Table 1: Prefix + Root
Note: Some of the words you create may not actually be real medical terms, but this activity will still
begin to familiarize you with the medical prefixes, roots, and suffixes.
Prefix & Prefix
Meaning
Root & Root
Meaning
Hetero=
different
Dys=
Bad, difficult or
painful
Branchy=
short
Multi-, Poly-=
Many, excess
Ox/o, ox/i=
oxygen
Cerebell/o=
cerebellum
Trache/o=
Trachea, windpipe
Diapragmat/o,
phren/o=
diaphragm
Medical Term
(Combine prefix,
root, & suffix)
heterox
Medical Term
Definition
dyscerebellum
branchytrachia
Having difficulty
with the
cerebellum
Short trachea
multiphren
Excess diaphragms
Different oxygen
Table 2: Root + Root
Note: Some of the words you create may not actually be real medical terms, but this activity will still
begin to familiarize you with the medical prefixes, roots, and suffixes.
Prefix & Prefix
Meaning
Root & Root
Meaning
Cyes/o=
pregnancy
-trophy=
Nourishment,
develop
-tension=
pressure
-therapy=
treatment
-Stasis=
Control, stop,
standing
Troph/o=
nourishment
Lymph/o=
lymph
Choledoch/o=
Common bile duct
Medical Term
(Combine prefix,
root, & suffix)
cyesotrophy
Medical Term
Definition
Trophotension
Pressure of
nourishment
Treatment of
lymphs
Control of the
common bile duct
Lymphotherapy
choledochostasis
Development of
pregnancy
Table 3: Prefix + Root + Suffix
Note: Some of the words you create may not actually be real medical terms, but this activity will still
begin to familiarize you with the medical prefixes, roots, and suffixes.
Prefix & Prefix
Meaning
Leuko=
colorless
Suffix & Suffix
Meaning
-ial=
Pertaining to
Medical Term (Combine
prefix, root, & suffix)
leukoparathyroidial
Hetero=
different
Root & Root
Meaning
Parathyroid
gland=
the Parathyroid
gland
hypophyslo=
pituitary gland
Medical Term
Definition
Of or pertaining
to a Colorless
parathyroid gland
Sclerosis=
hardening
Pre=
Before, in front
Micro=
small
Radilo=
radius
Hepat/o=
liver
-ietal=
Seizure, attack
Tripsy=
Surgical crashing
hypophysloheterosclerosis Hardening of a
different pituitary
gland
preradiloietal
Seizure in front of
the radius
microhepatotripsy
Surgical crashing
of a small liver
Table 4: Defining Prefix + Root
Prefix & Prefix Meaning
Root & Root Meaning
Cirrh=
Yellowish
Dextro=
Right
Ecto=
Outside
Erythro=
Red
Inter=
Between
Mid=
middle
Peri =
around
Sub=
Under
Post=
After/Behind
Pro=
Before/In front
Osis=
Condition
Gastric=
Stomach
Derm=
Skin
Cyte=
cell
Vertibro=
Spine
Carplo=
wrist
Oral=
mouth
Hepatlo=
Liver
Nas=
Nose
Chondros=
cartilage
Medical Term
(prefix & root)
Cirrhosis
Medical Term
Definition
Yellowish Condition
Dextrogastric
Stomach moved to right
Ectoderm
Outside skin
Erythrocyte
Red cell
Intervertebral
Between the spine
Midcarpal
Middle wrist
Peroral
Around the mouth
Subhepatic
Under the liver
Postnasal
Behind the nose
Prochondral
Before Cartilage
Table 5: Defining Root + Suffix
Root & Root Meaning
Suffix & Suffix Meaning
Medical Term
(root & suffix)
Hepatitis
Medical Term
Definition
Inflamation of the liver
Hepat=
Liver
Arthro=
Joint
Myas=
Muscle
Amnio=
Inner membrane
around the fetus
Urethr=
To urinate
Itis=
Inflammation
Algia=
pain
Thenia=
Weakness
Centesis=
Pricking
Arthralgia
Joint pain
Myasthenia
Muscle Weakness
Amniocentesis
Pricking the inner
membrane around the
fetus
Not perforated to
urinate
Atresia=
Not perforated
Urethratresia
Leuk=
White or Colorless
Emia=
Blood condition
Leukemia
Nephro=
kidney
Lithos=
stone
Nephrolith
White or colorless
blood condition
(cancer of blood; too
many white blood cells)
Kidney stone
Osteo=
