The building blocks of English

Affixes

orchid(o)-

Also orch(i)‑.

Testicle; orchid.

Greek orkhis, testicle.

An orchiectomy or orchidectomy (Greek ektomē, excision) is surgical removal of a testicle; orchitis is inflammation of one or both of the testicles; orchidopexy is an operation to fix an undescended testicle in position.

The form has been applied to orchids because their tubers were thought to resemble testicles; hence orchidaceous, relating to plants of the orchid family; orchidist, a grower or fancier of orchids; orchidology, their study.