Final Exam Worksheet ALHS 1090

Please use the following study guide to prepare for your midterm and final exam for Medical
Terminology. All words, prefixes, word roots, combining forms and suffixes will come from this guide.
Introduction (Chapter 1)
Medical Word Elements – Be able to describe the four-word elements.
Word Root: main meaning of word or stem of the word
Combining Form: word root + a vowel (usually an “o”)
Suffixes: addition to the end of word
Prefixes: addition to the beginning of word

Defining medical words – List the three steps in defining medical words.
1. Define suffix first
2. Define the first part of the word (word root, combining form, or prefix)
3. Define middle part of the word (word root or combining form)

Building medical words - List the three rules in building medical words.
1. A word root links a suffix that begins with a vowel.
2. A combining form links a suffix that begins with a consonant.
3. A combining form links a root to another root to form a compound form.

Suffixes (Chapter 2)
Term Meaning Term Meaning

-centesis Surgical puncture -pexy Fixation

-clasis Surgical fracture or –plasty Surgical repair

break

-desis Binding/fixation of a –rrhaphy Suture to sew

body/joint

–ectomy Excision, removal –stomy Forming an opening

-lysis Destroying/loosening -tomy Incision

-tome Instrument to cut –itis Inflammation

–tripsy Crushing -lith Stone/calculus

-gram To record or writing –malacia Softening

-graph Instrument to record –megaly Enlargement

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 Term Meaning Term Meaning

–graphy Process of recording –oma Tumor

-meter Instrument to measure –osis Abnormal condition

–metry Act of measuring –pathy Disease

-scope Instrument for -penia Decrease, deficiency

examining

-scopy Visual examination -phagia Swallowing, eating

-algia Pain -phasia Speech

-cele Swell or hernia -phobia Fear

-dynia Pain -plasia Formation, growth

-ectasis Dialation/expansion -plasm Formation, growth

-edema Swelling -plegia Paralysis

-emesis Vomiting -ptosis Prolapse

-emia Blood condition -rrhage Bursting of

-gen Forming, producing, -rrhagia Bursting forth

origin

-genesis Forming, producing, -rrhea Discharge, flow

origin

-ia Condition -rrhexis Rupture

-iasis Abnormal condition -sclerosis Hardening

-ia Condition -spasm Involuntary

twitching

-iatry Physician, treatment -stenosis Narrowing

-ician Specialist -toxic Pertaining to poison

-ism Condition -trophy Development,

nourishment

-ist Specialist -esis Condition

-y Condition, process -ary Pertaining to

-icle Small, minute -eal Pertaining to

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 Term Meaning Term Meaning

-ole Small, minute -ic Pertaining to

-ule Small, minute -ical Pertaining to

-ac Pertaining to -ile Pertaining to

-al Pertaining to -ior Pertaining to

-ar Pertaining to -ous Pertaining to

-tic Pertaining to

Prefixes (Chapter 3)
Term Meaning Term Meaning

epi- Above, upon dia- Through, across

hypo- Under, below, ecto- Outside, outward

deficient

infra- Below, under endo- In, within

sub- Under, below exo- Outside, outward

inter- Between extra- Outside

Post After, behind intra- In, within

pre- Before, in front of para- Near, besides,

beyond

pro- Before, in front of peri- Around

retro- Backward, behind super- Upper, above

bi- Two supra- Above, excessive,

superior

dipl- Double trans- Across, through

diplo- Double ultra- Excess, beyond

hemi- One half a- Without, not

hyper- Excessive, above an- Without, not

normal

macro- Large anti- Against

micro- Small brady- Slow

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 Term Meaning Term Meaning

mono One contra- Against, opposite

multi- Multiple, many, much dys- Bad, painful,

difficult

nulli- None eu- Good, normal

poly- Many, much hetero- Different

primi- First homo- Same

quadri- Four homeo- Same, alike

tri- Three mal- Bad

uni- One pan- All

ab- From, away from pseudo- False

ad- Toward syn- Union, together,

joined

circum- Around tachy- Rapid

Body Structure (Chapter 4)

