Word

Root

Greek or latin Word meaning Word analysis

word root
Dermatos (Gr) derm Skin Dermat/itis: inflammation on skin; describes a skin
disease
Nephros (Gr) Nephr Kidney Nephr/oma: tumor of the kidney; decribes a kidney
disease
Stoma (Gr) Stomat Mouth Stomat/o/pathy: any disease of the mouth; describes a
mouth disease
Cutis(L) Cutane Skin sub/cutane/ous: beneath the skin; describes the
anatomic tissue layer beneath the skin
Oris(L) Or Mouth Or/al: pertaining to the mouth; describes an anatomic
structure
Renes(L) Ren Kidney Ren/al: pertains to the kidney; describes an anatomic
structure

Examples of Suffixes

Combining + suffix = Medical word meaning

form
Gastr/o + -itis = gastritis Inflammation of the stomach
(stomach) (inflammation) Enlargement of the stomach
+ -megaly Tumor of the stomach
(enlargement) = gastromegaly
+ -oma (tumor)
gastroma
=
Hepat/o + -itis = Hepatitis Inflammation of the liver
(liver) (inflammation) Enlargement of the liver
+ -megaly Tumor of the liver
(enlargement) = Hepatomegaly
+ -oma (tumor)
hepatoma
=

Suffixes Denoting Incisions

Suffix Meaning Medical word Meaning

-centesis Puncture Arthrocentesis
clinical procedure of using a syringe to
collect synovial fluid from a joint capsule

-ectomy Excision, Appendectomy surgery to remove the appendix when it is infected
removal
-stomy Forming an Colostomy opening (stoma) in the large intestine (colon), or
opening the surgical procedure that creates one
(mouth)
 -tome Instrument Osteotome instrument used for cutting or preparing bone
to cut
-tomy Incision, cut Phlebotomy surgical opening or puncture of a vein in order to
into withdraw blood

Suffixes Denoting Reconstructive Surgeries

suffix Meaning Medical Meaning

word
-desis Binding, fixation (of Arthrodesis surgery to completely fuse (join) the bones of a
a bone, joint) joint
-pexy Suspension, Mastopexy surgical procedure that has been designed to
fixation (of an correct breast sag
organ)
-rrhaphy Suture Myorrhaphy Suture of a muscle
-plasty Surgical repair Rhinoplasty plastic surgery procedure for correcting and
reconstructing the nose

Suffixes Denoting Refracturing, Loosening, or Crushing

Suffix Meaning Medical Meaning

Word
-clasis Break, fracture Osteoclasis breaking of a bone as a step in the correction of a
deformity
-lysis Separation, enterolysis surgery to cut apart intestinal adhesions
destruction,
loosening
-tripsy Crushing lithotripsy procedure that uses shock waves to break up
stones in the kidney, bladder, or ureter

Diagnostic, Symptomatic, and Related

Suffix Meaning Medical Word Meaning

-algia Pain Cephalalgia Pain in the head
-dynia Pain Gastrodynia Pain in the stomach
-cele Hernia, swelling Hepatocele Hernia of the liver
-ectasis Dilation, bronchiectasis Permanent enlargement of the bronchial tubes
expansion

Suffixes

Suffix Meaning Medical Word Meaning

-emesis vomiting Hyperemesis excessive and pernicious vomiting during pregnancy
-emia Blood Leukemia blood cancer caused by a rise in the number of white
condition blood cells in your body
-gen/ Forming, carcinogen a substance or agent causing cancer
-genesis producing,
origin
Osteogenesis Formation of bone
-gram Record, a Cardiogram the curve or tracing made by a cardiograph
writing
-graph Instrument Cardiograph instrument for recording heart muscle activity
-iasis Abnormal Cholelithiasis (Chole – gallbladder) presence of gallstones
condition
-itis Inflammation Gastritis inflammation of the stomach lining
-lith Stone, calculus Cholelith Solid material that forms in the gallbladder or
common bile duct
-logist Specialist in the dermatologist physician who is trained to evaluate people with
study of… benign and malignant disorders of the skin, hair, nails
and adjacent mucous membranes
pathologist physician who interprets and diagnoses the changes
caused by disease in tissues and body fluids
-logy Stdy of… Psychology scientific study of the mind and behavior
-malacia Softening osteomalacia Softening of the bones
-megaly Enlargement hepatomegaly Condition of having enlarged liver
-meter Instrument for thermometer Instrument for determining temperature
recording
-metry Act of Pelvimetry measurement of the dimensions of the pelvis
measuring
-oid resembling Lipoid relating to or resembling fat
-oma tumor Adenoma benign tumor that arises in or resembles glandular
tissue

