Musculoskeletal System Terminology

a-

without

dia-

through, complete

endo-, intra-,

within

epi-

above

ex-

outside, out

inter-

between

meta-

change, beyond

peri-

surrounding

poly-

many, much

pro-

before

re-

back

syn-

together

ultra-

beyond

antr/o

antrum

dors/o

back of body

hemat/o, hem/o

blood

oste/o, oss/i, osse/o

bone

burs/o

bursa

calc/o

calcium

carp/o

carpal bone

chondr/o, cartilag/o

cartilage

cervic/o

cervical vertebrae (also neck)

pector/o, thorac/o

chest

cleid/o, clavicul/o

clavicle

coccyg/o

coccyx (tain bone)

ankyl/o

crooked or stiff

scoli/o

curvature

olecran/o

elbow

epicondyl/o

epicondyle

ethmoid/o

ethmoid bone

fasci/o

fascia

femor/o

femur

fibr/o

fiber

fibul/o, perone/o

fibula

dactyl/o

finger, toe (whole)

front/o

frontal bone

myocardi/o

heart muscle

humer/o

humerus

kyph/o

hunchback

ili/o

ilium

ischi/o

ischium

gnath/o

jaw

arthr/o, articul/o

joint

lacrim/o

lacrimal bone

lamin/o

lamina

ligament/o, syndesm/o

ligament

lumb/o

lower back

malleol/o

malleolus

mandibul/o

mandible (lower jaw)

mastoid/o

mastoid process

maxill/o

maxilla (upper jaw)

metacarp/o

metacarpal bone

metatars/o

metatarsal bone

muscul/o, my/o, myos/o

muscle

nas/o

nose

troph/o

development

occipit/o

occipital bone

palat/o

palatine bone

pariet/o

parietal bone

por/o

passage

patell/o

patella

phalang/o

phalanx (bone of finger and/or toe)

phosph/o, phosphat/o

phosphorus

pub/o

pubis

radi/o

radius

cost/o

rib

sacr/o

sacrum

scapul/o

scapula

sin/o, sinus/o

sinus

crani/o

skull

son/o

sound

sphenoid/o

sphenoid bone

rachi/o, spin/o, vertebr/o

spinal column

stern/o

sternum

rhabdomy/o

striated muscle

lord/o

swayback

synovi/o

synovial membrane

tars/o

tarsal bone

lacrim/o

tear ducts

tempor/o

temporal bone

tendin/o, tend/o, ten/o

tendon

thorac/o

thorax

tibi/o

tibia

uln/o

ulna

vertebr/o, spondyl/o

vertebra

leiomy/o

visceral muscle

vomer/o

vomer

rheumat/o

watery flow

zygom/o, zygomat/o

zygoma

-al

pertaining to

-algia

pain

-blast

embryonic

-centesis

surgical puncture

-clasis

intentional facture

-clast

breaking down

-cytes

cells

-desis

binding, stabilizing

-ectomy

excision, removal

-gram

a record

-graphy

process of recording