roots, prefixes and suffixes for medical words

posted 6Apr2010

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The systematic approach to build medical words is based on the concept of: word roots, prefixes and suffixes. Breaking a medical word down is a good way to understand or remember the word. Here is a list of roots, preffixes and suffixes used in medical terminology.

a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | i | k | l | m | n | o | p | q | r | s | t | u | v | x

a

a-: without; lacking
ab-: away from
abs-: away from
-ac: pertaining to
acous-: hearing
acouso-: hearing
aden-: gland
adeno-: gland
adip-: fat
adipo-: fat
adren-: gland
adreno-: gland
-alge-: pain
-algesi: pain
ambi-: both sides
an-: without; lacking
andr-: male
andro-: male
angi-: blood vessel
angio-: blood vessel
ante-: before, forward
anti-: against
arthr-: joint
arthro-: joint
ateri-: artery
aterio-: artery
auto-: self

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b

bi-: two
bio-: life
-blast-: bud, germ
-blastic: bud, germ
-blasto: bud, germ
blephar-: eyelid
brady-: slow
bronch-: bronchus (large airway that leads from the trachea (windpipe) to a lung)
bronchi-: bronchus (large airway that leads from the trachea (windpipe) to a lung)
bucc-: cheek
bucco-: cheek
burs-: bursa (a small, fluid-filled sac that acts as a cushion between a bone and other moving parts)
burso-: bursa (a small, fluid-filled sac that acts as a cushion between a bone and other moving parts)

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c

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d

dactyl-: digit (finger or toe)
dactylo-: digit (finger or toe)
de-: away from, ending
derm-: skin
dermato-: skin
-desis: surgical binding
dextr-: right side
dextro-: right side
dia-: across, through
diplo-: double
dis-: separation, taking apart
duodeno-: duodenum (the first part of your small intestine, right after your stomach)
-dynia: pain, swelling
dys-: difficult, abnormal

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e

-eal: pertaining to
ect-: outer; outside
-ectasis: expansion or dilation
ecto-: outer; outside
-ectomy: cut out, removal
elect-: electrical activity
-emesis: vomiting
-emia: blood condition
en-: inside
end-: within; inner
endo-: within; inner
ent- enter-: within; inner
entero-: within; inner
epi-: Upon, outside of
erythr-: red
erythro-: red
-esis: state or condition
-esthesio: sensation
eu-: good, well
ex-: beyond
exo-: outer; outside
extra-: beyond

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f

fibr-: fiber
fibro-: fiber

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g

gastr-: stomach
gloss-: tongue
gloss-: tongue
gluco-: glucose, sugar
gluco-: glucose, sugar
glycol-: glucose, sugar
glycol-: glucose, sugar
gnath-: jaw
gnatho-: jaw
-gram: recording, written
-graph: recording, written
-graphy: recording, written
grav-: heavy
gyn-: female
gynec-: female
gyno-: female

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h

hem: blood
hema-: blood
hemat-: blood
hemato-: blood
hemi-: half
hemo-: blood
hepat-: liver
hepatico-: liver
hepato-: liver
hetero-: other, different
hidr-: sweat
hidro-: sweat
hist-: tissue
histio-: tissue
histo-: tissue
homo-: same
hydr-: water
hydro-: water
hyper-: above, beyond, excessive
hypo-: under, deficient
hyster-: uterus
hystero-: uterus

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i

-ia: condition
-ial: pertaining to
-iasis: condition, formation of
idio-: self, one's own
ileo-: ileum (the lower part of the small intestine)
infra-: beneath; below
inter-: between
intra-: within
irid-: iris
irido-: iris
ischi-: ischium (the lower and back part of the hip bone)
ischio-: ischium (the lower and back part of the hip bone)
-ism: condition
iso-: equal, like
-ites: inflammation
-itis: inflammation
-ity: pertaining to
-ium: structure or tissue

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k

karyo-: nucleus
kerat-: cornea (eye or skin)
kerato-: cornea (eye or skin)
kin-: movement
kine-: movement
kinesi-: movement
kinesio-: movement
kino-: movement
kyph-: humped
kypho-: humped

