Word Roots from Basic Medical Language

acr/o

Extremities or topmost parts of the body.

adrenal/o

Relating to the adrenal glands.

anter/o

Front or anterior.

bronch/o

Relating to the bronchi or bronchial tubes.

capn/o

Carbon dioxide.

carcin/o

Cancer or cancerous.

caud/o

Tail or tail-like structure.

cerebr/o

Brain or cerebrum.

crin/o

To secrete.

cutane/o

Skin.

cyan/o

Blue, often used to describe a bluish color due to lack of oxygen.

cyst/o

Bladder or sac, often referring to a cyst.

derm/o

Skin.

dermat/o

Skin.

dist/o

Far or distant.

dips/o

Thirst.

dors/o

Back or posterior.

encephal/o

Brain.

epitheli/o

Epithelium or tissue lining.

erythr/o

Red, often used in reference to red blood cells.

glyc/o

Sugar or glucose.

hem/o

Blood.

hemat/o

Blood.

hist/o

Tissue.

hydr/o

Water or fluid.

laryng/o

Larynx or voice box.

later/o

Side.

leuk/o

White, often used in reference to white blood cells.

lip/o

Fat or lipid.

lith/o

Stone or calculus.

meat/o

Passage or opening.

medi/o

Middle.

melan/o

Black or dark pigment.

mening/o

Meninges, the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.

mening/i

Meninges.

muc/o

Mucus.

myc/o

Fungus.

my/o

Muscle.

mye/o

Bone marrow or spinal cord.

nas/o

Nose.

nephr/o

Kidney.

neur/o

Nerve.

noct/o

Night.

olig/o

Few or scanty.

onc/o

Tumor or mass.

onych/o

Nail.

ox/i

Oxygen.

organ/o

Organ.

path/o

Disease.

phas/o

Speech.

pharyng/o

Pharynx or throat.

pleg/o

Paralysis.

pneum/o

Lung or air.

pneumon/o

Lung.

poli/o

Gray, often used in reference to gray matter in the brain.

poster/o

Back or posterior.

proxim/o

Near or closest to.

psych/o

Mind.

pulmon/o

Lung.

pyel/o

Renal pelvis.

py/o

Pus.

quadr/i

Four.

radi/o

Ray or radiation, often used in reference to X-rays.

ren/o

Kidney.

rhin/o

Nose.

sarc/o

Flesh or connective tissue.

sinus/o

Sinus.

somn/o

Sleep.

spir/o

Breath or breathing.

system/o

System.

thorac/o

Chest.

thym/o

Thymus gland.

thyroid/o

Thyroid gland.

trache/o

Trachea or windpipe.

ur/o

Urine or urinary tract.

ureter/o

Ureter.

urethr/o

Urethra.

ventr/o

Belly or abdominal.

viscer/o

Internal organs.

xanth/o

Yellow.