Medical Terminology: Prefixes, Suffixes, Roots, and Clinical Vocabulary

Comprehensive vocabulary review of medical terminology, including Latin/Greek roots, prefixes, suffixes, clinical definitions, and medical abbreviations based on Chapter 10 of Propedéutica Médica.

Abdomino-

Medical root meaning abdomen or abdominal cavity.

Adeno-

Medical root indicating gland.

Angio-

Medical root indicating a blood vessel.

Artro-

Medical root meaning joint.

Bradi-

Medical prefix or root meaning slow.

Colecisto-

Medical root referring to the gallbladder.

Colpo-

Medical root meaning vagina.

Encéfalo-

Medical root referring to the brain.

Flebo- / Veno-

Medical roots indicating a vein.

Histero-

Medical root referring to the uterus.

Nefro- / Reno-

Medical roots referring to the kidney.

Ooforo-

Medical root referring to the ovary.

Pielo-

Medical root referring to the renal pelvis.

Salpingo-

Medical root referring to the Fallopian tube.

Toraco-

Medical root referring to the thorax or chest.

Tromb-

Medical root meaning blood clot.

-algia

Medical suffix indicating pain.

-cele

Medical suffix denoting a hernia or protrusion.

-centesis

Medical suffix meaning surgical puncture of a cavity or organ.

-ectomía

Medical suffix indicating surgical removal or excision of a structure.

-litiasis

Medical suffix meaning the presence or formation of stones (calculi).

-megalia

Medical suffix denoting abnormal enlargement.

-orrafia

Medical suffix meaning surgical repair or suturing.

-orragia

Medical suffix indicating excessive bleeding or hemorrhage.

-orrea

Medical suffix denoting an abnormal flow or discharge.

-ostomía

Medical suffix meaning the creation of a new opening.

-otomía

Medical suffix meaning cutting into and closing a structure.

-patía

Medical suffix designating disease or an abnormal condition.

-pexia

Medical suffix meaning surgical fixation or adherence.

-plegía

Medical suffix meaning complete paralysis.

-scopia

Medical suffix meaning visual examination using an instrument.

Abasia

Inability to walk.

Aberrante

Deviating from the normal course or standard.

Aborto

Interrupted pregnancy at fewer than 28 weeks ($< 28\,\text{weeks}$).

Acromegalia

Condition caused by an excess of growth hormone.

Afasia

Complete loss of language comprehension or production.

Anamnesis

Clinical history taking and patient interrogation.

Anartria

Complete muteness due to inability to articulate speech.

Anisocoria

Inequality in pupil size.

Anquilosis

An immobile, stiffened joint.

Arco Senil

A whitish, opaque ring around the corneal margin.

Astasia

Inability to stand in an upright position.

Ataxia

Muscular incoordination during voluntary movement.

Cistocele

Herniation or protrusion of the urinary bladder into the vagina.

Dedos en palillo de tambor

Clubbing characterized by enlarged terminal phalanges, associated with cardiopulmonary disease.

Diplopía

Double vision.

Disartria

Defective articulation of spoken language.

Disfagia

Difficulty in swallowing.

Ectropión

Eversion of the edge of the eyelid outward.

Empiema

Accumulation of pus within the pleural cavity (pyothorax).

Entropión

Inversion of the edge of the eyelid inward.

Epistaxis

Nasal hemorrhage or bleeding from the nose.

Exoftalmia

Abnormal protrusion of the eyeballs, frequently seen in thyrotoxicosis.

Faneras

Epidermal appendages, specifically hair and nails.

Fundoscopia

Internal examination of the interior of the eye using an ophthalmoscope.

Hematoquecia

Passage of fresh red blood in stool, typically denoting lower GI bleeding.

Hemoptisis

Coughing up blood or blood-stained mucus from the respiratory tract.

Hernia encarcerada

An irreducible hernia that cannot be manually restored to its normal cavity.

Hernia Reducible

A hernia whose contents can be manipulated back into the abdominal cavity.

Hirsutismo

Excessive hair growth in androgen-dependent distributions.

Iatrogenia

An adverse condition or damage induced by a medical treatment or physician.

Ictericia

Yellowish pigmentation of the skin and tissues resulting from elevated bilirubin levels.

Melena

Black, tarry feces resulting from digested upper gastrointestinal tract blood.

Midriasis

Abnormal or excessive dilation of the pupil.

Miosis

Excessive constriction of the pupil.

Odinofagia

Painful swallowing during deglutition.

Ortopnea

Dyspnea that occurs when lying flat in a supine decubitus position.

Paresia

Partial paralysis or muscular weakness.

Plegia

Complete muscular paralysis.

Propiocepción

The neural sense of body and limb position in space.

Ptosis

Drooping or sagging of an anatomical structure, particularly the upper eyelid.

Rectocele

Herniation or protrusion of the rectum into the posterior vaginal wall.

Vómica

Sudden, profuse expulsion of purulent material originating from the lung.

Xerostomía

Abnormal dryness of the mouth resulting from reduced salivary secretion.

stat

Medical prescription abbreviation denoting immediately.

p.r.n.

Medical prescription abbreviation meaning when necessary or as needed (pro re nata).

q.i.d

Prescription abbreviation meaning four times a day (quater in die).

a.c.

Prescription abbreviation indicating before meals (ante cibum).

p.c.

Prescription abbreviation indicating after meals (post cibum).

t.p.r.

Clinical abbreviation indicating temperature, pulse, and respirations.