Medical Terminology

a-

an-

no; not; without

ab-

away from

acoust/o

hearing, sound

ad-

toward

aden/o

gland

-algesia

sensitivity to pain

ambi-

around, on both sides, about

angi/o

vascul/o

vessel (blood)

anter/o

front

arteri/o

artery

arthr/o

joint

audi/o

hearing

auto-

self; own

axill/o

armpit

bi-

two

bi/o

viv/o

life

brachi/o

arm

brady-

slow

bronchi/o

bronchial tube

carcin/o

cancerous; cancer

cardi/o

heart

carp/o

wrist bones (carpals)

caud/o

tail; lower part of the body

cephal/o

head

cerebell/o

cerebellum (posterior part of the brain)

cerebr/o

cerebrum (largest part of the brain)

cervic/o

neck; cervix (neck of uterus)

chol/e

bile; gall

chondr/o

cartilage

-cidal

pertaining to killing

-coccus

berry-shaped bacterium

comat/o

deep sleep

contra-

against; opposite

crani/o

skull

cry/o

cold

cutane/o

derm/o

dermat/o

skin

-cyte

cell

dent/i

tooth

-dilation

widening; stretching; expanding

dors/o

back (of body)

dys-

bad; painful; difficult; abnormal

ecto-

out; outside

-ectomy

removal; excision; resection

-edema

pathologic and abnormal swelling

electr/o

electricity

-emesis

vomiting

encephal/o

brain

endo-

in; within

epi-

above; upon; on

epitheli/o

skin; epithelium

erg/o

work

esophag/o

esophagus

ex-

exo-

out; away from

febr/i

fever

four

quadri, tetra-

gastr/o

stomach

-genesis

producing; forming

-globin

protein

glyc/o

glucose; sugar

-graph

instrument for recording

gynec/o

woman; female

hemat/o

sangu/i

blood

hemi-

semi-

half

hepat/o

liver

hydr/o

water

hypo-

deficient; below; under; less than normal

-ician

-logist

specialist

infra-

below; inferior to; beneath

inguin/o

groin

inter-

between

intra-

within; into

ipsi-

same

-itis

inflammation

kary/o

nucleus

kinesi/o

-motor

movement

kyph/o

humpback

lact/o

milk

lapar/o

abdominal wall; abdomen

laryng/o

larynx (voice box)

later/o

side

-lepsy

seizure

leth/o

mort/o

necr/o

death

leuk/o

white

lingu/o

tongue

-listhesis

slippage e.g. vertebral slippage conditions

-logy

study (process of)

lord/o

curve; swayback

lumb/o

lower back; loin

lymph gland (node)

lymph vessel

breakdown; separation; destruction; loosening

to reduce, destroy, separate; breakdown

macro-

mega-

large

bad

malleolus

mamm/o

mast/o

breast

mandibul/o

mandible (lower jaw bone)

mastoid process (behind the ear)

maxilla (upper jaw bone)

medi/o

middle