Chapter 1

pneum-, pneumon-, pneum/o — (root/combining form) air; lung

pulmon-, pulmon/o — (root/combining form) lung

respir-, respir/a — (root/combining form) breathe

bronch-, bronch/o — (root/combining form) bronchus; windpipe

hem-, hem/o — (root/combining form) blood

hemat-, hemat/o — (root/combining form) blood

cardi-, cardi/o — (root/combining form) heart

dermat-, dermat/o — (root/combining form) skin

arthr-, arthr/o — (root/combining form) joint

gastr-, gastr/o — (root/combining form) stomach

neur-, neur/o — (root/combining form) nerve

erythr-, erythr/o — (root/combining form) red

oste-, oste/o — (root/combining form) bone

arteri-, arteri/o — (root/combining form) artery

lith-, lith/o — (root/combining form) stone

rhin-, rhin/o — (root/combining form) nose

trache-, trache/o — (root/combining form) trachea

herni-, herni/o — (root/combining form) hernia

gene- — (root) origin; gene


-chezia — (diagnostic suffix) passing stool

-crit — (diagnostic suffix) separate

-gram — (diagnostic suffix) record

-graph — (diagnostic suffix) recording instrument

-lysis — (diagnostic suffix) destruction; breakdown

-oma — (diagnostic/pathologic suffix) tumor; mass

-philia — (diagnostic suffix) attraction; tendency

-ptysis — (diagnostic suffix) spitting

-rrhage — (diagnostic suffix) profuse flow

-rrhoid — (diagnostic suffix) flow

-uria — (diagnostic suffix) urine


-centesis — (surgical suffix) surgical puncture

-desis — (surgical suffix) surgical fixation

-ectomy — (surgical suffix) surgical removal

-plasty — (surgical suffix) surgical repair

-rrhaphy — (surgical suffix) surgical suturing

-stomy — (surgical suffix) creation of an opening

-tomy — (surgical suffix) surgical incision

-tripsy — (surgical suffix) crushing


-algia — (pathologic suffix) pain

-ectasis — (pathologic suffix) dilation; expansion

-edema — (pathologic suffix) fluid accumulation; swelling

-emesis — (pathologic suffix) vomiting

-genesis — (pathologic suffix) formation; production

-itis — (pathologic suffix) inflammation

-oma — (pathologic/diagnostic suffix) tumor; mass

-osis — (pathologic suffix) abnormal condition

-pathy — (pathologic suffix) disease

-penia — (pathologic suffix) deficiency; lack

-phobia — (pathologic suffix) fear

-stenosis — (pathologic suffix) narrowing


-ac — (adjectival suffix) pertaining to

-al — (adjectival suffix) pertaining to

-ale — (adjectival suffix) pertaining to

-alis — (adjectival suffix) pertaining to

-ar — (adjectival suffix) pertaining to

-aris — (adjectival suffix) pertaining to

-ary — (adjectival suffix) pertaining to

-atic — (adjectival suffix) pertaining to

-ative — (adjectival suffix) pertaining to

-eal — (adjectival suffix) pertaining to

-ent — (adjectival suffix) pertaining to

-etic — (adjectival suffix) pertaining to

-ial — (adjectival suffix) pertaining to

-ic — (adjectival suffix) pertaining to

-ica — (adjectival suffix) pertaining to

-ical — (adjectival suffix) pertaining to

-ine — (adjectival suffix) pertaining to

-ior — (adjectival suffix) pertaining to

-iosum — (adjectival suffix) pertaining to

-ious — (adjectival suffix) pertaining to

-istic — (adjectival suffix) pertaining to

-ius — (adjectival suffix) pertaining to

-nic — (adjectival suffix) pertaining to

-ous — (adjectival suffix) pertaining to

-tic — (adjectival suffix) pertaining to

-tiz — (adjectival suffix) pertaining to

-tous — (adjectival suffix) pertaining to

-us — (adjectival suffix) pertaining to


-iatry — (noun suffix) treatment; medical specialty

-ician — (noun suffix) specialist; expert

-icle — (noun suffix) small

-ist — (noun suffix) specialist; expert

-istry — (noun suffix) medical specialty

-ole — (noun suffix) small

-ule — (noun suffix) small


-logy — (noun suffix) study of

-logist — (noun suffix) specialist; one who studies

-scopy — (diagnostic suffix) visual examination

-um — (noun suffix) structure

-tics — (noun suffix) knowledge; science of


ante- — (position prefix) before; forward

anti- — (position prefix) against

circum- — (position prefix) around

endo- — (position prefix) inside; inner

epi- — (position prefix) above; over; upon

exo- — (position prefix) outside; outward

hyper- — (position prefix) above; excessive

hypo- — (position prefix) below

inter- — (position prefix) between

intra- — (position prefix) inside; within

para- — (position prefix) beside; alongside

peri- — (position prefix) around

post- — (position prefix) after

pre- — (position prefix) before

retro- — (position prefix) backward

supra- — (position prefix) above; excessive

trans- — (position prefix) across; through

ultra- — (position prefix) beyond; higher


bi- — (number/measurement prefix) two; double

brady- — (number/measurement prefix) slow

di- — (number/measurement prefix) two

eu- — (number/measurement prefix) normal

hemi- — (number/measurement prefix) half

macro- — (number/measurement prefix) large

micro- — (number/measurement prefix) small

mono- — (number/measurement prefix) one; single

multi- — (number/measurement prefix) many

pan- — (number/measurement prefix) all

poly- — (number/measurement prefix) excessive; many

primi- — (number/measurement prefix) first

quadri- — (number/measurement prefix) four

tachy- — (number/measurement prefix) rapid

tri- — (number/measurement prefix) three

uni- — (number/measurement prefix) one; single


ab- — (direction/location prefix) away from

ad- — (direction/location prefix) toward

ante- — (direction/location prefix) before; in front

post- — (direction/location prefix) after; behind

sub- — (direction/location prefix) under; beneath

syn- — (direction/location prefix) together


medical — (unique word) relating to medicine

care — (unique word) treatment or attention provided to a patient

breath — (unique word) air inhaled or exhaled

cough — (unique word) forceful expulsion of air from the lungs

mucus — (unique word) secretion produced by mucous membranes

record — (unique word) documented information

patient — (unique word) person receiving medical care

knee — (unique word) joint between the thigh and lower leg

apex — (unique word) tip; highest or pointed end

patent — (unique word) open; unobstructed

quadrant — (unique word) one of four regions

umbilicus — (unique word) navel

toxin — (unique word) poison

lymph — (unique word) fluid of the lymphatic system

breech — (unique word) fetal presentation with buttocks or feet positioned first

specialist — (unique word) person with expertise in a particular field


ilium — (look-alike term) large upper portion of the hip bone

ileum — (look-alike term) final portion of the small intestine


ureter — (look-alike term) tube carrying urine from a kidney to the bladder

urethra — (look-alike term) tube carrying urine from the bladder to outside the body


trapezius — (look-alike term) large muscle of the upper back and neck

trapezium — (look-alike term) carpal bone of the wrist


malleus — (look-alike term) small bone of the middle ear

malleolus — (look-alike term) bony prominence of the ankle


neurology — (look-alike term) study/medical specialty of the nervous system

urology — (look-alike term) study/medical specialty of the urinary system