Medical Terminology
Prefixes
Prefix
a
ab
ad
an
ana
ante
anti
apo
bi
bin
brady
cata
con
contra
de
dia
dis
dys
ecto
endo
epi
eso
eu
ex
exo
extra
hemi
hyper
hypo
in
infra
inter
intra
mal
meso
meta
micro
multi
neo
nulli
pan
Definition
without or absence of
from; away from
to; toward
without or absence of
up; again; backward
before
against
upon
two
two
slow
down
together
against
from; down from; lack of
thorough; complete
to undo; free from
difficult; labored; painful;
abnormal
outside; outer
within
on; upon; over
inward
normal; good
outside; outward
outside; outward
outside of; beyond
half
above; excessive
below; incomplete; deficient
in; into; not
under; below
between
within
bad
middle
after; beyond; change
small
many
new
none
all; total
para
per
peri
poly
post
pre
pro
re
retro
semi
sub
super
supra
sym
syn
tachy
tetra
trans
tri
ultra
uni
beside; beyond; around
through
surrounding (outer)
many; much
after
before; in front of
before
back
back; behind
half
under; below
over; above
above
together; joined
together; joined
fast; rapid
four
through; across; beyond
three
beyond; excess
one
Medical Terminology
Suffixes
SUFFIX
DEFINITION
ac:
pertaining to
al:
pertaining to
ar:
pertaining to
ary:
pertaining to
eal:
pertaining to
ial:
pertaining to
ic:
pertaining to
ous:
pertaining to
agra:
excessive pain
algia:
pain
apheresis:
removal
ase:
enzyme
asthenia:
weakness
atresia:
absence of a normal body
opening; occlusion; closure
capnia:
carbon dioxide
cele:
hernia; protrusion
centesis:
surgical puncture to
aspirate fluid
cidal:
killing
clasia:
break
clasis:
break
clast:
break
clysis:
irrigating; washing
coccus (pl. cocci): berryshaped ( a form
of bacterium)
crine:
separate; secrete
crit:
to separate
cyte:
cell
desis:
surgical fixation; fusion
drome:
run; running
ectasis:
stretching out; dilatation;
expansion
ectomy:
excision or surgical
removal
ectopia:
displacement
emesis:
vomiting
emia:
blood condition
er:
one who
esis:
condition
iasis:
condition
gen:
substance or agent that
produces or causes
genesis:
origin; cause
genic:
producing; originating;
causing
gram:
record; x-ray film
graph:
instrument used to record
graphy:
process of recording;
xray filming
ia:
condition of diseased or
abnormal state
iatry:
physician; treatment
ician:
one who
ictal:
seizure; attack
ism:
state of
itis:
inflammation
lepsy:
seizure
lysis:
loosening; dissolution;
separating
lytic:
destroy; reduce
malacia:
softening
mania:
madness; insane desire
megaly:
enlargement
meter:
instrument used to
measure
metry:
measurement
morph:
form; shape
odia:
smell
odynia:
pain
oid:
resembling
ologist:
one who studies and
practices (specialist)
ology:
study of
oma:
tumor; swelling
opia:
vision (condition)
opsy:
to view
oorhagia:
rapid flow of blood
orrhaphy:
suturing; repairing
orrhea:
flow; excessive discharge
orrhexis:
rupture
osis: abnormal condition (means
increased when used with blood cell
word roots)
ostomy:
creation of an artificial
opening
otomy:
cut into or incision
oxia:
oxygen
paresis:
slight paralysis
pathy:
disease
penia:
abnormal reduction in
number
pepsia:
digestion
pexy:
surgical fixation;
suspension
phagia:
eating; swallowing
philia:
love
phily:
love
phobia:
abnormal fear of or
aversion to specific objects or things
phonia:
sound or voice
phoria:
feeling
physis:
growth
plasia:
formation; development;
a growth
plasm:
growth; substance;
formation
plasty:
plastic or surgical repair
plegia:
paralysis
pnea:
breathing
poiesis:
formation
porosis:
passage
prandial:
meal
praxia:
