Medical Terminology

a-

a-

without, away from

EX: apnea - without breathing

an-

without

EX: anaesthesia - without feeling in a body part

ante-

before, in front of

EX: anterior - near the front

anti-

against

auto-

self

brady-

slow

dys-

painful, difficult

endo-

within, inner

EX: endocrine - to secrete substances from glands internally

epi-

upon, over, above

eu-

normal, good

EX: eutopia - a good place

hetero-

different

homo-

same

hyper-

over, above

hypo-

under, bellow

infra-

under, beneath, below

inter-

among, between

EX: intercostal - between the rips

intra-

within, inside

EX: intravenous - inside a vein

macro-

large

micro-

small

neo-

new

EX: neoplasm - new/beginning cancer cells

pan-

all

EX: panorama - a view of all of one’s surroundings

para-

beside, beyond, near

EX: paranormal - beyond normal

per-

through/thoroughly

EX: perspire - to have sweat breathe “through” your skin

peri-

around, about

EX: peripheral - around the edge of your vision

post-

behind, after

pre-

before, in front of

pseudo-

false

retro-

backward, behind

EX: retrospect - to look back on the past

sub-

below, under

super-

above, excess

supra-

above

tacky-

rapid, fast

trans-

through, across

EX: translucent - light going through something

ultra-

beyond, excess

ur/o

urine, urinary tract

aden/o

gland

EX: adenitis - inflammation of a gland

carcin/o

cancer

EX: carcinogen - any substance that causes cancer

immune

immun/o

laryng/o

voice box

EX: laryngitis - inflammation of the voice box/larynx

morph/o

shape

ot/o

ear

path/o

disease

EX: pathogen - microorganism which brings about disease

pulmon/o

lung

EX: pulmonary artery - artery that leads to the lung

rhin/o

nose

Nose Ring

neur/o

nerve

chem/o

chemical

cardi/o

heart

cis/o

to cut

EX: incision - surgical cut

dermat/o

skin

hemat/o

blood

hydr/o

water

gastr/o

stomach

nephr/o

kidney

gynec/o

female

enter/o

small intestine

(many nutrients “enter” the body through the small intestine)

ophthalm/o

eye

abdomin/o

abdomen

anter/o

front

brachi/o

arm

caud/o

tail

EX: coda - the final part of a piece of music

cephal/o

head

cervic/o

neck or cervix

crani/o

skull

crur/o

leg

dist/o

away from

dors/o

back of body

epitheli/o

epithelium

glute/o

buttock

infer/o

below

EX: inference - meaning bellow the surface level

later/o

side

medi/o

middle

muscul/o

muscle

neur/o

nerve

organ/o

organ

pelv/o

pelvis

peritone/o

peritoneum

pleur/o

pleura

(lungs)

poster/o

back

prosim/o

near to

EX: proximal

pub/o

pubis, genital region

somat/o

body

spin/o

spine

super/o

above

system/o

system

thorac/o

chest

ventr/o

belly

viscer/o

internal organ

EX:  visceral fat - fat that surrounds your organs

adip/o

fat

chondr/o

cartilage

cyt/o

cell

hist/o

tissue

vertebr/o

vertebra

-centesis

puncture to withdraw fluid

EX: amniocentesis - the surgical puncture of the amino sac to extract amnionic fluid from a pregnant woman

-ectomy

surgical removal, excision

EX: tonsillectomy - surgical removal of tonsils

-ostomy

cutting into, incision

EX: angiostomy - surgical opening created in a blood vessel commonly for the placement of a catheter

-plasty

surgical repair

(plastic surgery)

-rrhaphy

suture

-gram

record, picture

-graph

instrument for recording

-graphy

process of recording