Medical Terminology
List 9
Directions
• Movements of the
body!
Adduction
• Movement towards the
midline of the body
Abduction
• Movement away from
the midline of the body
Superior
• AKA
– Cephalic
– Cranial
• Above or higher;
toward the head
Inferior
• AKA
– Caudal
• Below or lower, toward
the tail
Anterior
• AKA
– Ventral
• Front of the body,
toward the front
Posterior
• AKA
– Dorsal
• Back of the body;
toward the back
Medial
• Pertaining to the
middle; toward the
midline
Lateral
• Pertaining to the side;
toward the side
External
• Outside, exterior to
Internal
• Within, interior to
Superficial
• Toward or on the
surface
Deep
• Away from the surface
Proximal
• Near the point to
attachment to the trunk
or a structure
Distal
• Farther from the point
of attachment to the
trunk or a structure
urethr/o
urethra
(tube that carries urine from
the bladder to the outside
of the body)
urethr/o
urethra (tube that carries urine from the bladder
to the outside of the body)
• Urethra
• Urethral
– Pertaining to the urethra
• Urethritis
– Inflammation of the urethra
uter/o
Uterus:
• womb, muscle
organ of the female
that holds and
provides
nourishment for
the developing
fetus
uter/o
Uterus: womb, muscle organ of the female that
holds and provides nourishment for the
developing fetus
• Uterine: Uter/ine
– Pertaining to the uterus
• Intrauterine: Intra/uter/ine
– Pertaining to within the uterus
ven/o
Vein:
• blood vessels
(tubes) that carry
blood towards the
heart
ven/o
Vein: blood vessels (tubes) that carry blood
towards the heart
• Venule
– Small veins
• Venulitis
– Inflammation of the small veins
• Intravenous
– Pertaining to within the vein
quadriFour
• Quadriplegia
– Paralysis of four
– Paralysis of all
four extremities
synwith, together
• Syndrome
– Set of symptoms and signs of disease that occur
together to indicate a disease condition
tachyFast
• Tachycardia
– Condition of fast heart rate
• Tachypnea
– Breathing fast
triThree
• tricuspid valve
– Heart valve that has
three cusps or
points
triThree
• Tricycle
– Wheels of three
uniOne
• Unilateral
– Pertaining to one
side
-plasm
Formation
• Neoplasm
– Formation of new
tissue
– Any new growth of
tissue (cancer /
tumor)
-plegia
Paralysis
• Hemiplegia
– Paralysis of half of the body
• Paraplegia
– Paralysis along side
– Impairment or loss of movement in the lower part of
the body – primarily the legs
• Quadriplegia
– Paralysis of four
– Paralysis of all four extremities
-section
to cut
• Resection
– To cut back (out)
– Removal or an organ or a structure
• Trisection
– To cut into three
-stasis
to stand, place, stop, control
• Metastasis
– To stand or place beyond
– Change of place
– Spread of an cancerous tumor to a distant place
(organ)
-tension
Pressure
• Hypertension
– Pressure more than normal
– High blood pressure
• Hypotension
– Pressure less than normal
– Low blood pressure
-um
Structure
• Postpartum
– Structure of after birth
• Endometrium
– Structure of the inner lining of the uterus
• Antepartum
– Structure of before birth