in front of; before
ptosis:
dropping; sagging;
prolapse
ptysis:
spitting
salpinx:
fallopian tube
sarcoma:
malignant tumor
schisis:
split; fissure
sclerosis:
hardening
scope:
instrument used for visual
examination
scopy:
visual examination
scopic:
visual examination
sepsis:
infection
sis:
state of
spasm:
sudden involuntary
muscle contraction
stasis:
control; stop
stalsis:
contraction
stenosis:
constriction; narrowing
thorax:
chest
tocia:
birth; labor
tome:
instrument used to cut
tripsy:
surgical crushing
trophy:
nourishment
ule:
little
uria:
urine; urination
Medical Terminology
Roots
Word Root Definition
arthr
joint
abdomin
abdomen
articul
joint
acanth
thorny, spiny
atel
imperfect; incomplete
acetabul
acetabulum (hip socket)
ather
yellowish; fatty plaque
acou
hearing
atri
atrium
acr
extremities; height
aur
ear
actin
ray; radius
aut
self
adenoid
adenoids
axill
armpit
aden
gland
azot
urea; nitrogen
adrenal
adrenal gland
bacteri
bacteria
adren
adrenal gland
balan
glans penis
aer
air; gas
bi
life
albumin
albumin
bil
bile
algesi
pain
blast
developing cell
alveol
alveolus
blephar
eyelid
ambly
dull; dim
brachi
arm
amni
amnion
bronch
bronchus
amnion
amnion
bronchiol
bronchiole
amyl
starch
bucc
cheek
andr
male
burs
bursa (cavity)
angi
vessel
calc
calcium
anis
unequal; dissimilar
cancer
cancer
ankyl
crooked; stiff; bent
carcin
cancer
antr
antrum
cardi
heart
an
anus
carp
carpals (wrist bones)
aort
aorta
caud
aponeur
aponeurosis
tail; toward the lower part
of the body
appendic
appendix
cec
cecum
arche
first; beginning
celi
arteri
artery
abdomen (abdominal
cavity)
arteriol
arteriole (small artery)
cephal
head
cerebell
cerebellum
cerebr
cerebrum, brain
diaphragmat diaphragm
cerumin
cerumen (earwax)
dipl
two; double
cervic
cervix
dips
thirst
cheil
lip
disk
intervertebral disk
chir
hand
diverticul
diverticulum
cholangi
bile duct
dors
back (of the body)
chol
gall; bile
duoden
duodenum
choledoch
common bile duct
dur
hard; dura mater
chondr
cartilage
dynam
power or strength
chori
chorion
ech
sound
chrom
color
ectop
clavic
clavicle (collarbone)
located away from usual
place
clavicul
clavicle (collarbone)
electr
col
colon
electricity, electrical
activity
colp
vagina
embry
embryo; to be full
coni
dust
emmetr
a normal measues
conjunctiv
conjunctiva
encephal
brain
core
pupil
endocrin
endocrine
corne
cornea
enter
intestines
coron
heart
epididym
epididymis
epiglott
epiglottis
cortic
cortex (outer layer of body
organ)
episi
vulva
cor
pupil
epitheli
epithelium
cost
rib
erythr
red
crani
cranium (skull)
esophag
esophagus
cry
cold
esthesi
crypt
hidden
sensation, sensitivity,
feeling
culd
culdesac
eti
cause (of disease)
cutane
skin
faci
face
cyan
blue
femor
femur (upper leg bone)
cyes
pregnancy
fet
fetus; unborn child
cyst
bladder; sac
fibr
fibrous tissue, fibers
cyt
cell
fibul
fibula (lower leg)
dacry
tear, tear duct
gangli
ganglion
dactyl
fingers or toes
ganglion
ganglion
dent
tooth
gastr
stomach
dermat
skin
ger
old age; aged
derm
skin
geront
old age; aged
dextr
right
gingiv
gum
diaphor
sweat
glomerul
glomerulus
gloss
tongue
kin
movement
gluc
sweetness; sugar
kinesi
movement; motion
glyc
sugar
kyph
hump
glycos
sugar
labi
lips
gnath
jaw
labyrinth
labyrinth
gnos
knowledge
lacrim
tear duct, tear
gon
seed
lact
milk
gravid
pregnancy
lamin
gynec
woman
lamina (thin; flat plate or
layer)
gyn
woman
lapar
abdomen
hem
blood
laryng
larynx
hemat
blood
later
side
hepat
liver
lei
smooth
herni
hernia
leuk
white
heter
other
lingu
tongue
hidr
sweat
lip
fat
hist
tissue
lith
stone; calculus
