An Aid to Understanding Medical Terminology

The following is a list of commonly used prefixes and suffixes, their original meaning from the Latin or
Greek and examples of their current usage
a- negative prefix: amorphous cari- decay: dental caries
ab- away from: abduction carin- hull, keel: carina
acet- vinegar: acetabulum carot- carrot: carotene
ad- to: adduction carpus- wrist: carpals
adip- fat: adipose tissue cata- down: catabolic
-aemia in the blood: hypoproteinaemia caud- tail: cauda equina
aer- air: aerobic respiration cav- hollow: corpora cavernosa
af- to: afferent arteriole caec- blind: caecum
agglutin- to glue together: agglutination centr- point, centre: centromere
alb- white: albino cephal- head: cephalic region
aliment- food: alimentary cerebr- brain: cerebrum
allant- sausage: allantois cervic- neck: cervical vertebrae
alve- trough, channel, cavity: alveolus chiasm- cross-shaped: optic chiasma
an-1 see a- chondr- cartilage: chondrocyte
an-2 see ana- chori- protective foetal membrane: chorion
ana- up, positive: anabolic chrom- colour: chromatin
andr- man: androgens chym- juice: chyme
angi- vessel: angiogram -clas break: osteoclast
annul- ring: annular ligament clav- bar: clavicle
ante- before: antebrachium cleav- to divide: cleavage
append- to attach, hang or fix to: co- with, together: coenzyme
appendicular cochlea snail: cochlea
-ar pertaining to: lobar bronchus col- lower intestine: colon
arbor- tree: arbor vitae condyl- knuckle: condyle
arc- bow: arciform artery contra- against, counter: contraception
areol- open space: areola corac- raven: coracoid process
arthr- joint: arthrology corn- horn: cornea
astr- star: astrocytes corpor- body: corpus callosum
athero- porridge: atherosclerosis cortic- bark, rind: cortex
atri- entrance: atrium crani- skull: cranial
aud- hearing: auditory canal cribum- sieve: cribiform plate
aur- ear: auricle cric- ring-shaped: cricoid cartilage
auto- self: autoimmune -crin distinguish, separate off: endocrine
ax- axis: axial skeleton crista- crest: crista galli
axill- armpit: axillary artery crur- shin, leg: crura
bas- base: basilar artery cusp- point, apex: tricuspid valve
bi- two: bicuspid valve cut- skin: subcutaneous
bicep- two heads: biceps brachii cyst- bladder: cystitis
bil- bile: bilirubin cyt- cell: cytoplasm
bio- life: biology dart- like skin: dartos muscle
-blast bud, child, a growing thing de- to remove: deamination
in early stages: osteoblast decidu- falling off: deciduous
blephar- eyelid: blepharitis deglut- to get rid of: deglutination
brachi- arm: brachial region dendr- tree: dendrite
brady- slow: bradycardia derm- skin: dermis
bronch- windpipe: bronchus detrus- to force away: detrusor muscle
burs- bag, purse: bursa di- two: diencephalons
calat- something inserted: intercalated diastol- dilation: diastole
disk digit- finger: digital artery
calc- heel: calcaneus diuret- to pass urine: diuretic
calor- heat: calorie dors- back: dorsal
calyc- cup: major calyx ect- outside: ectoderm
canal- channel: cannaliculus ectop- out of place: ectopic beat
carcin- crab, cancer: carcinoma oed- swelling: oedema
cardi- heart; pericardium ejacul- to shoot forth: ejaculation
embol- stopper: embolus inter- among, between: interphase
encephal- the brain: encephalitis intra- inside: intracellular
end- inside: endoplasmic reticulum irid- rainbow, coloured circle: iris
ependym- tunic: ependyma is- equal: isotope
epi- upon, after, in addition: epithelium jugul- neck, throat: jugular vein
erg- work, deed: synergist junct- yoke, join: junctional fibre
erythr- red: erythrocyte juxta- near, beside: juxtaglomerular cells
ethmo- sieve: ethmoid bone kerat- horn: keratin
exo- outside: exocrine kyph- hump, hump-backed: kyphosis
extra- outside of , beyond: extracellular labi- lip: labia
falx- a sickle: falx cerebelli labr- lip: glenoidal labrum
fasci- band: fasciculus labyrinth- maze: bony labyrinth
femur- thigh: femur lacrima- tears: lacrimal gland
fimb- fringe: fimbriae lact- milk: prolactin
flacc- flabby: flaccid lacun- pool: lacuna
flagell- whip: flagellum lamell- thin plate: lamella
follic- small bag: follicle lanug- down: lanugo
fore- before, the front part of: forebrain laten- hidden: latent
foss- ditch, trench: fossa ovalis -lemm rind, peel: neurolemma
fovea- pit: fovea capitis leuk- white: leukocyte
frenul- bridle, restraint: frenulum lingu- tongue: lingual tonsil
funi- small cord or fibre: funiculus lip- fat: lipids
gangli- swelling: ganglion -logy study of: physiology
gastr- stomach: gastric gland lord- bent back: lordosis
-gen become, be produced: allergen lun- moon: semilunar valve
genesis origin: spermatogenesis lute- yellow: macula lutea
gladi- sword: gladiolus ly- loose, dissolve: lysosome
glen- joint socket: glenoid cavity -lyt dissolvable: electrolyte
-glia glue: neuroglia macr- large: macrophage
glom- little ball: glomerulus macula spot, stain: macula densa
glut- buttocks: gluteus maximus mal- bad, abnormal: malnutrition
glyc- sweet: glycogen malle- hammer: malleus
gracil- slender: gracilis mamm- breast: mammary gland
-gram letter, drawing: myogram man- hand: manubrium
gubern- to steer, to guide: gubernaculum mandib- jaw: mandible
gust- to taste: gustatory receptor mast- breast: mastitis
gyn- woman: gynaecology maxill- jawbone: maxillary bone
haem- blood: haemoglobin meat- a passage: auditory meatus
hemi- half: hemiplegia medi- middle: adrenal medulla
hepar- liver: heparin melan- black: melanin
hepat- liver: hepatic duct men- month: menstrual
hetero- other, different: heterozygous mening- membrane: meninges
hiat- opening: oesophageal hiatus ment- mind: mental foramen
hist- web, tissue: histology mes- middle: mesoderm
hol- entire, whole: holocrine gland meta- after, beyond, accompanying:
hom- same, common: homeostasis metabolism
horm- impetus, impulse: hormone meter measure: calorimeter
humor- moisture, fluid: humoral micr- small: microfilament
hy- U-shaped: hyoid bone mid- middle: midbrain
hyal- glass, hyaline cartilage milli- one thousandth: millimetre
hyper- above, beyond: hypertonic mit- thread: mitosis
hypo- under, below: hypotonic mon- one: monozygotic
im- negative prefix: imbalance mons- an eminence: mons pubis
immun- free, exempt: immunity morul- mulberry: morula
in- see im- mot- move: motor neuron
inflamm- to set on fire: inflammatory multi- many: multipolar neuron
infra- beneath: infraorbital nerve mut- change: mutation
inhal- to breathe in: inhalation my- muscle: myofibril
insul- island: insula nas- nose: nasal