Term Meaning Opposite Term Meaning

abduction movement away from adduction movement toward the

the midsagittal midsagittal (median)
(median) plane plane

medial toward the midline of a lateral Pertaining to the side

body

superior toward the head, upper, inferior toward the feet,

above lower, below

proximal toward or nearest the distal away from or farthest

trunk, or nearest the from the trunk, or
point of origin of a farthest from a
structure structure's point of
origin

anterior (ventral) front of the body (in posterior (dorsal) back of the body
front of) (behind)

parietal pertaining to the outer visceral pertaining to the

wall of the body cavity viscera, or internal
organs, especially the

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 abdominal organs

prone lying on the abdomen, supine lying horizontally on

face down the back, face up

inversion turning inward or inside eversion turning outward

out

palmar pertaining to the palm plantar pertaining to the sole

of the hand of the foot

superficial nearer the body surface deep farther away from the
body surface

Term Meaning Term Meaning

cyt/o Cell abdomen/o Abdomen

hist/o Tissue cervic/o Neck, cervix uteri

(neck of uterus)

kary/o Nucleus crani/o Cranium

nucle/o Nucleus gastr/o Stomach

anter/o Anterior, front ili/o Ilium (lateral, flaring

portion of the hip
bone)

caud/o Tail inguin/o Groin

cephal/o Head lumb/o Loins (lower back)

dist/o Far, farthest pelv/i Pelvis

inferi/o Lower, below pelv/o Pelvis

later/o Side spin/o Spine

medi/o Middle thorac/o Chest

posteri/o Back, behind umbilic/o Umbilicus, navel

proxim/o Near xer/o Dry

ventr/o Belly albin/o White

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 acr/o Extremity chlor/o Green

eti/o Cause chrom/o Color

idi/o Unknown, peculiar cirrh/o Yellow

morph/o Form, shape, structure cyan/o Blue

path/o Disease erythr/o Red

radi/o Radiation, x-ray, radius jaund/o Yellow

somat/o Body leuk/o White

son/o Sound melan/o Black, dark
pigmented
tom/o To cut poli/o Gray
viscer/o Internal organs xanth/o Yellow

Integumentary (Chapter 5)
Term Meaning Term Meaning
adip/o Fat xer/o Dry
cutane/o Skin -cyte Cell
derm/o Skin -derma Skin
dermat/o Skin -logist Specialist in the
study of
hidr/o Sweat -logy Study of
ichthy/o Dry -therapy Treatment
kerat/o Horny tissue, hard, an- Without, not
cornea
lip/o Fat dia- Through, across
melan/o Black epi- Above, upon
myc/o Fungus homo- Same
onych/o Nail hyper- Excessive, above
normal
pil/o Hair sub- Under, below
scler/o Hardening steat/o Fat
seb/o Sebum, sebaceous sudor/o Sweat
squam/o Scale trich/o Hair
xen/o Foreign, strange ungu/o Nail

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Musculoskeletal (Chapter 10)
Term Meaning Term Meaning
acromi/o Acromion (projection metatars/o Metatarsus (foot
of the scapula) bone)
ankyl/o Stiffness, bent, crooker muscul/o Muscle
arthr/o Joint myel/o Bone marrow, spinal
cord
brachi/o Arm orth/o Straight
calcane/o Calcaneum (heel bone) oste/o Bone
carp/o Carpus (wrist bone) patell/o Patella (kneecap)
cephal/o Head ped/i Foot, child
cervic/o Neck, cervix uteri ped/o Foot, child
(neck of uterus)
chondr/o Cartilage pelv/i Pelvis