hom
same
lob
lobe
home
sameness; unchanging
lord
bent forward
humer
humerus (upper arm bone)
lymph
lymph
hydr
water
macr
abnormal largeness
hymen
hymen
mamm
breast
hypn
sleep
mandibul
mandible (lower jawbone)
hyster
uterus
mast
breast
iatr
medicine; physician
mastoid
mastoid
ichthy
fish
maxill
maxilla (upper jawbone)
ile
ileum
meat
meatus (opening)
ili
ilium
melan
black
immun
immune
mening
meninges
irid
iris
menisc
meniscus (crescent)
iri
iris
men
menstruation
ischi
ischium
ment
mind
isch
deficiency; blockage
metr
uterus
is
equal; same
mon
one
jejun
jejunum
morph
form; shape
kal
potassium
muc
mucus
kary
nucleus
myc
fungus
kerat
cornea
myel
bone marrow; spinal cord
kerat
horny tissue; hard
myelon
bone marrow
myos
muscle
myring
eardrum
pector
chest
my
muscle
ped
child; foot
narc
stupor
pelv
pelvis; pelvic bone
nas
nose
perine
perineum
nat
birth
peritone
peritoneum
necr
death (cells; body)
petr
stone
nephr
kidney
phac
lens of the eye
neur
nerve
phag
eat; swallow
noct
night
phak
lens of the eye
nyct
night
phalang
pharynx
nyctal
night
phas
speech
ocul
eye
phleb
vein
olig
scanty; few
phot
light
omphal
umbilicu; navel
phren
mind
onc
tumor
physi
nature
onych
nail
plasm
plasma
oo
egg; ovum
pleur
pleura
oophor
ovary
pneumat
lung; air
ophthalm
eye
pneum
lung; air
opt
vision
pneumon
lung; air
orchid
testis; testicle
pod
foot
orchi
testis; testicle
poli
gray matter
orch
testis; testicle
poikil
varied; irregular
organ
organ
polyp
polyp; small growth
or
mouth
poster
back (of body)
orth
straight
prim
first
oste
bone
proct
rectum
ot
ear
prostat
prostate gland
ov
egg
pseud
fake; false
ox
oxygen
psych
mind
pachy
thick
pub
pubis
palat
palate
puerper
childbirth
pancreat
pancreas
pulmon
lung
papill
nipple
pupill
pupil
parathyroid
parathyroid gland
pyel
renal pelvis
par
bear; give birth to; labor
pylor
pylorus (pyloric sphincter)
patell
patella (kneecap)
py
pus
path
disease
pyr
fever; heat
part
bear; give birth to; labor
quadr
four
rachi
vertebra; spinal or
vertebral column
radic
nerve root
system
system
tars
tarsals (ankle bones)
tars
edge of eyelid; tarsal
(instep of foot)
radicul
nerve root
radi
radius (lower arm bone)
tendin
tendon
rect
rectum
tend
tendon
ren
kidney
ten
tendon
retin
retina
test
testis; testicle
rhabd
rodshaped, striated
therm
heat
rhin
nose
thorac
thorax (chest)
rhytid
wrinkles
thromb
clot
rhiz
nerve root
thym
thymus gland
salping
fallopian (uterine) tube
thyroid
thyroid gland
sarc
flesh; connective tissue
thyr
thyroid gland
scapul
scapula (shoulder bone)
tibi
tibia (lower leg bone)
scler
sclera
tom
cut; section
scoli
crooked, curved
ton
tension, pressure
seb
sebum (oil)
tonsill
tonsils
sept
septum
top
place
sial
saliva
toxic
poison
sigmoid
sigmoid
trachel
neck; necklike
sinus
sinus
trache
trachea
somat
body
trich
hair
somn
sleep
tympan
eardrum; middle ear
son
sound
uln
ulna (lower arm bone)
spermat
spermatozoan; sperm
ungu
nail
sperm
spermatozoan; sperm
ureter
ureter
sphygm
pulse
urethr
urethra
spir
breathe; breathing
urin
urine; urinary tract
splen
spleen
ur
urine; urinary tract
spondyl
vertebra; spinal or
vertebral column
uter
uterus
uvul
uvula
staped
stapes (middle ear bone)
vagin
vagina
staphyl
grapelike clusters
valv
valve
stern
sternum (breastbone)
valvul
valve
steth
chest
vas
vessel; duct
stomat
mouth
ven
vein
strept
twisted chains
ventricul
ventricle
synovi
synovia; synovial
membrane
vertebr
vertebra; spinal or
vertebral column
vesic
bladder; sac
vulv
vulva
vesicul
seminal vesicles
xanth
yellow
viscer
internal organs
xer
dry