Medical Terminology - Bases

acanth-

throat, spine

alg-

pain

alges-

sensitivity to pain

all-

other, divergence, difference from

angi-

(blood) vessel, duct

arteri-

(air passage) artery

arthr-

joint

bi-

life

brady-

slow

cardi-

heart

cephal-

head

crani-

skull

cyt-

cell

encephal-

brain

erythr-

red, red blood cell

lept-

thin, fine, slight

leuk-

white, white blood cell

lith-

stone, calculus

log-

word, study

malac-

soft

mes-

middle, secondary, partial, mesentery

-meter, metr-

measure, measuring device

nephr-

kidney

neur-

(tendon) nerve, nervous system

oste-

bone

prax-

act, action

prot-

first, primitive, early

scler-

hard

sten-

narrow

stere-

solid, having three dimensions

tachy-

rapid

tox(i)-

poison

acr-

(highest point) extremities (hands and feet)

ambly-

dull, faint

carcin-

(crab) carcinoma, cancer

-cel-

hernia, tumor, swelling

cheir- or chir-

hand

chol(e)

bile, gale

col(i)- or colon-

colon

cyan-

blue

cyst(i)- or -cystic

bladder, cyst

diplo-

double, twin

derm- or dermat-

skin

enter-

(small) intestine

erg-

action, work, energy

gastr-

stomach

hem- or hemat- or -em-

blood

lip-

fat

macr-

(abnormally) large or long

mega- or megal-

(abnormally) large or long

melan-

dark, black

micr-

(abnormally) small

nyct-

night

odyn-

pain

onc-

tumor

pachy-

thick

pseud-

false

py-

pus

sarc-

flesh, soft tissue

spasm-

involuntary muscle movement

splen-

spleen

stom- or stomat-

mouth or opening

hepar-

liver

arachn-

spider, web; arachnoid membrane

chlor-

green

chondr-

cartilage

dactyl-

finger, toe

derm(at)-, derma

skin

(h)elc-

ulcer

hidr(ot)-, -idr-

sweat

hist(i)-

(web) tissue

hydr-

water, fluid

hypn-

sleep

icter-

jaundice

in-, inos-

fiber, muscle

is-

equal, same, similar, alike

mening-, -meninx

meningeal membrane, meninges

my(s)-

(mouse) muscle

myc(et)-

(mushroom) fungus

myel-

bone marrow, spinal cord

narc-

stupor, numbness

necr-

corpse; dead

olig-

few, deficient

onych-

fingernail, toenail

pod-

foot

poli-

(gray) gray matter of the brain and spinal cord

poly-

many, excessive

por-

passage, opening, duct, pore, cavity

psych-

(soul) mind

som(at)-, -soma

body

sthen-

strength

trachel-

neck, cervix

xanth-

yellow

aut-

self

crin-

(separate) secrete, secretion

esthe(s)-

sensation, sensitivity, sense

gen(e)-, -gen

come into being; produce

gram-

(something written) a record

graph-

write, record

iatr-

healer, physician; treatment