Roots, Prefixes, Suffixes, and Combining Forms

cardi/o

heart

cerebr/o

brain, cerebrum

col/o , colon/o

colon

crani/o

carnium, skull

dermat/o

skin

disk/o

disk (of spine)

gastr/o

stomach

nephro/o , ren/o

kidney

oste/o

bone

pulmon/o

lung

pre-

before

post-

after, behind

peri-

around, surrounding

intra-

within

inter-

between

sub-, infra

below, beneath

supra-, super

above

a-,an-

without, not

poly-

many, much

dys-

painful, difficult, abnormal

-ac, -al, -ary, -ic, -ous

pertaining to

-algia

pain

-ectomy

excision, surgical removal

-gram

record, recording

-ism, -ia

condition of

-itis

inflammation

-ium

tissue, structure

-logy

study of

-oma

tumor

-tomy

incision

Types of combining vowles

• usually o

• sometimes I or e

combining form

the result of combing the combing vowel along with the root word

Rules for when to include a combining vowel

• when a combining form is joined to a suffix that doesn’t begin with a vowel

• when two combining forms are joined together

singular ending a

plural ending ae

eg. veretbra vertebrae

singular ending en

plural ending ina

eg.lumen, lumina

singular ending ex, ix, yx

plural ending ices

eg. index indices

singular ending is

plural ending es

eg. ankylosis, ankyloses

singular ending on

plural ending a

eg. phenomenon, phenomena

singular ending um

plural ending a

eg. diverticulum, diverticula

singular ending us

plural ending i

eg. nucleus, nuclei

singular ending x, nx

plural ending ges, nges

eg. phalanx, phalanges

Which order to define a term based on word parts

1. suffix

2. prefix

3. root

a- an-

without, away from, not

ab- abs-

from, away from, absent

abdomin- abdomino-

abdomen

abort- aborto-

to miscarry

acanth- acantho-

thorn, spine

acous- acoust- acousto-

hearing

acro-

extremity, top, extreme point

actin- actino

ray, from of radiation

ad-

adherence, increase, toward

-ad

toward, in direction of

aden- adeno-

gland

adip- adipo-

fat

adren- adreno- adrenal- adrenalo-

adrenal glands

-aemia

blood

aer- aero-

air, gas

af-

toward

-agogue

agent that promotes expulsion of specific substance

-agra

sudden severe pain

-al

relating to (abdominal, intestinal)

albumin- albumino-

albumin

*the most abundant protein in the blood, made by the liver

-algesia, -algia

suffering, pain

algi-

pain

allo- all-

other

amb- ambi

both, both sides, around, about

amph- amphi- ampho

both, both sides, all sides, double, around, about

ana- an-

up, aganist, back

andro-

man

angi- angio-

blood or lymph vessels

aniso-

unequal, asymmetrical, dissimilar

ankyl- ankylo-

crooked, bent, fusion of parts

ante-

before

antero-

anterior, front, before

anthropo-

human beings, human life

ant- anti-

againist

antr- antro-

antrum

*cavity or chamber in a bone or hollow organ

apo-

from, derived from, separated from, opposed

arch- arche- archi-

first principal, begging, original

arteri- arterio

artery

arthr- arthro-

joint

-ase

enzyme

-asis -esis -iasis -isis -sis

condition pathological state

astro-

star, star shpaed

atelo-

imperfect, incomplete

ather- arthero-

fatty plaque

atmo-

steam, vapor

atreto-

absences of an opening

aut- auto-

self

axio-

axis, the long aixs of a tooth

axo-

axis, axon

azot- azoto-

nitrogenous compounds

bacteri- bacterio-

bacteria, bacterium

balan- balano-

glans clitoris, glans penis

bar- baro-

weight, pressure

basi- basio-

base foundation

bi- bis-

two, double, twice

bili-

bille

bio-

life

blast- -blast

germ, bud, embryonic state of developement