Introduction to Medical Terminology Preparation for Final on Chapters 1 - 15
Acro = extremities
Aden = gland
Adip/o = fat
Aer/o = air
Ambul = walk
Andr/o = masculine
angi/o = blood vessel
Ankyl/o = crooked, stiff
Apic = apex
Arteri/o = artery
Arthr/o = joints
ather = fatty substance
Axill = armpit
Bi/o = pertaining to life
Blephar/o = eyelid
brady = slow
burs/o = bursa
capill/o = capillaries
Carcin = cancer
card/o = heart
carpi = wrist
Caud/o = lower part of the body
Cele = hernia
Cephal = head
Cerebr/o = brain
Cervic = neck
Chondr/I = cartilage
Cide = causing death
Concuss = shaken together
Contus = bruise
coron = crown
Cost/o = rib
Crani = skull
Crin/o = secrete
Crit = separate
Cry/o = cold
Crypt/o = hidden
Cutane = skin
cyan/o = blue
Cyst/o = bladder
Cyt = cell
Derma = skin
Dipsia = thirst
Diur = increasing the output of
urine
Dors = back of the body
Ec = out
Echo = sound
Emia = blood condition
Encephal/o = brain
Enter = small intestine
Esis = abnormal condition
eti = cause
exo = out of
Extra = outside
fasci/o = fascia
fibr/o = fibrous connective
tissue
Flex = bend
Fluor = glowing
Follicul = hair follicle
Galact/o = milk
Gastr/o = stomach
Gene = producing
Genic = created by
Gingiv = gums
Glycos = glucose
Gonad/o = gonad (testicles,
ovaries)
gram = record (written, picture)
Graphy = process of creating a
picture or record
Gravida = pregnant
gravis = serious
Gynec = female
Halit = breath
Hem = blood
Hepat = liver
Hidr = sweat
Hirsute = hairy
Hist/o = tissue
Home/o = constant
Hydr/o = relating to water
Hyster/o = uterus
Iatrist = specialist
Ichthy = dry or scaly
idi/o = peculiar to the individual
Ili = hip bone
Immune = protected
Inguin = groin
ion = action, condition
isch = hold back
Ist = specialist
itis = inflammation
Kel = growth
Kerat = cornea, hard
kines = movement
kyph/o = hump
Lact = milk
lamin = lamina (posterior
portion of a vertebra)
Lapar = abdomen
Lingu = tongue
Lip = fatty
Lith = stone
Lithiasis = presence of stones
lob = lobe
lord/o = curve
Lumb = lower back
lysis = destruction, breaking
down
lytic = destroy
Macro = large
Macul = spot
malasia = abnormal softening
Mamm/o = breast
Mast = breast
Men = menstruation
Metabol = change
meter = measure
Metri = uterus
Metrist = person who measures
Metry = measure
Multi = many
muscul/o, my/o, myos/o =
muscles
Myc = fungus
Myel = spinal cord, bone
marrow
Myring/o = tympanic membrane
(eardrum)
nas/o = nose
Nat = born
necrosis = tissue death
Neo = new
Nephr = kidney
Neur/I, neur/o = nerve
noct = night
Occult = hidden
Ocul = eye
Odonti = teeth
Oid = resembling
Olig = scanty
ologist = specialist
ology = study of
Oma = tumor
Onc = tumor
Onych = fingernail or toenail
Oophor = ovary
Ophthalm = eye
Opia = vision condition
Opsy = view
Opt = sight
or/o = mouth
Orch = testicle
Orth = straight
oss/e, oste/o, ost/o = bone
ostomy = surgical opening
Ot = ear
ox = oxygen
pan = entire
paresis = partial paralysis
path = disease
penia = deficiency
Pept = digestion
Phagia = eating
Phall/I = penis
Pharmac = drug
pharynx = throat
Phasia = speech
Phleb = vein
Phobia = abnormal fear
phon = sound
plasia = development, formation
Plasm = formation
plast = growth
plegia = paralysis
pnea = breathing
pneum/o = lung, air
pod = foot
poly = many
por = small opening
poster/o= toward the back
Proct = anus, rectum
Pryet = fever
Pseudo/o = fake
Psych = mind
Ptosis = droop or prolapse
ptysis = spitting
pulmon = lung
Purpur = purple
Py = pus
Pyel = renal pelvis
Pyr/o = fever
Radi = radiation
Radicul/o = root or nerve root
re = again
Ren = kidney
rhin = nose
rrhagia = bursting forth,
bleeding
rrhea = abnormal discharge
rrhexis = rupture
Salping/o = tube
Sarc = flesh
Sclera = white of the eye
Sclerosis = abnormal hardening
scoli = curved
Scope = instrument for visual
examination
scopy = direct visual
examination
Seb/o = sebum (wax)
Somat = body
somn/o = sleep
spir/o = breathe
spondyl = vertebrae
Stasis = control
Steat = fat
stenosis = abnormal narrowing
Stomat = mouth
tachy = rapid
tax = coordination
ten/o, tend/o = tendon
tens = stretch out
Therm = heat
thorax = chest
thromb/o = clot
Tion = process of
Tom = to cut, to slice
Ton = tension
Tox = poison
Tripsy = crush
Trop = turn
Tropic = affinity for
Tropin = simulate
tuss = cough
Tympan = eardrum
Ur/o = urine
Uresis = urination
Uria = urination
Urtic = rash
us = singular noun ending
vas/o = blood vessel
ven/o = veins
ventr = belly side of the body
Vesic/o = bladder
Xer = dry
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dia = through
‘Pertaining To’ Terms
En = in
Sensations Terms
ac = pertaining to
Acous = hearing
endo = within
Al = pertaining to
Algia = pain
epi = upon
ar = pertaining to
Audi = hearing
eal = pertaining to
hyper = excessive
Aur = hearing
hypo = below, decreased,
ia = pertaining to
ic = pertaining to
ose = pertaining to
Ous = pertaining to
Numerical Terms
bi = two
Dipl = double
hemi = half
Mon/o = one
Nulli = none
Primi = first
quadr/I = four
tri = three
Location Terms
a = without
ab = away from
Acr/o = top
ad = toward
an = without
Anter = front or before
Anti = against
deficient
inter = between
intra = within
Meta = beyond
Par = near
peri = surrounding
post = after
pre = before
retro = behind
Sub = under
supra = above
Trans = across
Ultra = beyond
Color Terms
Erythr/o = red
leuk/o = white
Melan = black
poli/o = gray
Auscult = listen
Bar/o = pressure
Dynia = pain
dys = difficult, painful, bad
Esthesia = sensation or feeling
Prurit = itching
Son = sound
Surgical Terms
centesis = surgical puncture to
remove fluid
Ectomy = surgical removal
otomy = surgical incision
plasty = surgical repair
rrhaphy = to suture or stitch
Condition Terms
Ia or osis = abnormal condition
Ism = condition