Combining Forms: M - Z Flashcards
macul/o
spot
magn/o
great, large
major/o
larger
malign/o
bad, evil,
malle/o
malleus, hammer
malleol/o
malleolus, little hammer
mamm/o
breast
man/i
madness, rage
man/i, man/o
hand
mandibul/o
mandible, lower jaw
manipul/o
use of hands
manubri/o
handle
masset/o
chew
mast/o
breast
mastic/o, masticat/o
chew
mastoid/o
mastoid process
matern/o
maternal, of a mother
matur/o
ripe
maxill/o
maxilla (upper jaw)
maxim/o
largest, greatest
meat/o
opening or passageway
medi/o
middle
mediastin/o
mediastinum, middle
medic/o
medicine, physician, healing
medicat/o
medication, healing
medull/o
medulla (inner section), middle, soft, marrow
megal/o
large, great
mei/o
less, meiosis
melan/o
black, dark
mellit/o
honey, honeyed
membran/o
membrane, thin skin
men/o
menstruation, menses
mening/o, meningi/o
membranes, meninges
menisc/o
meniscus, crescent
mens/o
menstuate, menstruation, menses
menstr/o, menstruat/o
occuring monthly
ment/o
mind, chin
mesenter/o
mesentery
mesi/o
middle, median plane
metabol/o
change
metacarp/o
metacarpals, bones of the hand
metatars/o
bones of the foot between the tarsus and toes
metr/i, metr/o, metri/o
uterus
micr/o
small
mictur/o, micturit/o
urinate
midsagitt/o
from front to back, at the middle
mineral/o
mineral
minim/o
smallest, least
minor/o
smaller
mit/o
a thread
mitr/o
a miter, having two points on top
mobil/o
capable of moving
monil/i
string of beads, genus of parasitic mold or fungus
morbid/o
disease, sickness
moribund/o
dying
morph/o
shape, form
mort/i, mort/o, mort/u
death, dead
mortal/i
pertaining to death, subject to death
mot/o, motil/o
motion, movement
mu/o
close, shut
muc/o, mucus/o
mucus
muscul/o
muscle
mut/a
genetic change
mut/o
unable to speak, inarticulate
mutagen/o
causing genetic change
my/o
muscle
myc/e, myc/o
fungus
mydria/o
wide
mydrias/i
dilation of the pupil
myel/o
spinal cord, bone marrow
myocardi/o
myocardium, heart muscle
myom/o
muscle tumor
myos/o
muscle
myring/o
tympanic membrane, eardrum
myx/o
mucus
nar/i
nostril
narc/o
numbness, stupor
nas/i, nas/o
nose
nat/i
birth
natr/o
sodium
nause/o
nasuea, seasickness
necr/o
death
ne/o
new, strange
nephr/o
kidney
nerv/o, neur/i, neur/o
nerve, nerve tissue
neutr/o
neither, neutral
nev/o
birthmark, mole
nid/o
next
noct/i
night
nod/o
knot, swelling
nodul/o
little knot
nom/o
law, control
norm/o
normal or usual
nuch/o
the nape
nucle/o
nucleus
nucleol/o
little nucleus, nucleolus
numer/o
number, count
nunc/o
messenger
nutri/o, nutrit/o
nourishment, food, nourish, feed
nyct/o, nyctal/o
night
obes/o
obese, extremely fat
obliqu/o
slanted, sideways
oblongat/o
oblong, elongated
obstetr/i, obstetr/o
midwife, one who stands to receive
occipit/o
back of the skull, occiput
occlud/o, occlus/o
shut, close up
occult/o
hidden, concealed
ocul/o
eye
odont/o
tooth
olfact/o
smell, sense of smell
olig/o
santy, few
om/o
shoulder
oment/o
omentum, fat
omphal/o
umbilical cord, the navel
onc/o
tumor
onych/o
fingernail or toenail
o/o, oo/o
egg
oophor/o
ovary
opac/o, opacit/o
shaded, dark, impenetrable to light
oper/o, operat/o
perform, operate, work
opercul/o
cover or lid
ophthalm/o
eye, vision
opisth/o
backward, dorsal
opt/i, opt/o, optic/o
eye, vision
or/o
mouth, oral cavity
orbit/o
orbit, bony cavity or socket
orch/o, orchid/o, orchi/o
testicles, testis, testes
organ/o
organ
orgasm/o
swell, be excited
orth/o
straight, normal, correct
