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Roots, Combining Forms, Prefixes and Suffixes
Many terms used in the biological sciences are compound words; that is, words made up of one or
more word roots and appropriate prefixes and/or suffixes. Less than 400 roots, prefixes, and suffixes
make up more than 90% of the medical vocabulary. These combining forms are most often derived
from the ancient Latin or Greek. Prefixes are placed before the root term and suffixes are added after.
The following list includes the most common forms used in anatomy, physiology and medicine and an
example for each. This list, and the word origin information found throughout your anatomy text book,
is intended to facilitate the learning of this important vocabulary. The provided list is a learning tool
and the entries are intentionally made brief. If you know these you will find your progress in learning
anatomy and physiology to be swift, steady, and strong (the three “s’es” of success).
a-
without, lack of
Asymptomatic (absence of symptoms)
ab-
away from
abstinence (to hold back from)
acou-
hearing
acoustics (science of sound)
-ac, -al
pertaining to
cardiac (the heart), myocardial (heart muscle)
ad-
to, toward, near to
adduction (move toward the midline)
aden-, adeno-
gland
adenoma (tumor of a gland)
af-
toward
afferent (moving toward)
albi-
white
albinuria (passing of pale or white urine)
-algia
painful condition
myalgia (muscle pain)
an-
without, lack of
anesthesia (absence of pain)
andro-
male
androgens (male hormones)
angi-, angio-
vessel
angiopathy (disease of blood vessels)
ante-
before
antepartum (before birth)
anti-
against
anticoagulant (prevents blood clotting)
apo-
separated from, off
apodia (congenital absence of feet)
arthr-, arthro-
joint
arthritis (inflammation of a joint)
-ary
associated with
urinary (associated with urine)
-asis, -asia
condition or state of
homeostasis (state of metabolic balance)
audio-
hearing
auditory (belonging to the hearing sense)
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auri-
ear
auricle (ear-shaped structure)
auto-
self
autolysis (self breakdown)
baro-
weight, pressure
baroreceptor (receptor for pressure changes)
bi-
twice, double
bicuspid (two cusps)
-blast
germ, bud
chondroblast (cartilage-producing cell)
brachi-
arm
brachial (of the arm)
brady-
slow
bradycardia (slow heart rate)
bucc-
cheek
buccal cavity (inside cheek region)
carcin-
cancer
carcinogenic (causing cancer)
cardio-
heart
cardiology (study of the heart)
caud-
tail
caudal (by the tail)
cephal-
head
cephalic (by the head)
cerebro-
brain
cerebrospinal (of the brain and spinal cord)
chondro-
cartilage
chondrocyte (cartilage cell)
-cide
kill
spermicide (agent that kills sperm)
circum-
around
circumduction (movement forming a circle)
-clast
break
osteoclast (cell that breaks down bone)
co-, com-
with, together
cooperate, gray commissure (connects rt/lt horns)
contra-
against, opposite
contralateral (opposite side)
cost-
rib
intercostals (between the ribs)
crani-
skull
cranial cavity (where the brain is located)
cune-
wedge
cuneiform (wedge shaped)
cuti-
skin
subcutaneous (under the skin)
cyan-
blue color
cyanosis (bluish discoloration of skin)
cysti-, cysto-
sac, bladder
cystoscope (instrument for examining inside of
bladder)
-cyte, cyto-
cell
erythrocyte (red blood cell), cytology (study of cells)
demi-
half
costal demifacet (half-moon facet on vertebra for rib
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articulation)
di, diplo-
two
diploid (two sets of chromosomes)
duct-, -duct
lead, draw
ovarian duct, adduct (toward midline of body)
dur-
hard
dura mater (tough menix of CNS)
dys-
painful, difficult, bad
dysuria (painful urination)
e-, ec-, ef-, ex-
out, from
efferent (carries away from), excretion (eliminate)
ecto-
outside, outer
ectocardia (displacement of heart)
-ectomy
to cut out
appendectomy (removal of appendix)
ede-, -edem
swelling
myoedemia (muscle swelling)
-el, -elle
small
organelle (tiny structure that performs cell function)
endo-
within
endocardium (lining within heart chambers)
entero-
intestine
enteritis (inflammation of intestines)
epi-
above, on
epicardium (membrane covering heart)
ex-, exo
outside
exhale (breathe out); exocrine (gland the secretes
to the outside)
extra-
outside
extracellular (outside the cell)
-ferent
carry
afferent (carries toward)
-form
resembling, shape of
fusiform (spindle-shaped)
gastr-, gastro-
stomach
gastric ulcer (stomach ulcer)
-genesis, -genic
produce, origin
gluconeogenesis (glucose from another molecule),
carcinogenic (causes cancer)
gloss-, glosso-
tongue
hypoglossal (under the tongue)
glyco-
sugar, sweet
glycolysis
gyn-
female, woman
gynecology (treatment of female reproductive organs)
haplo-
single
haploid (single set of chromosomes)
hem-, hemato-
blood
hematology (study of blood)
hepato-
liver
hepatitis (inflammation of the liver)
hetero-
different
heterosexual (involving different sexes)
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hist-, histo-
tissue
