医学英语词根词缀
Suffix
Meaning
Example
-ac
pertaining to
cardiac: pertaining to the heart
属于，关于
心脏（病）的
-al
pertaining to
medical: pertaining to medicine
-ar
pertaining to
molecular: pertaining to a molecule
分子的
-ary
pertaining to
ciliary: pertaining to the cilia
belonging to
睫毛的,纤毛的,毛状的
-ase
enzyme 酶
amylase: any enzyme that converts
starch to sugar 淀粉酶
-cle
smallness
follicle: a small bodily cavity or sac
小,少,贫乏,小气
小囊,(头发的)毛囊
-e
an instrument 仪器
auriscope: an instrument for examining
the ear (检查耳朵用的)耳镜
-eal
pertaining to
laryngeal: pertaining to the larynx
喉的, 喉音的
-ia
condition; quality
phobia: abnormal fear 恐惧，害怕
-ic
pertaining to
toxic: pertaining to toxin
有毒的；因中毒引起的
-ics
study of; name of a science
paediatrics: study of children, their
development and diseases 儿科学
-ine/in
substance 物质
insulin：substance (hormone) produced by
the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas
胰岛素
-ism
process or condition
alcoholism: excessive drinking of alcohol
which becomes addictive 酒精中毒
-ist
one who specializes in
pharmacologist:
a
doctor
who
specializes in the study of drugs 药理专
家
精通于……的人
-itis
inflammation refers to a part inrhinitis: inflammation
passages
……部位的炎症
鼻炎，鼻粘膜炎
of
the
nasal
-(i)um
relation to a whole; related to endometrium: inner lining of the uter 子
宫内膜
与……相关
-ive
characterizes by
antitussive: a drug that suppresses
coughing
止咳药
droplet: a tiny drop 小滴
-let
tiny; small
-ment
the result or product of andevelopment: thing which develops or is
action
being developed; action of becoming
mature
-oid
resembling; like
mucoid: resembling mucus
像
粘液样的
little; small
centriole: the small dense structure in
the middle of the centrosome
-ole
细胞中心粒；中心体
-oma
tumor; swelling refers to adermatofibroma: fibrous tumor of the
doer
skin
皮肤纤维瘤
-or/-er
either a person or thing
receptor: a sensory nerve ending that
responds to various stimuli 感受器，受体
-ory
characterized by; pertaining tosuspensory: which is hanging down
悬吊式，悬带
-ose
sugar
fructose: fruits sugar found in honey and
some fruit 果糖
-osis
abnormal condition
onychocryptosis: abnormal condition of
a hidden nail 嵌甲
-ous
pertaining to
poisonous: pertaining to poison; also
containing poison 有毒的，分泌毒素的
-somes
bodies
ribosome: the body of nucleic acid 核糖
体
-um
structure; thing; substance
magnesium: a white metallic chemical
substance 镁（金属元素）
结构，物质
-y
condition; act; process
dystrophy: disorder caused by defective
nutrition or metabolism 营养不良
The following is a list of the most commonly used compound suffixes
Suffix
Meaning
Example
-algia
pain; painful; condition
arthralgia: pain in a joint 关节痛
--ase
enzyme
protease: digestive enzyme 蛋白酶
-blast
embryo 胚，胚胎，人类胚胎 hemocytoblast: blast cell 血胚细胞，原
始血细胞
-carcinoma malignant tumor developingadenocarcinoma:
malignant
tumor
from connective tissue 相关developing from glandular tissue 腺癌
组织的恶性肿瘤
-cele
protrusion; distention 突出；esophagocele: abnormal distention of
膨胀，延伸
the esophagus 食管突出
-centesis
surgical puncture 手术穿孔 paracentesis: surgical puncture of a
cavity for the aspiration of fluid 穿刺术
-capnia
carbon dioxide 二氧化碳
acapnia: absence of carbon dioxide 血液
二氧化碳缺乏
-cide
kill
germicide: (substance) which can kill
germs
杀菌剂
-clast
cell
phagocyte:cell, especially a white blood
cell, which can surround and destroy
other cells 噬菌细胞
-dynia
pain
glossodynia: pain in the tongue 舌痛
-ectasia/
expansion; dilation(膨胀，扩atelectasis: incomplete expansion of the
