Medical Terminology Prefixes, Suffixes, and Root Words

A collection of medical vocabulary terms consisting of prefixes, suffixes, and root words with their corresponding definitions as found in the study notes.

-ABLE

capable of or ability to

ALB/O-

white (related terms: albo-, leuco-, leuko-)

AMBI-

both

AMPHI-

both

AN-

lack of or without

ANA-

apart or up

ANTI-

against

ARCHE/O-

first

-AR

refers to or pertains to (related terms: -AC, -AL, -ARY, -ATE, -EUM, -IAC, -IC, -ICAL, -ILE, -IS, -IUM, -ORY, -OUS, -UM, -US)

-ATION

process of or procedure of (related terms: -AGE, -IATION, -ING, -ION, -TION, -Y)

BENE-

good or normal

BENIGN-

kind

BI-

two (related terms: CO-, BIN-, DI-, DIPLO-, DUO-, DYO-)

BIN-

two

CAPN/O-

carbon dioxide (or smoke)

CAV-

hollow

-CELE

swelling or tumor

CELLUL/O-

chambers

CENTI-

one-hundredth part ($100$)

CHLOR/O-

green

CHROM/O-

colored

-CID

to kill

CIRCUM-

around

CIRRH/O-

yellow-orange

CO-

two

COM-

together (related terms: CON-, SYM-, SYN-)

CORP/O-

body

-CULE

little (related terms: -ICLE, -IOLE, -ULE, -ULA)

DE-

away

DECI-

one tenth ($1/10$)

DEKA-

ten

DEMI-

half (related terms: HEMI-, SEMI-)

DIA-

across, through, total, or between

DIPLO-

double or two

DIS-

away from or reverse

DROMO-

running

DY/O-

two or a pair

DYS-

difficult, faulty, or painful

-E (suffix)

instrument (related terms: -graph)

E- (prefix)

out or remove (related terms: ec-, ect-, ex-, ext-)

EDEMA-

swelling

EF-

away or out

EM-

in

EN-

in

ENAMEL

hard

ENDO-

within or inside

EPI-

upon

ETI/O-

cause

EX-

out, outside, or outward (related terms: EXO-, EXTRA-)

-GNOSIS

knowledge

-GRADE

a step, stage, or degree in a process

HEMI-

half or one half

HEPT/A-

seven

HETER/O-

other or opposite

-IA

refers to, condition, or state of (related terms: -A)

-ICIAN

one who

IDIO-

unique to or unknown cause

-ID

state of

IM-

into or not

INTER-

between

-IOR

one who is (related terms: -ER, -OR)

-IOUS

state of

ISO-

equal or same

KIL/O-

one thousand

LAT-

side (alternate spelling: LATER/O-)

LUMP-

small mass

MAGNI-

large or greater

MEDI-

middle

MEGA-

great or big

META-

beyond or change

MICRO-

small

MORPHO-

shape

MORT/O-

death

MULTI-

many, multiple, or excessive (related terms: PLURI-, POLY-)

NANO-

$1$ billionth

NECR/O-

death, dead, or dying (related terms: THANAT/O-)

NIGRA-

black (alternate spellings: NIGRI-, NIGRO-; related term: MELAN/O-)

NIN/O-

nine (related terms: NOV-)

NULL/I-

none or no

OCCIPIT/O-

back of head

OCT/O-

eight (alternate spelling: OCTA-; related term: OCTI-)

OLEO-

oil

-OLEUM

oil

OLIG/O-

few, scanty, slight, or little

-OLOG/Y

science or study of, or process of (related terms: -LOG-)

OPISTH/O-

backwards (bending)

-OSIS

condition of or disease (related terms: -ASIS, -ESIS, -SIS)

OX/Y-

sharp or oxygen molecules (alternate spelling: OX/O-)

PALM/A-

palm or palm of hand

PAN-

all, total, or complete

PATH/O-

disease

PEDI-

child (related term: PEDIA-)

PENT/A-

five

PER-

through

-PHILE

love of, to love, or love for (alternate spelling: -PHILIA; related term: -PHIL)

PLAN/O-

flat or a plane

PLANT/O-

sole of foot

POLY-

many

POST-

after or behind

-PRAX/IA

movement or action (related terms: KINESIO-)