Medical Terminology: Prefixes, Root Words, Suffixes, and Abbreviations

Flashcards covering common medical prefixes, root words, suffixes, and abbreviations.

ecto-

outside, outer

endo-

within, inside

hyper-

above, excessive, high

hypo-

below, deficient, low

oligo-

few, scanty

quadr-

four

retro-

behind, backward

sub-

under, below

super-, supra-

above, excessive

trans-

across, through

tri-

three

lith(o)-

stone

cut(an), cutane/o-

skin

cyan-

blue

derm-, derm/o-, dermat/o-

skin

dys-

difficult, painful, abnormal

eryth(r)-

red

chol-

bile, gall

cyst-

bladder; sac/cyst

enter-

intestine

gastr-

stomach

hepat-

liver

hyster-

uterus

lapar-

abdomen/abdominal wall

vesic-

bladder

splen-

spleen

gluc-, glyc-

sugar/glucose

ov-

ovary

oo-

egg, ovum

orchid-

testis/testicle

phag-

eat, swallow

ren-

kidney

-ose

sugar; full of

-osis

abnormal condition

-uria

urine/urination condition

-otomy

surgical incision/cutting into

-oscopy

visual examination

-ostomy

surgical creation of an opening

-plasty

surgical repair

-tripsy

crushing

-megaly

enlargement

RUQ

Right Upper Quadrant

LUQ

Left Upper Quadrant

LLQ

Left Lower Quadrant

RLQ

Right Lower Quadrant

UA

Urinalysis

GI

Gastrointestinal

CVA

Cerebrovascular accident (stroke)