张)
lungs at birth 肺不张
-ectasis
-ectomy
surgical excision or removalgastrectomy: surgical removal of the
stomach 胃切除术
of
-edema
excessive accumulation ofmyxoedema: condition caused when the
serous fluid 水肿
thyroid gland does not produce enough
thyroid hormone 粘液腺瘤病，粘液水肿
-emia
blood condition
leukemia: any of several malignant
diseases where an abnormal number of
leucocytes form in the blood 白血病
-emesis
vomiting 呕吐
hematemesis: the vomiting of blood 咯
血；吐血
-gen
something that produced orpathogen: a microorganism or agent
capable of producing disease 病菌，病原
prouduces
体
-genesis
production 生产
spermatogenesis:
formation
and
development of spermatozoa in the
testes 精子发生
-globin
protein 蛋白质
hemoglobin: an iron-containing protein
produced by erythrocytes 血红素
-gnosis
knowledge
diagnosis: the process of identifying the
nature or presence of a disease through
knowledge and examination
-gram
image; picture
electrocardiogram: a graphic record of
the electrical activity of heart muscle or
heartbeat used in the diagnosis of heart
disease.
Abbr. ECG and EKG. Syn. cardiogram
心电图
-graph(y) process of recording
记录过程
-iasis
condition; state
electocardiography: the process of
making or recording electrocardiograms.
Syn. cardiography 心电图记录
cholelithiasis: the formation of gallstones
胆石症
情况，状况
-iatry/
-iatrics
healing, frequently refers topodiatry: treatment of foot disorders
a branch of medicine 康复，
足部医疗
常指医学的一个分支
-lith
stone
cholelith: a gallstone; a stone formed in
the gallbladder 胆结石
-logy
the study of
cytology: the science study of cells 细胞
学
-logist
one who studies and treats urologist: a physician who specializes in
the practice of urology 泌尿科医生
-lysis
breakdown, destruction
hemolysis: the destruction or breakdown
of red blood cells with release of
hemoglobin 溶血
-malacia
softening
osteomalacia: softening of bone 骨软化
-mania
extreme
compulsion
orkleptomania: a morbid, uncontrollable
preoccupation 强迫症
compulsion to steal 盗窃癖
-megaly
giant
acromegaly: a condition in which there is
an enlargement of the facial bones as
well as those of the lungs 肢端肥大症
-metry/
measurement
spirometry: measurement of the volume
of air inhaled and exhaled or the air
capacity of the lungs 肺(活)量测定(法),
呼吸量测定(法)
-odynia
pain
cardiodynia: pain in the heart region 心
痛，胸痛
-one
hormone 荷尔蒙，激素
parathormone: which regulates calcium
balance among the blood, bones, and
teeth 甲状旁腺激素
-opia
a defect in the eye 眼睛的毛myopia: being short-sighted 近视
病
-opsy
to view
biopsy: excision of live
microscopic diagnosis 活检
-osis
morbid condition 病态的
sclerosis: abnormal hardening 硬化症
-osmia
smell
anosmia: loss of the sense of smell 嗅觉
丧失
-ostomy
process of making angastrostomy: surgical construction of an
opening into or a connectionopening from the surface of the
abdomen into the stomach 胃造口术
between
-meter
tissue
for
造瘘
-oxia
level of oxygen 氧水平
-pathy
disease; diseased condition ophthalmopathy: any eye disease 眼病
-penia
deficiency
hypoxia: a low oxygen level or a lack of
oxygen in body tissues 组织缺氧
leukopenia: deficiency of leukocytes in
the blood. Syn. leukocytopenia 白细胞减
少症
eupepsia: good digestion 消化良好
-pepsia
digestion
--pexy
a fixing or setting firmly inhepatopexy: surgical
place by suturing 缝合固定 displace liver 肝固定术
fixation
of
a
-phagia/ph eating; swallowing 吃，吞咽 dysphagia: difficulty in swallowing 吞咽
困难
agy
-phil
