Greek & Latin Medical Terminology Study Guide

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering structural rules, prefixes, roots, combining forms, suffix combinations, and master medical terminology from Lessons 1, 2, 3, and 5.

Generic Noun Suffixes

State of, condition of (-a, -ia, -y, -sia, -sis, -asia, -asis, -esis, -ism, -ema, -us, -ismus)

Pathology Noun Suffixes

Disease / condition (-osis), stone disease (-iasis), inflammation (-itis), tumor/swelling (-oma)

Substance & Structure Nouns

Substance/protein (-in), membrane/tissue (-ium, -eum), enzyme (-ase), specialist (-ist), sufferer (-iac)

Generic Adjective Suffixes

Relating to, pertaining to, located in (-ac, -ic, -al, -ous, -etic, -itic, -otic, -tic)

Staining / Functional Adjectives

Poisonous to (-toxic), affinity for (-philic), disinclination to (-phobic), producing (-poietic)

Verb Suffixes

To make, cause to be, subject to (-ize); based on -osis becomes -otize (e.g., necrotize = 'to cause death of tissue')

Special Rule: -ic / -etic as Noun

When an -ic word acts as a NOUN, it refers to a drug (e.g., analgesic, emetic, anesthetic) or sufferer

a- / an-

without, lacking, deficient

anti- / ant-

opposed to, preventing, relieving

dys-

difficult, painful, defective

eu-

good, normal, healthy (antonym of dys-)

hyper-

above, excessive, beyond normal

hypo- / hyp-

under, deficient, below normal

meta- / met-

change, transformation, after, behind

para- / par-

alongside, around, abnormal, beyond

syn- / sym- / sy-

together, joined, with

acanth-

thorn, spine

acr-

extremities (hands and feet)

arachn-

spider, weblike, arachnoid membrane

blephar-

eyelid

cheir- / chir-

hand

chol- / chole-

bile, gall

cyt-

cell

derm(at)- / -derma

skin

encephal-

brain

hist(i)-

web, tissue, tissue cell

melan-

dark, black

myel-

bone marrow OR spinal cord

onc- / -oncus

tumor, cancer

phag-

eat, consume

poli-

gray matter (of brain or spinal cord)

prax-

act, action, movement, motor control

-asthenia

weakness, lack of strength

-cele

hernia (with organ) OR fluid accumulation (with fluid)

-centesis

surgical piercing to drain or test fluid

-malacia

softening (of tissue) of

-poiesis

production of

-rrhea

discharge, profuse flow, abnormal defecation

-stomy

surgical creation of an opening or passage

-toxin

substance poisonous to (do not translate as just 'toxin')

acanthocytosis

excess of thorny cells in blood supply

anastomosis

surgical or pathological connection between two passages

apraxia

loss of motor function rooted in nervous system

dyspraxia

diminished motor control / action

exostosis

bony growth arising out of bone (bone spur)

acheiria

congenital absence of one or both hands

acromegaly

enlargement of hands/feet due to growth hormone

amniocentesis

procedure of piercing the amniotic sac

anabolism

synthesis of complex structures using energy

catabolism

breaking down complex structures into simple ones

cheirospasm

muscle spasm of the hand (writer's cramp)

empyema

pockets of pus inside the body

galactocele

cyst containing milk in the breasts

metastasize

to spread (literally, to change place)

necrotize

to cause the death of tissue

pseudoarthrosis

broken bone failing to fuse correctly

anisocoria

condition where pupils have unequal size

arachnodactyly

spidery (long and slender) fingers

blepharospasm

involuntary contraction of the eyelid

dermatomyositis

autoimmune muscle inflammation with rash

erythromelalgia

pain and redness in the limbs

hydrocephalus

buildup of cerebrospinal fluid in brain

oligohydramnios

deficiency of amniotic fluid

onycholysis

separation of nail from nail bed

polioencephalomalacia

softening of gray matter in brain

polythelia

having more nipples than expected

agnosia

inability to recognize objects/persons/sensations

amniorrhexis

rupture of amniotic sac

anaphylaxis

severe, rapid allergic reaction

ascites

accumulation of fluid in peritoneal cavity

creatorrhea

discharge of undigested muscle fibers in stool

hydrophobia

rabies; inability to drink due to throat spasms

laparoscopy

keyhole abdominal surgery with camera

orthorexia

abnormal obsession with healthy eating

parorexia

desire to eat inedible objects (Pica)

pronoia

delusion that everyone is trying to help

prosopagnosia

face blindness

steatorrhea

discharge of fat in excrement