Combining Forms: A - L Flashcards
abdomin/o
abdomen
abort/o
premature expulsion of a nonviable fetus
abrad/o, abras/o
rub or scrape off
abrupt/o
broken away from
abscess/o
collection of pus, going away
absorpt/o
suck up, suck in
acanth/o
spiny, thorny
acetabul/o
acetabulum (hip socket)
acne/o
point or peak
acous/o, acoust/o
hearing, sound
acquir/o
get, obtain
acr/o
extremities (hands and feet), top, extreme point
acromi/o
acromion, point of shoulder blade
actin/o
light
acu/o
sharp, severe, sudden
acuit/o, acut/o
sharp, sharpness
acust/o
hearing, sense of hearing
aden/o
gland
adenoid/o
adenoids
adhes/o
stick to, cling to
adip/o
fat
adnex/o
bound to
adren/o, adrenal/o
adrenal glands
aer/o
air, gas
aesthet/o
sensation, sense of perception
affect/o
exert influence on
agglutin/o
clumping, stick together
aggress/o
attack, step forward
agor/a
marketplace
alb/i, alb/o, albin/o
white
albumin/o
albumin, protein
alg/e, algi/o, alg/o, algesi/o
relationship to pain
align/o
bring into line or correct position
aliment/o
to nourish
all/o
other, different from normal, reversal
alopec/o
baldness, mangy
alveol/o
alveolus, air sac, small sac
ambly/o
dull, dim
ambul/o, ambulat/o
walk
ametr/o
out of proportion
amni/o
amnion, fetal membrane
amput/o, amputat/o
cut away, cut off a part of the body
amyl/o
starch
an/o
anus, ring
andr/o
male, masculine
aneurysm/o
aneurysm
angi/o
blood or lymph vessel
angin/o
angina, choking, strangling
anis/o
unequal
ankyl/o
crooked, bent, stiff
anomal/o
irregularity
anter/o
before, front
anthrac/o
coal, coal dust
anxi/o, anxiet/o
anxiety, anxious, uneasy
aort/o
aorta
aphth/o
ulcer
apic/o
apex
aplast/o
defective development, lack of development
aponeur/o
aponeurosis (type of tendon)
apoplect/o
a stroke
append/o, appendic/o
appendix
aqu/i, aqu/o, aque/o
water
arachn/o
spiderweb, spider
arc/o
bow, arc, or arch
areat/o
occuring in patches or circumscribed areas
areol/o
little open space
arrect/o
upright, lifted up, raised
arter/o, arteri/o
artery
arthr/o
joint
articul/o
joint
asbest/o
asbestos
aspir/o, aspirat/o
to breathe in
asthmat/o
gasping, choking
astr/o
star, star-shaped
atel/o
incomplete, imperfect
ather/o
plaque, fatty substance
athet/o
uncontrolled
atop/o
strange, out of place
atres/i
without an opening
atri/o
atrium
attenuat/o
diluted, weakened
audi/o, audit/o
ear, hearing, the sense of hearing
aur/i, aur/o
ear, hearing
auscult/a, auscult/o
listen
aut/o
self
ax/o
axis, main stem
axill/o
armpit
bacill/o
rod-shaped bacterium
bacteri/o
bacteria
balan/o
glans penis
bar/o
pressure, weight
bartholin/o
bartholin’s gland
bas/o
base, opposite of acid
bi/o
life
bifid/o
split, divided into two parts
bifurcat/o
divide or fork into two branches
bil/i
bile, gall
bilirubin/o
bilirubin
blephar/o
eyelid
borborygm/o
rumbling sound
brachi/o
arm
brev/i, brev/o
short
bronch/i, bronchi/o, bronch/o
bronchial tube, bronchus
bronchiol/o
bronchiole, bronchiolus
brux/o
grind
bucc/o
cheek
burs/o
bursa, sac of fluid near joint
cadaver/o
dead body, corpse
calcane/o
calcaneus, heel bone
calc/i
calcium, lime, the heel
calc/i, calc/o
calcium
calcul/o
stone, little stone
cali/o, calic/o
cup, callyx
call/i, callos/o
hard, hardened and thickened
calor/i
heat
canalicul/o
little canal or duct
canth/o
corner of the eye
capill/o
hair
capit/o
head
capn/o
carbon dioxide, sooty or smoky appearance
capsul/o
little box
carb/o
carbon
carbuncl/o
carbuncle
carcin/o
cancerous
cardi/o, card/o
heart
cari/o
rottenness, decay
carot/o
stupor, sleep
carp/o
wrist bones
cartilag/o
cartilage, gristle
caruncul/o
bit of flesh
catabol/o
a breaking down
cathart/o
cleansing, purging
cathet/o
insert, send down
caud/o
lower part of body, tail