Bone
Malacia=
softening
Osteomalacia
Softening of the bones
Acro=
Extreme or Extremity
Rhino=
nose
Megaly=
Large/enlarged
Rrhea (rhoia)=
A flowing
Acromegaly
Enlarged extremity
Rhinorrhea
A flowing nose
Table 6: Prefix + Root + Suffix
Prefix & Prefix
Meaning
Root & Root
Meaning
Suffix & Suffix
Meaning
Ortho=
Straight
Poly=
Many
Hypo=
Under/depression
Ist=
One who
Itis=
inflammation
Iac=
Person
Electro=
electric
Erythro=
Red
Hyper=
above normal
Hemi=
half
Hydro=
Water
Megalo=
Enlarge/large
Dont=
Tooth
Aden=
glands
Chondros=
“Cartilage” of the
breast bone (seat of
melancholy due to
pending illness
Encephalo=
brain
Cyto=
Cell
Glyc=
sugar
A=
Without/absence
Nephron=
Brain
Cephalo=
head
Fibro=
Fibrous tissues
Myo=
muscle
Algia=
pain
Gram=
record
Penia=
deficiency
Emia=
Blood condition
nalgesia=
pain
Sis=
Condition of
Itis=
inflammation
Medical Term
(Combine prefix,
root, & suffix)
Orthodontist
Polyadenitis
Hypochondriac
Medical Term
Definition
One who straightens
Teeth
Inflammation of
many glands
Person under the
seat of melancholy
due to pending
illness
Electroencephalogram Electric record of the
brain
Erythrocytopenia
Deficiency of red
cells
Hyperglycemia
Blood condition
sugar above normal
Hemianalgesia
Absence of pain on
half the body
Hydronephrosis
Condition of water
on the brain
Megalocephalitis
Inflammation and
enlargement of the
head
Fibromyalgia
Pain in fibrous
tissues of muscles
Table 7: Defining Root + Root
Root & Root Meaning
Root & Root Meaning
Gastro=
Stomach
Cardio=
heart
Intestinal=
Gut/intestine/Bowel
Vascular=
Vessel (arteries/veins)/
"pertaining to
conveyance or
circulation of fluids,"
sclerosis=
morbid hardening of
the tissue
Pulmonary=
Lung
Spinal=
Of or pertaining to the
spine
“Gram”=
something written;
German physicist
Wilhelm Röntgen is
usually credited as the
discoverer of X-rays in
1895 originally called
"Röntgen rays" (and the
associated X-ray
radiograms as,
"Röntgenograms")
Mycosis=
Mushroom/fungus
Arterio=
Artery
Cardio=
heart
Cerebro=
Brain
Cholecysto=
Gall Bladder
Dermato=
Of or pertaining to the
skin
Osteo=
Bone
Pharyngeal=
Pertaining to the
pharynx
Cerebro=
Brain
Medical Term
(Root & Root)
Gastrointestinal
Cardiovascular
Arteriosclerosis
Cardiopulmonary
Cerebrospinal
Medical Term
Definition
Of or relating to the
stomach or intestines
Of or relating to the
vessels or circulation of
fluids of the heart
Morbid hardening of
the tissue of the
arteries.
Of or relating to the
heart and lungs.
Of or pertaining to the
spine and brain.
Cholecystogram
X-ray procedure used to
help evaluate the gall
bladder
Dermatomycosis
Skin disease caused by a
fungus.
Sarcoma=
Fleshy growth/of
connective
tissue/morbid growth
or tumor
Esophageal=
Gullet/passage for food
Osteosarcoma
Morbid growth or
tumor on the bone.
(Bone cancer)
Pharyngealesophageal
Vascular=
Vessels (arteries/veins)/
"pertaining to
conveyance or
circulation of fluids,"
Cerebrovascular
Of or pertaining to the
esophagus (passage for
food) or the pharynx
Pertaining to the blood
vessels and circulation
of blood in the brain.
The rest of this packet is to practice on your own! Medical Terminology Game can only be completed in class (if
time). You should complete the “Analysis” at home on your own for practice. You should also practice by doing
the “Translating a Medical Description.” In addition, I strongly suggest you read through the “Translating an
Emergency Room Report” and be prepared to be able to complete a generalized report on your own or translate a
report to a family regarding a hypothetical patient.