Medical Word Parts, Abbreviations, and Acronyms

Vocabulary practice flashcards generated from medical word parts, prefixes, suffixes, combining forms, and clinical abbreviations.

a-, an-

no; not; without

acanth/o

spiny; thorny

acetabul/o

acetabulum (hip socket)

acous/o

hearing

acr/o

extremities; top; extreme point

aden/o

gland

adip/o

fat

agglutin/o

clumping; sticking together

alb/o

white

alges/o

sensitivity to pain

-algia

pain

alveol/o

alveolus; air sac; small sac

ambly/o

dim; dull

amni/o

amnion (sac surrounding the embryo)

andr/o

male

aneurysm/o

aneurysm (widened blood vessel)

angi/o

vessel (blood)

ankyl/o

stiff

anti-

against

aort/o

aorta (largest artery)

append/o

appendix

arteri/o

artery

arthr/o

joint

atel/o

incomplete

ather/o

plaque (fatty substance)

audi/o

hearing

aut/o

self, own

brady-

slow

bronch/o

bronchial tube

carcin/o

cancerous; cancer

cardi/o

heart

cephal/o

head

cerebr/o

cerebrum (largest part of the brain)

cervic/o

neck; cervix (neck of uterus)

cholecyst/o

gallbladder

chondr/o

cartilage

col/o

colon

cost/o

rib

crani/o

skull

cyan/o

blue

cyst/o

urinary bladder; cyst; sac of fluid

-cyte

cell

dacry/o

tear

dermat/o

skin

dys-

bad; painful; difficult; abnormal

-ectomy

removal; excision; resection

encephal/o

brain

endo-

in; within

enter/o

intestines (usually small intestine)

erythr/o

red

gastr/o

stomach

glyc/o

glucose; sugar

hem/o

blood

hemat/o

blood

hepat/o

liver

hyper-

above; excessive

hypo-

deficient; below; under; less than normal

hyster/o

uterus; womb

-itis

inflammation

lapar/o

abdominal wall; abdomen

leuk/o

white

lip/o

fat (a type of lipid)

lith/o

stone; calculus

-logy

study (process of)

macro-

large

-megaly

enlargement

my/o

muscle

myel/o

spinal cord; bone marrow

nephr/o

kidney

neur/o

nerve

ophthalm/o

eye

oste/o

bone

path/o

disease

phleb/o

vein

-plasty

surgical repair

pneum/o

lung; air; gas

poly-

many; much; increased

prostat/o

prostate gland

psych/o

mind

ren/o

kidney

rhin/o

nose

-scopy

visual examination

splen/o

spleen

tachy-

fast

thorac/o

chest

thromb/o

clot

toxic/o

poison

trache/o

trachea (windpipe)

ur/o

urine; urinary tract

vas/o

vessel; duct; vas deferens

ven/o

vein

a.c.

before meals (ante cibum)

ACE

angiotensin-converting enzyme

ACL

anterior cruciate ligament (of knee)

ADHD

attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder

AIDS

acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

ALS

amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig disease)

AMI

acute myocardial infarction

b.i.d.

twice a day (bis in die)

BUN

blood urea nitrogen