Medical Terminology Root Words and Their Meanings

Ab-

Away from

Ad-

Move towards

Aden(o)

Relating to a gland

Adip(o)

Relating to fat

-Aemia

Relating to blood

-algia

Relating to pain

Ambi-

Both sides of the body

Angio-

Relating to blood vessels

Anti-

Against or opposed to

Ather(o)-

Relating to fatty deposits

Axill-

Pertaining to the armpit

Blephar(o)-

Pertaining to the eyelid

Brady-

Slow

Bronch(i)-

Relating to the bronchus or lungs

Capit-

Pertaining to the head

Cyan(o)-

Blue

Dermat(o)-

Pertaining to skin

Di-

Double or two

-Dipsia

Relating to thirst

Dys-

Bad, difficult

a-, an-

Not, without

-Ectomy

Surgical removal

-emesis

Vomit

Epi-

On, upon

Gastr(o)-

Pertaining to the stomach

Gluco-

Sweet

-graph

Instrument used to record data

Hemat-

Pertaining to the blood

Hepato-

Pertaining to the liver

Hyper-

Extreme or beyond normal

Hypo-

Below normal

-itis

Inflammation

Lacrim(o)-

Relating to the tear ducts

Latero-

Lateral, to the side

Melan(o)-

Pigment, dark color

My(o)-

Pertaining to muscle

Nephr(o)-

Pertaining to the kidney

Neur(o)

Relating to nerves and the nervous system

Onco-

Relating to tumors

Orth(o)-

Denoting something as straight or correct

-osis

Denotes a condition

Oste(o)-

Relating to bones

-pathy

Denotes a disease

Pector-

Breast or chest

Peri-

Denoting something around

Phleb(o)

Pertaining to the blood veins

Pneum(o)-

Pertaining to the lungs

Post-

Denotes something after

Pre-

Denotes something before

Rhin(o)-

Pertaining to the nose

-stasis

Stopping and/or standing

-staxis

Dripping, trickling

Tachy-

Fast, irregularly fast

Thromb(o)-

Relating to a clot