attraction 吸引，具有吸引力basophil: type of leucocyte or white
的事物
blood cell which contains granules 嗜碱
性粒细胞
-phobia
fear
xenophobia: irrational fear of strangers
对外国人的恐惧，憎恶
-plasia
formation; development
hyperplasia:
overdevelopment
or
enlargement of an organ or tissue 增生，
数量型肥大
-phonia
voice
dysphonia: difficulty in speaking 发声困
难
-plasm
formation;
growth
substance of formation
-plasty
surgical repair
osteoplasty: surgical repair of the bone
骨整形术，骨成形术
--plegia
stroke; paralysis 中风
thermoplegia: heat or sunsrtoke 热射病
-pnea
breathing
eupnea: normal breathing 呼吸正常，平
静呼吸
--ptosis
a falling, the dropping orhepatoptosis: abnormally low position of
sagging of an organ 器官下the liver 肝下垂
移
-ptysis
spitting 分散
melanoptysis: spitting of the spleen 黑色
痰液;咳黑痰
-poiesis
production
hemopoiesis: production of blood cells
造血作用，生血作用
-rrhage/
bursting forth of blood 出血 menorrhagia:
orcytoplasm: jelly substance in the cell 细
胞浆
very
heavy
bleeding
during menstruation 月经过多
-rrhagia
-rrhaphy
surgical sewing or suturing splenorrhaphy: suture of the spleen 脾修
补术
-rrhea
overflow
hydrorrhea: watery discharge 液溢
-(o)rrhexis splitting or rupture 撕裂，破amniorrhexis: rupture of the amniotic ac
裂，疝气
羊膜破裂
-sarcoma malignant tumor developingliposarcoma:
from connective tissue
containing fat
malignant
tumor
脂肪肉瘤
-schesis
a holding back; suppressionuroschesis: suppression of urine 闭尿，
of discharge 阻碍；抑制排放 尿潴留
-sclerosis a hardening
dermatosclerosis: hardening of the skin
硬皮病
-scope
instrument for viewing
stethoscope:
an
instrument
for
performing medicate ausculation 听诊器
-scopy
process of examining visuallyhepatoscopy: examination of the liver
肝检查
-spasm
involuntary contraction
-stasis
suppression;
stoppage;hemostasis: the arrest of bleeding
control; arrest 抑制，中止
止血，止血法
-stenosis
abnormal narrowing of alaryngostenosis: abnormal narrowing of
duct or canal 管、道德异常狭the larynx 喉狭窄
窄
-stomy
surgical opening to thecolostomy: surgical operation to make
outside of the body 造口
an opening from the colon 结肠造口术
-tention
pressure
angiospasm: sudden contraction of the
muscles in a blood vessel 血管痉挛
hypertention: high blood pressure 高血
压
-therapy
treatment
physiotherapy: treatment of disease by
physical means 物理疗法
--tion
process
hospitalization: the process of being
hosipitalized 住院
-tocia
labor; birth 生产
embryotocia: abortion 流产
-tome
tool for incision
arthrotome: instrument for cutting a
joint 关节刀
-tomy
process of cutting into
gastrotomy: incision of the stomach 胃
切开术
-tropia
turning 转弯，变向
esotropia: turning inward of the eye 内斜
视
-trophy
nourishment or developmentdystrophy: disorder caused by defective
of an organ 器官的营养、发nutrition or metabolism 营养不良
育
-uria
a condition of the urine（小dysuria: difficultly in passing urine 排尿
便）
困难
-version
turning
eversion: a turning outward 外翻，翻转
Here is a table of the most commonly used prefixes
Prefix
Meaning
Example
a-/an-
without; not
aphasia: the inability to understand
written or spoken words or to speak
meaningfully 失语症
ab-
away from
abortion: expulsion from the uterus 流产
ad-
to; toward; near
adnasal: near the nose 近鼻的
acro-
a point or tip
acronyx: growing into the flesh 嵌甲
alb-
white
albino: a person lacking
pigmentation 白发病者
amb-/
both
ambisexual 、 bisexual: (person) who is
sexually attracted to both males and famales
normal
ambiamphi-/
双性恋
both; both sides
amphicentric: beginning and ending in
