Medical terminology

Prefixes

A- , An-

A- , An-

without, lacking

-- Ex. Anemia

ANDR/O

Male

-- Ex. Androgen

ANTI-

against

--Ex. Anticholinergic Drugs

AUTO-

self

--Ex. Autocrine

Bio-

Life

-- Biology

Chem/o

Chemsity

--Chemotherapy

Contra-

Against

--Contraception

Cyt/o-

Cell

--Cytokine

Dis-

Separation, taking apart

--Dissection

Dys-

difficult, abnormal

--Dyspnea

Eu-

Good, well

--Eupnea

Fibr/o-

Fiber

--Fibrosis

Gluco-,Glycol

Glucose, Sugar

--Glycogen

Gyn/o-, Gynec-

Female

-- Gynecology

Hyde/o-

water

--Hydrocephalus

Idio-

self, one’s own

Lyso-,Lys-

break down, destruction, dissolving

--Lysosome

Mal-

Bad, abnormal

--malignant

Myc/o-

Fungus

--Mycetoma

Necr/o-

death

--Necrosis

Neo-

new

--neonate

Oxy

Sharp, acute, oxygen

--Oxytocin

Pan-,Pant/o-

all or everywhere

--Pancytopenia

Pharmaco-

drug, medicine

-- Pharmacist

Re-

Again, background

--Rejuvenation

Somat/o-, Somatico

Body, bodily

--Somatic cell

Acous/o-

hearing

--Acoustic meatus

Aden/o-

gland

--Adenoid

Adip/o-

fat

--Adipocyte

Adren/o-

Gland

--Adrenal Cortex

Angi/o-

blood vessel

-- angioplasty

arteri/o-

artery

--arteriole

Arthr/o-

joint

--arthroplasty

Bucc/o-

cheek

--Buccal cavity

Branch/I-

Brochus

--Bronchioles

Burs/o-

Bursa

-- Bursa

Carcin/o-

Cancer

--Basal Cell carcinoma

Cardi/o-

heart

--Cardiology

Cephal/o-

Head

--Cephalic flexure

Chol-

bile

--cholesterol

chondri-

cartilage

--chondrosarcoma

coron-

heart

--coronary arteries

cost-

rib

--costal cartilage

crani/o-

brain

--cranium

cutane-

skin

--cutaneous

cyst/o-,cysti-

bladder or sac

--cystoscopy

derm-,dermat/o-

skin

--dermatologist

duoden/o-

duodenum

--duodenitis

gastr-

stomach

--gastrectomy

gloss-

tongue

--glossectomy

Hem-,hema-,hemat-, hemo-,hemat/o-

Blood

—hematopoiesis

Hepat/o-,hepatico

Liver

—hepatic portal system

hist/o-, histio

Tissue

—histology

Hyster/o-

Uterus

—hysterectomy

Ileo-

Ileum

—ileostomy

Ischi/o-

Ischium

—ischial tuberosity

Kerat/o-

Corena

—keratin

Lacrim/o-

Tear (from your eyes)

—lacrimal fluid

Lact/o,lacti

Milk

—lactose

Laryng/o-

Larynx

—laryngitis

Lingu/o-

Tongue

—lingual tonsil

Lip/o-

Fat

—lipoly sis

Lymph/o-

Lymph

—lymphocyte

Mama-,Mast/o-

breast

-- Mammary glands

mening/o-

meninges

--meningitis

muscle/o-

muscle

--musculoskeletal

my/o-

muscle

--myocardium

myel/o-

spinal cord or bone marrow

--myelin

nephr/o-

kidney

--nephron

neur/I-,neur/o-

nerve

--neuron

oculo-

eye

--oculomotor nerve

onco-

tumor, bulk; volume

--oncogene

onych/o-

fingernail, toenail

--onychodystrophy

Oo-

egg, ovary

--oocyte

Oophor/o-

Ovary

--Oophorectomy

Op-,Opt-

Vision

--Optic Nerve

Ophthalm/o-

eye

--Opthalmic artery

Orchid/o-,Orchio-

Testis

--Orchidectomy

Orth/o-

Straight, normal, correct

--Orthostatic

Osseo-

Bony

--Osseous tissue

Ossi-

Bone

--Ossicles

Ost-,Oste-/o-

bone

--ossicles

Ot/o-

ear

--otolaryngologist

ovar/i-,Ovario-,ovi-,ovo-

ovary

--ovarian follicle

phalang-

phalanx

--phalanges

phleb/o-

vein

--phlebotomist

paren/I-,phrenology,phrenico

diaphragm

--phrenic nerve

pleur-,pleur/a-,pleur/o-

rib, pleura

--pleural cavity

pneumonia/a-,pneumat/o-

air, lung

--pneumonia

proct/o-

anus, rectum

--proctoscopy

prostat-

prostate

--prostatectomy

pseudo-

false

--pseudostratified

psych/o-,psyche

mind

--psychiatrist

radio-

radiation, radius

--radioisotopes

ren/o-

kidney

--renal cortex

retin-

retina (of the eye)

--retinitis pigmentosa

rhin/o-

nose

--rhinoscope

salping/o-

tube

--salpingo-oophorectomy

sarco-

muscular, flesh-like

--sarcomere

schiz/o-

split, cleft

--schizophrenia