Medical terminology

Prefixes

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