Medical Terminology

PREFIX

MEANING

A-, An-

Without; Lacking

Andr/o-

Male

Anti-

Against

Auto-

Self

Bio-

Life

Chem/o-

Chemistry

Contra-

Against

Cyt/o-

Cell

Dis-

Separation; Taking apart

Dys-

Difficult; Abnormal

Eu-

Good; Well

Fibr/o-

Fiber

Gluco-, Glyco-

Glucose; Sugar

Gyn/o-, Gynec-

Female

Hydr/o-

Water

Idio-

Self; One’s own

Lyso-, Lys-

Break down; Destruction; Dissolving

Mal-

Bad; Abnormal

Myc/o-

Fungus

Necr/o-

Death

Neo-

New

Oxy-

Sharp; Acute; Oxygen

Pan-, Pant/o-

All or everywhere

Pharmaco-

Drug; Medicine

Re-

Again; Backward

Somat/o-, Somatico-

Body; Bodily

PREFIX

MEANING

Acous/o-

Hearing

Aden/o-

Gland

Adip/o-

Fat

Adren/o-

Gland

Angi/o-

Blood vessel

Arteri/o-

Artery

Arthr/o-

Joint

Bucc/o-

Cheek

Bronch/i-

Bronchus

Burs/o-

Bursa

Carcin/o-

Cancer

Cardi/o-

Heart

Cephal/o-

Head

Chol-

Bile

Chondri-

Cartilage

Coron-

Heart

Cost-

Rib

Crani/o-

Brain

Cutane-

Skin

Cyst/o-, Cysti-

Bladder or sac

Derm-, Dermat/o-

Skin

Duoden/o-

Duodenum

Gastr-

Stomach

Gloss-

Tongue

Hem-, Hema-, Hemat-, Hemo-, Hemat/o-

Blood

Hepat/o-, Hepatico-

Liver

Hist/o-, Histio-

Tissue

Hyster/o-

Uterus

Ileo-

Ileum

Ischi/o-

Ischium

Kerat/o-

Cornea (eye or skin)

Lacrim/o-

Tear (from your eyes)

Lact/o-, Lacti-

Milk

Laryng/o-

Larynx

Lingu/o-

Tongue

Lip/o-

Fat

Lymph/o-

Lymph

Mamm-, Mast/o-

Breast

Mening/o-

Meninges

Muscul/o-

Muscle

My/o-

Muscle

Myel/o-

Spinal cord or bone marrow

Nephr/o-

Kidney

Neur/i-, Neur/o-

Nerve

Oculo-

Eye

Onco-

Tumor; Bulk; Volume

Onych/o-

Fingernail; Toenail

Oo-

Egg; Ovary

Oophor/o-

Ovary

Op-, Opt-

Vision

Ophthalm/o-

Eye

Orchid/o-, Orchio-

Testis

Orth/o-

Straight; Normal; Correct

Osseo-

Bony

Ossi-

Bone

Ost-, Oste/o-

Bone

Ot/o-

Ear

Ovar/i-, Ovario-, Ovi-, Ovo-

Ovary

Phalang-

Phalanx

Pharyng/o-

Pharynx; Throat

Phleb/o-

Vein

Phren/i-, Phreno-, Phrenico-

Diaphragm

Pleur-, Pleur/a-, Pleur/o-

Rib, pleura

Pneum/a-, Pneumat/o-

Air; Lung

Proct/o-

Anus; Rectum

Prostat-

Prostate

Pseudo-

False

Psych/o-, Psyche-

Mind

Radio-

Radiation; Radius

Ren/o-

Kidney

Retin-

Retina (of the eye)

