A-	Without
Epi-	Above
Hypo-	Under
Sub-	Below, under

Acr/o	Extremities
Adip/o	Fat
Albin/o	White
Cutane/o	Skin
Cyan/o	Blue
Derm/o	Skin
Diaphor/o	Sweat
Dist/o	Far, distant
Epitheli/o	Skin, epithelium
Melan/o	Dark, black
My/o	Muscle
Onych/o	Nail
Seb/o	Sebum
Sebace/o	Sebum
Squam/o	Scale
Sudor/o	Sweat
Trich/o	Hair

-al	Pertaining to
-cytes	Cells
-esis	Action, condition, state of
-ism	Process, condition
-malacia	Softening
-osis	Condition of, usually abnormal
-ous	Pertaining to

Angi/o	Vessel
Blephar/o	Eyelid
Contus/o	To bruise
Crypt/o	Hidden
Dermat/o	Skin
Erythem/o	Redness, flush
Exanthemat/o	Rash
Follicul/o	Follicle, small sac
Hem/o	Blood
Hemat/o	Blood
Hidr/o	Sweat
Hirsut/o	Hairy
Ichthy/o	Dry, scaly
Kel/o	Tumor, fibrous growth
Kerat/o	Hard, horny tissue
Leuk/o	White
Lip/o	Fat
Melan/o	Dark, black
Myc/o	Fungus
Necr/o	Death
Ocul/o	Eye
Onych/o	Nail
Papill/o	Nipple-like
Pedicul/o	Lice, louse
Plant/o	Sole of foot
Psor/o	Itching
Py/o	Pus
Sarc/o	Flesh
Scler/o	Hardening
Squam/o	Scale
Till/o	Pull out
Trich/o	Hair
Xer/o	Dry

-iasis	Abnormal condition
-lysis	Loosen, breakdown, destruction
-mania	Obsessive preoccupation
-oid	Resembling
-oma	Tumor
-phagia	Eat, swallow
-phyma	Growth
-plasia	Development, formation
-plasm	Formation, structure

AK	Actinic keratosis
BCC	Basal cell carcinoma
cm	Centimeter
HPV	Human papillomaviruses
KS	Kaposi sarcoma
SCC	Squamous cell carcinoma
SLE	Systemic lupus erythematosus
UV	Ultraviolet
VZV	Varicella-zoster virus

Anti-	Against
Auto-	Self
Exo-	Out, away from
Trans-	Across

All/o	Other
Bi/o	Life
Blephar/o	Eyelid
Cauter/o	Heat, burn
Chem/o	Chemical, drug
Cry/o	Cold
Dermat/o	Skin
Foli/o	Leaf
Heter/o	Different, other
Lip/o	Fat
Myc/o	Fungus
Phleb/o	Vein
Prurit/o	Itching
Rhytid/o	Wrinkles
Tox/o	Poison
Xen/o	Stranger

-ectomy	Excision, removal, resection
-lysis	Loosen, breakdown, destruction
-opsy	View of
-plasty	Repair

Bx	Biopsy
FUE	Follicular unit extraction
FUSS	Follicular unit strip surgery
I&D	Incision and drainage

An-	Without
Mal-	Bad
Neo-	New

Endo-	Within
Hyper-	Above, excessive
Peri-	Around, surrounding

Arthr/o	Joints
Brachi/o	Arm
Card/i	Heart
Carp/o	Wrist
Chir/o	Hand
Chondr/o	Cartilage
Clavicul/o	Clavicle
Cost/o	Ribs
Crani/o	Skull
Fasci/o	Fascia
Femor/o	Femur
Fibr/o	Fiber
Fibul/o	Fibula
Hem/o	Blood
Ligament/o	Ligaments
Lumb/o	Lower back
Mandibul/o, Submaxill/o	Mandible
Maxill/o	Maxilla
Medull/o	Inner section, middle, marrow
Metacarp/o	Metacarpals
Metatars/o	Metatarsals
My/o, Myos/o, Muscul/o	Muscle
Myel/o	Bone marrow
Oss/e, Oss/i, Oste/o, Ost/o	Bone(s)
Patell/a, Patell/o	Patella
Pelv/o, Pelv/i	Pelvis
Phalang/o	Phalanges
Pod/o	Feet
Pub/o	Pubis
Radi/o	Radius
Rheumat/o	Watery flow
Sacr/o	Sacrum
Scapul/o	Scapula
Stern/o	Sternum
Tars/o	Tarsals
Ten/o, Tend/o, Tendin/o	Tendon
Thorac/o	Chest
Tibi/o	Tibia
Uln/o	Ulna
Vertebr/o	Vertebra

