Medical Prefixes and Roots: Anatomy, Physiology, and Pathology

acanth-

thorn, spine

actin-

ray

acr-

extremity, summit

angi-

vessel

antr-

cavity

argyr-

silver

aut-

self

blast-

bud, germ

blephar-

eyelid

brady-

slow

cac-

bad

cheil-

lip

chir-, cheir-

hand

chol-, chole-

bile, gall

chron-

time

copr-

excrement

dacry-

tear

enter-

intestine

gluc-, glyc-

sugar

hem-, hemat-

blood

heter-

other, different

hom-, home-

same, similar

irid-

iris

is-

equal, same

ker-, kerat-

horn, cornea

lapar-

abdomen

lept-

thin, delicate

lymph-

water, lymph

metr-

uterus, measure

myc-, mycet-

fungus

ne-

new, young

necr-

corpse, dead tissue

nom-

rule, law, measure

nyct-

night

onc-

tumor, swelling

oo-

egg

ophthalm-

eye

orch-, orchi-

testicle

orex-

appetite

osm-

smell (or 'to push')

ot-

ear

pale- (palae-)

old, ancient

penn-, pter-

wing, feather

phleb-

vein

phon-

sound, voice

phot-, phos-

light

platy-, platys-

broad, flat

pleur-

side, rib

proct-

anus, rectum

pyl-, pylor-

gate, entrance

pyr-, pyret-

fire, fever

rhin-

nose

salping-

tube

schiz-

to split

spa-, spas-

to draw, to jerk

splen-

spleen

splanchn-

entrails, viscera

stere-

solid, three-dimensional

stom-, stomat-

mouth

tac-, tax-

to order, to arrange

tele-

from far away, at a distance

therap-

to nurture, to treat

toc-

childbirth

trache-

rough, windpipe

traum-, traumat-

injury, trauma

abdomin-

abdomen

append-

appendix

convex-

vaulted, rounded

concav-

hollowed out

lact-

milk

mamm-

breast

ov-

egg

-algia

condition of having pain in

-emia

condition of the blood

-mania

madness, obsession

-opia

condition of the vision

-philia

intense attraction to or love for

-phobia

intense fear of or aversion to

-phoria

carrying or transporting

-sthenia

condition of strength

-tropia

turning or inclination

-ectomy

cutting out, removal

-graphy

writing, imaging

-logy

study or science of

-nomy

study or science of

-pathy

disease, disorder, feeling

-plasty

shaping, reconstruction

-stomy

cutting of an opening or mouth

-therapy

treatment

-tomy

cutting

-trophy

nourishment

-genesis

birth, origin

-kinesis

movement

-lysis

dissolution, breaking apart

-physis

growth

-stasis

condition, standing (stoppage)

-pnea

breathing

-rrhea

discharge

-scope

instrument for viewing

-some

body, structure