adenocarcinom If an adenoma becomes cancerous

a
-osis Abnormal Dermatosis any skin disorder, especially one not characterized by
condition, inflammation
increase
-para To bear (also a Multipara a woman who has had two or more pregnancies
prefix) resulting in viable offspring
-paresis Partial paralysis Hemaparesis weakness of one entire side of the body (hemi-
means "half"
-pathy disease Neuropathy damage, disease, or dysfunction of one or more
/ies nerves
Retinopathy any of various noninflammatory disorders of the
retina including some that cause blindness
nephropathy any disease of the kidney
-penia Decrease, Leukopenia Low white blood cell count
deficiency
Osteopenia Low bone density
 -phagia Eating, Dysphagia Difficulty of swallowing
swallowing
-phasia Speech Aphasia Absence of speech
-philia Attraction to Hemophilia bleeding disorder in which the blood does not clot
properly
-phobia Fear Claustrophobia extreme or irrational fear of confined places
-plasia Formation, Hyperplasia enlargement of an organ or tissue caused by an
growth increase in the reproduction rate of its cells
-plegia Paralysis, hemiplegia total or partial paralysis of one side of the body
stroke
Quadriplegia/ paralysis of all four limbs or of the entire body below
tetraplegia the neck
-poiesis Formation, Hemopoieses formation and development of blood cells
production
-ptosis Prolapse Hysteroptosis Prolapse of the uterus
-rrhage/ Bursting forth Hemorrhage heavy discharge of blood from a ruptured blood
-rrhagia vessel
Hemorrhagia
-rrhea Discharge, flow Diarrhea unusually frequent and liquid bowel movements
-rrhexis rupture Angiorrhexis rupture of any vessel, especially of a blood vessel
-scope Instrument to Gastroscope an endoscope for viewing the interior of the stomach
view
-scopy Visual Gastroscopy examination with a gastroscope to detect disease
examination
Colonoscopy medical test that examines your rectum and lower
bowel for abnormalities and disease.
-spasm Involuntary Blepharospasm abnormal contraction or twitch of the eyelid
contraction
-stasis Standing still, Hemostasis stopping of a flow of blood
balance
-stenosis Narrowing Arteriostenosis Narrowing of arterial walls
structure
-toxic poison Thyrotoxic of or relating to a condition caused by
excessive thyroid hormone in the system, usually
resulting from overactivity of the thyroid gland
-trophy Development, atrophy wasting away or reduction in size of a part of the
nourishment body, ultimately decreasing the function of the
affected area e.g. polio

Prefixes

Prefix Meaning + Word Root + Suffix = Medical Meaning

Word
a- Without + Mast(breast) + -ia = Amastia Without a breast
(condition)
 Hyper- Excessive, + Therm + -ia = Hyperthermia Condition of excessive
above (heat) (condition) heat
normal
Intra- In, within + Muscul + -ar = Intramascular Within the muscle
(muscle) (relating
to)
Macro- Large + Card (heart) + -ia = Macrocardia Condition of a large
(condition) heart
Micro- small + Card (heart) + -ia = Microcardia Condition of a small
(condition) heart

Examples of Combining Forms

Word Root + Vowel = Combining Form Meaning

Erythr/ + O = Erythr/o Red
Gastr/ + O = Gastr/o Stomach
Hepat/ + O = Hepat/o Liver
Immune/ + O = Immun/o Immune, immunity, safe
Nephr/ + O = Nephr/o Kidney
Oste/ + O = Oste/o bone

Combining + Word Root + Suffix = Medical Word Meaning

Form
Oste/o Chondr/ -itis Osteochondritis Inflammation of
+ + = bone and cartilage
bone cartilage inflammation
Oste/o Arthr/ -itis Osteoarthritis Inflammation of
+ + = bone and joint
bone joint inflammation

