WSON Medical Terminology

Gingiv/o

gums

Stomat/o

mouth

Dent/o

teeth

Gloss/o/lingu/o

tongue

Encephal/o

brain

Gastr/o

stomach

Enter/o

intestine

Col/o

large intestine

Proct/o

anus/rectum

Hepat/o

liver

Nephr/o/rene

kidney

Orchid/o

testis

Oophor/o

ovary

Hyster/o/metr/o

uterus

Salping/o

uterine tubes

Derm/o

skin

Mast/o/mamm/o

breast

Oste/o

bones

Cardi/o

heart

Cyst/o

bladder

Rhin/o

nose

Phleb/o/ven/o

veins

Pneum/o/pulm/o

lung

Hemo/o/emia

blood

Cephal/o

head

Crani/o

skull

Arthr/o

joint

My/o

muscle

Carcin/o

cancer

myocarditis

muscle layer of heart inflamed

pericarditis

outer layer of heart inflamed

endocarditis

inner layer of heart inflamed

cardiologist

a physician specializing in the heart

cardiomyopathy

damage to heart muscle layer

cardiomegaly

enlargement of the heart

-itis

inflammation (tonsilitis, appendicitis)

-osis

abnormal condition (cyanosis)

-ectomy

to cut out, remove (appendectomy, tonsillectomy)

-otomy

to cut into, incision (tracheotomy: to cut into the windpipe, temporary opening)

-ostomy

surgically create an opening (colostomy: opening for colon through abdominal wall)

micro-

small (microstomia: abnormally small mouth, "stomy" in colostomy)

macro-

large (macrostomia: abnormally large mouth)

mega/ -megaly

enlarged (megacolon: abnormally large colon)

-scopy

to look, observe (colonoscopy: look into colon)

-logy

study of (cardiology, neurology)

-gram

record or picture (electrocardiogram, mammogram, angiogram)

-pathy

disease (cardiomyopathy, neuropathy, nephropathy)

Inter-

between (intervertebral: between vertebrae)

a-

without (apnea, afebrile)

dys-

abnormal, difficult, painful (dysuria: painful urination)

-stasis

stopping (hemostasis: stopping blood flow)

Leuk/o

white (leukemia: overabundance of white blood cells)

melan/o

black (melanoma: black tumor of the skin)

cyan/o

blue (cyanosis: blueness may be due to cold or not enough oxygen in blood)

xanth/o

yellow (xanthoma: yellow tumor)

Aden/o

gland (adenoma)

Lip/o

fat (lipoma)

My/o

muscle (myoma)

Lymph/o

lymph tissue (lymphoma)

Carcin/o

malignant (carcinoma)

Osteo/o

bone (osteoma)

Endo

within, inside of (endoscopy: to inspect the inside of an organ or space with a lighted instrument)

Peri

around (perianal: around the anus)

Circum

around (circumcise: cut around)

Retro

behind (retrosternal: behind the breastbone)

Epi

upon, on top (epidermis: the top or outermost layer of skin)

Trans

through (transurethral: through the urinary exit duct)

Intra

within (intravenous: inside the veins, e.g. IV fluids)

Sub

below (subclavian: below the clavicle)

Cardi/o

heart (Endocarditis, myocarditis, pericarditis: inflammation of the lining, the muscle layer, the outer layer of the heart)

Brady/tachy

slow/fast (Bradycardia: rate<60, tachycardia: rate>100)

Angi/o

vessel (angiography, angiogram: X-ray of artery)

Veno/phlebo

vein (Venogram: X-ray of veins, phlebitis: inflammation of veins)

-cyte

Cell (Erythrocytes, leucocytes (red, white blood cells)

Hem/o, -emia

blood (Hypoxemia: low oxygen, hematosalpinx: blood in the fallopian tubes)

Cephal/o

Head (Cephalgia: a headache)

Encephal/o

Inside the head, brain (encephalitis: inflammation of the brain, anencephalic: born without a brain)

Mening/o

Membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord (Meningitis: inflammation of the membranes)

Myel/o

Spinal cord (Myelogram: X-ray of the spinal cord)

Neur/o

Nerve (Neuroma: tumor, Neuritis: inflammation)

-cele

Hernia, abnormal protrusion of structure out of normal anatomical position (Meningomyelocele: protrusion of membranes and spinal cord)

-plasia

Development, formation, growth (Aplasia: no development) Hyperplasia: over development)

-plegia

Paralysis (Hemiplagia, Quadriplegia)

Gastr/o

Stomach (Gastritis, Gastrectomy)

Hepat/o

Liver (Hepatitis, hepatoma: tumor)

Chol/e

Gall, bile (Cholecystitis, cholecystectomy)

Cyst/o

Bladder, sac

Emes/o

Vomit (Emesis, emetic: stimulating vomiting, antiemetic: stopping vomiting)

Lith/o

Stone (Cholelithotomy: removal of gall stones)

Lapar/o

Abdominal wall (Laparotomy: cutting into the abdomen)

-centesis

To puncture (Abdominocentesis: puncturing and draining)

-tripsy

To crush (Cholelithotripsy: smashing gall stones with sound waves)

-rrhea

Flow, discharge (Diarrhea)

-iasis (-osis)

Abnormal condition (Cholelithiasis: presence of gall stones causing symptoms)

Trache/o

Trachea, "windpipe" (Tracheotomy, tracheostomy: temporary and permanent openings)

Bronch/o

Lung air passageways (Bronchoscopy: looking into the bronchi)

Pne/u, -pnea

Breath, air, lung (Tachypnea, dyspnea, apnea)

Pulmo/o

Lung (Pulmonary artery)

-ptysis

Spitting/coughing (Hemoptysis: spitting or coughing up blood from lungs)

-plasty

Reconstruction (Rhinoplasty: surgical reconstruction of nose)