MED-121 Body Prefixes

aden/o -

referring to glands or glandular tissue. (adenoma, adenitis)

arthr/o -

referring to joints (arthritis)

bi/o -

life (biology, biopsy)

carcin/o -

cancerous, cancer (carcinoma)

cardi/o -

heart (cardiology)

cephal/o -

head (cephalic)

cerebr/o

cerebrum - largest part of the brain (cerebral)

cis/o -

to cut (incision or excision)

crin/o -

to secrete or give off (endocrine or exocrine glands)

cyst/o -

urinary bladder, a sac, or a pouch (cystoscopy)

cyt/o -

cell (cytology)

derm/o - or dermat/o-

skin (dermatitis, dermatology, hypodermic)

electr/o -

electricity (electrocardiogram)

encephal/o-

brain (electroencephalogram)

enter/o-

intestines, usually the small intestine (enteritis)

erythr/o -

red (erythrocyte)

gastr/o -

stomach (gastrectomy, gastrotomy)

glyc/o -

sugar (hyperglycemia)

gnos/o -

knowledge (diagnosis, prognosis)

gynec/o -

woman, female (gynecology)

hemat/o - or hem/o -

blood (hematology, hematoma, hemoglobin)

hepat/o -

liver (hepatitis)

iatr/o -

treatment, physician (iatrogenic)

leuk/o -

white (leukocyte)

log/o or -logy

study of (dermatology, cosmetology)

nephr/o -

kidney (nephritis, nephrology)

neur/o -

specifically nerves (neurology)

onc/o -

cancerous tumor (oncology, oncologist)

ophthalm/o - or oculo

pertaining to the eye (ophthalmoscope)

oste/o -

bone (osteitis, osteoathritis)

path/o -

disease (pathology, pathologist)

ped/o -

child (pediatric)

psych/o -

mind (psychology, psychiatrist)

ren/o -

kidney (renal)

rhin/o -

nose (rhinitis)

sarc/o -

flesh (sarcoma)

sect/o -

to cut, different than cis/o - (resection)

thromb/o -

clot, clotting (thrombocyte)

ur/o -

urinary tract, pertaining to urine (urologist)

crani-

pertaining to the skull or head

oto-

ear

thromb/o-

blood clot

mamm/o-

breast

colo- or ilium

large intestine

ileo, ileum

small intestine, e stands for eat, apart of digestion

thorac/o-

chest

pneumo

lung(s)

opt/o- or optic/o-

vision or sight

blephar/o

eyelid

retin/o-

retina