Medical Terminology

Word Roots

Medical term, usually Greek or Latin eg Cardi / heart.

Combining Forms

Word root & vowel connecting. Eg cardiology

Prefixes

Attached to beginning or foot word eg pericardium - around the heart.

Suffixes

Attached to end of word root & change the word meaning eg tonsil + itis = tonsillitis (inflammation of tonsils).

Root - Aden/o

Gland

Root - Angi/o

Vessel

Root - Arterial/o

Artery

Root - Brachi/o

Arm

Root - Cardi/o

Heart

Root - Cervic/o

Neck

Root - Cyt/o

Cell

Root - Derm/a/o/at/ato

Skin

Root - Encephal/o

Brain

Root - Gastr/o

Stomach

Root - Hermat/o

Blood

Root - Hist/o, Histi/o,

Tissue

Root - Intestin/o

Intestine

Root - Lapar/o

Abdomen, loin or flank.

Root - My/o

Muscle

Root - Neur/o

Nerve

Root - Ocul/o

Eye

Root - Or/o

Mouth

Root - Ot/o

Ear

Root - Pulmon/o

Lungs

Prefix - A

Without

Prefix - Anti

Against

Prefix - Bi

Twice, double.

Prefix - Brady

Slow

Prefix - Contra

Against

Prefix - Dys

Difficult, bad

Prefix - Epi

On, over, above.

Prefix - Endo

Within, inner, containing.

Prefix - Hemi

Half

Prefix - Hyper

Above normal.

Prefix - Hypo

Below normal.

Prefix - Intra

In

Prefix - Peri

Around

Prefix - Quadr(i)

Four

Prefix - Supra

Above

Prefix - Tachy

Fast

Prefix - Tri

Three

Suffix - itis

Inflammation

Suffix - megally

Enlargement

Suffix - ia

Condition

Suffix - cyte

Cell

Suffix - emesis

Vomiting

Suffix - algia / dynia

Pain

Suffix - crime

Secreting

Suffix - derma

Skin

Suffix- oedema

Swelling

Suffix- kinesis

Movement

Suffix - paresis

Weakening

Suffix - penia

Deficiency

Suffix - pepsia

Digestion

Suffix - phagia

Swallow

Suffix - phasia

Speaking

Suffix - plegia

Paralysis

Suffix - pnea

Breathing

Suffix - spasm

Contraction

Suffix - stalsis

Constriction

Suffix - sclerosis

Normal condition of hardening.

Root - Men/o

Month

Root - Nephr/o

Kidney

Root - Ophthalm/o

Eye

Root - Ot/o

Ear

Root - Pneumon/o

Lung

Root - Ren/o

Kidney

Root - Spondyl/o

Vertebra

Root - Thorac/o

Chest

Prefix - Carcin/o

Cancer

Prefix - Cata

Down

Prefix - Endo

Within

Orbital

Eye

Nasal

Nose

Buccal

Cheek

Cervical

Neck

Acromial

Point of the shoulder.

Sternal

Breastbone

Axillary

Armpit area.

Thoracic

Chest area.

Brachial

Upper arm area.

Antecubital

Anterior surface of the elbow.

Abdominal

Anterior trunk below the ribs.

Umbilical

Belly button area.

Carpal

Wrist area.

Pubic

Genital region.

Patellar

Anterior aspect of the knee.

Tarsal

Ankle region.

Cephalic

Head

Occipital

Posterior surface of the head or base of the skull.

Deltoid

Curve of the shoulder formed by the deltoid muscle.

Scapular

Shoulder blade region.

Vertebral

Spinal column.

Lumbar

Area of the back between the ribs & hips.

Sacral

Area between the hips.

Gluteal

Buttocks

Popliteal

Posterior aspect of the knee.

Femoral

Thigh region

Digital

Fingers & toes.