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MEDICAL TERMS
 The three word parts that you will be
concerned with are the prefix, the stem
(root), and the suffix.
STEMS – PERTAINING TO
THE MUSCULOSKELETAL
SYSTEM
Myelo –Bone marrow or spine

Myelitis is the inflammation of the spine or
bone marrow.
Myo –Muscle

Myospasm means involuntary contraction
of the muscle.
Tendo –Tendon
•Tedinitis means inflammation of the
tendon.
Costo –Rib
•Intercostal space means space between the
ribs.
STEMS – PERTAINING TO
THE INTEGUMENTARY
SYSTEM
Osteo – bone
•Osteoarthritis is the inflammation of the
bone and joint.
Arthro –Joint
•Arthrodesis means fixation of a joint be
fusion.
Chondro –Cartilage
•Arthrodesis means fixation of a joint be
fusion.
Derma –Skin
•Dermatophytosis means having a fungus
infection of the skin.
Onycho –Nail
•Dermatophytosis means having a fungus
infection of the skin.
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STEMS – PERTAINING TO
THE RESPIRATORY
SYSTEM
•Person with pneumonia has an
inflammation of the lungs.
Pneumo –Air
•Pneumo anemia is the presence of air or
gas in the blood vessel.
Pneo –Breathing
•Pneodynamics is the mechanism of
breathing.
STEMS - PERTAINING TO
THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
Rhino and Naso –Nose
•A person who has rhinitis has inflammation
of the nose.
Laryngo –Larynx or voice box
•A laryngoscopy is an examination of the
interior of the larynx.
Stoma –mouth.
Tracheo –Trachea or upper windpipe
Lingua and glossa –tongue.
•Person with tracheitis has inflammation of
the upper windpipe or trachea.
•Glossitis means inflammation of the
tongue.
Broncho –Bronchus or lower windpipe
•Lingual means pertaining to the tongue.
•Person with bronchitis has inflammation of
the lower windpipe or bronchus.
Dento and odonto –tooth
Pulmo –Lung
•Pulmonary,for examle,means concerning or
involving the lung.
•Person with dentalgia has a pain in the
tooth.
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Cheilo –lip .
Procto and ano -rectum or anus.
•cheiloplasty is the surgical repair of a
defect of the lips.
•Proctitis means inflammation of the anus or
rectum.
Gingivo –gums .
Hepato –liver
•Person with gingivitis has an inflammation
of the gums.
•Person with hepatitis has an inflammation
of the liver.
Gastro –stomach
Cholecysto -gall-bladder
•Gastrectomy is the surgical removal of the
stomach.
•Person who has had an operation called a
cholecystectomy has had his gall-bladder
removed.
Entero –intestine
•Person with gastroenteritishas inflammation
of the stomach and small intestine.
Duodeno -pertains tothe duodenum or first
part of thesmall intestine. Small intestine
•A duodenal ulcer, for example,an ulcer
which is located in the duodenum or first
part of the small intestine.
Jejuno -pertains to the jejunum or second
part of the small intestine.
•Jejunectomy, for example, is an excision of
a part of all of the jejunum or the second
part of the small intestine.
Ileo -pertains to the ileum or third part of the
small intestine
•Ileitis means inflammation of the ileum or
the third part of the small intestine.
Colo –colon .
•Colostomy is performed, an incision is
made into the colon.
Celio and abdomino –abdomen
•Person who has had a celiectomy has had a
complete orpartial removal of an organ of
the abdomen.
Laparo -abdominal wall
•Person who has a laparotomy has had an
incision made into the abdominal wall.
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STEMS - PERTAINING TO
THE CARDIOVASCULAR
SYSTEM
STEMS - PERTAINING TO
THE HEMATOPOIETIC AND
LYMPATHIC SYSTEMS
Cyto –cell
Cardio –heart
•The cardiovascular system includes the
blood vessels and the heart.
•Nerythrocyte is one kind of blood cell. It is
a red blood cell.
Hema and hemato –blood.
Angio and vaso –blood vessel
•Hematoma is a tumor filled with blood.
•An angiogram is a series of X-ray film of a
blood vessel.
Lympho –lymph
Phlebo and veno –veins
•A phlebectomy is the surgical removal of a
vein.
Arterio –artery
•A person who has arteriosclerosis has
hardening of the artery wall
Thrombo –Blood clot
•Thrombophlebitis is an inflammation of a
vein with a clot of blood.
•Lymphocyte is a lymph cell.
Spleno –spleen
•Person who has had a splenectomy has had
an excision of the spleen.
Phago –to eat
•Person who has had a splenectomy has had
an excision of the spleen.
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STEMS - PERTAINING TO
THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM
Neuro –nerve
•Polyneuritis means inflammation of many
nerves.
Acro –extremity
•Acromegaly is a disease characterized by
Cerebro and encephalo –brain .
enlargement of the bones of the extremity.
•Encephalitis, for example, means
inflammation of the brain.
Gluco and glyco –sugar
Psycho and mento –mind .
•A person with glucosuria has sugar in the
urine.
•Psychology is the science that studies the
mind.
Adeno –gland.
Mania –means madness.
•Denectomy is a word meaning surgical
removal of a gland.
•Pyromania, for example, means fire
madness.
STEMS - PERTAINING TO
THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
ANDPSYCHIATRIC
DISORDERS
Phobia –fear .
•A person with hydrophobia has a fear of
water.
Esthesia –feeling or sensation
•Anesthesiameans without feeling or
sensation.
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STEMS - PERTAINING TO
THE GENITOURINARY
SYSTEM
Uro/uria –urine .
 Urophobia is a term whichmeans fear of
passing urine
Lith –stone .
 Nephrolithiasis is the formation of renal
stone.
STEMS - PERTAINING TO
GYNECOLOGY AND
OBSTETRICS
FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
Nephro/ rena –kidney .
 A person who has had a nephrectomy has
had a kidney removed
Uretero –ureter.
 ureteritis has an inflammation of the
ureter
Cysto –bladder .
 cystitis has an inflammation of the
bladder.
Urethro –urethra .
 Urethritis is an inflammation of the
urethra
Orchio –testes .
 Orchiopexy means fixation of the testes
Hystero /metro –uterus or womb.
 Hysterectomy –removal of womb
Oophoro –ovary .
 Oophorectomy –removal of ovary
Salpingo –tube .
 salpingitis –inflammation of the fallopian
tube
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STEMS - PERTAINING TO
THE SENSORY ORGANS
 Blepharitis –inflammation of the eyelid.
Kerato –cornea .
 Keratitis –inflammation of the cornea
Dacryo – tear .
 dacryocystitis –inflammation of the tear
sac
STEMS - MISCELLANEOUS
STEMS
Pyo –pus .