Some Universally Acceptable Abbreviations

A Assistance
AA Atlantoaxial
AAO X3 Alert, Awake, and Oriented to date, person, place
ADD Attention Deficit Disorder
ADHD Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
ADL Activities of Daily Living
APGAR Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, Respiration
AV Arteriovenous; Atrioventricular; Aortic Valve
Bilat Bilateral
Bl Blood; Bleeding
BMI Body Mass Index
BSA Body Surface Area
bw Body Weight; Birth Weight
bid Twice daily
Cath Catheter
CDC Center for Disease Control and Prevention
CHD Congenital Heart Disease
CI Clinical Instructor
CICU Coronary Intensive Care Unit; Cardiac Intensive
Care Unit
CLD Chronic Liver Disease; Chronic Lung Disease
CN Cranial Nerve
CVA Cerebrovascular Accident
c/o Complains of
DF Dorsiflexion
DIP Distal Interphalangeal (joint)
DO Disorder
DOA Dead on Arrival; Date of Admission
DPT Diphteria-Pertusis-Tetanus vaccine; Doctor of
Physical Therapy
Dx Diagnosis
D/C Discharge
EBP Evidence Based on Practice
EIA Exercise Induced Asthma
EIP Early Intervention Program
EOB Edge of Bed
EX Exercise
EXT Extension; Extensive
F Fair
f/u Follow-up
FAQ Frequently Asked Question
FBG Fasting Blood Glucose
Func Functional
G Good
GCS Glasgow Coma Scale
Hams, hs Hamstring
HDL High Density Lipoprotein
HRT Hormone Replacement Therapy
HPI History of Present Illness
HP Hot Pack
I Independent
I&D Incision and Drainage
ICA Internal Carotid Artery
ICP Intracranial Pressure
Ig Immunoglobulin
Instr Instruction
IR Internal Rotation
IVC Inferior Vena Cava
Jt joint
L Left; Lower
LBW Low Birth Weight
LD Learning Disability
LDL Low Density Lipoprotein
LLE Left Lower Extremity
LLL Left Lower Lobe
LLQ Left Lower Quadrant
LTD Limited
LTG Long Term Goal
LUE Left Upper Extremity
LUL Left Upper Lobe
LUQ Left Upper Quadrant
M Male
MCA Middle Cerebral Artery
MCP Metacarpophalangeal Joint
mets Metastasis
MI Myocardial infarction
MICU Medical Intensive Care Unit
mmHg millimeters of mercury
MMR Measles, Mumps, Rubella vaccine
mob. Mobilization, Mobility
MRI Magnetic Resonance Imaging
MTP Metatarsophalangeal Joint
MV Mitral Valve
N Normal; Nausea
N & V Nausea and Vomiting
N/A Not Applicable
neb Nebulizer
NGT Nasogastric tube
NICU Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Neurological Intensive Care Unit
NSAID non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug
Obj Objective
OPV Oral Polio Vaccine
OTC Over-the-counter
P poor; plan
Path Pathology
pc After meals
per By/through
per os, p.o. By mouth
PERRLA Pupils are Equally Round, Reactive to Light and
Accommodations
PF Plantarflexion
PICU Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
PIP Proximal interphalangeal joint
PMS Premenstrual Syndrome
post-op after surgery/operation
pre-op before surgery/operation
POC plan of care
Pm whenever necessary
PSIS posterior superior iliac spine
PTA prior to admission
q every
qh every hour
qid four times a day
qn every night
quad quadriplegic
R right
R/O rule out
REM rapid eye movement
RLE right lower extremity
RLL right lower lobe
RLQ right lower quadrant
RML right middle lobe
ROM range of motion
RV right ventricle
Rx drug; treatment; therapy prescription
S&S signs and symptoms
S/P status post
SA sinoatrial
SBA stand-by assistance
SCM sternocleidomastoid
sed sedimentation
SGA small for gestational age
SICU Surgical Intensive Care Unit
SNF Skilled Nursing Facility
SOB shortness of breath
STD sexually transmitted disease
STG short term goal
SVC superior vena cava
Sx symptoms
Sz seizure
T trace
TBA to be announced
TBSA total-body surface area
Trng training
Tx treatment; traction; therapy transplant
U upper
US ultrasound
UQ Upper Quadrant
vent ventilator
W walker
WB Weight Bearing
 WBAT Weight Bearing As Tolerated
WFL With Functional Limit
W/O without
w/c wheelchair
y/o years old
yd. yard
yr. year
// parallel; parallel bars
p̄ after
ā before
s̄ without
c̄ with