PTCB MED Term

Medical Terminology

Prefixes

• a-, an-: without, not, no

  • Example: atypical

• ante-: before

  • Example: antepartum

• anti-: against

  • Example: antibiotic

• auto-: self

  • Example: autonomic

• bi-: two

  • Example: bilateral

• bio-: life

  • Example: biology

• brady-: slow

  • Example: bradycardia

• circum-: around

  • Example: circumference

• cirrh-: orange-yellow

  • Example: cirrhosis

• contra-: against

  • Example: contraindicated

• cyan-: blue

  • Example: cyanosis

• dia-: completely

  • Example: dialysis

• dys-: bad, painful, abnormal

  • Example: dysphagia

• endo-: within, inner

  • Example: endoscopy

• epi-: above

  • Example: epigastric

• erythr-: red

  • Example: erythrocyte

• eu-: good, normal

  • Example: euthermic

• extra-: outside

  • Example: extracellular

• hemi-: half

  • Example: hemiplegic

• hyper-: over, above

  • Example: hypertension

• hypo-: below, under

  • Example: hypotension

• immun-: pertaining to immunity

  • Example: immunology

• inter-: between, among

  • Example: intercellular

• intra-: within, inside

  • Example: intracellular

• iso-: equal

  • Example: isotonic

• leuk-: white

  • Example: leukocyte

• macro-: large

  • Example: macrophage

• mal-: poor

  • Example: malnutrition

• melan-: black

  • Example: melanoma

• micro-: small

  • Example: microscopic

• pan-: all

  • Example: pancytopenia

• per-: through

  • Example: percutaneous

• peri-: around

  • Example: pericardium

• poly-: many, excessive

  • Example: polydipsia

• post-: after

  • Example: postpartum

• pre-: before

  • Example: preoperative

• quadri-: four

  • Example: quadriplegic

• sub-: below, under

  • Example: subtherapeutic

• sym-, syn-: together

  • Example: symbiotic

Root Words

• acous/o: hearing

  • Example: acoustic

• aden/o: gland

  • Example: adenocarcinoma

• adip/o: fat

  • Example: adipose

• alb: white

  • Example: albino

• ambul/o: walk

  • Example: ambulatory

• andr/o: male

  • Example: androgen

• angi/o: vessel

  • Example: angioedema

• arthr/o: joint

  • Example: arthralgia

• bucc/o: cheek

  • Example: buccal

• carcin/o: cancer

  • Example: carcinoma

• cardi: heart

  • Example: cardiovascular

• cereb: brain

  • Example: cerebrum

• chem/o: chemistry

  • Example: chemotherapy

• cyan: blue

  • Example: cyanosis

• cyst/o: bladder

  • Example: cystitis

• cyt/o: cell

  • Example: cytoplasm

• derm/a: skin

  • Example: dermatology

• duoden/o: duodenum

  • Example: duodenal

• enter/o: intestine

  • Example: enterohepatic

• erythr/o: red

  • Example: erythrocyte

• esophag/o: esophagus

  • Example: esophageal

• fibr/o: fiber

  • Example: fibromyalgia

• gastr/o: stomach

  • Example: gastrointestinal

Medical Terminology Overview

• This information will help to familiarize you with terms that may be used throughout the course, as well as your time as a pharmacy technician. This list is not exhaustive.

Additional Root Words (Continued)

• gluc/o: sugar

  • Example: glucose

• glyc/o: sugar

  • Example: glycemic

• gynec/o: woman

  • Example: gynecology

• hemat/o: blood

  • Example: hematology

• hem/o: blood

  • Example: hemophilia

• hepat/o: liver

  • Example: hepatitis

• hist/o: body tissues

  • Example: histology

• hyster/o: uterus

  • Example: hysterectomy

• lact/o: milk

  • Example: lactation

• lapar/o: abdomen

  • Example: laparoscopic

• leuk/o: white

  • Example: leukocyte

• lipid: fat

  • Example: hyperlipidemia

• lymph/o: lymph

  • Example: lymphadenopathy

• mamm/o: breast tissue

  • Example: mammogram

• melan/o: dark, black

  • Example: melanin

• myel/o: muscle

  • Example: myeloma

Suffixes

• -ac: pertaining to

  • Example: cardiac

• -al: pertaining to

  • Example: surgical

• -algia: pain

  • Example: arthralgia

• -ar, -ary: pertaining to

  • Example: coronary

• -ase: enzyme

  • Example: lactase

• -logy: study of

  • Example: biology

• -dipsia: thirst

  • Example: polydipsia

• -graphy, -graph: instrument for recording

  • Example: radiograph

• -gram: record

  • Example: electrocardiogram

• -genic: producing

  • Example: hallucinogenic

• -pathy: disease

  • Example: homeopathy

• -itis: inflammation

  • Example: tonsillitis

• -osis: condition

  • Example: osteoporosis

• -rrhage: excessive flow

  • Example: hemorrhage

• -oid: resembling, like

  • Example: hemorrhoid

• -ectomy: surgical removal

  • Example: tonsillectomy

• -stasis: control

  • Example: hemostasis

• -logist: specialist

  • Example: pathologist

• -scopy: viewing of

  • Example: endoscopy

• -rrhea: flowing or discharge

  • Example: diarrhea

• -scope: instrument

  • Example: otoscope

• -sclerosis: hardening

  • Example: atherosclerosis

• -spasm: twitching, involuntary contraction

  • Example: bronchospasm

• -oma: tumor

  • Example: carcinoma

• -cyte: cell

  • Example: osteocyte

• -ic: pertaining to

  • Example: nephrotic

• -emia: blood condition

  • Example: anemia

• -plasty: surgical repair

  • Example: rhinoplasty

Additional Suffixes

• -uria: urine

  • Example: hematuria

• -iatry: treatment

  • Example: podiatry

• -lepsy: seizure

  • Example: epilepsy

• -lysis: breaking down

  • Example: hemolysis

• -lytic: destroy

  • Example: osteolytic

• -megaly: enlarged

  • Example: splenomegaly

• -meter: measuring instrument

  • Example: thermometer

• -penia: decreased number

  • Example: neutropenia

• -phagia: eating, swallowing

  • Example: dysphagia

• -philia: attraction to

  • Example: hemophilia

• -phobia: fear of

  • Example: arachnophobia

• -plegia: paralysis, stroke

  • Example: paraplegia

• -stenosis: narrowing

  • Example: arteriostenosis

• -stomy: artificial opening

  • Example: colostomy

• -toxic: poison

  • Example: cytotoxic

• -trophy: nourishment, development

  • Example: atrophy

• -ule, -ula: small

  • Example: papule