Medical Terminology Roots: Key Concepts for Healthcare Students

cyt/o

cell

hist/o

tissue

somat/o

body

path/o

disease

onc/o

tumor

necr/o

death

sarc/o

flesh

carcin/o

cancer

hem/o, hemat/o

blood

erythr/o

red

leuk/o

white

thromb/o

clot

myel/o

bone marrow / spinal cord

lymph/o

lymph

immun/o

immune

cardi/o

heart

angi/o, vas/o

vessel

phleb/o

vein

arteri/o

artery

valv/o

valve

ventricul/o

ventricle

pneum/o

lung/air

pulmon/o

lung

bronch/o

bronchus

trache/o

trachea

laryng/o

larynx

nas/o

nose

pleur/o

pleura

gastr/o

stomach

enter/o

intestine

col/o

colon

hepat/o

liver

cholecyst/o

gallbladder

chol/e

bile

pancreat/o

pancreas

or/o

mouth

nephr/o

kidney

urethr/o

urethra

cyst/o

bladder

uter/o

uterus

oophor/o

ovary

orch/o

testicle

prostat/o

prostate

pyel/o

renal pelvis

oste/o

bone

my/o

muscle

arthr/o

joint

chondr/o

cartilage

tend/o

tendon

fasci/o

fascia

lumb/o

lower back

spondyl/o

vertebra

neur/o

nerve

encephal/o

brain

psych/o

mind

esthesi/o

sensation

phob/o

fear

aden/o

gland

thyroid/o

thyroid

adren/o

adrenal

gonad/o

sex gland

derm/o

skin

kerat/o

keratin

onych/o

nail

trich/o

hair

hidr/o

sweat

gloss/o

tongue

proct/o

rectum

lip/o

fat

tympan/o

eardrum

ot/o

ear

ophthalm/o

eye

splen/o

spleen

scler/o

hard

cyan/o

blue

dips/o

thirst

glyc/o

sugar

blast/o

immature cell

phag/o

eat/swallow

cardiomyopathy

disease of the heart muscle

nephrolithiasis

kidney stones

osteomalacia

softening of the bones

colitis

inflammation of the colon

pyelonephritis

infection of renal pelvis & kidney

arthroplasty

surgical repair of a joint

angiography

imaging of blood vessels

tracheostomy

creation of an opening in the trachea

hematopoiesis

creation of blood cells

phagocytosis

cell eating