Medical Terminology: A Living Language — Vocabulary Flashcards (Fifth Edition)

Vocabulary flashcards covering core word parts, prefixes, suffixes, combining forms, and common terms from the lecture notes.

Word root

Foundation of a medical term; provides the main meaning; may indicate a body part or system (e.g., cardi- = heart).

Prefix

Added to the front of a term to modify its meaning (location, number, time).

Suffix

Attached to the end of a term; adds meaning such as a condition or procedure (e.g., -itis = inflammation; -ectomy = surgical removal).

Combining form

A word root with a combining vowel used to write word roots (e.g., cardi/o, gastr/o).

Combining vowel

A vowel (usually o) that connects word parts and aids pronunciation; used between two word roots or between a root and a suffix.

Combining vowel rules

If the suffix begins with a vowel, omit the combining vowel (arthritis); if the suffix begins with a consonant, include it (arthroscope).

Word parts

The components that build medical terms: word root, prefix, suffix, and combining form.

Cardiogram

Record of the heart.

Pericardium

Membrane surrounding the heart.

Carditis

Inflammation of the heart.

Cardiomyopathy

Disease of the heart muscle.

cardi/o

Combining form meaning 'heart'.

arthr/o

Combining form meaning 'joint'.

gastr/o

Combining form meaning 'stomach'.

aden/o

Combining form meaning 'gland'.

carcin/o

Combining form meaning 'cancer'.

hemat/o

Combining form meaning 'blood'.

gynec/o

Combining form meaning 'female'.

nephr/o

Combining form meaning 'kidney'.

pulmon/o

Combining form meaning 'lung'.

rhin/o

Combining form meaning 'nose'.

a-/an- (prefix)

Prefix meaning 'without'.

ante-

Prefix meaning 'before'.

anti-

Prefix meaning 'against'.

auto-

Prefix meaning 'self'.

brady-

Prefix meaning 'slow'.

contra-

Prefix meaning 'against'.

dys-

Prefix meaning 'painful, difficult, abnormal'.

endo-

Prefix meaning 'within, inner'.

epi-

Prefix meaning 'upon, over'.

eu-

Prefix meaning 'normal, good'.

hyper-

Prefix meaning 'over, above'.

hypo-

Prefix meaning 'under, below'.

in-

Prefix meaning 'not' or 'inward'.

inter-

Prefix meaning 'among, between'.

intra-

Prefix meaning 'within, inside'.

macro-

Prefix meaning 'large'.

micro-

Prefix meaning 'small'.

neo-

Prefix meaning 'new'.

pan-

Prefix meaning 'all'.

para-

Prefix meaning 'beside, near' (or abnormal).

peri-

Prefix meaning 'around'.

post-

Prefix meaning 'after'.

pre-

Prefix meaning 'before'.

pro-

Prefix meaning 'before' (often in forward sense).

pseudo-

Prefix meaning 'false'.

retro-

Prefix meaning 'backward'.

sub-

Prefix meaning 'below, under'.

supra-

Prefix meaning 'above'.

tachy-

Prefix meaning 'fast'.

trans-

Prefix meaning 'through, across'.

ultra-

Prefix meaning 'beyond'.

un-

Prefix meaning 'not'.

-algia

Suffix meaning 'pain'.

-cele

Suffix meaning 'hernia, protrusion'.

-cyte

Suffix meaning 'cell'.

-dynia

Suffix meaning 'pain'.

-ectasis

Suffix meaning 'dilatation'.

-gen

Suffix meaning 'that which produces'.

-genesis

Suffix meaning 'produces, generates'.