Medical Terminology: Suffixes, Prefixes, and Root Words

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering medical suffixes, prefixes, anatomical root words, and instrument/sterilization-specific terminology.

Suffixes

Word parts that sit at the end of a medical term and usually describe a condition, disease, or surgical procedure.

-ectomy

Surgical removal or excision (e.g., cholecystectomy for gallbladder removal).

-itis

Inflammation (e.g., appendicitis).

-ostomy

Surgical creation of a new permanent or semi-permanent opening (e.g., colostomy).

-otomy

Surgical incision or cutting into an organ (e.g., tracheotomy).

-plasty

Surgical repair, reconstruction, or restoration (e.g., rhinoplasty).

-rrhaphy

Surgical suturing or stitching to repair a tear.

-scopy

Visual examination or viewing using an instrument/scope (e.g., arthroscopy).

-tome

Cutting instrument used in surgery (e.g., dermatome).

-tripsy

Crushing or breaking apart (e.g., lithotripsy for stones).

Prefixes

Word parts that sit at the beginning of a word and typically describe direction, position, status, or amount.

A- / An-

Without, absence of, or not (e.g., asepsis).

Anti-

Against or opposing.

Dys-

Painful, difficult, or bad.

Endo-

Within or inside.

Hyper-

Above, excessive, or high.

Hypo-

Below, deficient, or under.

Inter-

Between or among.

Intra-

Within or inside a structure.

Para-

Beside, near, or abnormal.

Peri-

Around or surrounding (e.g., periosteum).

Post-

After or following.

Sub-

Under, beneath, or below (e.g., subcutaneous).

Root Words

Word parts that give the primary anatomical meaning to the term, often connected with a combining vowel like "o".

Arthr/o

Joint (e.g., arthroscopy).

Cholecyst/o

Gallbladder.

Col/o

Colon or large intestine.

Crani/o

Skull or head.

Cyst/o

Urinary bladder or fluid-filled sac.

Gastr/o

Stomach.

Hepat/o

Liver.

Hyster/o

Uterus.

Nephr/o

Kidney.

Neur/o

Nerve or nervous system.

Oste/o

Bone.

Ot/o

Ear.

Thorac/o

Chest or thorax.

-stat

Device or agent used to stop or arrest movement/flow (e.g., hemostat to stop bleeding).

-cide

Killer or destroyer (e.g., germicide, bactericide).

-meter

Instrument used to measure or count (e.g., thermometer, barometer).

-graph

Instrument used to record or write data (e.g., electrocardiograph).

-centesis

Surgical puncture to drain fluid (e.g., thoracentesis—uses specialized trays with aspiration needles).

-desis

Surgical binding, fusion, or surgical fixation (e.g., arthrodesis—requires orthopedic fusion instrument sets).

-pexy

Surgical fixation or anchoring of an organ in place (e.g., nephropexy).

Ab-

Away from (e.g., abduction).

Ad-

Toward or near (e.g., adduction).

Bi- / Di-

Two, twice, or double (e.g., bipolar forceps, dissection).

Circum-

Around or encircling (e.g., circumcision).

Contra-

Against or opposite (e.g., contraindication).

Ecto- / Exo-

Outside or outer layer (e.g., exoskeleton).

Epi-

Upon, on, or over (e.g., epicardium).

Macro-

Large (e.g., macroscopic inspection—checking instruments with the naked eye).

Micro-

Small (e.g., microscopic, microsurgery—requires delicate, fine-tipped instrument trays).

Multi- / Poly-

Many or much (e.g., polytrauma—implies many tray types will be used).