Medical Terminology: Unit 1

Prefixes, Roots, Suffixes

a-, an-

without, away from

(asphyxia: without speech)

(anoxia, without oxygen)

ante-

before, in front of

(antepartum, before birth)

anti-

against

(antibiotics)

auto-

self

(autograft, a graft from one’s own body)

brady-

slow

(bradycardia, slow heartbeat)

contra-

against

(contraception, against conception)

de-

without

devalue; depigmentation (without pigment)

dys-

painful, difficult, abnormal

(dyspnea, difficulty breathing)

endo-

within, inner

(endoscope, instrument to view within)

epi-

upon, over

epicenter: point OVER an earthquakes origin.

(epigastric, upon or over the stomach)

eso-

inward

(esotropia, inward turning

eu-

normal, good

(eupnea, normal breathing)

ex-

external, outward

(exostosis, condition of external bone)

extra-

outside of

ex) extraterrestrial (outside of EARTH)

(extracorporeal, outside of the body)

hetero-

different

(heterograft, graft [like a skin graft] from another species)

homo-

same

hydro-

water

hyper-

over, excessive

hypo-

under, below

in-

not; inward

(infertility, NOT fertile; inhalation, to breath in)

inter-

among, between

intra-

within, inside

(intravenous: inside, within vein)

macro-

large

micro-

small

myo-

to shut

(myopia, to shut eyes/squint)

neo-

new

(neonatology, study of the newborn)

pan-

all

(pansinusitis, inflammation of all the sinuses)

para-

beside, near, abnormal; two like parts of a pair

(paranasal: beside the nose; paresthesia→ abnormal sensation; paraplegia→ paralysis of two like parts of a pair

per-

through

permeable (gases and liquid can GO THROUGH)

percutaneous (through the skin)

peri-

around

perimeter

pericardial (around the heart)

post-

after

pre-

before, in front of

pro-

before

prolactin (before milk)

pseudo-

false

retro-

backward, behind

retrospect

retroperitoneal (behind the peritoneum)

sub-

below, under

supra-

above

suprapubic (above the pubic bone)

tachy-

rapid, fast

trans-

through, across

ultra-

beyond, excess

ultrasound (beyond sound; high frequency waves)

un-

not

unconcious: not conscious.

Aden/o

Gland

Adenopathy

Carcin/o

Cancer

Carcinoma (cancerous tumor)

cardi

heart

chem/o

chemical

Cis

to cut

Incision (cutting into)

dermat/o

skin

Enter/o

Small intestine

gastr/o

stomach

gynec/o

Female

Gynecology

hemat/o

Blood

Hematic (pertaining to blood)

Hydro

Water

immun/o

Immunity

laryng/o

Larynx; Voice box

Nephr/o

Kidneys

Nephoremagy.

Neur//o

Nerves

Opthalm/o

Eye

ot/o

Ears

path/o

Disease

Pulmon/o

Lungs

Rhin/o

Nose

Rhino plastic ( repair of nose)

-algia

Pain
(interchangeable with -dynia)

-cele

hernia, protrusion

ex cysto____ (protrusion of the bladder)

-dynia

pain (interchangeable with -algia)

-ectasis

dilation

ex) bronchi______ (dilated bronchi)

-gen

agent that produces/causes/generates something;

that which produces
ex) patho___ (____ that which produces disease)

-genesis

produces, generates
ex) spermato______

-genic

producing, produced by
ex) carcino_____ (capable of producing cancer)

-ia

state/condition
ex) bradycard___

-iasis

abnormal condition
(a in iasis is like prefix a/an)
lith____ (abnormal condition of stones)

-iatry

medical treatment
ex) psych____ (treatment of mind/mental state); pod___ (treatment of the foot)

-ism

state of
ex) hypothyroid___ (state of low thyroid)

-itis

inflammation

-logist

person that studies

-logy

study of

-lysis

destruction
hemolysis (blood destruction)
(almost sounds like lice; lice “destroys” you [not really])

-lyctic

destruction
ex) thrombo____ (clot destruction)

-malacia

abnormal softening
ex) chondro______ (abnormal cartilage softening)

-megaly

enlargenment, large

-oid

resembling
fibr____ (resembling fibre)

-oma

tumor, mass, swelling
ex) carcin___ (cancerous tumor)

-osis

abnormal condition
ex) cyanosis (abnormal condition of being blue)

-pathy

disease

-phobia

fear

-plasia

growth, development
ex) hyperplasia (rapid/excessive growthA)

-plasm

formation, development
ex) neo____ (new formation)-

-ptosis

drooping

ex) blephar_____ (drooping eyelid)

-rrhage

excessive, abnormal flow

ex) hemo______ (excessive blood flow, which means BLEEDING)

-rrhea

discharge, flow
ex) rhinorrhea (discharge from nose)

ex) diarrhea (flowing thru; stool flowing through tract)

-rrhexis

rupture

ex) hystero_____ (ruptured uterus)

-sclerosis

hardening

ex) arteriosclerosis (hardening of artery)

sounds like scoliosis —> bones = hard

-stenosis

narrowing

ex) angiostenosis (narrowing of a vessel)

like a STEM (sten —> stem)

-therapy

treatment
ex) chemo______ (chemical treatment)

-trophy

nourisnment, development
ex) hyper_____ (excessive development); similar to like phototropia (plants growing towards light to develop)

-ule

small
ex) ven____ (small vein)

-ac

pertaining to

-al

pertaining to

-an

pertaining to

-ar

pertaining to

-ary

pertaining to