corpse,” “dead tissue,” used in the formation of compound words: necrology.

combining form

1. indicating death, a dead body, or dead tissuenecrology; necrophagous; necrosis

before vowels, necr-, word-forming element meaning “death, corpse, dead tissue,” from comb. form of Greek nekros “dead body, corpse, dead person,” from PIE *nek- “death, natural death” (cf. Sanskrit nasyati “disappears, perishes,” Avestan nasyeiti “disappears,” nasu- “corpse,” Old Persian vi-nathayatiy “he injures;” Latin nex, genitive necis “violent death, murder” (as opposed to mors), nocere “to harm, hurt,” noxius “harmful;” Greek nekus “dead” (adj.), nekros “dead body, corpse;” Old Irish ec, Breton ankou, Welsh angeu “death”). pref.

1. Dead body; corpse:necrophilia.
2. Death:necrobiosis.