Medical Terminology: Digestive System Combining Forms, Affixes, and Abbreviations

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering medical combining forms, prefixes, suffixes, and clinical abbreviations for the digestive system.

abdomin/o

abdomen

aliment/o

nourishment; nutrition

an/o

anus

append/o, appendic/o

appendix

bil/i

bile; gall

bucc/o

cheek

cec/o

cecum (first part of large intestine)

cheil/o

lip

cholangi/o

bile; vessel

chol/e

gall; bile

cholecyst/o

gallbladder

choledoch/o

common bile duct

cirrh/o

orange-yellow

col/o, colon/o

colon; large intestine

cyst/o

cyst; fluid sac; bladder

dent/i, dont/o

tooth

dips/o

thirst

duoden/o

duodenum (first part of small intestine)

diverticul/o

diverticulum

enter/o

intestines (usually the small intestine)

esophag/o

esophagus

gastr/o

stomach

gingiv/o

gums

gloss/o

tongue

gluc/o, glyc/o

sugar; glucose

hemat/o, hem/o

blood

hepat/o

liver

herni/o

hernia

ile/o

ileum (third part of small intestine)

inguin/o

groin

jaund/o

yellow

jejun/o

jejunum (second part of small intestine)

labi/o

lip

lapar/o

abdominal wall; abdomen

ling/o

tongue

lith/o

stone; calculus

odont/o

tooth

or/o

mouth

pancreat/o

pancreas

peritone/o

peritoneum (membrane that lines the abdominal cavity and covers the abdominal organs)

phag/o

eat; swallow; engulf

pharyng/o

pharynx; throat

proct/o

rectum; anus

rect/o

rectum

sial/o

saliva; salivary gland

sigmoid/o

sigmoid colon; sigmoid

splen/o

spleen

stomat/o

mouth

a-, an-

not; without

de-

lack of; down; less; removal of

dia-

through; complete

dys-

painful; difficult

endo-

in; within

epi-

on; over; upon

hypo-

below; below normal; deficient

peri-

around; surrounding

poly-

many; much

post-

after; behind

pre-

before; in front of

sub-

below; under

ultra-

beyond; excess

-ac, -al, -ary, -eal, -ic

pertaining to

-ase

enzyme

-ation

process; condition

-chezia

defecation; elimination of waste

-clysis

irrigation; washing

-ectomy

surgical removal; excision

-emesis

vomiting

-gen

substance that produces

-ia

condition

-iasis

abnormal condition

-ist

specialist

-itis

inflammation

-megaly

enlargement

-orexia

appetite

-osis

process; abnormal condition

-pepsia

digestion

-pexy

surgical fixation

-phagia

eating; swallowing

-prandial

meal

-rrhaphy

suture

-rrhea

flow; excessive discharge

-scope

instrument used to view

-stalsis

contraction

-stomy

surgical opening

-tripsy

crushing

-um, -us

structure; tissue; thing

a.c., ac

before meals (from the Latin ante cibum)

BS

blood sugar; bowel sounds; breath sounds

abd

abdominal

CAT

computerized axial tomography

ATT PHYS

attending physician

CBC

complete blood count

BM

bowel movement

CC

chief complaint

BP

blood pressure

CT

computed tomography; computerized tomography

CV

cardiovascular

NG, ng

nasogastric

DM

diabetes mellitus