Prefixes, Suffixes, and Root Words: Helpful Vocabulary for Starting Massage School

homeo-

alike, same

(think, "homo")

-stasis

controlling, stopping

(think, "static," meaning, not moving or changing, or "stasis," meaning state of inactivity or equilibrium)

contra-

against, opposite

(think, "contrary")

cyt(o)-

cell

(like in "cytoplasm" and "cytoskeleton")

dorsal

back / toward the back

(think, "dorsal fin")

dys-

difficult, bad, labored

(like in "dysfunction")

endo-

within, inside

epi-

on, upon, over top of

hist-

tissue (a group of similar cells)

(like in "histology," the study of human tissue, and "histamine," a chemical released by tissue during an allergic or inflammatory reaction)

hydro-

water

(think, "hydration")

hyper-

over, above, excessive

(think, "hyperactive")

hypo-

under, below, deficient

(like in "hypothermia," meaning, not enough heat in the body)

infra-

under, below, beneath

(think, "infrastructure," like the underlying framework or structure of your house)

path(o)-

disease, suffering

(like in "pathology")

-ology

study of, science of

(like in "biology," "pathology," "kinesiology")

peri-

around, surrounding

(think, "perimeter")

sub-

under, beneath, below

(think, "submarine")

super- / supra-

above, over

(think, "superficial" and "supervise")

syn- / sym-

with, joined, together

(like in "symbiotic," "sympathy," "synthesis," and "synchronized"

arthr(o)-

joint (relating to joints and joint movement)

(think, "arthritis")

art-

emphasizing skills or expression

(like in "articulation")

cephal(o)-

relating to the head or skull

chondr(o)-

relating to cartilage

cyst(o)-

bladder, sac

(think, "cistern," meaning, a container for storing water")

derm(a)-

relating to the skin

(like in "dermatology")

encephal(o)-

relating to the brain

hem- / hema- / hemat(o)-

blood, relating to blood

(like in "hematoma," "hemorrhage," "hematocrit," and "hematoma")

mast(o)-

relating to mammary glands, breast

(like in "mastectomy")

men(o)-

relating to menstruation

(think, "menopause")

my(o)-

relating to muscles

neur(o)-

relating to nerves or the nervous system

orth(o)-

straight, normal, correct

("orthopedic" means correcting or straightening bones or muscles; think, "orthodox")

oste(o)- / os- / ossi-

relating to bones

(like in "osteoporosis" and "ossification")

ped (pes, pedis)

foot

(think "pedicure" or "pedal" your bike)

phleb-

related to veins

(like in "phlebotomy")

pnea-

related to breathing/respiration

(like in "sleep apnea")

sten(o)-

narrow, constriction

(a "stent" is a device temporarily placed inside an obstructed/constricted blood vessel)

thromb(o)-

blood clot

ur-

relating to urine

vas(o)-

relating to blood vessels (arteries, veins, and capillaries)

ven(o)-

relating to veins and the venous system

-algia

pain, painful condition

(like in "fibromyalgia," a condition characterized by widespread muscle pain and fatigue")

-blast

developing, bud or sprout

-emia

a condition of the blood

(like in "anemia," "leukemia," and "hypoglycemia")

-ia, -osis, -ism

state or condition

(like in "anemia," "cyanosis," and "embolism"

-itis

inflammation

(like in "arthritis," inflammation of the joints, and "appendicitis," inflammation the appendix)

-penia

poverty

-plasia

to form

-trophy

nourish, grow, develop

-ae

the plural ending for words that end in "a"

(scapula >> scapulae)

exo-

outside

(like in "exoskeleton"

fibr(o)-

relating to fiber or fibrous tissue

leuk(o)-

white

("leukocytes" are white blood cells, and "leukemia" is cancer in the bone marrow that leads to an uncontrollable increase in white blood cells)

erythr(o)-

red

("erythrocytes" are red blood cells)

ante-

before, in front of

(thinks, "antes" in Spanish, or "antechamber," a small room leading into a main room)

-poiesis

formation, production

intra-

within, inside

(an "intravenous" shot is injected inside of a vein, and an "intramuscular" shot is injected within the muscle)

-genesis

to be born, to become, to be produced

amphi-

on both sides

(think "amphibian," which can live in water and on land)

-clast

to break

sarco-

flesh, muscle

cortex

bark, rind, outer layer

mater

mother

plexus

braid, an interweaving or network

soma

body

renal

relating to the kidneys

brady-

slow, abnormally slow

tachy-

rapid, fast, abnormally fast

cardi-

relating to the heart and the cardiovascular system

pneum(o)- / pulm(o)-

relating to the lungs

medulla

middle

nephr(o)- / nephr(a)-

relating to the kidneys

cap-

head

(think, a "baseball cap" sits on your head)

condyle

knob, rounded projection

process

a prominent projection or elongation (of a bone)

serratus

jagged like a saw's edge

corocoid

the shape of a crow's beak

biceps

two headed

brachial

related to the upper arm

pollix

related to the thumb

(think, voting or "polling" with either a thumbs up or a thumbs down)

hallux

related to the big toe

fascia

band, bandage

rectus

straight up and down, parallel to the midline

(think, "erect")

gastr(o)-

belly, related to the stomach

(like in "gastrointestinal" system and "gastrocnemius," the big muscle on the back of your calf).

plant(a)- / sole(a)-

relating to the sole of the foot

(think "plant" your foot onto the ground)

occipitalis

relating to the back of the head

masticate

to chew

obliquus / oblique

slanting, diagonal, not straight

(as opposed to vertical (straight up and down) and horizontal (straight side to side))

-oma / -toma

tumor, mass

spody- / spondyl(o)-

relating to the spine, vertebrae, or vertebral column

kyph(o)-

rounded, humpback, curved, bent

lord(o)-

a curve or bend backward, specifically an inward curvature or concavity

an-

not, without

(think, "anti")

-phagia / -phag(o)

eating, devouring, engulphing

(like in "phagocytosis," cell eating, and "dysphagia," painful or difficult swallowing)

emesis

vomitting

(an "emesis bag" is a barf bag, and "antiemetics" are medications used to prevent or treat nausea and vomitting)