Medical Terminology

  • Macro: Large

  • Micro: Small

  • Hyper: Above normal

  • Hypo: Below normal

  • Eu-/Normo: Normal

  • Pan-/Omni: All

  • A-/An-: Absence

  • Megalo-: Large

  • Mono: Single

  • Di: Double

  • Tri: Triple

  • Quad: Four

  • Poly: Many

  • Oligo: Few

  • Mono: Single

  • Di: Double

  • Tri: Triple

  • Quad: Four

  • Poly: Many

  • Oligo: Few

  • Epi-/Peri-/Circum: Around

  • Endo-/Intra: Inside

  • Exo-/Extra: Outside

  • Inter: Between

  • Trans: Across

  • Dia-/Per: Through

  • Medi: Middle

  • Para-/Juxta: Nearby

  • Ab-: Away

  • Ad-: Toward

  • Dis-: To separate

  • Chromo-/Chromato: Color

  • Leuko: White

  • Erythro: Red

  • Cyano: Blue

  • Chloro: Green

  • Melan-: Black

  • Flav-: Yellow

  • -ology: Study of

  • -philia: Love of

  • -phobia: Fear of

  • -tension: Pressure

  • -xia: Oxygen

  • -capnea: Carbon dioxide

  • -pnea: Air or breathing

  • -ase: Enzyme

  • Dys-: Problem/abnormal

  • Mal-: Bad

  • -Itis: Inflammation

  • -Plasia: Process of growth

  • -Oma: Tumor

  • -Trophy: Growth in cell size

  • -Pathy: Disease

  • -Osis: Abnormal condition

  • -Ia: Condition

  • -Ism: State of

  • -Ic/-Ial: Pertaining to

  • Meta-: Change or transformation

  • -Stasis/Static: Maintenance

  • -Lytic/-Lysis: Destruction

  • -Megaly: Enlargement

  • -Penia: Decrease

  • -Ectomy: Removal

  • -Otomy: Cutting/incision

  • -Ostomy: Creating a hole

  • -Scopy: Viewing

  • -Graphy/-Gram: Recording

  • Chemo-: Chemical

  • Echo-/Sono-: Sound

  • Electro-: Electrical charge

  • Anti-: Opposed to or counteracting.

  • Pro-: Before, promoting, or inducing.

  • Centra-: Central or center.

  • Fibro-: Fiber.

  • Thrombo-: Clot

  • Blasto-/Blast: Stem or progenitor cells.

  • Clast: Absorbing or degradation cells.

  • Phago-: Eating or consuming.

  • Dipsia-: Drinking.

  • Pepsia-: Digestion.

  • Mesis-: Vomiting.

  • Uria-: Urination.

  • phagia - swallowing

  • dipsia - drinking

  • Pyro-: Fever/heat.

  • Noso-: Disease.

  • Chrono-: Time.

  • Steno-: Narrowing.

  • Axio-: Refers to the axis or axial skeleton.

  • Cata-: Denotes a downward process

  • Ecto-: Means "outside" or "external."

  • Ventro-/Dorso-: Refer to the front and back of the body.

  • Lateral: Refers to the sides of the body.

  • Caudo-: Indicates the tail or lower end of the body.

  • Mezzo-: Refers to the middle.

  • Karyo-/Nucleo-: Refer to the nucleus of a cell.

  • Poikilo-: Indicates irregularity or variability.

  • Poikilo-: Indicates irregularity or variability.

  • Reticulo-: Describes a net-like structure.

  • Sphero-: Means sphere-shaped.

  • Anthropo-: Relates to humans.

  • Corp-/Somato-: Refer to the body.

  • Organo-/Viscero-: Refer to organs or internal structures

  • Proteo-/Pharmaco-: Relate to proteins and drugs.

  • Morpho-: Means form or structure.

  • Nutri-/Physio-: Relate to nutrition and nature.

  • Baro-: Refers to pressure.

  • Labile: Indicates instability.

  • Radio-: Refers to radiation.

  • Sclero-: Means hardening.

  • Schisto-/Schizo-: Refers to splitting or cleft.

  • Apo-: Away from or separation

  • Acro-: Refers to extremities

  • Ante-/Anterior: In front

  • Ambi-/Amphi-: Both sides

  • Post-/Posterior: Behind

  • Dextro-/Levo-: Right/Left

  • Retro-: Behind or backward

  • Alt-/Alto-: High

  • Athero-: Fat

  • Albumin-: Refers to albumin protein

  • Band-: Immature white blood cells

  • Amylo-: Starch

  • Coccus: Round-shaped bacteria

  • Andro-/Gyneco-: Male/Female

  • Calc-: Refers to stones

  • Arachno-: Spider or spider-like

  • Aero-: Air

  • Abraso-: To rub away

  • Port-: To carry

  • Cryo-: Cold

  • Asthenia-: Weakness

  • Ante-/Pre-/Post-: Before/After

  • Cryno-/Crin-: Secretion

  • Rrhegia-: Heavy flow

  • Malacia-: Softening

  • Desis-: Surgical union or fixation

  • Cephalo-: Refers to the head

  • Facio-: Pertains to the face

  • Cranio-: Refers to the skull

  • Tricho-: Denotes hair

  • Stoma-/Oral-: Relates to the mouth

  • Glosso-/Lingual-: Refers to the tongue

  • Labio-/Cheilo-: Lips

  • Dento-/Odonto-: Teeth

  • Gingivo-: Gums

  • Rhino-/Naso-: Nose

  • Bucco-: Cheek

  • Genio-/Mento-: Chin

  • Opto-/Ophthalmo-/Oculo-: Eye

  • Palpebro-: Eyelid

  • Conjunctivo-: Conjunctiva

  • Retino-: Retina

  • Kerato-: Cornea

  • Iro-/Irido-: Iris

  • Lacrimo-/Dacryo-: Tears/tear gland

  • Celi-/Lapro-: Abdomen

  • Gastro-: Stomach

  • Cholecysto-: Gallbladder

  • Choledocho-: Common bile duct

  • Entero-: Intestine

  • Pancreato-: Pancreas

  • Duodeno-: Duodenum

  • Jejuno-: Jejunum

  • Ileo-: Ileum

  • Appendico-/Appendo-: Appendix

  • Colo-/Colono-: Colon

  • Procto-/Ano-: Rectum/Anus

  • Arthro-: joint

  • Chondro-: cartilage

  • Osteo-: bone

  • Myo-/Mys-: muscle

  • Scapulo-: shoulder blade

  • Femoro-: femur

  • Chiro-/Mano-: hand

  • Onycho-: nails

  • Dactylo-/Phalangeo-: fingers or toes

  • Carpo-/Metacarpo-: wrist or hand bones

  • Pedi-/Pod-: foot

  • Salpingo-: fallopian tubes

  • Oophoro-: ovaries

  • Hystero-/Metrio-: uterus

  • Spermo-: sperm

  • Orchio-: testicles

  • Prostato-: prostate

  • Balano-: penis