Body Structure Terminology Flashcards
chondr/o
Combining Form
Definition: cartilage
Example: Chondr/oma- tummor composed of cartilage
cyt/o
Combining Form
Definition: cell
Example: cyt/o/meter- instrument for counting and measuring cells
hist/o
Combining Form
Definition: tissue
Example: hist/o/lysis- separation;destruction; or loosening of tissue
nucle/o
Combining Form
Definition: nucleus
Example: nucle/ar- pertaining to a nucleus
anter/o
Combining Form
Definition: anterior, front
Example: anter/ior- toward the front of the body, organ, or structure
caud/o
Combining Form
Definition: tail
Example: caud/ad- toward the tail; in a posterior direction
dist/o
Combining Form
Definition: far, farthest
Example: dist/al- pertaining to a point farthest from the center, a medial line, or the trunk; opposed to proximal
Dors/o
Back (of body)
Example: dors/al- pertaining to the back or posterior of the body
dors/o
Combining Form
Definition: back (of body)
Example: dors/al- pertaining to the back or posterior of the body
infer/o
Combining Form
Definition: lower, below
Example: infer/ior- pertaining to below or lower; toward the tail
later/o
Combining Form
Definition: side, to one side
Example: later/al- pertaining to the side
medi/o
Combining Form
Definition: middle
Example: medi/al- pertaining to the middle
poster/o
Combining Form
Definition: back (of body), behind, posterior
Example: poster/ior- pertaining to or toward the rear or caudal end
proxim/o
Combining Form
Definition: near, nearest
Example: proxim/al- nearest the point of attachment, center of the body, or point of reference
super/o*
Combining Form
Definition: upper, above
Example: super/ior- pertaining to above or higher; toward the head
* super/o is used as a combining form here, but it can also be used as a prefix.
ventr/o
Combining Form
Definition: belly, belly side
Example: ventr/al- pertaining to the belly side or front of the body
-ad
suffix
Definition: toward
Example: medi/ad- toward the middle or center
-logist
suffix
Definition: specialist in the study of
Example: hist/o/logist- specialist in the study of tissue
-logy
suffix
Definition: study of
Example: cyt/o/logy- study of cells
-lysis
suffix
definition: separation; destruction; loosening
example: cyt/o/lysis- destruction, dissolution, or separation of a cell
-toxic
suffix
definition: poison
example: cyt/o/toxic- substance that is detrimental or destructive to cells
abdomin/o
Combining Form
Definition: abdomen
Example: abdomin/al- pertaining to the abdomen
cephal/o
Combining Form
Definition: head
Example: cephal/ad- toward the head
cervic/o
Combining Form
Definition: neck; cervix uteri (neck of the uterus)
Example: cervic/al- pertaining to the neck of the body or the neck of the uterus
crani/o
Combining Form
Definition: cranium (skull)
Example: crani/al- pertaining to the cranium or skull
gastr/o
Combining Form
Definition: stomach
Example: gastr/ic- pertaining to the stomach
ili/o
Combining Form
Definition: ilium (lateral, flaring portion of the hip bone)
Example: ili/ac- pertaining to the ilium
inguin/o
Combining Form
Definition: groin
Example: inguin/al- pertaining to the groin
lumb/o
Combining Form
Definition: loins (lower back)
Example: lumb/ar- pertaining to the loin area or lower back
pelv/i*
Combining Form
Definition: pelvis
Example: pelv/i/meter- instrument for measuring the pelvis
*the “i” in pelv/i/meter is an exception to the rule of using the connecting vowel “o”
pelv/o
Combining Form
Definition: pelvis
Example: pelv/ic- pertaining to the pelvis
spin/o
Combining Form
Definition: spine
Example: spin/al- pertaining to the spine or spinal column
thorac/o
Combining Form
Definition: chest
Example: thorac/ic- pertaining to the chest
umbilic/o
Combining Form
Definition: umbilical, navel
Example: peri/umbilic/al- pertaining to the area around the umbilicus
-ac
Suffix
Definition: pertaining to
-al
Suffix
Definition: pertaining to
-ar
Suffix
Definition: pertaining to
-ary
Suffix
Definition: pertaining to
-ous
Suffix
Definition: pertaining to
-iac
Suffix
Definition: pertaining to
-ic
Suffix
Definition: pertaining to
-ior
Suffix
Definition: pertaining to
epi-
Prefix
Definition: above, on
hypo-
Prefix
Definition: under, below, deficient
medi-
Prefix
Definition: middle
super-
Prefix
Definition: upper, above
trans-
Prefix
Definition: through, across