Pyogenic –producing pus
Lipo –fat .
 Lipoma –tumor composed of fats
Oto –ear .
Febri –fever .
 Otoplasty –plastic repair of the ear
 febrile –without fever.
Tympano / myringo –eardrum .
Myco –fungus .
 Tympanoplasty –plastic repair of the
eardrum
 Mycosis –any disease caused by a
fungus.
Ophthalmo /oculo –eye .
Necro –dead .
 Ophthalmology –science dealing with
the eye and its diseases.
 Necropsy –an autopsy or scientific
inspection of a dead body.
Opto –vision .
Emesis –vomit .
 Opto metrist –a person who is trained to
examine eyes in order to determine the
presence of eye problems.
 Hyperemesis –excessive vomit.
Blepharo –eyelid .
Melanoma –malignantor black tumor.
Melano- dark or black
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Leuko –white .
 Leukocyte –white blood cells.
Cyano –blue
 Cyanosis –blue condition of the skin.
Erythro –means red
 Erythrocyte –red blood cells.
PHOBIAS
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Water- Hydrophobia
Beautiful woman- venustraphobia
Crowded places- agoraphobia
Height- acrophobia
Injection/ needles- trypanophobia
Speaking in public- glossaphobia
Death- necrophobia
Numbers- arithmophobia
Hospitals- nosocomephobia
Pain- algophobia
Love- philophobia
Men- androphobia
Blood- hemophobia
School- scolionophobia
Gaining weight- obesophobia
Dark-nyctophobia
Spider- aracnophobia
Ugliness- cacophobia
Sleep- somniphobia
Failure-atychiphobia
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