Medical Terminology – Prefixes, Roots & Suffixes

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards summarizing the key medical prefixes, roots, and suffixes presented in the lecture notes. Use these to practice recalling each element’s meaning for exam preparation.

a- / an-

without; lack of; absent

ab-

from; away

ad-

near; toward

aer(o)-

air

aden(o)-

gland

ambi-

both

-algia / -algesia

pain

angi(o)-

vessel (blood or lymph)

arteri(o)-

artery

arthr(o)-

joint

-asthenia

weakness

auto-

self

bi- / di-

two; twice

brady-

slow

bronch(o)-

bronchus; airway

cardi(o)-

heart

-cele

hernia; tumor; swelling; sac

-centesis

surgical puncture to remove fluid

cephal(o)-

head

chole-

bile; gall

cholecyst(o)-

gall-bladder

choledocho-

common bile duct

chondr(o)-

cartilage

-cide

killing agent

circum-

around

-cise

cut

col(o)-

colon

colp(o)-

vagina

contra-

against

cost(o)-

rib

crani(o)-

skull

cyan(o)-

blue

cyst(o)-

urinary bladder; sac

cyt(o)-

cell

de-

down; from

dent(i)-

tooth

derm(o) / dermat(o)-

skin

dia-

through; across; between; apart

dis-

apart

dys-

painful; difficult; disordered

ecto-

outside; outer

-ectomy

surgical removal

-emesis

vomiting

encephal(o)-

brain

endo-

within; inner

enter(o)-

intestine

epi-

upon; above; over

erythr(o)-

red

-esthesia

sensation

ex-

out; away from

fibr(o)-

fiber

gastr(o)-

stomach

-gen / -genic

producing; originating

gloss(o)-

tongue

gluc(o) / glyc(o)-

sugar; sweet

-gram

record or picture

-graph

instrument that records

-graphy

process of recording

gynec(o)-

woman; female

hem(a) / hemat(o)-

blood

hemi-

half

hep(a) / hepat(o)-

liver

hist(o)-

tissue

hydr(o)-

water

hyper-

above; excessive

hypo-

below; deficient

hyster(o)-

uterus

ile(o)-

ileum (small intestine)

ili(o)-

ilium (pelvic bone)

inter-

between

intra-

within

-itis

inflammation

lapar(o)-

abdomen

lith(o)-

stone; calculus

-lysis

loosening; dissolution

macro-

large

mal-

bad; poor

-mania

obsession; madness

leuk(o)-

white

lip(o)-

fat

-lepsy

seizure

mast(o)-

breast

mega- / megal(o)-

large; enlarged

men(o)-

menstruation

mes(o)-

middle

-meter

measuring instrument

metr(o)-

uterus

micro-

small

mono-

single; one

muc(o)-

mucus

myel(o)-

spinal cord; bone marrow

my(o)-

muscle

narc(o)-

stupor; numbness

nas(o)-

nose

necr(o)-

death

ne(o)-

new

nephr(o)-

kidney

neur(o)-

nerve

non-

no; not

ocul(o)-

eye