isosceles adj.

before vowels often is-, word-forming element meaning "equal, similar, identical; isometric," from Greek isos "equal to, the same as; equally divided; fair, impartial (of persons); even, level (of ground)," as in isometor "like one's mother." In English used properly only with words of Greek origin; the Latin equivalent is equi- (see equi-).

"lateral curvature of the spine," 1706, medical Latin, from Latinized form of Greek skoliosis "crookedness," from skolios "bent, curved," from PIE root *skel- "bend, curve," with derivatives referring to crooked parts of the body (as in Greek skelos "leg, limb; Latin scelus "malice, badness, crime;" Old High German scelah, Old English sceolh "oblique, curved, squinting;" Albanian çalë "lame"). Distinguished from lordosis and kyphosis. Related: Scoliotic.