Common Word Parts in Medical Terminology

a-, an-

absence of, without, not

ab-

away from, take away

ad-

toward, to, near

ambi-, ambo-

both

amphi-

double, both sides

ana-

up, apart

ante-

before, in front of, forward

anti-

opposing, against

ap-, apo-

separated, derived from

aut-, auto-

self

bi-

double, two, twice, both

brachy-

short

brady-

slow

cata-

lower, down, against

circum-

around

co-, con-, com-

together, with

contra-

against, opposed to

de-

down, from

di-

twice, two

dia-

through, apart, across, between

dis-

apart from, free from

dys-

bain, painful, difficult

e-, ec-, ex-

from, away from, out of

ect-, exo-, ecto-

outside, outer, on

em-, en-

in

end-, endo-, ent-, ento-

within, inner

epi-, ep-

upon, over, on

eu-

normal

extra-, extro-

beyond, outside of, outward

hemi-, semi-

half (of)

hyper-

above, excessive, beyond

hyp-, hypo-

below, beneath, deficient

im-, in-

in, within

infra-

below, beneath

inter-

between

intra-

within, inside

intro-

into, within

iso-

same, equal

macro-

large

mal-

bad

meso-, mes-

middle

meta-

beyond, changing

micro-

tiny, small

mono-, uni-

one

multi-

many

neo-

new, recent

nulli-

none

oligo-

small amount

ortho-

straight, normal

pan-

all

para-

beyond, beside, after

per-

through

peri-

around

poly-

many, excessive

post-

after, following, behind

pre-, pro-

in front of, before, preceding

presby-

old age

pseudo-

false

quadri-

four

re-

backward, again

retro-

behind, backward

sub-

under, beneath

super-, supra-

above, excessive, superior

sym-, syn-

with, together

tachy-

rapid, fast

trans-

through, across

tri-

three

ultra-

excessive, beyond

abdomino

abdomen

andro

male

angio

vessel

anterio

artery

arthro

joint

audio

hearing

bronchi/o

bronchus, lung

carcino

cancer

cardio

heart

cholecysto

gallbladder

chondri/o

cartilage

colo

colon

cysti/o

bladder or cyst

cyto

cell

duodeno

duodenum

encephalo

brain

erythro

red

esophago

esophagus

gastro

stomach

glyco

sugar

gyneco

female reproductive system

hemato, hemo

blood

histo

tissue

hystero

uterus

laryngo

larynx

leuko

white

meno

menstruation

myo

muscle

nephro

kidney

neuro

nerve

opto

vision

orcho

testicle