Medical Terminology: Prefixes, Suffixes, Root Words

angi

root word; blood vessel

cardi

root word; heart

vas

root word; vessel

ven

root word; vein

abdomin

root word; abdomen

colo

root word; colon (large intestine)

dent

root word; teeth

enter

root word; intestines

gastr

root word; stomach

gingiv

root word; gums

gloss

root word; tongue

hepat

root word; liver

lingua

root word; tongue

naso

root word; nose

proct

root word; rectum

pneum

root word; lungs

pulm

root word; lungs

pulm

root word; lung

stomat

root word; mouth

hem

root word; blood

phleb

root word; vein

throm

root word; blood clot

derma

root word; skin

trich

root word; hair

vesic

root word; blister

arthr

root word; joint

brach

root word; arm

cervic

root word; neck

cost

root word; rib

crani

root word; skull

lamin

root word; vertebrae (backbones)

my

root word; muscle

oste

root word; bone

pod

root word; foot

rhin

root word; nose

cephal

root word; head

cerebr

root word; cerebrum

encephal

root word; brain

mening

root word; meninges (“brain covering”)

myel

root word; spinal cord

myring

root word; eardrum

neur

root word; nerve

ocul

root word; eye

ophthalm

root word; eye

ot

root word; ear

adip

root word; fat

anter

root word; in front of

aut

root word; self

bio

root word; life

carcin

root word; cancer

cry

root word; cold

dextr

root word; to the right of

dors

root word; back

erythr

root word; red

gluc, glyc

root word; sugar

herni

root word; rupture

hist

root word; tissue

hyrdr

root word; water

lact

root word; milk

later

root word; side

leuk

root word; white

lev

root word; to the left of

lip

root word; fat

lith

root word; stone

macr

root word; large

med

middle

melan

root word; black

micr

root word; small

narc

root word; sleep

necr

root word; dead

onc

root word; tumor

path

root word; disease

ped

root word; child

pseud

root word; false

psych

root word; mind

py

root word; pus

pyr

root word; fever, heat

seps, sept, septic

root word; infection

sten

root word; narrowed

therm

root word; heat

tom

root word; section

a— or an—

prefix; without

ab—

prefix; away

ad—

prefix; toward

amb—

prefix; walk

ambi—

prefix; both

ante—

prefix; before

anti—

prefix; against

bi—

prefix; two, twice, double

brady—

prefix; slow

circum—

prefix; around

contra—

prefix; against

de—

prefix; down

dis—

prefix; away from

dys—

prefix; painful, abnormal

endo—

prefix; within, inside

epi—

prefix; above, on

eu—

prefix; normal, good

ex—, extra—

prefix; outside of

fore—

prefix; in front of