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nat- to be born: prenatal rhin- nose: rhinitis
ne- new, young: neonatal period sacchar- sugar: monosaccharide
nephr- kidney: nephron saltator dancer: saltatory conduction
neur- nerve: neuron sarc- flesh: sarcoplasm
neuter neither one nor the other: neutral scler- hard: sclera
nod- knot: nodule seb- grease: sebaceous gland
nucle- kernel: nucleus sect- cut: section
nutri- nourish: nutrient sella- saddle-shaped: sella turcica
obes- fat: obesity semi- half: semitendinosus
occipit- back of the head: occipital lobe sen- old: senescence
oculi- eye: orbicularis oculi sens- feeling: sensory neuron
odont- tooth: odontoid process sin- hollow: sinus
-oid form: odontoid process -some body: ribosome
olfact- to smell: olfactory sorpt- to soak up: absorption
olig- few, small: oligodendrocytes squam- scale: squamous epithelium
oo- egg: oogenesis sta- halt, make stand: haemostasis
or- mouth: oral cavity strat- spread out: substrate
orb- circle: orbital stria- groove: striated muscle
-osis abnormal condition: leukocytosis sub- under: sublingual gland
oss- bone: osseous tissue sulc- furrow: sulcus
-ous having qualities of: cancerous super- above: superior
ov- egg: synovial fluid supra- above: supraspinatus muscle
palpebra eyelid: levator palpebrae superioris sutur- sewing: suture
papill- nipple: papillary muscle syn- together: syncytium
para- beside: parathyroid glands syndesm- binding together: syndesmosis
pariet- wall: parietal membrane systol- contraction: systole
path- disease, sickness: pathogen tachy- rapid: tachycardia
pell- skin: pellagra tal- ankle: talus
pelvi- basin: pelvic cavity tetan- stiff: tetanus
peri- around: pericardial membrane thalam- chamber: thalamus
pept- digest: peptic ulcer theo- sheath: theca externa
phag- eat: phagocytosis therm- heat: thermoreceptor
phen- show, be seen: phenotype thromb- clot: thrombocyte
phleb- vein: phlebitis thyr- shield: thyroid gland
phot- light: photoreceptor toc- childbirth: oxytocin
phren- mind, midriff: phrenic nerve tom- cut: anatomy
pia- pious, gentle: pia mater ton- stretch: isotonic
pino- drink: pinocytosis trans- across: transverse
pleur- rib, side: pleural membrane tri- three: tricuspid valve
plex- strike: choroid plexus trigon- triangle: trigone
plic- fold: plica circularis trop- turn, react: adrenocorticotropic
poie- make, produce: haematopoiesis troph- nurture: hypertrophy
poly- many: polycythaemia tuber- swelling: tuberculosis
popl- ham (knee): popliteal artery tympan- drum: tympanic membrane
por- passage, channel: pore umbil- navel: umbilical cord
post- after: postnatal period un- one: unipolar neuron
pre- before: prophase ur- urine: ketonuria
prox- nearest: proximal uter- womb: uterus
pseud- false: pseudostratified epithelium vag- to wander: vagus nerve
pter- wing: pterygoid process valent having power: electrovalent
puber- adult: puberty vas- vessel: vasa recta
pulmo- lung: pulmonary artery vesic- bladder: vesicle
pyl- door, orifice: pyloric sphincter vill- hair: villus
quadr- four: quadriceps femoris visc- internal organs: viscera
ramus branch: gray ramus vitre- glass: vitreous humor
rect- straight: rectum voluntary- of free will: voluntary muscle
ren- kidney: renal cortex xiph- sword: xiphoid process
ret- net: rete testis zon- belt: zona pellucida
reticul- network: sarcoplasmic reticulum zym- ferment: enzyme

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