a. Gr. -τομία, often through mod.L. -tomia, used to form abstract sbs. from adjs. in -τομος cutting; f. verbal ablant-series τεμ-, τομ-, τμ-, in τέμ-ν-ειν to cut, τομή, τμῆσις cutting: entering into numerous technical terms, as anatomy, lit. cutting up, cystotomy, dichotomy, lithotomy, phlebotomy, thymotomy, tracheotomy, zootomy, etc.