Ch. 1 (Introduction to Medical Terminology)- Cengage

Word Root

The basic meaning of the term.

Examples: gastr, cardi, neur, enter, hepat

Combining Form

A word root with a combining vowel added at the end

Example: gastr/o, cardi/o, nuer/o

Suffix

Usually, but not always, indicates a procedure, condition, disorder or disease. Always comes at the end of the word.

Example: -algia, -ology, -pathy

Prefix

Usually, but not always, indicates the location, time, number or status. Always comes at the beginning of the word.

Example: peri-, poly-, mega-

Gastr/o

stomach

cardi/o

heart

neur/o

nerve

enter/o

small intestine

hepat/o

liver

-algia

pain and suffering

-ology

study of

-pathy

disease

-plasty

surgical repair

-itis

inflammation

peri-

"around"

poly-

many or much

mega-

big or abnormally large

hypo-

low or below normal

cyan/o

blue

erythr/o

red

leuk/o

white

melan/o

black or dark

poli/o

gray

dextr/o

right

sinistr/o

left

macr/o

large, great, or long

micr/o

small

megal/o

large, great

olig/o

few or skanty

arteri/o

artery

arther/o

plaque or fatty substance

arthr/o

joint

aden/o

gland

angi/o

vessel

abdomin/o

abdomen

appendic/o

appendix

my/o

muscle

myc/o

fungus

myel/o

bone marrow or spinal cord

py/o

puss

pyr/o

fever or fire

pyel/o

renal pelvis

path/o

disease or suffering

crani/o

skull

col/o

skin

hem/o, hemat/o

blood

hist/o

tissue

laryng/o

larynx (voice box)

pharyng/o

throat or pharynx

lith/o

stone

nat/o

birth

ot/o

ear

ren/o

kidney

rhin/o

nose

tonsill/o

tonsil

vir/o

virus

oste/o

bone

plural noun endings

-a, -e (more than one)

singular noun endings

-um, -us (one person)

wildcard noun ending

-y

pretaining to (most commonly used)

-ac, -eal, -al, -ical, -ial, -ic, -tic

pretaining to (not most commonly used, but still uses them)

-ior, -ory, -ous, -ine, -ary, -ar, -an

diseased conditions

-ago, -iasis, -esis, -osis, -ia

conditions

-ion, -ism

-dynia

pain

-malacia

abnormal softening

-megaly

abnormal enlargement

-necrosis

tissue death

-sclerosis

abnormal hardening

-stenosis

abnormal narrowing

-centesis

surgical puncture to remove fluid

-ectomy

surgical removal

-graphy

proccess of producing a picture or recording

-graph

instrument to produce picture or recording

-gram

picture or recording

-otomy

surgical incision

-ostomy

surgical creation of an artifical opening

-scopy

visual examination

-scope

instrument used to get a visual exam

-rrhea

flow or discharge

-rrhange, -rrhagia

abnormal flow of discharge

-rrhaphy

surgical suturing (sewing)

-rrhexis

rupture

-derma

skin

-cyte(s)

cell

-oma

tumor or neoplasm (new growth)

ab-

away from (take away)

ad-

towards or in the direction of

ex-

out of, away from, outside

in-

in or inside

macro-

large, great, or long

micro-

small

mega-

large, great, abnormal size

pre-

before or infront of

post-

behind or after

dys-

bad, difficult, painful

eu-

good, normal, easy, well

hyper-

increased or above

hypo-

decreased or below

inter-

between or among