Flashcards Medical Terminology: Suffixes, Prefixes, and Organ Names

-itis

inflammation

-osis

abnormal condition

-ectomy

to cut out (remove)

-otomy

to cut into

-ostomy

to make a 'mouth'

a/an

without, none

micro

small

macro

large

mega/-megaly

enlarged

-scopy/-scopic

to look, observe

-gram

the image (X-ray)

-ology/-ologist

study, specialize in

Stomato

mouth

Dento

teeth

Glosso/linguo

tongue

Gingivo

gums

Encephalo

brain

Gastro

stomach

Colo

large intestine

Procto

anus/rectum

Hepato

liver

Nephro/rene

kidney

Orchido

testis

Oophoro

ovary

Hystero/metro

uterus

Salpingo

uterine tubes

Dermo

skin

Masto/mammo

breast

Osteo

bones

Cardio

heart

Cysto

bladder

Rhino

nose

Phlebo/veno

veins

Pneumo/pulmo

lung

Hemo/emia

blood

Leuk/o

white

melan/o

black

cyan/o

blue

xanth/o

yellow

Endo

within, inside of

Peri

around

Circum

around

Retro

behind

Epi

upon, on top

Trans

through

Intra

within

Sub

below

Brady/tachy

slow/fast

Angi/o

vessel

-stasis

to stop

-cyte

cell

Dys

difficult, painful, abnormal

-cele

hernia, abnormal protrusion

-pathy

disease, abnormality

-plasia

development, formation, growth

-plegia

paralysis

Gastr/o

stomach

Hepat/o

liver

Chol/e

gall, bile

Cyst/o

bladder, sac

Emes/o

vomit

Lith/o

stone

Lapar/o

abdominal wall

-centesis

to puncture

-tripsy

to crush

-rrhea

flow, discharge

-iasis

abnormal condition

Rhin/o

nose

Laryng/o

larynx, 'voice box'

Trache/o

trachea, 'windpipe'

Bronch/o

lung air passageways

Pne/u, -pnea

breath, air, lung

Pulmo/o

lung

-ptysis

spitting (coughing)

Nephr/o, ren/o

kidney

Hydro/o

water

Pyel/o

renal collecting ducts

Ur/o, -uria

urine

Olig/o

scanty, less than normal

-pexy

to surgically reattach, fix in normal position

Oste/o

bone

Chondr/o

cartilage

Arthr/o

joint

Myel/o

bone marrow

Ten/o, tendin/o

tendon (binds muscle to bone)

Ligament/o

ligament (binds bone to bone)

Burs/o

bursa, 'bag' (shock absorber between tendons and bones)

My/o, myos/o

muscle

-malacia

softening

-porosis

porous

-asthenia

weakness, loss of strength

-trophy

development, stimulation, maintenance

-algia, algesia

pain