the same vessel 起止同源的血管
ana-
up; back again
anabolism: process of building up
complex chemical substances on the
basis of simpler ones 合成代谢
Angio-
a blood vessel
angioma: benign tumor formed of blood
vessel 血管瘤
ante-
before
antenatal: during the period between
conception and childbirth 出生前的，怀
孕期的
anti-
against
antidepressant: (drug) used to treat
depression 抗抑郁剂
audi-
hearing; sound
audiometry: science of testing hearing 听
力测定
auto-
self
autoantibody: antibody formed to attack
the body’s own cells 自身抗体
bi-
two; twice
bicellular: two cells 两室的
bio-
living organisms 生命体
biochemistry: chemistry living tissues 生
物化学
brady-
slow
bradycardia: slow rate of heart
contraction, shown by a slow pulse rate
心动过缓
carcin-
carcinoma or cancer 癌；瘤 carcinogen: a cancer-causing substance
致癌物
cata-
downwards; under; against; cataract: condition where the lens of the
eye gradually becomes hard and opaque
along with
白内障
centi-
one hundredth 百分之一
ampho-
centimeter: unit of measurement of
length(=one hundredth of a meter)厘米
co(n)-
with or together
consanguineous: blood relationship 血亲
的，血缘的，密切的
contra-
against
contraception: prevention of pregnancy
by using devices or drugs 避孕法，节育
法
de-
removal or loss
decaffeinated: (coffee) with the caffeine
removed 脱去咖啡因的
deca-
ten
decagram: ten grams 十克
deci-
tenth
deciliter: unit of measurement of
liquid(=one tenth of a little)1/10公升
di-
two
diglossia: a double tongue 使用两种语言
dia-
through;
across
between;
apart;diathermy: process of (treating) through
heat
透热疗法
dis-
reversal or separate
disintegrate: to come to pieces 分解，破
裂
dys-
bad; difficult; disordered
dysarthrosis: deformity or malformation
of a joint 关节变形
echo-
sound
echocardiography: ultrasonography of
the heart 心回波描记，超声心动描记术
ect-/
outside or outer
ecchondroma: benign tumor on the
surface of cartilage or bone 外生软骨瘤
en-
in; within
enostosis: benign growth inside a bone
内生骨疣
endo-
inside
endocardium: membrane which lines the
heart 心内膜
epi-
on; over
epidermis: outer layer of skin 表皮
ery-
red
erythrocyte: mature non-nucleated red
ecto-
blood cell 红细胞
eso-
inward; within(向内)
esotropia: turning inward of the eye 内斜
视
eu-
good
eugenics: study of how to improve the
human race by genetic selection 优生学
ex-/ exo- out of
exhale: to breath out 呼出
extra-
outside
extracapsular: outside a capsule 囊外的
hemi-
half
hemiplegia: severe paralysis affecting
one side of the body 偏瘫,半身麻痹,半
身不遂
hydro-
water
hydrocele: collection of watery liquid
found in a cavity such as the scrotum 阴
囊积水
hyper-
higher or too much
hyperglycaemia: excess of glucose in the
blood 高血糖症
hypo-
less or too little
hypokalaemia: deficiency of potassium
in the blood 低血钾
in-
in or into
inbreeding: breeding between a closely
related male and female 近亲交配
in-
not
incoherent: not able to speak in a way
which makes sense 语无伦次
infra-
below or beneath
infrapatellar: below or beneath the
patella 髌
inter-
between
interlobular: between lobules 小叶间的
intra-
inside
intramedullary: inside the bone marrow
or spinal cord 髓内
itro-
into
introvert: person who thinks only about
himself and his own mental state 性格内
向的人
mal-
bad or abnormal
malfunction: abnormal working of an
argan 机器等运转失常；失灵；出现故障
meta-
changes
metaplasia: change of one tissue to
another
化生，转化，组织变形
micro-
very small
microcyte: abnormally small red blood
cell 小红细胞
mid-
middle
midcarpal: between the two rows of
carpal bones 腕骨间的
milli-
