haplós

Haplós (Greek ἁπλός, translit. haplós) is an Ancient Greek adjective meaning "simple" or "single." The term has given rise to the widely used prefix haplo- in modern scientific vocabulary, where it carries the sense of "single," "one," or "simple." In contemporary usage, the root appears in numerous disciplines that borrow Greek roots to form technical terms, especially in biology, genetics, and linguistics.

In biology and genetics, haplo- is a productive prefix indicating a single set or a single unit. Examples include haploid (having one complete set of chromosomes), haplotype (a specific combination of alleles on a chromosome), and haplogroup (a genetic lineage or ancestral cluster). The sense conveyed is typically one- or single-copy within a given cellular or genetic context.

In linguistics and philology, haplology is a term describing the omission of one of two adjacent similar or identical syllables during pronunciation or spelling. The word is formed from hapl- (simple) and -logia (study or theory) in Greek. Haplology is discussed in studies of historical phonology and phonotactics as a natural pattern of simplification in language change.

Pronunciation in Greek is haplós, with the stress on the second syllable, commonly transliterated as haplós. In English, the productive prefix appears as haplo- when attached to other roots. Related terms include haplotype, haploid, haplogroup, and haplology.