caus/o, caust/o
burning, burn
cauter/o, caut/o
heat, burn
cav/i, cav/o
hollow, cave
cavern/o
containing hollow spaces
cec/o
cecum
celi/o, cel/o
abdomen, belly
cement/o
cementum, a rough stone
cephal/o
head
cerebell/o
cerebellum
cerebr/o
cerebrum, brain
cerumin/o
cerumen, earwax
cervic/o
neck, cervix (neck of uterus)
cheil/o
lip or lips
cheir/o
hand
chem/i, chem/o, chemic/o
drug, chemical
chir/o
hand
chlor/o
green
chlorhydr/o
hydrochloric acid
chol/e
bile, gall
cholangi/o
bile duct
cholecyst/o
gallbladder
choledoch/o
common bile duct
cholesterol/o
cholesterol
chondr/i, chondr/o
cartilage
chord/o
spinal cord, cord
chori/o, chorion/o
chorion, membrane
choroid/o
choroid layer of eye
chrom/o, chromat/o
color
chron/o
time
chym/o
to pour, juice
cib/o
meal
cicatric/o
scar
cili/o
eyelashes, microscopic hair-like projections
circ/i
ring or circle
circulat/o
circulate, go around in a circle
circumcis/o
cutting around
circumscrib/o
confined, limited space
cirrh/o
orange-yellow, tawny
cis/o
cut
claudicat/o
limping
claustr/o
barrier
clav/i
key
clavicul/o, cleid/o
clavicle, collar bone
clitor/o
clitoris
clus/o
shut or close
coagul/o, coagulat/o
clotting, coagulation
coarct/o, coarctat/o
press together, narrow
cocc/i, cocc/o
spherical bacteria
coccyg/o
coccyx, tailbone
cochle/o
spiral, snail, snail shell
coher/o, cohes/o
cling, stick together
coit/o
a coming together
col/o
colon, large intestine
colp/o
vagina
column/o
pillar
comat/o
deep sleep
comminut/o
break into pieces
communic/o
share, to make common
compatibil/o
sympathize with
concav/o
hollow
concentr/o
condense, intensify, remove excess water
concept/o
become pregnant
conch/o
shell
concuss/o
shaken, together, violently agitated
condyl/o
knuckle, knob
confus/o
confusion, disorder
coni/o
dust
conjunctiv/o
conjunctiva, joined together, connected
consci/o
aware, awareness
consolid/o
become firm or solid
constipat/o
pressed together, crowded together
constrict/o
draw tightly together
contact/o
touched, infected
contagi/o
infection, unclean, touching of something
contaminat/o
render unclean by contact, pollute
contine/o, continent/o
keep in, contain, hold back, restrain
contracept/o
prevention of conception
contus/o
bruise
convalesc/o
recover, become strong
convex/o
arched, vaulted
convolut/o
coiled, twisted
convuls/o
pull together
copi/o
plentiful
copulat/o
joining together, linking
cor/o
pupil
cord/o
cord, spinal cord
cordi/o
heart
core/o
pupil
cori/o
skin, leather
corne/o
cornea
coron/o
coronary, crown, heart
corp/u, corpor/o
body
corpuscul/o
little body
cortic/o
cortex, outer region
cost/o
rib
cox/o
hip, hip joint
crani/o
skull
creatin/o
creatinine
crepit/o, crepitat/o
crackling, rattling
crin/o,
secrete
cris/o, critic/o
turning point
cry/o
cold
crypt/o
hidden
cubit/o
elbow
culd/o
cul-de-sac, blind pouch
cult/o
cultivate
cusp/i
point, pointed flap
cutane/o
skin
cyan/o
blue
cycl/o
ciliary body of eye, cycle
cyst/o
urinary bladder, cyst, sac of fluid
cyt/o
cell
dacry/o
tear, lacrimal duct (tear duct)
dacryocyst/o
lacrimal sac (tear sac)
dactyl/o
fingers, toes
debrid/e
open a wound
decidu/o
shedding, falling off
decubit/o
lying down
defec/o, defecat/o
to free from waste, clear
defer/o
carrying down or out
degenerat/o
gradual impairment, breakdown, diminished function
deglutit/o
swallow
deliri/o
wandering of the mind
delt/o
Greek letter delta, triangular shape
delus/o
delude, mock, cheat
dem/i, dem/o
people, population
dendr/o
branching, resembling a tree
dent/i, dent/o
tooth, teeth
depilate/o
hair removal
depress/o
press down, lower, pressed or sunk down
dermat/o, derm/o
skin
desic/o
drying
deteriorat/o
worsening or gradual impairment
dextr/o
right side
diaphor/o
