Medical Terminology

-itis

Inflammation

-osis/-iasis

abnormal condition

-ectomy

= to cut out (remove)

-otomy

= to cut into/ temp opening

• tracheotomy (to cut into the windpipe,
  temporary opening)

-ostomy

= to make a “mouth”/ opening

• colostomy (to make a permanent opening in colon)

a/an

= without, none

micro

= small

macro

= large

mega/ -megaly

= enlarged

-scopy/ -scopic

= to look, observe

-graphy/ -graph

= recording an image

-gram

= the image (X-ray)

-ology/ -ologist

= study, specialize in

Stomato

mouth

ex:stomatitis

Dento

teeth

ex: dentist: a healthcare professional specializing in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the teeth.

Glosso/linguo

tongue

• Ex: glossitis:inflammation of the tongue.

Gingivo

gums

Encephalo

brain

Gastro

stomach

Entero

intestine

Colo

large intestine

Procto

anus/rectum

Hepato

liver

Nephro/rene

kidney

Orchido/ test/o

testis

Oophoro

ovary

• Oophorectomy

Hystero/metro

uterus

• Hysterectomy, endometritis (inflammation of the lining of uterus)

Salping/o, -salpinx

uterine tubes

• Ex: Salpingitis, hematosalpinx (blood in the uterine tube)

Dermo

skin

Mamm/o, mast/o

breast

• Mammogram, mastectomy

Osteo

bones

Cysto

bladder

Rhino

nose

Phlebo/veno

veins

Pneumo/pulmo

lung

• Ex: pneumonitis & pulmonologist

Leuk/o

white

Ex: leukemia (overabundance of white blood cells).

melan/o

black

Ex: melanoma (black tumor of the skin).

cyan/o

blue

Ex: cyanosis (blueness may be due to cold or not enough oxygen in blood).

xanth/o

yellow

Ex: xanthoma (yellow tumor).

Oma

a swelling/ tumors

Aden/o

gland

Ex: adenoma (benign tumor of a gland).

Lip/o

fat

Ex: lipoma (benign tumor of fat tissue).

My/o, myos/o

muscle

Ex: myoma (tumor of muscle).

Lymph/o

lymph tissue

Ex: lymphoma (cancer of the lymphatic system).

Carcin/o

malignant

Ex: carcinoma (cancer that begins in skin or in tissues that line or cover internal organs).

Endo

within, inside of

Ex: endoscopy (to inspect the inside of an organ or space with a lighted instrument).

Peri

around

Ex: perianal (around the anus).

Circum

around

Ex: circumcise (cut around).

Retro

behind

Ex: retrosternal (behind the breastbone).

Epi

upon, on top

Ex: epidermis (the top or outermost layer of skin).

Trans

through

Ex: transurethral (through the urinary exit duct).

Intra

within

Ex: intravenous (inside the veins, e.g. IV fluids).

Sub

below

Ex: subclavian (below the clavicle = collar bone).

Cardi/o

= heart

Brady/tachy

= slow/fast

Angi/o

= vessel

-stasis

= to stop

• Ex: Hemostasis (to stop bleeding), hemostat (a clamp-like instrument)

-cyte

= cell

Hem/o, -emia

= blood

• Ex: Hypoxemia (low oxygen), hematosalpinx (blood in the uterine tubes)

Atherosclerosis

• hardening of the fatty stuff

hardening of the fatty stuff

infarction

• blockage of blood flow resulting in death of muscle tissue.

blockage of blood flow resulting in death of muscle tissue.

Myocardial infarction (MI)

Heart Attack

Cephal/o

Head

• Cephalgia (a headache)

Mening/o

Membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord

Myel/o (neuro)

Spinal cord

Neur/o

Nerve

Dys

Difficult, painful, abnormal

• Ex: Dyslexia

-cele

Hernia, abnormal protrusion of structure out of normal anatomical position

• Meningomyelocele (protrusion of membranes and spinal cord)

-pathy

Disease, abnormality

-plasia (neuro)

Development, formation, growth

-plegia

Paralysis

Chol/e

Gall, bile

Emes/o

Vomit

• Ex: Emesis (vomiting), emetic (stimulating vomiting), antiemetic (stopping vomiting)

Lith/o

Stone

• Cholelithotomy (removal of gall stones)

Lapar/o

Abdominal wall

• Laparotomy (cutting into the abdomen)

-centesis

To puncture

• Ex:Abdominocentesis (puncturing and draining)

-tripsy

To crush

-rrhea

Flow, discharge

• Diarrhea

Dysphagia

• Difficulty swallowing. May be related to GERD (see above), esophageal tumor or other causes.

Difficulty swallowing. May be related to GERD (see above), esophageal tumor or other causes.

Laryng/o

Larynx, “voice box”

Trache/o

Trachea, “windpipe”

Bronch/o

Lung air passageways

Pne/u, -pnea

Breath, air, lung

-ptysis

Spitting (coughing)

• Hemoptysis (spitting or coughing up blood from lungs)

-plasty

Reconstruction

• Ex: Rhinoplasty (surgical reconstruction of nose)

Hydro/o

Water

• Hydronephrosis (abnormal condition involving back up of urine into the kidney

Pyel/o

Renal collecting ducts

Ur/o, -uria

Urine

• Polyuria- frequent urination) anuria-urine formation

Olig/o

Scanty, less than normal

• Oliguria (reduced urine formation)

-pexy

To surgically reattach, fix in normal position

Balan/o

Head of the pen*s

Andr/o

Male

Prostat/o

Prostate

Vas/o

Vessel, duct

-rrhaphy

To suture

• Herniorrhaphy (surgical correction of inguinal hernia)

Colp/o

Vagina

• Colporrhaphy (suturing a tear), colpoplasty (surgical reconstruction), colposcopy (viewing the interior)

Men/o

Menstruation

• Menarche (first), dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation)

-pareunia, coitus

Intercourse

• Dyspareunia (painful intercourse),

gravida

• Pregnancy

  • Nulligravida (never pregnant), primigravida (first-time pregnant), multigravida (many pregnancies)

Pregnancy

• Nulligravida (never pregnant), primigravida (first-time pregnant), multigravida (many pregnancies)

-para

• Live birth

  • Nullipara (no live births), multipara (many live births)

  
  

Live birth

• Nullipara (no live births), multipara (many live births)