Medical Terminology

Arteri/o

Artery

Arthr/o

Joint

Ather/o

Plaque or fatty substance

Cardi/o

Heart

Crani/o

Skull

Cyan/o

Blue

Dextr/o

Right side

Duct/o

To lead, carry

Erythr/o

Red

Gastr/o

Stomach

Hem/o

blood

Laryng/o

Larynx/Throat

Leuk/o

White

Megal/o

Large/great

Melan/o

Black

My/o

muscle

myc/o

fungus

Myel/o

Bone marrow or spinal cord

nat/o

birth

Neur/o

Neur/i

Nerve

Olig/o

Scant, few

Ot/o

Ear

Phil/o

Attraction, affinity for

Poli/o

Gray

py/o

pus

Pyel/o

Renal pelvis

Pyr/o

Fire/fever

Rhin/o

Nose

Sinistr/o

Left side

Front of the body terms

Back of the body terms

Body Cavities

Anatomical planes

Ab-

Away from

Ad-

Toward

Dys-

Bad, difficult, painful

Eu-

Good, normal, well or easy

Ex-

Out of, outside, away from

Hyper-

Excessive

Hypo-

Deficient

In-

In, into, not, without

Inter-

Between or among

Intra-

Within or inside

Macro

large, abnormal size, long

Mega-

Large, great

Micro-

Small

Peri-

Surrounding

Post-

After, behind

Pre-

Before

Sub-

Under, less, below

Super-

Supra-

Above or excessive

-a

-e

-us

Noun ending

-ac

-al

-an

-ar

-ary

-eal

-ial

-ic

-ical

-ine

-ior

-ism

-ory

-ous

-tic

Pertaining to

-ago

-iasis

-esis

-ia

-ion

-osis

Abnormal condition

-algia

Pain, suffering

-centesis

surgical punture to remove fluid

-dynia

Pain

-ectomy

surgical removal

-graphy

-gram

producing a picture or record

-iac

persona afflicted with

-itis

inflammation

-malacia

abnormal softening

-megaly

enlargement

-necrosis

tissue death

-ologist

specialist

-ology

study of

-ostomy

surgical creation of an artificial opening to the body surface

-otomy

cutting or surgical incision

-plasty

surgical repair

-rrhage

-rrhagia

sudden, severe bleeding

-rrhea

flow or discharge of bodily fluids

-rrhexis

rupture

-sclerosis

abnormal hardening

-scopy

visual exam

-stenosis

Abnormal narrowing

-um

singular noun ending

Anatomical Reference System

terms used to describe the location of body planes, directions, and cavities

Structures of the body

The cells, tissues, and glands that form the body systems that work together to enable the body function properly

Genetics

The genetic components that transfer characteristics from parents to children

Tissues

a group of similarly specialized cells that work together to perform specific functions

Glands

A group of specialized cells capable of producing secretions

Body systems and related organs

Organs are somewhat independent parts of the body that performs specific functions. Organs with related functions are organized into body systems

Pathology

Study of nature and cause of disease that involve changes in structure and function

Anatomical

Refers to anatomy

A-

without

Ana-

Backward

En-

End-

Endo-

Within, in, inside

-Epi

Above, upon

-Eti

Cause

Ex/o

Out of, out from, away from

Hypo-

Below, deficient

Pan-

Entire

Pre-

before

Aden/o

Gland

Adip/o

Fat

Anter/o

Front or before C

Carcin/o

Cancerous

Caud/o

Tail, lower body

Cephal/o

Head

Chondr/i

Chondr/o

Cartilage