Medical Terminology: Prefixes, Suffixes, and Root Words for Body Structures and Conditions

Suffix

The ending of a medical term that tells the action, procedure, or condition

Prefix

The beginning of a medical term that tells where, when, how fast, or how many

Combining form/root

The middle of the word that identifies the body part or organ system

-ectomy

Surgical removal

-tomy

Incision/cutting into

-stomy

Surgically created opening

-plasty

Surgical repair

-scopy

Visual examination with a scope

-itis

Inflammation

-osis

Abnormal condition

-malacia

Softening

-megaly

Enlargement

-pathy

Disease

-asthenia

Weakness

-paresis

Partial paralysis/weakness

-plegia

Paralysis

-algia

Pain

-emia

Blood condition

-phagy

Eating/swallowing

ab-

Away from

ad-

Toward

brady-

Slow

tachy-

Fast

hyper-

Excessive/high

hypo-

Low/below/deficient

e- / ex-

Out/outside

epi-

Upon/on/top of

inter-

Between

intra-

Within/inside

para-

Beside/near/abnormal

per-

Through

poly-

Many

sub- / infra-

Under/below

a- / an-

Without/not

quadri-

Four

cutane/o

Skin

derm/o

Skin

dermat/o

Skin

hidr/o

Sweat

aden/o

Gland

lip/o

Fat

onych/o

Nail

xer/o

Dry

melan/o

Black/dark pigment

erythr/o

Red

cyan/o

Blue

oste/o

Bone

arthr/o

Joint

chondr/o

Cartilage

crani/o

Skull

mandibul/o

Jaw

stern/o

Sternum/breastbone

cost/o

Rib

clavicul/o

Clavicle/collarbone

brachi/o

Arm

spondyl/o

Vertebra/spine

cervic/o

Neck

-clast

To break

my/o

Muscle

muscul/o

Muscle

tendin/o

Tendon

ten/o

Tendon

fibr/o

Fiber/fibrous tissue

kinesi/o

Movement

ton/o

Tone/tension

-tonia

Muscle tone

cardi/o

Heart

angi/o

Vessel

vas/o

Vessel/duct

arteri/o

Artery

phleb/o

Vein

ven/o

Vein

thromb/o

Clot

pericardi/o

Around the heart

endocardi/o

Inner lining of the heart

leuk/o

White

gastr/o

Stomach

enter/o

Intestines

col/o

Colon/large intestine

colon/o

Colon

hepat/o

Liver

cholecyst/o

Gallbladder

Voluntary muscles

Muscles you consciously control

Involuntary muscles

Muscles that move automatically

Fontanelles

Soft spots in an infant skull

Sutures

Immovable adult skull joint lines

Bile pathway

Liver → hepatic ducts → cystic duct → gallbladder → hepatopancreatic sphincter → small intestine

Hepatopancreatic sphincter

Tight muscle ring controlling bile release into the small intestine

Glycogen

Stored form of sugar in the liver

Glucose

Simple sugar used for energy

Auscultation

Listening to body sounds with a stethoscope

Palpation

Using hands to press and feel body areas

c/o

Complains of

Hx

History

Dx

Diagnosis

Bx

Biopsy

STAT

Immediately

PRN

As needed

NPO

Nothing by mouth

q

Every