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malaco-

Soft.

Greek malakos, soft.

This form occurs in only a few words; easily the most common is malacology, the branch of zoology that deals with the soft-bodied molluscs. Others are malacostracan (Greek ostrakon, shell), relating to a large class of crustaceans, the Malacostraca, which includes crabs, shrimps, and lobsters; and malacoplakia Greek plax, plak‑, flat plate), inflammation of an organ (especially the urinary bladder) accompanied by formation of soft flat lesions.

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