Learning pronunciation
Latin and Greek terminology is the lingua franca of medicine. As a student of medicine or as
a practising clinician, you already know most of the medical terminology derived from Latin
and Greek from medical training in your native language. Make sure you also know how to
pronounce those words, and look out for the main stress of the word!
The following list contains common prefixes, suffixes and roots of words. Since most of them
are difficult to pronounce, we have included audio files for you (see ZIP-File). Listen to a
speaker of American English reading out the words. After listening, practise the pronunciation
by saying the words out loud.
Prefix
Example
ante-
antepartum
anti-
antitoxic
circum-
circumcise
cyto-
cytologic, cytoplasm
dia-
diameter, dialysis
eu-
euphoria, euthanasia
h(a)ema-
hematoma, hematocrit
hemi-
hemisphere, hemizygous
hyper-
hyperlipemia, hypertension
hypo-
hypothermia, hypobromite
multi-
multicellular, multicyclic
myo-
myocardial, myotomy
neo-
neoplasia, neocortex
pn-, ps-, pt-
(silent [p]!) pneumonia, psoas
pyo-
pyogenic, pyocyst, pyorrhea
supra-
suprarenal, supraclavicle
tachy-
tachycardia, tachysterol
Combining
forms
Examples
angio-
angioplasty, angiocardiography
-ch-
ache, tachycardia
crino-
endocrinology
cutano-
cutaneous, subcutaneous
cyano-
cyanotic
-cyto-
lucocytosis, cytoplasmosis …
esophago-
esophagoscopy
gyneco-
gynecology, gynæcological
leuko-
leukocyte, leucoma
-myo-
electromyography, fibromyoma, myopic
pneumo-
(silent [p]!) pneumogram, pneumonitis
psycho-
(silent [p]!) psychology, psychotropic
pyo-
pyorrhea, pyocyst
reno-
renopericardial, renography,
rhino-
rhinolith, rhinorrhea
-sch-
ischemia, eschar
Suffixes
Examples
-ae (lat. pl.)
vertebrae, papillae
-algia
cephalalgia
-desis
arthrodesis
-graphy
(main stress on the vowel before suffix) sonography
-i (Lat.pl)
Stimuli, nuclei
-malacia
osteomalacia
-plasia
dysplasia, heteroplasia.
-poiesis
hemopoiesis
-rrhage
hemorrhage
-rrhagia
menorrhagia
-rrhea
rhinorrhea
-scopy
(main stress on the vowel before suffix) endoscopy, gastroscopy
-tomy
(main stress on the vowel before suffix) laparotomy