sweat
diaphragmat/o
diaphragm, wall across
diastole/o
standing apart, expansion
didym/o
testes, twins, double
diffus/o
pour out, spread apart
digest/o
divide, distribute
digit/o
finger or toe
dilat/o, dilatat/o
spread out, expand
dilut/o
dissolve, separate
diphther/o
membrane
dipl/o
double
dips/o
thirst
dislocat/o
displacement
dissect/o
cutting apart
disseminat/o
widely scattered
dist/o
far
distend/o, distent/o
stretch apart, expand
diur/o, diuret/o
tending to increase urine output
divert/i
turning aside
domin/o
controlling, ruling
don/o
give
dors/i, dors/o
back of body
duct/o
to lead, carry
duoden/i, duoden/o
duodenum, first part of small intestine
ecchym/o
pouring out of juice
ech/o
sound
eclamps/o, eclampt/o
flashing or shining forth
eczemat/o
eruption
edemat/o
swelling, fluid, tumor
edentul/o
without teeth
effect/o
bring about a response, activate
effus/o
pouring out
ejaculat/o
throw or hurl out
electr/o
electricity, electric
elliminat/o
expel from the body
emaciat/o
wasted by disease
embol/o
something inserted or thrown in
embry/o
fertilized ovum, embryo
emet/o
vomit
emmetr/o
in proper measure
emolli/o
make soften, soften
encephal/o
brain
endocrin/o
secrete within
enem/o
end in, inject
enter/o
small intestine
epidemi/o
among the people, an epidemic
epididym/o
epididymis
epiglott/o
epiglottis
episi/o
vulva
epithel/i, epitheli/o
epithelium
equin/o
pertaining to a horse
erect/o
upright
erg/o
work
erot/o
sexual love
eruct/o, eructat/o
belch forth
erupt/o
break out, burst forth
erythem/o, erythemat/o
flushed, redness
erythr/o
red
esophag/o
esophagus
esthesi/o
sensation, feeling
esthet/o
feeling, nervous sensation, sense of perception
estr/o
female
ethm/o
sieve
eti/o
cause
evacu/o, evacuat/o
empty out
exacerbat/o
aggravate, irritate
exanthemat/o
rash
excis/o
cutting out
excori/o, excoriat/o
abrade or scratch
excret/o
separate, discharge
excruciat/o
intense pain, agony
exhal/o, exhalat/o
breathe out
exocrin/o
secrete out of
expector/o
cough up
expir/o, expirat/o
breathe out
exstroph/o
turned or twisted out
extern/o
outside, outer
extreme/o, extremit/o
extremity, outermost
extrins/o
from the outside, contained outside
exud/o, exudat/o
to sweat out
faci/o
face, form
fasci/o
fascia, fibrous band
fascicul/o
little bundle
fatal/o
pertaining to fate, death
fauc/i
narrow pass, throat
febr/i
fever
fec/i, fec/o
dregs, sediment, waste
femor/o
femur, thigh bone
fenestr/a
window
fer/o
bear, carry
fertil/o
fertile, fruitful, productive
fet/i, fet/o
fetus, unborn child
fibr/o
fibrous tissue, fiber
fibrill/o
muscular twitching
fibrin/o
fibrin, fibers, threads of a clot
fibros/o
fibrous connective tissue
fibul/o
fibula
fic/o
making, producing, forming
filtr/o, filtrat/o
filter, to strain through
fimbri/o
fringe
fiss/o, fissur/o
crack, split, cleft
fistul/o
tube or pipe
flat/o
flatus, breaking wind, rectal ras
flex/o
bend
flu/o
flow
fluor/o
glowing, luminous
foc/o
focus, point
foll/i
bag, sac
follicul/o
follicle, small sac
foramin/o
opening, foramen
form/o
resembling, in the shape of
fove/o
pit
fract/o
break, broken
frigid/o
cold
front/o
forehead, brow
funct/o, function/o
perform, function
fund/o
bottom, base, ground
fung/i
fungus
furc/o
forking, branching
furuncul/o
furunculus, a boil, an infection
galact/o
milk
gamet/o
wife or husband, egg or sperm
gangli/o, ganglion/o
ganglion
gangren/o
eating sore, gangrene
gastr/o
stomach, belly
gastrocnemi/o
gastrocnemius, calf muscle
gemin/o
twin, double
gen/o
producing, forming
genit/o
produced by, birth, reproductive organs
ger/i
old age
germin/o
bud, sprout, germ
geront/o
old age
gest/o, gestat/o
bear, carrying young or offspring
gigant/o
giant, very large
gingiv/o
