Edmondson's NBDHE Prep Medical Terms from Greek and Latin

A-, an (prefix)

without

Anti-(prefix)

against; counteracting

Aplasia

defective development or congenital absence of an organ or tissue

Atrophy

wasting away of tissues, organs, or body; caused by death and resorption of cells (trophy means growth & a means without so without growth)

Auto (prefix)

self

Caseous

lumpy and bumpy having the consistency like that of cottage cheese

-cele (suffix)

tumor; herniation

cyt(o) (prefix)

cell

dys (prefix)

difficult; bad; abnormal (think DYSfunction is a bad function)

-emia (suffix)

blood; state or condition in blood

Endo (prefix)

within (endodontics is done within the tooth not the outside)

Epi (prefix)

upon; over; above (epinephrine increase (up) heart rates)

Ex(o) (prefix)

ut of; away from; outside of (EXOskeleton is on the outside)

-genesis (suffix)

origin; start (GENEration of something means comes from genesis)

Hema- Hemato, Haemo (prefix)

blood (HEMAtology study of blood)

Homeo-, homo (prefix)

similar; same (homophones sound (phone) the same (homo))

Hydro-, hygro (prefix)

water; fluid (think HYDRate)

Hyper (prefix)

above and beyond; excessive

-iatr(o) (suffix)

physician/treatment

idi(o)

unknown; individual; distinct (idiot doesn't know anything)

Infra (prefix)

beneath

Inter (prefix)

between (INTERfere means get between two people)

Intra (prefix)

within (intraoral exam=within the oral cavity)

-itis (suffix)

inflammation

-malacia (suffix)

softening

Macro (prefix)

large

Micro (prefix)

small

Necro (prefix)

death (necrophilia likes dead people)

-oid (suffix)

like, resembling

-ologous (suffix)

relating to

-oma (suffix)

tumor

-opathy (suffix)

disease

-osis (suffix)

process, disease process

Para (prefix)

beside

Peri (prefix)

around (periodontium is around the odont=tooth so around the tooth)

-plasia (suffix)

to form

-stasis (suffix)

standing still

-trophy (suffix)

nourish; feed; growth

viscous

thick, coagulated sticky or gummy (saliva can be ropey, watery, or viscous)