Medical Root Words, Prefixes, and Suffixes for Anatomy and Physiology

word root

word part that is the core of the word and contains the fundamental meaning of the word

Suffix

a word part attached to the end of the word root to modify its meaning

Prefix

a word part attached to the front of the word to modify its meaning

Angi (root word)

Vessel

arterio (root word)

artery

arthro (root word)

Joint

broncho (root word)

bronchus (air passages of lungs)

cardio (root word)

heart

carcino (root word)

cancer

caphalo (root word)

head

chondro (root word)

cartilage

costa (root word)

rib

crania (root word)

skull

cutane, dermato, derma (root word)

skin

cysto (root word)

bladder

cyto (root word)

cell

encephalo (root word)

brain

entero (root word)

intestines, gut

gastric, gastro (root word)

stomach

hemo, hemato (root word)

blood, iron portion

hepato (root word)

liver

homeo (root word)

constant, unchanging

hydro (root word)

water

hystero (root word)

uterus

lympho (root word)

of the lymphatic system

mammo, masto (root word)

breast

myco (root word)

fungus

myo, mysi (root word)

muscle

nephro (root word)

kidney

neuro (root word)

nerve

oma (root word)

tumor

oo, ova (root word)

egg

oophoro (root word)

ovary

or (root word)

mouth

osteo (root word)

bone

patho (root word)

disease

pecto (thoraco, sterno) (root word)

chest

peritoneal (root word)

abdomino-pelvic

pleura (root word)

lungs region

pneumo (root word)

lung, air

pnea, spiro (root word)

breath

pyo (root word)

pus

reno (root word)

kidney

salpingo (root word)

fallopian tube

sepsi (root word)

infection

splanchno (root word)

viscera

thrombo (root word)

blood clot

tracheo (root word)

trachea, wind pipe

vaso (root word)

vessel

viscero, viscera (root word)

internal organs

a-,an- (prefix)

without, absence of, not

ab- (prefix)

away from

ad- (prefix)

toward to

ana-, dis- (prefix)

apart

ante- (prefix)

before, in front

anti- (prefix)

against

bio- (prefix)

life

blasto- (prefix)

precursor, producer

brady- (prefix)

slow

circum-, circ- (prefix)

around, about

cyani- (prefix)

blue

dys- (prefix)

difficult, painful, abnormal

ecto- (prefix)

outside

endo- (prefix)

within, into

epi- (prefix)

above, upon

erytthro- (prefix)

red

ex-, exo- (prefix)

outside

hetero- (prefix)

other, different

homo- (prefix)

same

hyper- (prefix)

above, excessive

hypo- (prefix)

below, incomplete

infra- (prefix)

below

intra- (prefix)

within

inter- (prefix)

between

iso- (prefix)

same, equal

leuko (prefix)

white

macro-, mega- (prefix)

large

medi-, meso- (prefix)

middle

micro- (prefix)

small

muta- (prefix)

change

neo- (prefix)

new

oo- (prefix)

egg

para- (prefix)

beside, next to

peri- (prefix)

around

pre-, pro- (prefix)

before

post- (prefix)

after

psuedo- (prefix)

false

retro- (prefix)

behind

sub- (prefix)

below

supra- (prefix)

above

tachy- (prefix)

fast

trans- (prefix)

across

-algia (suffix)

pain

-ase (suffix)

enzyme

-atresia (suffix)

absences of normal opening

-clast (suffix)

breakdown

-cyte (suffix)

cell

-ectomy (suffix)

surgical removal

-emesis (suffix)

vomiting

-emia (suffix)

blood condition