one thousandth
milligram: unit
weight 毫克
mis-
error or wrong
miscarriage: spontaneous abortion 流产
multi-
many
multigravida: a woman who is pregnant
and has been pregnant at least twice
before 经产孕妇
noct-
at night
nocturia: passing abnormally large
quantity of urine when asleep in bed at
night 夜尿症
nona-
nine or the nineth
nonagon: flat shape which has nine
sides 九边形
octa-
eight
octan: every eight days 八日热；每隔八
日发一次的
odont-
teeth
odontology: study of
associated
structures,
disorders
onco-
tumours
oncology: scientific study of new gowths
肿瘤学
oro-
mouth
orolingual: pertaining to the mouth and
tongue 口与舌的
pachy-
thickening
pachysomia: condition where soft
tissues of the body become abnormally
of
measurement of
teeth and
and
their
thick 躯体肥厚
pali-/
palin-
against; pathologic repetitionpalindromic: (disease) which recurs
病态的重复
复发的，再发的
pan-/pant- all
/
pancytopenia: abnormal depression of
all the cellular elements of the blodd 全
血细胞减少症
pantopara-
similar to or near; changedparalyse or paralyze: to weaken
or beyond
(muscles) so that they cannot function
使麻痹，使瘫痪
pen-/
five
pentosuria: excretion of pentoses in the
urine
penta戊糖尿
per-
through
percutaneous: done or administered
through the skin 经皮的，由皮的
peri-
around
pericystitis: inflammation of
around the bladder 膀胱周炎
pero-
deformed or defective 畸形有peromelia: congenital deformity of the
缺陷的
limbs
tissue
四肢不全
pharmaco- drugs
pharmacology: study of drugs or
medicines, and their action, properties
and characteristics 药理学，药物学
pleo-/
too many
pleokaryocyte: condition where a
greater than normal number of cells in
cerebrospinal fluid 多核细胞
pluri-
more
pluriglandular: pertaining to or affecting
several glands 多线性的
pneum-/
air or the lungs; breathing
pneumonia: inflammation of a lung
pleio-
pneunmo-
肺炎
poly-
touching many organs
polyphagia: condition where a patient
eats too much; morbid desire for every
king of food 多食症，杂食症
post-
after or later
postprandial: after a meal 餐后的
pre-
before of in front of
premature: early or before the normal
time 过早的，早产
presby-
old age
presbyopia: an old person’s sight fails
gradually 老花眼
pro-/
before or in front of
prognosis: prediction of the outcome of
a disease 预测；预后
supin-/
lying on the back
pron-
bend forward
quadri-/
four
quint-
five/fifth
radio-
ray or radiation
radiotherapy: treating a disease by
exposing the affected part to radioactive
放射疗法
semi-
half
semiptosis: the downward sagging of
half or part of an organ 轻度睑下垂
sub-
under
submucous:
under
the
mucous
membrane 粘膜下层的；粘膜下的
super-
above; extremely
superalbuminosis: abnormal increase of
albumin 白蛋白过多
syn-
with; joint
syndesmosis: joint where the ones are
tightly linked by ligaments 韧带联合
supra-
above; over
suprarenal: (situated) above a kidney 肾
上腺
tachy-
fast
tachycardia: rapid beating of the heart
quadruplet or quad: one of four babies
born to a mother at the same time 四胞
胎
心动过速
tetra-
four
tetracycline: antibiotic used to treat a
wide range of bacterial diseases 四环素
trans-
across; through; beyond
transmission: the transfer, as of a
disease, from one person to another 传
染
tri-
three
tricephalus: a fetus with three heads 三
头畸胎
ultra-
beyond; excess
ultrasonics: the science dealing with
ultrasonic sound waves 超声波学
uni-
one
uniglandular: affecting only one gland
单腺的
xen(o)-
strange; foreign
xenograft: a graft of tissue transplant
between animals of different species 异
种移植物