basics of medical terminology

benign-

kind

bi-

two

-able

capable of or ability to

alb/o-

white

ambi-

both

amphi-

both

an-

lack of or without

ana-

apart or up

anti-

against

arche/o-

first

-ar

-ation

process of or procedure of

bene-

good or normal

bin-

two

capn/o-

carbon dioxide

cav-

hollow

-cele

swelling or tumor

cellul/o-

chambers

centi-

one-hundredth part (100)

chlor/o-

green

chrom/o-

colored

-cid

to kill

circum-

around

cirrh/o-

yellow-orange

co-

two

com-

together

corp/o-

body

-cule

little

de-

away

deci-

one tenth

deka-

ten

demi-

half

dia-

across, through, total, between

diplo-

double or two

dis-

away from or reverse

dromo-

running

dy/o-

two or a pair

dys-

difficult, faulty, painful

-E (suffix)

instrument

E- (prefix)

out or remove

edema-

swelling

ef-

away or out

em-

in

en-

in

enamel-

hard

endo-

within or inside

epi-

upon

eti/o-

cause

ex-

out, outside, outward

-gnosis

knowledge

-grade

a step, stage, or degree in a process

hemi-

half or one half

hept/a-

seven

heter/o-

other or opposite

-ia

refers to, condition, state of

-ician

one who

idio-

unique to or unknown cause

-id

state of

im-

into or not

inter-

between

-ior

one who is

-ious

state of

iso-

equal or same

kil/o-

one thousand

lat-

side

lump-

small mass

magni-

large or greater

medi-

middle

mega-

great or big

meta-

beyond or change

micro-

small

morpho-

shape

mort/o-

death

multi-

many, multiple, excessive

nano-

1 billionth

necr/o-

death, dead, dying

nigra-

black

nin/o-

nine

null/i-

none or no

occipit/o-

back of head

oct/o-

eight

oleo-

oil

-oleum

oil

olig/o-

few, scanty, slight, little

-olog/y

science or study of, process of

opisth/o-

backwards (bending)

-osis

condition of or disease

ox/y-

sharp or oxygen molecules

palm/a-

palm or palm of hand

pan-

all, total, complete

path/o-

disease

pedi-

child

pent/a-

five

per-

through

-phile

love of, to love, love for

plan/o-

flat or a plane

plant/o-

sole of foot

poly-

many

post-

after or behind

-prax/ia

movement or action