Medical Terminology 211 - Concepts, Suffixes, Prefixes, and Body Structure

Vocabulary flashcards covering medical roots, prefixes, suffixes, cells, tissues, body chemistry, directions, and body region terms based on MEDT 211 lecture notes.

Root

The fundamental unit of each medical word that establishes its basic meaning and serves as the part to which prefixes and suffixes are added.

Suffix

A short word part or parts added to the end of a word to modify the meaning of the root, indicated by a dash before it (e.g., -itis).

Prefix

A short word part added before a root to modify the meaning of the root, followed by a dash (e.g., pre-).

Medical Word Structure

The composition of a medical term created by joining a prefix, root, and suffix.

Combining Form

A root shown with a combining vowel (usually 'o'), inserted before a suffix beginning with a consonant.

Neurology

The study of the nervous system, created by combining the root Neur/o with the suffix -logy.

Neuritis

Inflammation of a nerve, created by combining the root Neur with the suffix -itis (omitting the combining vowel because the suffix begins with a vowel).

Pharyngeal

Pertaining to the throat (pharynx).

Thoracotomy

An incision into the chest (thorax).

Hemorrhage

A bursting forth of blood, created from hem/o (blood) and -rhage (bursting forth), doubling the 'r'.

Menorrhea

Menstrual flow, created from men/o (menses) and -rhea (flow, discharge), doubling the 'r'.

Gnathic

Pertaining to the jaw.

Apnea

Cessation of breath.

Nephroptosis

Dropping of the kidney.

Acronym

An abbreviation formed from the first letter of each word in a phrase (e.g., MRI, MD, RNA, RUQ).

-ia, -ism, -sis, -y

Suffixes meaning 'condition of'.

-ian, -ist

Suffixes meaning specialist in a field of study (e.g., pediatrician, cardiologist).

-iatrics, -iatry, -ics

Suffixes denoting a medical specialty (e.g., geriatrics, podiatry, neurologics).

-ac, -al, -ar, -ary, -ic, -ical, -oid, -ory, -ous

Suffixes meaning 'pertaining to', 'like', or 'resembling'.

-form

Suffix meaning 'like' or 'resembling' (e.g., spongiform).

Medical Word Plural Endings Table

A reference table showing rules for changing singular word endings (such as -a, -en, -ex/-ix/-yx, -is, -ma, -nx, -on, -um, -us) into plural endings.

hemi-

Prefix meaning half or one side (e.g., hemithorax).

mon/o-, uni-

Prefixes meaning one (e.g., monocular, uniform).

bi-, di-

Prefixes meaning two or twice (e.g., bilaterally, biceps).

tri-

Prefix meaning three (e.g., trifocal).

quadr/i-, tetra-

Prefixes meaning four (e.g., quadriceps, tetraplegia).

multi-, poly-

Prefixes meaning many.

prim/i-

Prefix meaning first.

cyan/o-

Prefix/combining form meaning blue (e.g., cyanosis).

erythr/o-

Prefix/combining form meaning red (e.g., erythematous).

leuk/o-

Prefix/combining form meaning white (e.g., leukocyte).

melan/o-

Prefix/combining form meaning black or dark (e.g., melanoma).

ab-

Directional prefix meaning away from.

ad-

Directional prefix meaning toward or near.

dia-, per-, trans-

Directional prefixes meaning through (e.g., diarrhea, percutaneous).

hypo-

Prefix meaning under, below, abnormally low, or decreased (e.g., hypoglycemia).

hyper-

Prefix meaning over, excess, abnormally high, or increased (e.g., hypertension).

pan-

Prefix meaning all (e.g., pandemic).

equi-, iso-

Prefixes meaning equal or same (e.g., equilibrium).

eu-

Prefix meaning good, true, or easy.

hetero-

Prefix meaning other, different, or unequal.

homo-, homeo-

Prefixes meaning same or unchanging.

macro-, mego-, megalo-

Prefixes meaning large or abnormally large (e.g., macroscopic).

ante-, pre-, pro-

Prefixes meaning before or in front of (e.g., antenatal, preoperative).

post-

Prefix meaning after or behind (e.g., postoperative).

dextr/o-

Prefix/combining form meaning right (e.g., dextromanual).

sinistr/o-

Prefix/combining form meaning left.

end/o-

Prefix meaning in or within (e.g., endotoxin).

syn-, sym-

Prefixes meaning together (e.g., symbiosis).

morph/o-

Root/combining form meaning form.

cyt/o-, -cyte

Root/combining form/suffix meaning cell (e.g., cytologist).

nucle/o-

Root/combining form meaning nucleus.

hist/o-, histi/o-

Root/combining form meaning tissue (e.g., histology).

fibr/o-

Root/combining form meaning fiber.

aden/o-

Root/combining form meaning gland (e.g., adenoma).

muc/o-

Root/combining form meaning mucous or mucous membrane.

blast/o-, -blast

Root/suffix meaning immature cell, productive cell, or embryonic cell.

-gen, gen-

Root/suffix meaning origin or formation (e.g., genesis).

phag/o-

Root/combining form meaning eat or ingest (e.g., phagocyte).

phil-

Root/suffix meaning attract or absorb (e.g., hydrophilic).

troph/o-

Root/combining form meaning feeding, growth, or nourishment (e.g., atrophy).

-ase

Suffix meaning enzyme (e.g., protease).

-ose

Suffix meaning sugar (e.g., sucrose).

hydr/o-

Root/combining form meaning water or fluid.

gluc/o-, glyc/o-, sacchar/o-

Roots/combining forms meaning glucose or sugar.

amyl/o-

Root/combining form meaning starch.

lip/o-, adip/o-

Roots/combining forms meaning lipid or fat (e.g., adipocyte).

prote/o-

Root/combining form meaning protein.

Anterior (ventral)

Anatomic direction meaning toward or at the front of the body.

Posterior (dorsal)

Anatomic direction meaning toward or at the back.

Lateral

Anatomic direction meaning toward the side of the body.

Inferior

Anatomic direction meaning below or in a lower position.

Superior

Anatomic direction meaning above or in a higher position.

cephal/o-

Root/combining form meaning head (e.g., encephalitis).

cervic/o-

Root/combining form meaning neck.

thorac/o-

Root/combining form meaning chest or thorax.

abdomin/o-

Root/combining form meaning abdominal.

lapar/o-

Root/combining form meaning abdominal wall (e.g., laparoscope).

lumb/o-

Root/combining form meaning lumbar region or lower back.

periton-, peritone/o-

Roots/combining forms meaning peritoneum (lining of the abdominal cavity).

brachi/o-

Root/combining form meaning arm (e.g., brachial artery).

ped/o-, pod/o-

Roots/combining forms meaning foot (e.g., pedometer, podiatrist).

dactyl/o-

Root/combining form meaning finger or toe (e.g., polydactyly).

supra-

Prefix meaning above (e.g., suprapatellar).

inter-

Prefix meaning between (e.g., intercostal).

intra-

Prefix meaning in or within (e.g., intravascular).

epi-

Prefix meaning on or over (e.g., epidermis).