Medical Terminology Pg 1

Common Prefixes NR 353 FA2020

a- without infra- beneath

ab-, abs- away from inter- between
ad- towards intra- within
alb- white juxta- beside
allo- other meso- middle
ambi- both meta- after
ampho- both milli- one-thousandth
an, ana- without mono- single
ante- before multi- many
anti- opposed, against, counteract neo- new
auto- self nan- all, wide
bi- two pan- all, wide
Near, beyond,
bio- life para-
beside
brady- slow per- through
circum- around peri- around
con- together or with poly- many
contra- against, opposed post- after
dys- difficult or pain pre- before, in front of
ecto- outside primi- first
endo- within pseudo- false
epi- Upon, on retro- backward
eu- good rube- red
ex- out or away from semi- half
hemi- half sub- beneath
homeo- likeness supra- above
homo- same tachy- fast, rapid
hydro- water trans- across or through
hyper- above, high, excessive tri- three
hypo- low, deficient, under ultra- beyond
idio- from one's self uni- one
im- in- in, into, not xero- dry
 Medical Terminology Pg 2
Common Suffixes NR 353 FA2020

-ac pertaining to -oid resembling

-al pertaining to -ole small
-algesia sensitive to pain -oma tumor
-algia pain -opia visual condition
-blast immature -osis condition
-cele herniation -otomy incision
-centesis surgical puncture -path disease
-cide agent that kills -pathy disease
-cliasis intentional breaking up of -penia lack of, deficiency
-cyte cell -philia attracted to
-desis binding of -phobia fear of
-dynia pain -plasty surgical repair
-ectasia stretching or dilating -plegia paralysis
-ectomy removal of -pnea respiration, breathing
Drooping,dropping down,
-emia blood condition -ptosis
fall
-esis condition of -ptysis spitting, cough
-genesis formation of -rrhagia excessive flow
-graphy process of recording -rrhea profuse flow or discharge
-ia condition -sis unusual condition of
-ic pertaining to -scope exam instrument
-ical pertaining to -scopy examine with a scope
-ile pertaining to -stasis maintain a constant level
-ism condition -stomy surgical opening
-itis inflammation of -tic pertaining to
-lith stone -tomy cut into
-lys destroy -tripsy intentional crushing
-lysis destruction -ula small
-mania mental disorder -ule small
-megaly enlargement -uria characteristics of urine
 Medical Terminology Pg 3
Common Word Roots NR 353 FA2020

abdomin/o abdomen dermat/o skin

acetabul/o acetabulum dors/o back
aden/o gland encephal/o brain
adip/o fat enter/o small intestine
adren/o adrenal gland erythr/o red
aer/o air fibr/o fiber
angi/o vessel gastr/o stomach
anter/o front geront/o old age
arteri/o artery gloss/o tongue
arthr/o joint glyc/o sugar
blast/o embryonic gynec/o fem reproductive sys
bronch/o bronchus hem/o blood
bronch/i bronchus hemat/o blood
calc/o calcium hepat/o liver
calcane/o heel bone hidr/o sweat
cardi/o heart hist/o tissue
caut/o burn hydr/a water
cephal/o head hyster/o uterus
cerebr/o brain ile/o ileum
cervic/o neck ili/o ilius
chol/e bile inguin/o groin
chondr/o cartilage kerat/o Horny growth/hard
coccyg/o coccyx lapar/o abdomen, loin, flank
col/o colon laryngi/o larynx
cost/o rib later/o side
crani/o cranium (skull) lip/o fat
cutane/o skin litho stone
cyst/o bladder lumb/o loins
cyt/o cell mamm/o breast
dent/i tooth mast/o breast
dent/o tooth medi/o middle
 Medical Terminology Pg 4
Common Word Roots (cont’d…) NR 353 FA2020

derm/o skin melan/o dark

men/o menstruation sacr/o sacrum
mylo muscle salping/o fallopian/uterine tube
myc/o fungus scier/o hard
myel/o bone marrow, spinal cord sept/o dirty, infection, pathogenic
nephr/o kidney some body of
neur/o nerve spin/o spine
nucle/o nucleus spleen/o spleen
ocul/o eye squam/o scales
onych/o nail stern/o sternum
oophor/o ovary stomat/o mouth
ophthalm/o eye thorac/o chest
oste/ bone thromb/o clot
ot/o ear thym/o thymus
ped/o child thyr/o thyroid
pelv/i pelvis tox/o poison
pharyng/o pharynx, throat toxic/o poison
phleb/o vein trach/i trachea
pilo hair trich/o hairlike
plasm/o cell substance umbilic/o navel (belly button)
pleur/o pleural lining of lung ur/o urine
pneum/o lung, air, gas urethra/o urethra
poster/o back urin/o urine
proct/o rectum uter/o uterus
proxim/o near ven/o vein
psych/o mind ventr/o front
pulm/o lung vertbr/o vertebra
py/o pus viscer/o internal organs
pyel/o pelvis of the kidney xanth/o yellow
rect/o rectum xer/o dry
rhin/o nose
NR 353 lw az FA20
 Pg 5

References/ Resources:

http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=39917

Taber’s Medical Dictionary: https://www.tabers.com/tabersonline/

ACTIVITY:

Try some terms:

Tachycardia

Bradycardia

Dysuria

Hyperthermia

Bronchcoscopy

Photophobia

Appendectomy

Tonsillectomy

Angioplasty

Hemoptysis

Melena

Stomatitis

Thoracotomy

Gastritis

NR 353 lw az FA20