Medical Assistant - Medical Terminology

a-, an-

Meaning: without

Example: Apnea (without breathing)

ab-

Meaning: away from

Example: Abduction (movement away from the midline)

-algia, -dynia

Meaning: pain and suffering

Example: Myalgia (muscle pain), Gastrodynia (pain in the stomach)

carcin

Meaning: cancerous

Example: carcinogen (producing cancer)

cardi/o

Meaning: heart

Example: cardiology (the study of the heart)

-centesis

Meaning: a surgical puncture to remove fluid

Example: cardiocentesis (a puncture into the heart to remove fluid from the sac surrounding it)

cephal/o

Meaning: head

Example: Cephalic (pertaining to the head), Cephalalgia (headache)

-crine

Meaning: to secrete

Example: Endocrine (to secrete internally)

cyan/o

Meaning: blue

Example: Cyanosis (abnormal condition of blue skin)

dermat/o

Meaning: skin

Example: dermatology (the study of skin)

dors

Meaning: back of the body

Example: dorsal (pertaining to the back)

dys-

Meaning: bad, difficult, or painful

Example: dyspnea (difficult breathing)

-ectomy

Meaning: surgical removal

Example: mastectomy (surgical removal of the breast)

endo-

Meaning: within

Example: endoscopy (visual examination of within)

gene

Meaning: producing

Example: pathogen (an agent capable of producing disease)

hepat/o

Meaning: liver

Example: hepatitis (inflammation of the liver)

hyper-

Meaning: excessive or increased

Example: hypertension (increased or higher than normal blood pressure)

hypo-

Meaning: deficient or decreased

Example: hypotension (decreased or lower than normal blood pressure)

-iatrist, -ologist, -ist

Meaning: specialist

Example: psychiatrist (specialist of the mind)

-itis

Meaning: inflammation

Example: dermatitis (inflammation of the skin)

leuk/o

Meaning: white

Example: leukemia (blood condition of white blood cells)

lord/o

Meaning: bent backward

Example: lordosis (abnormal increase in the forward curvature of the lumbar spine (the lower back))

lumb

Meaning: lower back or lumbar

Example: lumbar (pertaining to the lower back)

-lysis

Meaning: loosening or setting free

Example: dialysis (setting free waste products from the blood)

-malacia

Meaning: abnormal softening

Example: osteomalacia (softening of the bones)

-megaly

Meaning: enlargement

Example: cardiomegaly (abnormal enlargement of the heart)

melan/o

Meaning: black

Example: melanoma (tumor of melanin-forming cells)

-ology

Meaning: the study of

Example: oncology (the study of tumors and cancer)

peri-

Meaning: surrounding

Example: pericardial (pertaining to the area surrounding the heart)

pod

Meaning: foot

Example: podiatrist (specialist of the foot)

por

Meaning: small opening

Example: pore (tiny opening on the surface of the skin)

post-

Meaning: after

Example: postpartum (occurring after childbirth)

-rrhea

Meaning: flow or discharge

Example: diarrhea (flow of loose and watery stool)

-stenosis

Meaning: abnormal narrowing

Example: arteriostenosis (abnormal narrowing of an artery)

bi-

Meaning: two

Example: bilateral (pertaining to two sides)

brady-

Meaning: slow

Example: bradycardia (abnormally slow heart rate)

tachy-

Meaning: rapid

Example: tachycardia (abnormally high heart rate)

thromb/o

Meaning: clot

Example: thrombosis (abnormal condition of having a blood clot)

anti-

Meaning: against

Example: anticoagulant (substance that works against the coagulation (clotting) of blood)

brachy-

Meaning: short

Example: brachycephalic (short-headed)

-cide

Meaning: causing death

Example: spermicide (method of contraception that kills sperm)

-edema

Meaning: swelling

Example: lymphedema (swelling of tissues caused by accumulation of lymph fluid)

macro-

Meaning: large

Example: macrophage (large white blood cell that eats debris and pathogens)

phag/o

Meaning: to eat or swallow

Example: phagocytosis (a cell eats and digests particles)

-ectasis

Meaning: stretching or enlargement

Example: gastrectasis (stretching or dilation of the stomach)

-pharynx

Meaning: throat

Example: pharyngitis (inflammation of the throat)

-pnea

Meaning: breathing

Example: Apnea (without breathing)

poly-

Meaning: many

Example: polyuria (large or many amounts of urine)

pulmon/o

Meaning: lung

Example: pulmonology (the study of the lungs)

-spasm

Meaning: involuntary contraction

Example: myospasm (twitching in a muscle)

tuss

Meaning: cough

Example: pertussis (whopping cough)

cirrh/o

Meaning: yellow or orange

Example: cirrhosis (chronic disease of the liver characterized by yellow-orange discoloration)

-emesis

Meaning: vomiting

Example: hyperemesis (excessive vomiting)

hemorrhoid

Meaning: piles (swollen veins)

-ism

Meaning: condition

Example: hypothyroidism (A condition caused by deficient activity of the thyroid gland)

-occult

Meaning: hidden

Example: occult fracture (a fracture that does not appear on a x-ray but is present)

cyst/o

Meaning: bladder

Example: cystoscopy (visual interior examination of the bladder)

nephr/o

Meaning: kidney

Example: nephritis (inflammation of the kidney)

-tripsy

Meaning: to crush

Example: lithotripsy (A procedure that uses shock waves to crush stones, like kidney stones or gallstones)

ur/o

Meaning: urine

Example: uremia (toxic condition resulting from urine in the blood)

ambul/o

Meaning: to walk

Example: ambulatory (pertaining to being able to walk)

cerebr/o

Meaning: brain

Example: cerebral (pertaining to the brain)

claustr/o

Meaning: barrier

Example: claustrophobia (fear of being in enclosed spaces)

concuss/o

Meaning: shaken together

Example: concussion (brain injury caused by the shaking of the head and body)

contus/o

Meaning: bruise

Example: contusion (injury to underlying tissues, characterized by discoloration)

-lepsy

Meaning: seizure

Example: epilepsy (A neurological disorder marked by sudden, recurrent episodes of sensory disturbance, loss of consciousness, or convulsions (seizures))

-mania

Meaning: madness

Example: hypomania (mild form of mania)

-phobia

Meaning: abnormal fear

Example: hydrophobia (fear of water)

psych/o

Meaning: mind

Example: psychology (the study of the mind)