MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY

COMMON PREFIXS

PREFIX
aababdomi(n)acr(o)adaden(o)ananaangioanteantiarteri(o)arthroautobibi(o)blast(o)blephar(o)bradycalccardi(o)cephal(o)cerbr(o)cervic(o)cholechondr(o)circumcontracost(o)cyan(o)cyst(o)cyt(o)dedermat(o)didiadysect(o)electroend(o)enter(o)epierythr(o)euex(o)extragastr(o)glyc(o)gynec(o)hemat(o)hemihem(o)hepat(o)homhydr(o)hyperhypohyster(o)infrainterintraisolatero-

MEANING
without, lack of
away from
abdomen
pertaining to an extremity
to, toward
pertaining to a gland
without, lack of
up, back, again
vessel
before, forward
against, opposed to
artery
pertaining to a joint
self
two
pertaining to life
germ or cell
pertaining to an eyelid
slow
stone; also heel
pertaining to the heart
pertaining to the head
pertaining to the cerebrum, a part of the brain
pertaining to the neck or the uterine cervix
pertaining to bile
pertaining to cartilage
around, about
against, opposite
pertaining to a rib
blue
pertaining to the bladder or any fluid-containing sac
pertaining to a cell
down from
pertaining to the skin
twice, double
through, completely
difficult, painful, abnormal
out from
pertaining to electricity
within
pertaining to the intestines
upon, on
pertaining to red or to erythrocytes (red blood cells)
easy, good, normal
outside
outside, in addition
pertaining to the stomach
sugar
pertaining to females or the female reproductive organs
pertaining to blood
half
pertaining to blood
pertaining to the liver
same or like
water
over, excessive
under, deficient
pertaining to the uterus
below
between
within
equal
side

COMMON PREFIXS

PREFIX
leuk(o)lith(o)macromalmedimegamening(o)micromonomyel(o)my(o)nas(o)ne(o)nephr(o)neur(o)noctolig(o)oophor(o)ophthalm(o)orchid(o)orchi(o)orthooste(o)ot(o)parapath(o)perperiphag(o)pharyng(o)phleb(o)pneum(o)polypostpreproproct(o)pseudo(o)psych(o)pulm(o)pyel(o)py(o)quadr(i)retr(o)rhin(o)salping(o)scler(o)semisubsupersupratachythorac(o)transtriunivas(o)

MEANING
pertaining to anything white or to leukocytes (white blood cells)
pertaining to a stone
large
bad or abnormal
middle
large
pertaining to a membrane, particularly the meninges
small
one
pertaining to the spinal cord, the bone marrow, or myelin
pertaining to muscle
pertaining to the nose
new
pertaining to the kidney
pertaining to the nerve or the nervous system
night
little, deficient
pertaining to the ovary
pertaining to the eye
pertaining to the testicles
pertaining to the testicles
straight or normal
pertaining to bone
pertaining to the ear
by the side of
pertaining to disease
through
around
pertaining to eating, ingesting, or engulfing
pertaining to the throat or pharynx
pertaining to a vein
pertaining to respiration, the lungs, or air
many
after, behind
before
before, in front of
pertaining to the rectum
false
pertaining to the mind
pertaining to the lung
pertaining to the kidney or pelvis
pertaining to pus
four
backward or behind
pertaining to the nose
pertaining to a tube
hard; also means pertaining to the sclera
half or partial
under or moderately
above, excessive, or more than normal
above
fast
pertaining to the chest
across
three
one
vessel

COMMON SUFFIXES

SUFFIX
-algia
-asthen(o)
-blast
-cele

MEANING
pertaining to pain
weakness
immature cell
pertaining to a tumor or swelling

COMMON SUFFIXES

SUFFIX
-centesis
-cyte
-ectomy
-emia
esthesi(o)-genic
-gram
-graph
-itis
-lysis
-megaly
-ology
-oma
-osis
-ostomy
-pathy
-phagia
-phasia
-phobia
-plasty
-plegia
-pnea
-ptosis
-rrhage
-rrhagia
-rrhaphy
-rrhea
-scope
-scopy
-sis
-taxis
-trophic
-uria