clavicul/o Clavicle (collar bone) phalang/o Phalanges (bones of

the fingers and toes)
cost/o Ribs pub/o Pubis (anterior part of
the pelvic bone)
crani/o Cranium (skull) radi/o Radiation, x-ray,
radius
dactyl/o Fingers, toes rhabd/o Rod shaped (striated)

fasci/o Band, fascia (fibrous rhabdomy/o Rod-shaped (straited)

membrane supporting muscle
and separates muscles)
femor/o Femur (thigh bone) scoli/o Crooked, bent
fibr/o Fiber, fibrous tissue spondyl/o Vertebrae (backbone)

fibul/o Fibula (smaller bone of stern/o Sternum (breastbone)

the lower leg)
humer/o Humerus (upper arm synov/o Synovial membrane,
bone) synovial fluid
ili/o Ilium (lateral, flaring ten/o Tendon
portion of the hip bone)

ischi/o Ischium (lower portion tendin/o Tendon

of the hip bone)
kyph/o Humpback thorac/o Chest
lamin/o Lamina (part of the tibi/o Tibia (larger bone of
vertebral arch) the lower leg)

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 Term Meaning Term Meaning
leiomy/o Smooth (visceral) -blast Embryonic cell
muscle
lord/o Curve, swayback -clasia To break, surgical
fracture
lumb/o Loins (lower back) -clast To break, surgical
fracture
metacarp/o Metacarpus (head -desis Binding fixation (of a
bones) bone or joint)
-porosis Porous -malacia Softening
-sarcoma Malignant tumor of -physis Growth
connective tissue
-scopy Visual examination -asthenia Weakness, debility

Nervous System (Chapter 15)

Terms Meaning Terms Meaning

cerebr/o Cerebrum ton/o Tension

crani/o Cranium (skull) ventricul/o Ventricle of the heart
or brain
dendr/o Tree -algesia Pain
encephal/o Brain -algia Pain
gangli/o Ganglion (knot or knot -asthenia Weakness, debility
like)
gli/o Glue, neuroglial tissue -esthesia Feeling
kinesi/o Movement -kinesia Movement
lept/o Thin, slender -lepsy Seizure
lex/o Word, phrase -paresis Partial paralysis
meningi/o Meninges -phasia Speech
mening/o Meninges -plegia Paralysis
myel/o Bone marrow, spinal -taxia Order, coordination
cord
narc/o Stupor, numbness, pachy- Thick
sleep
neur/o Nerve para- Near, besides,
beyond
radicul/o Nerve root syn- Union, together,
joined

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 Terms Meaning Terms Meaning

sthen/o Strength uni- One

thalam/o Thalamus thec/o Sheath (meninges)

Special Senses (Chapter 16)

Terms Meaning Terms Meaning
ambly/o Dull, dim optic/o Eye, vision
aque/o Water phac/o Lens
blephar/o Eyelid phot/o Light
choroid/o Choroid presby/o Old age
conjunctiv/o Conjunctiva pupill/o Pupil
core/o Pupil retin/o Retina
corne/o Cornea scler/o Hardening, sclera
(white of the eye)
cycl/o Ciliary body of the eye, scot/o Darkness
circular, cycle
dacry/o Tear, lacrimal apparatus vitr/o Vitreous body of the
(duct, sac, or gland) eye
dipl/o Double audi/o Hearing
glauc/o Gray labyrinth/o Labyrinth (inner ear)
goni/o Angle mastoid/o Mastoid process
irid/o Iris myring/o Tympanic membrane
(eardrum)
kerat/o Horny tissue, hard, ot/o Ear
cornea
lacrim/o Tear, lacrimal apparatus salping/o Tube
ocul/o Eye staped/o Stapes
ophthalm/o Eye tympan/o Tympanic membrane
(eardrum)
opt/o Eye, vision -acusia Hearing
-opsia Vision -cusis Hearing
-tropia Turning -opia Vision
exo- Outside, outward hyper/o Excessive, above
normal

