Medical Terminology Reference Flashcards

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering medical word structure, anatomical planes/positions, numerical prefixes, surgical and diagnostic procedures, pathogens, color prefixes, sense terms, and synonymous roots.

Prefix

A word element added at the beginning of a word (e.g., pre-, post-), designated by a hyphen after the term.

Suffix

A word element added at the ending of a word (e.g., -stomy, -itis), designated by a hyphen before the term.

Root

The foundation or base of a medical word (e.g., hepat, gastr).

Combining Vowel

A vowel (usually "o") added to a root to connect a root to another root or to a suffix beginning with a consonant.

Combining Form

A combination of a root plus a vowel (e.g., hepat/o; gastr/o), designated by a slash between the root and vowel.

Hyperleukocytosis

Condition of excessive white blood cells (leukocytes).

Hematotoxic

Pertaining to blood poisoning.

Poliomyelitis

Inflammation of the gray matter of the spinal cord.

Cytology

Study of cells.

Frontal Plane

An imaginary flat surface that divides the body into anterior (front) and posterior (back) portions.

Sagittal Plane

An imaginary flat surface that divides the body into right and left portions.

Transverse Plane

An imaginary flat surface that divides the body into upper and lower portions.

Prone Position

Lying face down.

Supine Position

Lying face up.

-rrhagia / -rrhage

Excessive flow, profuse fluid discharge.

-rrhaphy

Suture.

-rrhea

Flow, discharge.

-rrhexis

Rupture.

rrhythm/o

Rhythm.

kilo-

Numerical prefix denoting thousand ($10^3$).

mega-

Numerical prefix denoting million ($10^6$).

giga-

Numerical prefix denoting billion ($10^9$).

micro-

Numerical prefix denoting one millionth ($10^{-6}$).

nano-

Numerical prefix denoting one billionth ($10^{-9}$).

pico-

Numerical prefix denoting one trillionth ($10^{-12}$).

femto-

Numerical prefix denoting one quadrillionth ($10^{-15}$).

atto-

Numerical prefix denoting one quintillionth ($10^{-18}$).

-centesis

Surgical puncture of a cavity.

-desis

Surgical fixation, fusion.

-ectomy

Surgical removal.

-pexy

Fixation.

-plasty

Surgical correction/repair.

-stomy

Surgical opening.

-tomy

Surgical incision.

-tripsy

To crush, break.

auscult/o, auscultat/o

To listen.

palp/o, palpat/o

To touch gently.

percuss/o

To tap.

acar/o

Mites.

arachn/o

Spider.

scolec/o, verm/i, helminth/o

Worm.

hirud/i, hirudin/i

Leech.

ixod/i

Ticks.

chlor/o

Color term meaning green.

cirrh/o

Color term meaning orange-yellow.

cyan/o

Color term meaning blue.

eosin/o

Color term meaning red, rosy, dawn.

fusc/o

Color term meaning dark brown.

glauc/o

Color term meaning gray, bluish green.

melan/o

Color term meaning black.

poli/o, tephr/o

Color terms meaning gray (tephr/o specifically gray ashen).

xanth/o, flav/o, lute/o, jaund/o

Color terms meaning yellow.

acous/o, acoust/o, audi/o, audit/o, -cusis

Terms related to hearing.

olfact/o, -osmia, osm/o, -osphresia, osphresi/o

Terms related to smell.

haph/e, pselaphes/o, tact/o, thigm/o

Terms related to touch.

-geusia, gustat/o, gust/o

Terms related to taste.

-opia, -opsia, opt/o, ocul/o, ophthalm/o

Terms related to vision and the eye.

abdomin/o, celi/o, lapar/o

Synonymous root terms for abdomen.

blephar/o, palpebr/o

Synonymous root terms for eyelid.

cheil/o, chil/o, labi/o

Synonymous root terms for lip.

dacry/o, lacrim/o

Synonymous root terms for tear.

gloss/o, lingu/o

Synonymous root terms for tongue.

hyster/o, metr/o, uter/o

Synonymous root terms for uterus.

colp/o, vagin/o

Synonymous root terms for vagina.

phleb/o, ven/o

Synonymous root terms for vein.