MEANING
pertaining to a procedure in which an organ or body cavity is punctured, often to drain
excess fluid or obtain a sample for analysis
cell
surgical removal of
pertaining to the presence of a substance in the blood
pertaining to sensation or perception
causing
record
a record or the instrument used to create the record
inflammation
decline, disintegration, or destruction
enlargement of
science of
tumor
pertaining to a disease process (see also sis)
surgical creation of an opening
disease or a system for treating disease
pertaining to eating or swallowing
pertaining to speech
pertaining to an irrational fear
plastic surgery
paralysis
pertaining to breathing
drooping
abnormal or excessive flow or discharge
abnormal or excessive flow or discharge
suture of; repair of
flow or discharge
instrument for examination
examination with an instrument
a process, action, or condition
order, arrangement of
pertaining to nutrition
pertaining ot a substance in the urine or the condition so indicated

COMMON ROOT WORDS

ROOT WORD
abdomenacouadenadipalbalgesandrangiaorta
aquaarteriarthrasphyxia
asthenaudibibronchbuccbursacalluscarcincardicarotid
carpus
centcentecephal-

MEANING
abdomen
hear
gland
fat
white
pain
male
vessel
large artery exiting from the left ventricle of the heart
water
artery
joint
lack of oxygen or excess of carbon dioxide in the body that results in unconsciousness
weak
to hear
life or two
windpipe
cheek
pouch or sac
hard, thick skin; also a meshwork of connective tissue that forms during the healing
process after a fracture
cancer
heart
great arteries of the neck
wrist
a fraction in the metric system; one hundredth or 100
to puncture (a body cavity)
head

COMMON ROOT WORDS

ROOT WORD
cerviccholchondrcilicleid(o)cubitus
cyancyclcystcytderm(at)digit
edeentererythresthefebrflex
foramen
fractgastrgestglyc(y)gno-gram
graphgyn(ec)hem(at)hepat(ic)heterhomhumerus
hydridiiod(o)lactleuklingumalmedimegamelanmenmeningmyelmynephrneuroculophthalmost(e)otovpalpate
pathpedpercuss
phagpharyngphotpleurpneum(at)pneumo(n)podpseudopsychpto-

MEANING
neck
bile
cartilage
eyelid
clavicle
elbow
blue
circle or cycle
bladder
cell
skin
finger or toe
swelling
intestine
red
sensation or perception
fever
bend
opening
break
stomach
carry, produce, congestion
sweet
know
something written or recorded
write or record
female
blood
liver
other or different
the same
the bone in the upper arm
water
separate or distinct
iodine
milk
white
tongue
abnormal
middle
large
black
month
membrane, usually refers to the meninges
marrow or spinal cord
muscle
kidney
nerve
eye
eye
bone
ear
egg
to examine by touch
disease
child or foot
to examine by striking
eat
throat
light
rib or side
breath
lung
foot
false
mind
fall

COMMON ROOT WORDS

ROOT WORD
ptyalpur-, pypyrquadr, quar-, quatradius
renretina
rhinsangui(n)sclerasebum
sectsepsis
septserum
sinus
som(a)spirstasis
stature
stern(o)stoma
tach(y)tacttetrathoractomtoxic
trichurvaricvasvertigo
viscervisousxenxer-

MEANING
saliva
pus
firefour
the forearm bone on the thumb side; also a line from the center of a circle or sphere to
the edge
kidney
inner nerve-containing layer of the eye
nose
blood
hard
a fatty secretion of the sebaceous glands
cut
the presence of microorganisms or their toxins in the blood; also the toxic condition
caused by such presence
wall, divider; also seven
the clear portion of body fluids, including blood
cavity, channel, or hollow space
body
coil
slowing or stopping of the normal flow of a fluid, such as blood
height
sternum (breastbone)
any small opening on the surface of the body, such as a pore; also the opening created in
the abdominal wall for the passage of urine or feces
rapid
touch
four
chest
cut
poisonous
hair
urine
varicose vein
vessel
a disordered sensation in which ones own body or the surroundings are perceived as
moving
internal organs
sticky
foreign (material)
dry