AAOS Emergency Care and Transportation of the Sick and Injured Eleventh Edition - Chapter 5 Medical Terminology

a-, an-

without, lack of

ab-

away from

abdomi(n)-

abdomen

acr(o)-

extremity

ad-

to, toward

aden(o)-

gland

ana-

up, back, again

angio-

vessel

ante-

before, foreward

anti-

against, opposed to

arteri(o)-

artery

arthro-

joint

auto-

self

bi-

two

bi(o)-

life

blast(o)-

germ or cell

blephar(o)-

eyelid

brady-

slow

calc-

stone; heel

cardi(o)-

heart

cephal(o)-

head

cerebr(o)-

cerebrum

cervic(o)-

neck; cervix

cholecysto

gall bladder

chondr(o)-

cartilage

circum-

around, about

contra-

against, opposite

cost(o)-

rib

cyan(o)-

blue

cyst(o)-

bladder; any fluid-containing sac

cyt(o)-

cell

de-

down from

dermat(o)-

skin

di-

twice, double

dia-

through, completely

dys-

difficult, painful, abnormal

ectomy

surgical removal of

electro-

pertaining to electricity

end(o)-

within

enter(o)-

intestines

epi-

upon, on

eu-

easy, good, normal

ex(o)-

outside

extra-

outside; in addition

gastr(o)-

stomach

glyc(o)-

sugar

gynec(0)-

females; female reproductive organs

hemat(o)-

blood

hepat(o)-

liver

hom-

same or like

Abduction

Motion of limb away from the midline

Adduction

Motion of a limb toward the midline

Anterior (ventral)

The front surface of the body: the side facing you in the standard anatomic position.

Apex (plural apices)

The pointed extremity of a conical structure.

Bilateral

A body part or condition that appears on both sides of the midline.

Combining vowel

The vowel used to combine two word roots or a word root and suffix.

Deep

Farther inside the body and away from the skin.

Distal

Further from the trunk or nearer to the free end of the extremity.

Dorsal (posterior)

The posterior surface of the body including the back of the hand.

Extension

The straightening of a joint

Flexion

The bending of a joint

Fowler position

An inclined position in which the head of the bed raised

Inferior (away from the head)

Below a body part or nearer to the feet

Lateral

Parts of the body that lie farther from the midline: also called outer structures

Medial

Parts of the body that lie closer to the midline: also called inner structure.

Palmer

The forward facing part of the hand in the anatomic position.

Plantar

The bottom surface of the foot

Posterior (dorsal)

The back surface of the body: the side away from you in the standard anatomic position. (back)

Prefix

Part of a term that appears before a word root, changing the meaning of the term

Prone

Lying face down

Proximal

Closer to the trunk

Quadrant's

Describes the sections of the abdominal cavity in which two imaginary lines intersect at the umbilicus diving the abdomen into four equal areas.

Suffix

The part of a term that comes after the root word at the end of the term.

Superficial

Closer to or on the skin

Superior

Above a body part or nearer to the head.

Supine

Lying face up

Ventral (anterior)

The anterior surface of the body (front)

Wood Root

The main part of a term that contains the primary meaning.

Pallor

Paleness of skin

Cyanosis

Blue skin

Necrosis

death of body tissue

Afebrile

without fever

Hematoma

collection of blood under the skin

Tachycardia

fast heart rate

Hypoxia

low oxygen

Patent

open or unobstructed

Ischemia

lack of oxygen

Bradycardia

slow heart rate

Contusion

Brusing

Macro

large

Tachy

fast

dys

abnormal or dysfunctional

Hemia

blood

Pedi

foot or child

micro

small

peri

around

renal

kidneys

primi

first

hepa

liver

hemi

half