Common Terms

cardi

heart

hepat

liver

nephr

kidney

neur

nerves

psych

mind

thorac

chest

hyper-

over, excessive, high — fast ventilations

hypo-

under, below normal — below-normal blood flow to vital organs

tachy-

rapid, fast — fast heart rate

brady-

slow — slow breathing

pre-

before — occurring before birth

post-

after, behind — occurring after surgery

cyan/o

blue | cyanosis — blue discoloration of the skin

leuk/o

white | leukocyte — white blood cells that fight infection

erythr/o

red | erythrocyte — red blood cells that contain hemoglobin to carry oxygen

cirrh/o

yellow-orange | cirrhosis — inflammation of the liver causing yellow-orange pigmentation of the liver

melan/o

black | melena — black, tarry stool typically caused by upper gastrointestinal bleeding

poli/o

gray | poliomyelitis — acute viral disease that attacks the motor neurons of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord)

alb

white | albino — person lacking skin pigmentation (very white hair, very pale skin, and nonpigmented iris)

chlor/o

green | chlorophyll — green pigment in leaves used in photosynthesis

ab-

away from

ad-

to, toward

de-

down from, away

circum-

around, about

peri-

around

trans-

across, through, beyond

epi-

above, upon, on

supra-

above, over

retro-

behind

sub-

under, beneath

infra-

below, under

para-

near, beside, beyond, apart from

contra-

against, opposite

ecto-

out, outside

endo-

within

extra-

outside, in addition

intra-

inside, within

ipsi-

same

Anterior (ventral)

front

Posterior (dorsal)

back

Right

right side of the body

Left

left side of the body

Superior

top

Inferior

bottom

Proximal

closest

Distal

farthest

Medial

middle

Lateral

side

Deep

in

Superficial

out

abdomin/o

abdomen

acou/o

hear

aden/o

gland

adip/o

fat

alb/o

white

alges/o

pain

andr/o

man, male

angi/o

vessel

angin/o

blood vessel

ankyl/o

fused, stiff

anter/o

front

aort/o

aorta

append/o

appendix

arteri/o

artery

arthr/o

joint

asthen/o

weak

atel/o

incomplete

ather/o

fat

atri/o

atrium

audi/o

to hear

aur/o

ear

aut/o

self

bacteri/o

bacteria

bi

life; also two

bil/i

bile

blast/o

germ, bud, developing cell

blephar/o

eyelid

brachi/o

arm

bronch/i

airway, bronchus

bucc/o

cheek

burs/o

pouch or sac

calc/i

calcium

capn/o

carbon dioxide

carcin/o

cancer

cardi/o

heart

carp/o

wrist

cartil/o

cartilage, gristle

caud/o

tail

cec/o

blind intestine, cecum

cel/o

hernia, protrusion

cent/e

to puncture (a body cavity)

cent/i

one-hundredth or 100

cephal/o

head

cerebr/o

brain, cerebrum

cervic/o

neck

chol/e

bile

chondr/o

cartilage

chrom/o

color

chron/o

time

cirrh/o

yellow-orange