Medical Assistant-Medical Terminology

Lesson 1: Word Roots

Endocrine System

• Aden — gland

• Pancreat — pancreas

• Thyr — thyroid gland

Hematologic System

• Hem, Hemat — blood

• Phleb — vein

• Thromb — clot

Musculoskeletal System

• Arthr — joint

• Brachi — arm

• Cervic — neck

• Chondr — cartilage

• Cost — rib

• Crani — skull

• Dactyl — finger or toe

• Fibr — connective tissue

• My — muscle

• Oste — bone

• Pod — foot

• Sacr — sacrum

• Spondyl, Vertebr — vertebra

• Ten, Tendin — tendon

Gastrointestinal System

• Abdomin — abdomen

• An — anus

• Appendic — appendix

• Bil, Chol — bile, gall

• Col — colon

• Dent — teeth

• Enter — intestines

• Esophag — esophagus

• Gastr — stomach

• Gingiv — gums

• Gloss — tongue

• Hepat — liver

• Icter — jaundice

• Ile — ileum

• Lapar — abdominal wall

• Lingu — tongue

• Pancreat — pancreas

• Pepsia — digestion

• Phag — eating, swallowing

• Proct — rectum

• Splen — spleen

• Stomat — mouth

Respiratory System

• Bronch — bronchial tubes

• Laryng — larynx

• Nas — nose

• Pleur — pleura

• Pneum, Pneumon — lungs, air

• Pulmon — lung

• Rhin — nose

• Steth — chest

• Thorac — thorax

• Trache — trachea

Integumentary System

• Derm, Dermat — skin

• Hidr — sweat

• Trich — hair

• Onych — nail

• Xer — dry

Cardiovascular System

• Angi — blood vessel

• Arteri, Arter — artery

• Cardi — heart

• Vas — vessel

• Ven — vein

Neurologic System

• Blephar — eyelid

• Cephal — head

• Cerebr — cerebrum

• Encephal — brain

• Esthesi — sensation

• Irid, Ird — iris

• Mening, Meningi — membranes, meninges

• Myel — spinal cord, bone marrow

• Myring — eardrum

• Neur — nerve

• Ocul, Ophthalm — eye

• Ot — ear

Other Common Word Roots

• Adip — fat

• Bio — life

• Carcin — cancer

• Cry — cold

• Dors — back portion of the body

• Gluc, Glyc — sugar

• Hemi — half

• Herni — hernia

• Hist — tissue

• Hydr — water

• Lact — milk

• Later — side

• Lip — fat

• Lith — stone

• Med, Medi — middle

• Narc — numbness, stupor, sleep

• Necr — death

• Onc — tumor

• Path — disease

• Ped — child; foot

• Psych — mind

• Pyo — pus

• Pyr — fever, heat

• Septic — infection

• Therm — heat

Additional Root Defined in Lesson 1’s Example

• Nephr — kidney

Combining Vowels

• o — most common combining vowel

• i, e — sometimes used as combining vowels

• Combining form — a word root plus a combining vowel, such as gastr/o