gingival tissue, gums
glauc/o
gray
glen/o
socket or pit
gli/o
neurologic tissue, supportive tissue or nervous system
globin/o
protein
globul/o
little ball
glomerul/o
glomerulus
glott/i, glott/o
back of the tongue
gluc/o
sugar
glute/o
buttocks
glyc/o, glycos/o
glucose, sugar
glycer/o
sweet
glycogen/o
glycogen, animal starch
goitr/o
goiter, enlargement of the thyroid
gon/e, gon/o
seed
gonad/o
gonad, sex glands
goni/o
angle
grad/i
move, go, step, walk
granul/o
granule(s)
gravid/o
pregnancy
gynec/o
woman, female
gyr/o
turning, folding
hal/o, halit/o
breath
hallucin/o
hallucination, to wander in the mind
hem/e
deep red iron-containing pigment
hem/o, hemat/o
blood, relating to the blood
hemoglobin/o
hemoglobin
hepat/o
liver
hered/o, heredit/o
inherited, inheritance
herni/o
hernia
herpet/o
creeping
hiat/o
opening
hidr/o
sweat
hirsut/o
hair, rough
hist/o, histi/o
tissue
hom/o
same, like, alike
home/o
sameness, unchanging, constant
hormon/o
hormone
humer/o
humerus (upper arm bone)
hygien/o
healthy
hymen/o
a membrane, hymen
hypn/o
sleep
hyster/o
uterus
iatr/o
physician, treatment
ichthy/o
dry, scaly
icter/o
jaundice
idi/o
peculiar to the individual or organ, one, distinct
ile/o
ileum, small intestine
ili/o
ilium, hip bone
illusi/o
deception
immun/o
immune, protection, safe
impact/o
pushed against, wedged against, packed
impress/o
pressing into
impuls/o
pressure or pushing force, drive, urging on
incis/o
cutting into
incubat/o
incubation, hatch
indurat/o
hardened
infarct/o
filled in, stuffed
infect/o
infected, tainted
infer/o
below, beneath
infest/o
attack, assail, molest
inflammat/o
flame within, set on fire
infundibul/o
funnel
ingest/o
carry or pour in
inguin/o
groin
inhal/o, inhalat/o
breathe in
inject/o
to force or throw in
innominat/o
unnamed, nameless
inocul/o
implant, introduce
insipid/o
tasteless
inspir/o, inspirat/o
breathe in
insul/o
island
insulin/o
insulin
intact/o
untouched, whole
intermitt/o
not continuous
intern/o
within, inner
interstiti/o
the space between things
intestin/o
intestine
intim/o
innermost
intoxic/o
put poison in
intrins/o
contained within
introit/o
extrance or passage
intussuscept/o
take up or receive within
involut/o
rolled up, curled inward
iod/o
iodine
ion/o
ion, to wander
ir/i, ir/o, irid/o, irit/o
iris, colored part of eye
is/o
same, equal
isch/o
to hold back
ischi/o
ischium
jejun/o
jejunum
jugal/o
throat
kary/o
nuclues, nut
kel/o
growth, tumor
kerat/o
horny, hard, cornea
ket/o, keton/o
ketones, acetones
kines/o, kinesi/o
movement
klept/o
to steal
koil/o
hollow or concave
kraur/o
dry
kyph/o
bent, hump
labi/o
lip
labyrinth/o
maze, labyrinth, the inner ear
lacer/o, lacerat/o
torn, mangled
lacrim/o
tear, tear duct, lacrimal duct
lact/i, lact/o
milk
lactat/o
secrete milk
lamin/o
lamina
lapar/o
abdomen, abdominal wall
laps/o
slip, fall, slide
laryng/o
larynx, throat
lat/i, lat/o
broad
later/o
side
lav/o, lavat/o
wash, bath
lax/o, laxat/o
loosen, relax
leiomy/o
smooth (visceral) muscle
lent/i
the lens of the eye
lenticul/o
shaped like a lens; pertaining to a lens
lept/o
thin, slender
letharg/o
drowsiness, oblivion
leuk/o
white
lev/o, levat/o
raise, lift up
lex/o
word phrase
libid/o, libidin/o
sexual drive, desire, passion
ligament/o
ligament
ligat/o
binding or tying off
lingu/o
tongue
lipid/o, lip/o
fat
lith/o
stone, calculus
lob/i, lob/o
lobe, well-defined part of an organ
loc/o
location
loch/i
childbirth, confinement
longev/o
long-lived, long life
lord/o
curve, swayback, bent
lumb/o
lower back, loin
lumin/o
light
lun/o, lunat/o
moon
lunul/o
crescent
lup/i, lup/o
wolf
lute/o
yellow
lux/o
to slide
lymph/o
lymph lymphatic tissue
lymphaden/o
lymph node or gland
lymphangi/o
lymph vessel