Rhin/o-

Nose

Salping/o-

Tube

Sarco-

Muscular; Flesh-like

Schiz/o-

Split; Cleft

Sclera-, Sclero-

Hardness

Sigmoid/o-

Sigmoid colon

Sperma-, Spermo-, Spermato-

Sperm

Splen/o-

Spleen

Sten/o-

Narrowed; Blocked

Stern-

Sternum

Stom/a-, Stomat/o-

Mouth

Thorac/o-, Thoracico-

Chest

Thromb/o-

Blood clot

Thyr/o-

Thyroid gland

Trache/o-

Trachea

Tympan/o-

Eardrum

Ur/o-

Urine

Vagin-

Vagina

Varic/o-

Duct; Blood vessel

Vasculo-

Blood vessel

Ven/o-

Vein

Vertbr-

Vertebra; Spine

PREFIX

MEANING

Chlor/o-

Green

Chrom-, Chromato-

Color

Cyano-

Blue

Erythr/o-

Red

Leuk/o-

White

Melan/o-

Black

PREFIX

MEANING

Cry/o-

Cold

Elect-

Electrical activity

Kin/o-, Kine-, Kinesi/o-

Movement

Kyphy/o-

Humped

Rhabd/o-

Rod-shaped; Striated

Phot/o-

Light

Reticul/o-

Net

Scoli/o-

Twisted

Therm/o-

Heat

PREFIX

MEANING

Ab-, Abs-

Away from

Ad-

Towards

Ante-

Before; Forward

Circum-

Around

Cycl-

Circle; Cycle

De-

Away from; Ending

Dia-

Across; Through

Ect/o-, Exo-

Outer; Outside

End/o-, Ent-, Enter/o-

Within; Inner

Epi-

Upon; Outside of

Ex-, Extra-

Beyond

Infra-

Beneath; Below

Inter-

Between

Intra-

Within

Meso-

Middle

Meta-

Beyond; Change

Para-

Alongside; Abnormal

Path/o-

Disease

Peri-

Around

Post-

Behind; After

Pre-

Before; In front

Retro-

Backward; Behind

Sub-

Under

Super-

Above

Supra-

Above; Upon

Sy-, Syl-, Sym-, Syn-, Sys-

Together

Trans-

Across; Through

PREFIX

MEANING

Bi-

Two

Brady-

Slow

Diplo-

Double

Hemi-

Half

Hetero-

Other; Different

Homo-

Same

Hyper-

Above; Beyond; Excessive

Hypo-

Under; Deficient

Iso-

Equal; Like

Macro-

Large; Long; Big

Mic-, Micro-

Small

Mon-, Mono-

One

Olig/o-

Few; Little

Poly-

Many; Excessive

Quadri-

Four

Semi-

Half

Tachy-

Fast

Tetra-

Four

Tri-

Three

Uni-

One

SUFFIX

MEANING

-ac

Pertaining to

-blast, -blasto, -blastic

Bud; Germ

-cyte, -cytic

Cell

-dynia

Pain; Swelling

-eal, -ial

Pertaining to

-ectasis

Expansion; Dilation

-emia

Blood condition

-ia

Condition

-iasis

Condition; Formation of

-ism

Condition

-ites, -itis

Inflammation

-ity

Pertaining to

-ium

Structure or tissue

-lysis, -lytic

Break down; Destruction; Dissolving

-malacia

Softening

-megaly

Enlargement

-oid

Resembling

-oma

Tumor

-osis

Condition; Usually abnormal

-ous

Pertaining to

-pathy

Disease

-penia

Deficiency; Lack of

-phagia, -phagy

Eating; Swallowing

-phasia

Speech

-plasia, -plastic

Growth

-plegia

Paralysis

-pnea

Breathing

-poiesis

Production

-ptosis

Falling; Drooping

-rrhage, -rrhagic

Bleeding

-rrhea

Flow or discharge

-sclerosis

Hardening

-sis

Condition

-stasis

Level; Unchanging

-trophy

Growth

-uria

In the urine

SUFFIX

MEANING

-centesis

Surgical puncture to remove fluid

-desis

Surgical binding

-ectomy

Cut out; Removal

-gram

Record; Picture

-graph

Instrument used to create a record or picture

-graphy

To record or take a picture

-meter

Device used for measuring

-opsy

Visual examination

-ostomy

Opening

-otomy

Incision

-pexy

Surgical fixation

-plasty

Surgical reconstruction

-scope

For examining

-scopy

Examine