Prefixes-Root-Suffixes

Prefixes and Root Words in Medical Terminology:

Prefixes:

• Auto-: Self

• circum-: Around

• contra-: Against, opposite

• de-: Down, away from

• ecto-, exo-: Outside, external

• endo-, intra-: Inside, within

• hemi-: Half

• iso-: Equal

• mal-: Bad, poor

• pan-: All

• retro-: Behind, backward

• super-, supra-: Above, excessive

• ultra-: Beyond, excessive

• a-, an-: Without, not

• ab-: Away from

• ad-: Toward

• ante-: Before, forward

• anti-: Against

• bi-: Two, double

• brady-: Slow

• Prefixes in Medical Terminology:

  • Auto-: Self

  • circum-: Around

  • contra-: Against, opposite

  • de-: Down, away from

  • ecto-, exo-: Outside, external

  • endo-, intra-: Inside, within

  • hemi-: Half

  • iso-: Equal

  • mal-: Bad, poor

  • pan-: All

  • retro-: Behind, backward

  • super-, supra-: Above, excessive

  • ultra-: Beyond, excessive

  • a-, an-: Without, not

  • ab-: Away from

  • ad-: Toward

  • ante-: Before, forward

  • anti-: Against

  • bi-: Two, double

  • brady-: Slow

• Root Words in Medical Terminology:

  • aden/o: Gland

  • angi/o: Vessel

  • arthr/o: Joint

  • carcin/o: Cancer

  • encephal/o: Brain

  • hepat/o: Liver

  • laryng/o: Larynx (voice box)

  • my/o: Muscle

  • onc/o: Tumor

  • ophthalm/o: Eye

  • ot/o: Ear

  • phleb/o: Vein

  • psych/o: Mind

  • spir/o: Breathing

  • splen/o: Spleen

  • cardi/o: Heart

  • cephal/o: Head

  • cyt/o: Cell

  • dermat/o: Skin

  • gastr/o: Stomach

  • hem/o, hemat/o: Blood

  • neur/o: Nerve

  • oste/o: Bone

  • path/o: Disease

  • pulmon/o: Lung

  • ren/o, nephr/o: Kidney

  • thorac/o: Chest

  • ur/o: Urine, urinary tract

  • ven/o: Vein

  • trache/o: Trachea (windpipe)

Suffixes in Medical Terminology:

• -algia: Pain

• -ctomy: Surgical removal

• -itis: Inflammation

• -ology: Study of

• -oma: Tumor, mass

• -pathy: Disease

• -plasty: Surgical repair

• -scopy: Visual examination

• -sis: Condition, process

• -stasis: Stopping, standing

• -trophy: Development, nourishment

• -emia: Blood condition

• -cytosis: Increase in cells

• -rrhea: Flow, discharge

• -graphy: Process of recording

• -genesis: Formation, origin

• -genic: Produced by, causing

• -rrhage: Bursting forth, excessive flow

• -a: Plural ending for various terms

• -ectomy: Surgical removal

• -penia: Deficiency or lack of.