-blast	Immature cell
-clasts	To break
-iatrist	Specialist in an area of medicine
-poiesis	Formation

ADL	Activities of daily living
C1-C7	Used to indicate specific bones of the neck (cervical spine)
Ca	Chemical symbol for calcium
COTA	Certifi ed occupational therapy assistant
DPM	Doctor of podiatric medicine
L1-L5	Used to indicate specific bones of the lumbar spine
MVA	Motor vehicle accident
OT	Occupational therapist
PT	Physical therapist
PTA	Physical therapy assistant
S1-S5	The last 5 sacral vertebrae, located in the lower spine
T1-T12	Used to indicate specific bones of the thoracic spine

A-	Without
Dys-	Abnormal, bad, difficulty
Epi-	Above
Hemi-	Half
Par-, para-	Abnormal
Quadri-	Four

Ankyl/o	Stiff
Anter/o	Front
Arthr/o	Joint
Articul/o	Joint
Ather/o	Fatty deposits in the blood
Carp/o	Wrist
Chondr/o	Cartilage
Condyl/o	Rounded protrusion at the end of the bone
Cost/o	Rib
Cyst/o	Sac
Dipl/o	Double
Fasci/o	A band of tissue supporting muscles
Fibr/o	Fiber
Ganglion/o	Ganglion
Hem/o	Blood
Kinesi/o	Movement
Kyph/o	Humpback
Leiomy/o	Smooth muscle
Lord/o	Curve, swayback
Mandibul/o	Lower jaw
Menisc/o	Meniscus
My/o	Muscle
Myel/o	Bone marrow, spinal cord
Necr/o	Death
Oste/o	Bone
Patell/a, patell/o	Kneecap
Plant/o	Sole of foot
Poster/o	Back, behind
Rhabdomy/o	Striated muscle
Rheumat/o	Watery flow
Sarc/o	Flesh (connective tissue)
Scoli/o	Crooked, bent
Spondyl/o	Vertebra
Sten/o	Narrowing
Synov/o	Synovial membrane
Tempor/o	Temporal bone
Tox/o	Poison

-algia	Pain
-asthenia	Lack of strength
-esthesia	Feeling
-itis	Inflammation of
-listhesis	Slipping
-lysis	Breakdown
-malacia	Softening
-oma	Tumor
-opia	Vision condition
-paresis	Weakness
-pathy	Disease
-penia	Deficiency
-phagia	Swallowing
-phonia	Voice sound
-plegia	Paralysis
-porosis	Condition of pores
-rrhexis	Rupture
-sclerosis	Hardening
-trophy	Nourishment, development

ACh	Acetylcholine
ACL	Anterior cruciate ligament
ADL	Activities of daily living
Fx	Fracture
GBS	Guillain-Barre syndrome
HNP	Herniated nucleus pulposus
MG	Myasthenia gravis
MTSS	Medial tibial stress syndrome
OA	Osteoarthritis
PCL	Posterior cruciate ligament
RA	Rheumatoid arthritis
TMJ or TMD	Temporomandibular joint dysfunction

-centesis	Surgical puncture
-clasis	To break
-desis	Bind, tie together
-ectomy	Excision, removal, resection
-graph	Instrument for recording
-graphy	Process of recording
-lysis	Breakdown
-meter	Measure
-metry	Process of measuring
-opsy	View of
-pathy	Disease
-plasty	Repair
-rrhaphy	Suture
-scope	Instrument for visual recording
-scopic	Pertaining to visual examination
-tic	Pertaining to
-tomy	Process of cutting

BMD	Bone mineral density
BMT	Bone marrow transplant
CT	Computed tomography
DTR	Deep tendon reflexes
Dx	Diagnostics
DXA	Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry
EMG	Electromyography
MRI	Magnetic resonance imaging
NCV	Nerve conduction velocity (test)
PKR	Partial knee replacement
ROM	Range of motion
THR	Total hip replacement
TKR	Total knee replacement
Tx	Treatments

