Medical Terminology: Common Prefixes, Suffixes, and Root Words

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering essential medical prefixes, suffixes, and root words from Appendix A (Tables A-1, A-2, and A-3).

a-

Without, lack of

ab-

Away from

abdomi(n)-

Abdomen

acr(o)-

Pertaining to an extremity

ad-

To, toward

aden(o)-

Pertaining to a gland

angio-

Vessel

ante-

Before, forward

anti-

Against, opposed to

arteri(o)-

Artery

arthro-

Pertaining to a joint

brady-

Slow

cardi(o)-

Pertaining to the heart

cyan(o)-

Blue

cyst(o)-

Pertaining to the bladder or any fluid-containing sac

cyt(o)-

Pertaining to a cell

de-

Down from

dermat(o)-

Pertaining to the skin

dys-

Difficult, painful, abnormal

erythr(o)-

Pertaining to anything red or to erythrocytes (red blood cells)

hemat(o)-

Pertaining to blood

hemi-

Half

hepat(o)-

Pertaining to the liver

hydr(o)-

Water

hyper-

Over, excessive

hypo-

Under, deficient

inter-

Between

intra-

Within

leuk(o)-

Pertaining to anything white or to leukocytes (white blood cells)

my(o)-

Pertaining to muscle

nephr(o)-

Pertaining to the kidney

neur(o)-

Pertaining to a nerve or the nervous system

noct-

Night

ophthalm(o)-

Pertaining to the eye

oro-

Pertaining to the mouth

oste(o)-

Pertaining to bone

path(o)-

Pertaining to disease

per-

Through

peri-

Around

pre-

Before

pro-

Before, in front of

py(o)-

Pertaining to pus

supra-

Above

tachy-

Fast

therm-

Pertaining to temperature

-algia

Pertaining to pain

-centesis

Pertaining to a procedure in which an organ or body cavity is punctured, often to drain excess fluid or obtain a sample for analysis

-cyte

Cell

-ectomy

Surgical removal of

-emia

Pertaining to the presence of a substance in the blood

-gram

Record

-graph

A record or the instrument used to create the record

-itis

Inflammation

-lysis

Decline, disintegration, or destruction

-megaly

Enlargement of

-oma

Tumor

-osis

Pertaining to a disease process (see also -sis)

-ostomy

Surgical creation of an opening, or hole

-otomy

Surgical incision

-pathy

Disease or a system for treating disease

-phagia

Pertaining to eating or swallowing

-phasia

Pertaining to speech

-plegia

Paralysis

-pnea

Pertaining to breathing

-rrhea

Flow or discharge

alges-

Pain

aorta

Large artery exiting from the left ventricle of the heart

asphyxia

Lack of oxygen or excess of carbon dioxide in the body that results in unconsciousness

callus

Hard, thick skin; also a meshwork of connective tissue that forms during the healing process after a fracture

carotid

Great arteries of the neck

-esthesi(o)-

Pertaining to sensation or perception

palpate

To examine by touch

percuss

To examine by striking