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Endocrine (Chapter 18)
Terms Meaning Terms Meaning

adren/o Adrenal gland -dipsia Thrist

adrenal/o Adrenal gland -gen Forming, origin,

producing

calc/o Calcium -toxic Poison

crin/o Secrete -uria Urine

gluc/o Sugar, sweetness eu- Good, normal

glyc/o Sugar, sweetness endo- Within, in

home/o Same, alike exo- Outside, outward

kal/i Potassium hyper- Excessive, above

normal

pancreat/o Pancreas hypo- Under, below,

deficient

parathyroid/o Parathyroid glands poly- Many, much

thym/o Thymus gland thyroid/o Thyroid gland

thyr/o Thyroid gland toxic/o Poison

-crine Secrete

Blood, Lymphatic and Immune (Chapter 9)

Terms Meaning Terms Meaning

aden/o Gland lymphangi/o Lymph vessel

agglutin/o Clumping, gluing morph/o Shape, form,

structure

bas/o Base myel/o Bone marrow

blast/o Embryonic cells neutr/o Neutral, neither

chrom/o Color nucle/o Nucleus

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 Terms Meaning Terms Meaning

eosin/o Dawn (rose colored) phag/o Swallowing, eating

erythr/o Red plas/o Formation, growth

granul/o Granule poikil/o Varied, irregular

hem/o Blood reticu/o Net, mesh

hemat/o Blood ser/o Serum

immun/o Immune, immunity, safe sider/o Iron

kary/o Nucleus splen/o Spleen

leuk/o White thromb/o Blood clot

lymph/o Lymph thym/o Thymus gland

lymphaden/o Lymph gland xen/o Strange, foreign

-blast Embryonic cell -penia Decrease, deficiency

-crine Secrete mono- One

-emia Blood condition poly- Many, much

-globin Protien allo- Other, differing from

the normal

-graft Transplantation aniso- Unequal, dissimilar

-osis Abnormal condition iso- Same, equal

-phil Attraction for macro- Large

-phoresis Carrying, transmission micro- Small

-phylaxis Protection -stasis Standing still

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 Terms Meaning Terms Meaning

-poiesis Formation, production a- Without

Cardiovascular (Chapter 8)
Terms Meaning Terms Meaning

aort/o Aorta sept/o Septum

arteri/o Artery sphygm/o Pulse

arteriol/o Arteriole sten/o Narrowing, stricture

ather/o Fatty plaque thromb/o Blood clot

atri/o Atrium valv/o Valve

cardi/o Heart valvul/o Valve

coron/o Heart vaso Vessel, vas deferens,

duct

electr/o Electricity ven/o Vein

embol/o Embolus (plug) ventricul/o Ventricle

hemangi/o Blood vessel –cardia Heart condition

lumin/o Lumen (opening) –gram Record, writing

my/o Muscle –graph Instrument to record

phleb/o Vein -graphy Process of recording

scler/o Hardening, sclera -plasty Surgical repair

-sclerosis Abnormality in brady- Slow

hardening, sclera

endo- Within, in

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Respiratory (Chapter 7)
Terms Meaning Terms Meaning

adenoid/o Adenoids pneum/o Air, lung

alveol/o Alveolus, air sac pneumon/o Air, lung

atel/o Incomplete, imperfect pulmon/o Lung

bronch/o Bronchus rhin/o Nose

bronchi/o Bronchus sept/o Septum

bronchiol/o Bronchiole steth/o Chest

coni/o Dust sinus/o Sinus, cavity

cyan/o Blue spir/o Breathe

diaphragm/o Diaphragm thorac/o Chest

diaphragmat/o Diaphragm tonsill/o Tonsils

epiglott/o Epiglottis trache/o Trachea, windpipe

laryng/o Larynx, voice box -capnea Carbon dioxide

lob/o Lobe -osmia Smell

muc/o Mucus -phonia Voice

nas/o Nose –pnea Breathing

orth/o Straight –ptysis Spitting

ox/o Oxygen –thorax Chest

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 Terms Meaning Terms Meaning

ox/i Oxygen brady- Slow

pector/o Chest dys- Bad, painful,

difficult

pharyng/o Pharynx, throat eu- Good, normal

phren/o Diaphragm, mind tachy- Rapid

pleur/o Pleura

Digestive System (Chapter 6)

