Medical Terminology and Directional Terms

Anterior (or Ventral)

towards the front

Posterior (or Dorsal)

towards the back

Superior (cranial)

towards the top

Inferior (caudal)

towards the bottom

Medial

towards the midline of the body

Lateral

away from the midline of the body

Proximal

closer to the trunk

Distal

further from the trunk

Superficial

towards the surface

Deep

away from the surface; more internal

Frontal (coronal)

split the body into anterior/posterior

Sagittal

split the body into left and right

Transverse (horizontal)

split the body into superior/inferior

Acute

sudden, short duration

Chronic

long term

Dento

teeth

Glosso/linguo

tongue

Veno/phleb

veins

Angio

vessel

Encephalo

brain

Itis

inflammation

Gen

beginning

Acro

extremity

Albin/o

clear

Cyan

Blue

Erythro/o

Red

Leuk/o

White

Melan

Black

Xanth

Yellow

Micro

small

Peri

around

Scope/Scopy/Scopic

to look

Trans

through

Gram

to record

Intra/endo

within

Cardia/Cardio

pertaining to the heart

Sub

below

Brady

slow

Pharm

Drug

Osis

abnormal condition

Tachy

fast

Dys

difficult, painful, abnormal

Ology

suffix, the study of

Ologist

specialist in the study of

Pathy

disease or abnormality

Chondro

cartilage

Gastro

stomach, digestive system

Osteo

bone

Ectomy

to cut out

Otomy

to cut into

Hyper

high

Soma

body

Arthro

joint

Cyto

cell

Hype

low

Ipsilateral

same side

Contralateral

opposite side

Myo

muscle

Hemo

blood

Neuro

nerve

Dermo

skin

Bronch

lungs

Lip/o

fat

Hx

history

Mx

mechanism

Sx

symptoms

Rx, tx

treatment

Dx

diagnosis

Px

prognosis

Fx

fracture