Nursing terminology

a-, an-

without, away from, not

ab-

from, away from, absent

ad-

toward, in the direction of

Anti-

against, opposing, contracting

bi-

two, double, or twice

brady-

slow

Cyano-

blue

dys-

difficult, painful, bad

erythro-

red

hemi-

half

Hyper-

above, excessive, beyond

hypo-

less than, below or under, beneath, deficient

inter-

between, in the midst, among

intra-

in, within, into

leuko-

white, white blood cells

melano-

black

micro-

small

neo-

new, recent

oligo-

few, small

para-

near; alongside of; departure from normal.

per-

throughout

peri-

around, about

poly-

many, much

post-

behind, posterior

pre-

before, in front of

retro-

backward, back, behind

Sub-

Under, beneath, in small quantity, less than normal

supra-

above, beyond, on top

tachy-

swift, rapid

trans-

across, over, beyond, through

-algia

suffering, pain

-centesis

puncture of cavity

-ectomy

surgical excision

-itis

inflammation

-lysis

loosen, dissolve, in medicine, reduction of, relief from

-malacia

softening

-megaly

enlargement of body part

-oma

tumor

-osis

condition, status, process, abnormal increase

-stomy

a created mouth or outlet

-tomy

cutting operation, excision

-pathy

disease, suffering

-penia

decrease from normal, deficiency

-plasia

growth; formation, proliferation

-plasty

molding, grafting, or formation of a specific part, especially a part of the body

-plegia

paralysis, stroke

-sclerosis

dryness, hardness

-stasis

slowing down, stopping of the normal flow of fluids

-stenosis

constriction, narrowing of a passage or orifice

-trophy

nourishment, feeding, growth

-ostomy

surgically formed fistula

supine

Lying on the back with the face upward; dorsal.

prone

Horizontal with the face downward.

anterior(ventral)

Before; in front of.

distal

Furthest from the center, from a middle line

inferior

beneath, lower

lateral

pertaining to the side, farther from the midline plane;

medial

pertaining to the middle

peripheral

pertaining to or located at the periphery; away from the center.

posterior(dorsal)

located at or toward the rear of the body; toward the back

proximal

Nearest the point of attachment, to the center of the body, or to the point of reference; the opposite of distal.

superior

Higher than, situated above something else, Better than, one in charge of others.

-cyte

cell

arthro-

joint

myelo-

spinal cord, bone marrow

myo-

muscle

-asthenia

lack or loss of strength, debility, any weakness

lipo-

fat

neuro-

nerve, nervous system

Sarco-

flesh, muscle

-esthesia

feeling, sensation

arthritis

inflammation of the joints

myasthenia

muscle weakness and abnormal fatigue

carcinoma

A malignant tumor that occurs in epithelial tissue and may infiltrate local tissues or
produce metastases.

myeloma

a tumor in the bone marrow

osteocarcinoma

bone cancer tumor; Combined osteoma and carcinoma cancer of the bones,Inflammation of bone and marrow?

polymyositis

inflammatory disease of skeletal muscles

tendinitis

inflammation of a tendon

encephalitis

Inflammation of the white and gray matter of the brain

Neuralgia

severe pain along a nerve

Neuritis

inflammation of a nerve

neuroma

tumor composed of nerve calls

polyneuritis

inflammation of many nerves

myelogram

A radiograph of the spinal cord and associated nerves.

hemiplegia

paralysis of one side of the body

anesthesia

complete or partial loss of sensation.

arthroplasty

Plastic surgery to reshape or reconstruct a diseased joint.

Osteotomy

the operation of cutting through a bone

Arthralgia

pain in a joint

a.c.

before meals

abd

abdominal, abdomen

AD

advance directive

ad lib

freely, as desired

ADL

activities of daily living

b.i.d.

twice a day

BM

bowel movement

BMI

body mass index

BRP

bathroom privileges

CBC

complete blood count

CC

chief complaint