Terms Meaning Terms Meaning

an/o Anus jejun/o Jejunum (2nd part of

the small intestine)

append/o Appendix labi/o Lip

appendic/o Appendix lingu/o Tongue

bucc/o Cheek odont/o Teeth

cheil/o Lip or/o Mouth

chol/e Bile, gall pancreat/o Pancreas

cholecyst/o Gallbladder pharyng/o Pharynx, throat

choledoch/o Bile duct proct/o Anus, rectum

col/o Colon pylor/o Pylorus

colon/o Colon rect/o Rectum

dent/o Teeth sial/o Saliva, salivary gland

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 Terms Meaning Terms Meaning

duoden/o Duodenum sigmoid/o Sigmoid colon

odont/o Teeth stomat/o Mouth

enter/o Intestine -emesis Vomiting

esophag/o Esophagus -iasis Abnormal condition

produced by
something specified

gastr/o Stomach -megaly Enlargement

gloss/o Tongue -orexia Appetite

gingiv/o Gums -pepsia Digestion

hepat/o Liver -phagia Swallowing, eating

ile/o Ileum (3rd part of -prandial Meal

intestine)

Urinary (Chapter 11)

Terms Meaning Terms Meaning

albumin/o Albumin, protein vesic/o Bladder

azot/o Nitrogenous products -genesis Forming, origin

bacteri/o Bacteria -iasis Abnormal condition

produced by
something specified

cyst/o Bladder -uria Urine

glomerul/o Glomerulus dia- Through, across

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 Terms Meaning Terms Meaning

kal/i Potassium retro Backward, behind

keton/o Ketone bodies. Acids & olig/o Scanty

acetones

lith/o Stone, calculus py/o Pus

meat/o Meatus, opening pyel/o Renal pelvis

nephr/o Kidney ren/o Kidney

noct/o Night ur/o Urine, urinary tract

ureter/o Ureter urethr/o Urethra

Male Reproductive System (Chapter 13)

Terms Meaning Terms Meaning

andr/o Male -genesis Forming, production,

origin

balan/o Glans penis -ism Condition

crypt/o Hidden -spadius Slit, fissure

epididym/o Epididymis -cide Killing

genito/o Genitalia vesicul/o Seminal vesicle

gonad/o Gonads, sex glands prostat/o Prostate gland

olig/o Scanty spermat/o Spermatozoa, sperm

cells

orch/o Testis sperm/o Spermatozoa, sperm

cells

orchi/o Testis test/o Testis

orchid/o Testis varic/o Dilated vein

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 Terms Meaning Terms Meaning

perine/o Perineum vas/o Vessel

Female Reproductive System (Chapter 12)

Terms Meaning Terms Meaning

amni/o Amnion -cyesis Pregnancy

cervic/o Neck, cervix uteri –gravida Pregnant woman

colp/o Vagina –para To bear (offspring)

galact/o Milk -salpinx Tube

gync/o Woman, female –tocia Childbirth, labor

hyster/o Uterus -version Turning

lact/o Milk ante- Before, in front of

mamm/o Breast dys- Bad, difficult, painful

mast/o Breast endo- In, within

men/o Menses, menstruation multi- Many, much

metri/o Uterus post- After, behind

metr/o Uterus primi- First

nat/o Birth -arche Beginning

oophor/o Ovary uter/o Uterus

ovari/o Ovary salping/o Tube

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 Terms Meaning Terms Meaning

perine/o Perineum vagin/o Vagina

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