NHA CCMA/Combining Forms, Prefixes, Suffixes

abdomin/o

abdomen

acr/o

extremities

aden/o

gland

adenoid/o

adenoids (mass of lymphatic tissue posterior to nasal cavity/pharyngeal tonsil)

adip/o

fat

adren/o & adrenal/o

adrenal glands (located atop kidneys/secret hormones affecting blood pressure, heart rate, and sweating)

albumin/o

albumin (globular protein/water soluble)

alveol/o

alveolus; air sac

ambly/o

dull or dim

amni/o

amnion (innermost membrane enclosing embryo)

an/o

anus

angi/o

vessel

anter/o

frontside of body

aort/o

aorta

append/o & appendic/o

appendix

arteri/o

artery

arteriol/o

arteriole

arthr/o

joint

atel/o

incomplete

ather/o

fatty substance, plaque

atri/o

atrium

audi/o & audit/o

hearing

aur/o

ear

azot/o

nitrogen waste

bacteri/o

bacteria

balan/o

glans penis

bas/o

base

bi/o

life

blephar/o

eyelid

brachi/o

arm

bronch/o & bronchi/o

bronchus

bronchiol/o

bronchiole

burs/o

bursa (closed, fluid-filled sac that functions as a gliding surface to reduce friction between tissues)

carcin/o

cancer

cardi/o

heart

carp/o

carpals (wrist)

caud/o

tail

cephal/o

head

cerebell/o

cerebellum

cerebr/o

cerebrum

cervic/o

neck, cervix

chol/eo

bile

cholangi/o

bile duct

cholecyst/o

gallbladder

choledoch/o

common bile duct

chondr/o

cartilage

chori/o

chorion (the outermost membrane surrounding an embryo)

choroid/o

choroid layer (vascular layer of the eye)

clavicul/o

clavicle (collar bone)

coagul/o

clotting

coccyg/o

coccyx (tailbone)

cochle/o

cochlea (is the auditory portion of the inner ear)

col/o & colon/o

colon

colp/o

vagina

coni/o

dust

conjunctiv/o

conjunctiva

core/o

pupil

corne/o

cornea

coron/o

heart

corpor/o

body

cortic/o

cortex

cost/o

rib (think intercostal)

crani/o

skull

crin/o

secrete

cry/o

cold

crypt/o

hidden (think cryptic)

cubit/o

elbow

cutane/o

skin

cyan/o

blue

cycl/o

ciliary body (structure in the eye that releases a transparent liquid within the eye)

cyst/o

bladder or sac

cyt/o

cell

dacry/o

tears

derm/o & dermat/o

skin

dipl/o

double

dist/o

farthest (away from beginning of structure)

diverticul/o

diverticulum (an outpouching of a hollow (or a fluid-filled) sac in the body)

dors/o

backside of body, posterior

duoden/o

duodenum (first part of the small intestine immediately beyond the stomach, leading to the jejunum)

electr/o

electricity

embol/o

plug

embry/o

embryo

encephal/o

brain

enter/o

intestine

eosin/o

rosy red

epididym/o

epididymis (highly convoluted duct behind the testis, sperm passes through)

epiglott/o

epiglottis

episi/o

vulva

erythr/o

red

esophag/o

esophagus

femor/o

femur (thigh bone)

fet/o

fetus

fibr/o

fibrous

fibul/o

fibula (thin lower leg bone)

gastr/o

stomach

genit/o

genitals

glomerul/o

glomerulus (a cluster of nerve endings, spores, or small blood vessels)

glute/o

buttocks

glycos/o

sugar, glucose

gynec/o

woman, female