histology (study of tissues)
homo-, homeo-
same
homeostasis (constancy of body parameters)
hydro-
water
hydroadipsia (absence of thirst for water)
hyper-
above, over
hypertrophy (overgrowth of cells or part)
hypo-
under, below
hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
idio-
self, distinct
idiopathic (disease of unknown cause)
infra-
below
infraspinatus (below the spine of scapula)
inter-
between
interosseous (between two bones)
intra-
within
intracellular (within the cell)
-issimus
greatest
latissimus (widest)
iso-
equal, same
isotonic (same concentration)
-itis
inflammation
neuritis (inflammation of nerve)
juxta-
near
juxtaglomerular (near the glomerulus)
labi-
lip
labia major (thickened folds of skin in female
external genitalia)
lacto-
milk
lactose (milk sugar)
leuko-
white
leukocyte (white blood cell)
lip-
fat
liposuction (removal of fat from an area)
-ology
study of
urology (study of urinary system
-lysis
breaking up, dissolve
hemolysis (breaking up erythrocytes)
macro-
large
macrophage (certain large leukocyte)
mamm-, mast-
breast
mammary glands, mastectomy (breast removal)
medi-
middle
medial (towards the midline)
melano-
black
melanocyte (dark pigment-producing cell)
-mers, -meres
parts
polymers (larger molecules made of monomers)
meta-
after, beyond
metastasis (beyond the original position)
micro-
small
microorganism (very small organism)
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mono-
single, one
monomer (a single part); monosaccharide (a simple
or single sugar)
morph-
form, shape
morphology (study of shape)
myo-
muscle
myometrium (muscular wall of uterus)
necro-
dead
necrotic (dead tissue)
neo-
new
neonatal (newborn)
nephro-
kidney
nephrology (study of kidneys)
neuro-
nerve
neurilemma (nerve cell membrane)
oculo-, ophthalm-
eye
oculomotor (movement of eye), ophthalmology (study
of the eye)
odonto-
tooth
odontoid (shaped like a tooth)
-ole
little
arteriole (small artery-like vessel)
oligo-
few, little, deficient
oliguria (little urine output)
-oma
tumor
carcinoma (cancerous tumor), osteoma (benign bone
tumor)
oo-
egg
oocyte (egg cell)
-osis
condition of
osteoporosis (having bones that are porous)
osse-, osteo
bone
osteoblast (bone-forming cell)
oto-
ear
otogenic (originating within the ear)
para-
near, beside
paranasal (by the nose)
-pathy
disease
neuropathy (nerve disease)
pelv-
basin
renal pelvis (collection area in kidney)
-penia
deficiency
leucopenia (deficiency of leukocytes)
peri-
around
periosteum (membrane covering bones)
phag-
eat
phagocytosis (cellular eating)
phil-
have an affinity for
lipophilic (associates with fat)
-plegia
paralyze, stroke
paraplegia (paralysis of lower extremities)
pneumo-
air, gas, lungs
pneumothorax (air in the pleural cavity)
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-poiesis
make, formation of
erythropoietin (hormone that stimulates erythrocyte
production)
poly-
many
polycythemia (excess erythrocytes)
post-
after
postnatal (after birth)
pre-
before in time, place
prenatal (before birth)
pro-
before in time, place
prosect (to cut for demonstration)
pseudo-
false
pseudostratified (not truly layered)
quad-
fourfold
quadriceps femoris (4-headed muscle of anterior thigh
rami-
branch
ramus (primary division of a nerve)
rect-
straight
rectus abdominis (straight muscle of abdomen)
reno-
kidney
renal (of the kidney)
retro-
backward, behind
retroperitoneal (posterior to the peritoneum)
sclera-
hard
arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries)
semi-
half
semilunar (half-moon shaped)
serrate-
saw-edged
serratus anterior (muscle of thorax)
somato-
body
somatotropin (growth hormone)
steno-
narrow
stenosis (narrowing of opening)
sterno-
breast, chest
sternum (bone over heart and medial to ribs)
stria-
stripe
striated (showing stripes or lines)
sub-
under
subcutaneous (under the skin)
super-, supra-
above, upper
supercilia (upper brows), suprarenal (superior to the
kidney)
sym-, syn-
together, with
symphysis (growing together, synapse (where
neurons, or neuron and muscle fiber, meet)
tachy-
fast
tachycardia (rapid heart rate)
therm-
heat
thermometer (tool to measure temperature)
thorac-
chest
thoracic cavity (body cavity containing heart, lungs)
thrombo-
blood clot
thrombocyte (platelet)
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-tomy
cut, incise
appendectomy (removal of appendix)
topo-
place, position
ectopic (being out of position)
trans-
across
transdermal (across the skin)
tri-
three
triceps brachii (three-headed muscle)
-tropic
influencing
gonadotropic (effecting the gonads)
tunica-
layer, coat
tunica interna (inner part of blood vessel)
ultra-
beyond, excess
utlradian (more than every 24 hours)
uni-
one
unicellular (single cell)
-uria
urine
polyuria (excess urine)
vas-
vessel
vasodilation (widening of lumen of blood vessel)
vertebra-
spine
vertebrae (bones of the spine)
villo-
hair
microvilli (minute projections of cell membrane)
viscer-
internal organ
visceral (of the internal organs)
zyg-
yoked, paired, union
azygos (unpaired anatomical structure)