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l

lacrim-: tear (from your eyes)
lacrimo-: tear (from your eyes)
lact-: milk
lacti-: milk
lacto-: milk
laryng-: larynx (voice box)
laryngo-: larynx (voice box)
leuk-: white
leuko-: white
lingu-: tongue
linguo-: tongue
lip-: fat
lipo-: fat
lith-: stone
litho-: stone
lymph-: lymph
lympho-: lymph
lys-: break down, destruction, dissolving
-lysis: break down, destruction, dissolving
lyso-: break down, destruction, dissolving
-lytic: break down, destruction, dissolving

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m

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n

necr-: death
necro-: death
neo-: new
nephr-: kidney
nephro-: kidney
neur-: nerve
neuri-: nerve
neuron: nerve
normo-: normal

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o

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p

pan-: all or everywhere
pant-: all or everywhere
panto-: all or everywhere
para-: alongside, abnormal
path-: disease
patho-: disease
-pathy: disease
-penia: deficiency, lack of
per-: through
peri-: around
-pexy: surgical fixation
-phagia: eating, swallowing
phagy: eating, swallowing
phalang-: phalanx (any bone in the fingers or toes)
pharmaco-: drug, medicine
pharyng-: pharynx, throat
pharyngo-: pharynx, throat
-phasia: speech
phleb-: vein
phlebo-: vein
phob-: fear
phobia: fear
phon-: sound
phono-: sound
phos-: light
phot-: light
photo-: light
phren-: diaphragm
phreni-: diaphragm
phrenico-: diaphragm
phreno-: diaphragm
-plasia: growth
-plastic: growth
-plasty: surgical reconstruction
-plegia: paralysis
pleur-: rib, pleura (membrane that wraps around the outside of your lungs and lines the inside of your chest cavity)
pleura-: rib, pleura (membrane that wraps around the outside of your lungs and lines the inside of your chest cavity)
pleuro-: rib, pleura (membrane that wraps around the outside of your lungs and lines the inside of your chest cavity)
-pnea: breathing
pneum-: air, lung
pneuma-: air, lung
pneumat-: air, lung
pneumato-: air, lung
pod-: foot
podo: foot
-poiesis: production
poly-: many, excessive
post-: behind, after
-praxia: movement
pre-: before, in front
pro-: favoring, supporting
pro-: favoring, supporting
proct-: anus, rectum
procto-: anus, rectum
prostat-: prostate
pseudo-: false
psych-: mind
psyche-: mind
psycho-: mind
-ptosis: falling, drooping
pyel-: pelvis
pyelo-: pelvis
pyo-: pus
pyro-: fever

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q

quadri-: four

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r

rachi-: spine
radio-: radiation, radius
re-: again, backward
rect-: rectum
recto-: rectum
ren-: kidney
reno-: kidney
reticul-: net
reticulo-: net
retin-: retina (of the eye)
retro-: backward, behind
rhabd-: rod-shaped, striated
rhabdo-: rod-shaped, striated
rhin-: nose
rhino-: nose
-rrhage: bleeding
-rrhagic: bleeding
-rrhaphy: suture
-rrhea: flow or discharge

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s

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t

tachy-: fast
-taxis: movement
tetra-: four
thel-: nipples
thelo-: nipples
therm-: heat
thermo-: heat
thorac-: chest
thoracico-: chest
thoraco-: chest
thromb-: blood clot
thrombo-: blood clot
thyr-: thyroid gland
thyro-: thyroid gland
-tomy: cutting; incision
tono-: tone, tension, pressure
trache-: trachea (windpipe)
tracheo-: trachea (windpipe)
trans-: across, through
tri-: three
-tripsy: crushing
-trophy: growth
tympan-: eardrum
tympano-: eardrum

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u

uni-: one
ur-: urine
uri-: uric acid
-uria: in the urine
uric-: uric acid
urico-: uric acid
uro-: urine

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v

vagin-: vagina
varic-: duct, blood vessel
varico-: duct, blood vessel
vasculo-: blood vessel
ven-: vein
veno-: vein
vertebr-: vertebra, spine
vesic-: vesicle (cyst or pouch)
vesico-: vesicle (cyst or pouch)

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x

xanth-: yellow
xantho-: yellow

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