Medical Terminology ( Suffixes, Prefixes & Root Words )

-al, -eal, -iac, -ic, -ical, -ior

Pertaining to

algia, dynia

pain

-ectomy

excision, surgical removal

-gram

record

-ia

condition of

-ian, -ist

specialist

-ism

condition, method, process

-itis

inflammation

-logy

study of

-oid

like, resembling

-oma

tumor

-pathy

disease condition

-scope

process of visual examining

-tomy

process of cutting, incision

a-, an-

no, not, without

anti-, contra

against

auto-

self

dia-

through, complete

dys-

abnormal, painful, difficult

endo-

within

ex-

out

hyper-

excessive, above

hypo-

deficient, below

mega-

large

peri-

around, surround

pro-, ante

before

re-

back, again

sub-

under, below

trans-

across, through

abdomen/o

Abdomen

aden/o

Gland

arthr/o

Joint

cardi/o

Heart

cephal/o

Head

cervic/o

Neck

chondr/o

Cartilage

crani/o

Skull

cutane, derm/o, dermat/o

Skin

cyt/o

cell

dors/o

back portion of the body

gastro/o

Stomach

hemat/o, hem/o

Blood

hepat/o

Liver

hist/o

Tissue

nephr/o, ren/o

Kidney

neur/o

Nerve

oste/o, oss/l, osse/o

Bone

ot/o

Ear

pelv/o, pelvi/o

hip, pelvic cavity

phleb/o

Vein

rhin/o

Nose

thorac/o

Chest

vertebr/o

Vertebrae, backbones

ankly/o

bent crooked

cry/o

Cold

eu

good, natural

malacia

Softening

megaly

Enlargement

tachy

Fast

brachy

Short

ab

away from

ad

toward

anter/o

front

circum

around

end/o

within

hemi

half, one side

inter

between

later/o

side

medi/o, mes/o

middle

poster/o

back

cyan/o

blue

erythr/o

red

leuk/o

white

melan/o

black, dark

xanth/o

yellow

Most medical terms are made up of one or more parts. there are 4 possible word parts and medical terms which are?

root words, prefixes, suffixes, & combining forms

The vowel used most often to combine medical words is?

O

Prefixes

are word parts that are attached to the beginning of a root word in order to modify its meaning.

Suffixes

these word parts attach to the end of the root word in order to modify their meaning.

Root Words

give the basic meanings to medical terms. they can be used alone or can be joined with other terms.

Medical terms always contain at least one what?

root word

Prefixes and Suffixes cannot _________alone

stand