Bi-	Two
Dys-	Bad, difficult, painful
Epi-	Above
Peri-	Surrounding
Sub-	Under, below
Trans-	Across

Append/o	Appendix
Bucc/o	Cheek
Cec/o	Cecum
Cheil/o	Lip
Chol/e	Bile, gall
Cholecyst/o	Gallbladder
Choledoch/o	Common bile duct
Col/o, colon/o	Colon, large intestine
Cyst/o	Bladder
Dent/i	Tooth
Duoden/o	Duodenum
Gastr/o	Stomach
Gingiv/o	Gum
Gloss/o	Tongue
Hepat/o	Liver
Ile/o	Ileum
Jejun/o	Jejunum
Lingu/o	Tongue
Odont/o	Tooth
Or/o	Mouth
Orth/o	Straighten
Pancreat/o	Pancreas
Peri/o	Around
Pharyng/o	Throat, pharynx
Rect/o	Rectum
Sial/o	Saliva
Sigmoid/o	Sigmoid colon
Uvul/o	Uvula
Verm/i	Appendix

BM	Bowel movement
DDS	Doctor of dental surgery
DMD	Doctor of dental medicine; also known as a dentist
LES	Lower esophagus sphincter
OMS	Oral and maxillofacial surgeon
UES	Upper esophageal sphincter

med terms ch 4-6

A-	Without
Auto-	Own, self
Dys-	Abnormal, bad, difficult, painful
Mal-	Bad
Poly-	Many, much
Pro-	Before, forward
Syn-	Together, with

An/o	Anus
Aphth/o	Ulcer
Cari/o	Caries, rottenness
Celi/o	Belly, abdomen
Cholangi/o	Bile
Chol/e	Bile, gall
Cholecyst/o	Gallbladder
Cirrh/o	Orange-yellow
Cyst/o	Bladder
Dips/o	Thirst
Edentul/o	Toothless
Enter/o	Intestines
Gastr/o	Stomach
Gingiv/o	Gums
Gravid/o	Pregnancy
Hem/o	Blood
Hemat/o	Blood
Hepat/o	Liver
Hiat/o	Opening
Inguin/o	Groin
Lei/o	Smooth
My/o	Muscle
Odont/o	Tooth
Pancreat/o	Pancreas
Phag/o	Eat, swallow
Polyp/o	Polyp, small growth
Proct/o	Anus, rectum
Rect/o	Rectum
Sarc/o	Flesh
Steat/o	Fat
Stomat/o	Mouth
Umbilic/o	Umbilicus
Ur/o	Urine
Varic/o	Varicose veins

-algia	Pain
-drome	To run
-emesis	Vomit
-lapse	To fall out of place
-lithiasis	Condition of stones
-lysis	Breakdown
-megaly	Enlargement
-meter	Measure
-oma	Tumor, mass
-ous	Pertaining to
-pepsia	Ingestion
-phagia	Eating, swallowing
-plakia	Plaque
-rrhea	Discharge, flow
-rrhoid	Protrusion, sac
-trophy	Development

CD	Crohn’s disease
GERD	Gastroesophageal reflux disease
HG	Hyperemesis gravidarum
IBD	Inflammatory bowel disease
IBS	Irritable bowel syndrome
OL	Oral leukoplakia
UC	Ulcerative colitis

Bar/o	Weight
Gingiv/o	Gum
Lapar/o	Abdominal wall, abdomen
Palat/o	Palate
Scler/o	Hardening
Stomat/o	Mouth
Uvul/o	Uvula

-ectomy	Excision, removal, resection
-gram	Record
-pexy	Suturing
-plasty	Surgical repair
-tripsy	Crushing

CT	Computed tomography
DRE	Digital rectal examination
EGD	Esophagogastroduodenoscopy
EMG	Electromyograph
ERCP	Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography
EUS	Endoscopic ultrasonography
FOBT	Fecal occult blood test
GERD	Gastroesophageal reflux disease
G-tube	Gastrostomy tube
HIDA	Hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid scan
J-tube	Jejunostomy
MRE	Magnetic resonance elastography, magnetic resonance enterography (this abbreviation could cause confusion; when in doubt, write it out)
NG	Nasogastric tube
NJ	Nasojejunal tube
PEG tube	Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube
RFA	Radiofrequency ablation
UGI	Upper gastrointestinal series