"Octa-" is a prefix used in the English language meaning eight. It is specifically known as a numerical prefix. Examples of its use are octolocular and octodecimal. It is believed to have Greek and Latin roots. In Greek the word "OKTO" is found used instead of "Octo" and means eight. Octa- is used before a consonant and before a vowel the "a" is dropped to make it "oct-".
A prefix that is numeric in nature stands for a number. It means that the thing being prefixed has to be multiplied by the number indicated in the prefix. It is not necessarily so that words derived from numerical prefixes are taken from Greek or Latin. Their etymology may be entirely different. In fact words formed using these prefixes may be seen as hybrids themselves.
A prefix that is numeric in nature stands for a number. It means that the thing being prefixed has to be multiplied by the number indicated in the prefix. It is not necessarily so that words derived from numerical prefixes are taken from Greek or Latin. Their etymology may be entirely different. In fact words formed using these prefixes may be seen as hybrids themselves.