Medical Terminology

Macro

Large

Mega(lo)

Large

Macrocephaly

Abnormally large head

Micro

Small

Microcephaly

Abnormally small head

Hemi

One side

Hemiparesis

Weakness on one side of the body

Hemo

Blood

Hemorrhage

Excessive bleeding or flow of blood

Mono

One

Uni

One

Unilateral

Only one side affected

Bi

Two

Tri

Three

Quadri

Four

Bilateral

Both sides affected

Trisomy

Condition involving three copies of a chromosome

Quadriplegic

Paralyzed in all four extremities

Poly

Many

Polydipsia

Excessive thirst; common symptom of diabetes

Hyper

Above normal; excessive

Hyperkalemia

High potassium level in blood

Hypo

Below normal; decreased

Hypotension

Low blood pressure

Eu

Normal; good

Euvolemic

Normal fluid volume status

Pro

Before/forward

Pre

Before

Ante

Before

Prenatal

Before birth

Post

After/behind

Postoperative

After surgery

Retro

Back/backward

Retrograde Amnesia

Loss of memory for events before injury

Retrocardiac

Behind the heart

Tachy

Fast

Tachycardia

Fast heart rate

Brady

Slow

Bradypnea

Slow breathing rate

Chron

Time

Chronograph

Instrument that measures time

A

Without/lack of/not

An

Without/lack of/not

Asystole

Absence of heartbeat; flat line on ECG

Apnea

Absence of breathing

Anuria

No urine output

Supra

Above

Suprapubic

Above the pubic bone region

Peri

Around

Perinephric

Around the kidney

Trans

Across/through

Transabdominal Ultrasound

Ultrasound performed through the abdomen

Inter

Between

Intercostal

Between the ribs

Ex

Out of/outside

Ecto

Out of/outside

Ectopic Pregnancy

Pregnancy occurring outside the uterus

Ab

Away from

Abduct

Move away from body's midline

Ad

Toward

Adduct

Move toward body's midline

Anti

Against

Contra

Against

Antibiotic

Medication against bacteria

Mal

Bad/inadequate

Malnutrition

Poor nutrition status

Dys

Abnormal/bad/difficult

Dysuria

Painful urination

Dysrhythmia

Abnormal heart rhythm

Eti

Cause

Etiology

Cause/origin of a disease

-ac

Pertaining to/related to

-ic

Pertaining to/related to

-al

Pertaining to/related to

-ous

Pertaining to/related to

-tic

Pertaining to/related to

Gastric

Pertaining to the stomach

-ia

Condition/state

-ism

Condition/state

-sis

Condition/state

-y

Condition/state

Albinism

Condition involving lack of pigment

Gastroparesis

Condition where stomach empties slowly

-iatry

Medical specialty

-iatrics

Medical specialty

-ics

Medical specialty

Psychiatry

Medical specialty involving mental health

-ian

Specialist

-ist

Specialist

Intensivist

Specialist who manages critically ill patients

-ectomy

Surgical removal

Appendectomy

Removal of appendix

-gram

Image or record

Angiogram

Imaging of blood vessels

-otomy

Cutting into

Lobotomy

Surgical incision into brain tissue

-scopy

Visual examination

Endoscopy

Visual examination of internal organs using scope

-stomy

Creation of an opening

Colostomy

Surgical opening of colon to outside body