Medical vocabulary : prefixes
Prefix
Meaning
Example
A,an
Ab
Ad
Absence of, with out, not
From, away
to, toward, near
atrophy
abduction
adduction
Allo
Ambi
Ante
another (human)
both
before
allografft
ambidextrous
anteversion
Anti
Auto
Bi
against
self
two
antibiotic
autograft
bipolar
Bio
Circum
Contra
life
around
against, opposed
biology
circumduction
contraindication
Cortico
Di
Dis
cortex, cortical
two
the opposite of, apart
corticospinal
dichromatic
disarticulation
Dors
Dys
Ect
back
abnormal
external
dorsiflexion
dysplasia
octoderm
En
in, internal
endocrine
Endo
Ent
inner, within
inner, within
endocardium
entropion
Epi
Erythr
Ex
on, outer
red
from, without
epidural
erythrocyte
exostosis
Exo
outside
exoskeleton
Extra
Hemi
outside, in addition
half
extracapsular
hemisphere
Heter
Hom
Hyper
other
same
excessive, more than normal
heterogenous
homogenous
hyperextention
Hyp
In
Infra
below, less than normal
within, into, not
below, inferior
hypoplasia
incomplete
infrapatellar
Inter
Intra
Iso
between
within
same, normal
interosseus
intravenous
isotonic
Leuk
Mal
Micro
White
disordered, bad
small
leukocytes
malignancy
microcephalus
Myel
Para
Path
marrow, spinal cord
beside, alongside, parallel
disease
myelogram
paravertebral
pathologist
Ped
Per
Peri
children
through
around, about
pedratrician
percutaneous
periosteum
Poly
Post
Pre
many
after
before, anterior
polycentric
postoperative
preoperative
Pro
Pseudo
Quad
before, for
false
four
progressive
pseudoarthrosis
quadriceps
Retro
Semi
Septi
posterior, behind
half
poison
retrograde
semicircular
septicemia
Sub
Super
Supra
under
above, greater, over
above, upon, superior
subcapsular
superior
supracondylar
Sym, Syn
Trans
Tri
Uni
with, together
across, beyound, through
three
one
symphysis
transverse
triceps
unilateral
Medical vocabulary: root words
Root
Meaning
Example
Angi
Arthr
Card(i)
vessel
joint
heart
angioplasty
arthrodesis
cardiology
Celi(o)
Cephal
Cerebr
cavity
head
brain
celioscopy
cephalad
cerebrum
Cervic
Chondr
Col
neck
cartilage
colon
cervical
chondrocranium
colectomy
Corp
Cost
Cut
body
rib
skin
corpectomy
costal
cutaneous
Cyst
Derma
Dur
sac, bladder
skin
Dura mater
osteocystoma
dermatome
peridural
Enter
Fibr
Gastr
small intestine
fiber
stomach
enteritis
fibrocystis
gastrointestinal
Hem, hema
Hepat
Hist
blood
liver
tissue
hematoma
hepatitis
histology
Lapar
Lip
Lumb
abdomen, flank
fat
lumbar
laparotomy
liposuction
lumbosacral
Mening
Muscul
Myo
membrane
muscle
muscle
meningitis
musculoskeletal
myocardium
Nephr
Neur
Os, oste
Pharyng
Phleb
Pulmon
kidney
nerve
bone
pharynx
vein
lung
nephretomy
neuroma
osteomyelitis
faryngitis
phlebitis
pulmonia
Radicul
Sacr
Spondyl
root
sacrum
vertebra
radiculitis
sacral
spondylopathy
Thec
Thorac
Ureter
dura mater
chest
ureter
thecal sac
thoracotomy
ureteritis
Medical vocabulary: suffixes
Suffix
Meaning
Example
Algia
Desis
pain
fusion
neuralgia
arthrorodesis
Ectomy
removal,excision,extirpation
synovectomy
Emia
Esthesia
Genic
blood
feeling,sensation
causing, origin
anemia
anesthesia
osteogenic
Graph
Iasis
Itis
Listhesis
Lysis
Ocentesis
something written
condition of
inflammation
displacement
breaking down, reduction
puncture, aspiration of
monograph
lithiasis
arthritis
spondylolisthesis
hydrolysis
amniocentesis
Ogram
Olithectomy
Olithiasis
examination of
removal of stones
stones
cholangiogram
nephrolithectomy
nephrolithiasis
Ology
Oma
Opathy
science of, study of
tumor
disease
rheumatology
osteoma
osteopathy
Opexy
Oplasty
Opsy
fixation
repair, surgical formation of
examination
omentopexy
arthroplasty
biopsy
Orrhaphy
Oscopy
Osis
surgical repair
to view
state of many
herniorrhaphy
arthroscopy
scoliosis
Ostasis
Ostomy
Otome
control, stop
drainage
a cutting instrument
hemostasis
colostomy
osteotome
Otomy
Paresis
Plegia
cutting into
mild paralysis
paralysis
arthrotomy
hemiparesis
paraplegia
Rrhea
Scope
Scopist
Sthenia
discharge, flow
instrument for viewing
who uses a scope
strength
diarrhea
arthroscope
laparoscopist
myasthenia
Rules to combine medical word components
In general, the rules of combination are simple and straightforward. There are exceptions, and
the best advice is to ask someone who is knowledgeable or look it up in a book. There is no
substitute for a good medical dictionary and sound advice from a physician.
When combining a root word and a suffix, a combining vowel must be added.
This is usually an "o." In the listing given in this manual, many terms have this combining
vowel already added. This was done for simplicity. When the suffix starts with a vowel, the
“o" is usually not added. For example, in the word "arthritis" (which means joint
inflammation), an "o" is not used. When a root word has the "o" added to it, it is called a
"combining form."
When combining two root words, the combining vowel is maintained, even if the second root
begins with a vowel. Take the word “osteoarthritis," formed by oste-o-arthr-itis (inflammation
or infection of the bone and joint). When using two root words; the first root word will
correspond to the structure that is most proximal anatomically, or using direction of flow (this
will become clear as you continue your study of medical terminology).
When reading a medical term, start your translation with the suffix, then the beginning of the
term and across the word. Osteoarthritis should be interpreted "itis" (inflammation ),
"osteo"(bone) and "arthr" (joint), an inflammation of the bone and joint.
Surgical positions
The surgeon will place a patient’s body in different position on the surgical table in order to
gain access to different internal organs (viscera). Some of these positions have become
standard and are used routinely. In the field you will see variations according to each
surgeon’s preference.
Supine or dorsal recumbent:
Lying on the back
Prone:
Lying on the abdomen (face down)
Knee-chest:
kneeling with face down and knees bent
Lithotomy:
lying on the back, thighs elevated and
the legs flexed at right angles to body
perineum exposed
Trendelenburg:
Lying supine with head tilted down
Lateral recumbent or lateral decubitus:
Lying on the side