osm/o
pushing, thrusting
oss/e, oss/i
bone
ossicul/o
ossicle (small bone)
oste/o, ost/o
bone
ot/o
ear, hearing
ov/i, ov/o
egg, ovum
ovari/o
ovary
ovul/o
egg
ox/i, ox/o, ox/y
oxygen
oxid/o
containing oxygen
oxy/o
the presence of oxygen in a compound
palat/o
plate, roof of mouth
pall/o, pallid/o
pale, lacking or drained of color
palliat/o
cloaked, hidden
palpat/o
touch, feel, stroke
palpebr/o
eyelid
palpit/o
throbbing, quivering
pancreat/o
pancreas
papill/i, papill/o
nipple-like
papul/o
pimple
par/o
to bear, bring forth, labor
paralys/o, paralyt/o
disable
parasit/o
parasite
parathyroid/o
parathyroid glands
pares/i
to disable
paret/o
to disable
pariet/o
wall
parotid/o
parotid gland
paroxysm/o
sudden attack
parturit/o
childbirth, labor
patell/a, patell/o
patella, kneecap
path/o
disease, suffering, feeling, emotion
paus/o
stopping
pector/o
chest
ped/o
child, foot
pedi/a
child
pedicul/o
louse (singular), lice (plural)
pelv/i, pelv/o
pelvic bone, pelvic cavity, hip
pen/i
penis
pend/o
to hang
peps/i, pept/o
digest, digestion
percept/o
become aware, perceive
percuss/o
strike tap, beat
perine/o
perineum
peristals/o, peristalt/o
constrict around
peritone/o
peritoneum
perme/o
to pass or go through
pernici/o
destructive, harmful
perone/o
fibula
perspirat/o
perspiration
pertuss/i
intensive cough
petechi/o
skin spot
phac/o
lens of eye
phag/o
eat, swallow
phak/o
lens of eye
phalang/o
phalanges, finger and toe
phall/i, phill/o
penis
pharmac/o, pharmaceut/o
drug
pharyng/o
thorat, pharynx
phas/o
speech
phe/o
dusky
pher/o
to bear or carry
phil/o
attraction to, like love
phleb/o
vein
phlegm/o
thick mucus
phob/o
abnormal fear
phon/o
sound, voice
phor/o
carry, bear, movement
phot/o
light
phren/o
diaphragm, mind
physi/o, physic/o
nature, physical
phyt/o
plant
pigment/o
pigment, color
pil/i, pil/o
hair
pineal/o
pineal gland
pinn/i
external ear, auricle
pituit/o, pituitar/o
pituitary gland
plac/o
flat plate or patch
placent/o
placenta, round flat cake
plak/o
plaque, plate, thin flat layer or scale
plan/o
flat
plant/i, plant/o
sole of foot
plas/i, plas/o
development, growth, formation
plasm/o
something molded or formed
ple/o
more, many
pleur/o
pleura, side of the body
plex/o
plexus, network
plic/o
fold or ridge
pne/o
breath, breathing
pneum/o, pneumon/o
lung, air
pod/o
foot
pol/o
extreme
poli/o
gray matter of brain and spinal cord
pollic/o
thumb
polyp/o
polyp, small growth
pont/o
pons (a part of the brain), bridge
poplit/o
back of the knee
por/o
pore, small opening
port/i
gate, door
poster/o
behind, toward the back
potent/o
powerful
pract/i, practic/o
practice, pursue an occupation
prandi/o
meal
precoc/i
early, premature
pegn/o
pregnant, full of
prematur/o
too early, untimely
preputi/o
foreskin, prepuce
presby/o
old age
press/o
press, draw
priap/o
penis
process/o
going forth
procreat/o
reproduce
proct/o
anus and rectum
prodrom/o
running a head, precursor
product/o
lead forward, produce
prolaps/o
fall downward, slide forward
prolifer/o
reproduce, bear offspring
pron/o, pronat/o
bent forward
prostat/o
prostate gland
prosth/o, prosthet/o
addition, appendance
prot/o, prote/o
first
protein/o
protein
proxim/o
near
prurit/o
itching
pseud/o
false
psor/i, psor/o
itch, itching
psych/o
mind
pub/o
pubis, part of hip bone
pubert/o
ripe age, adult
pudend/o
pudendum
puerper/i
childbearing, labor
pulm/o, pulmon/o
lung
pulpos/o
fleshy, pulpy
puls/o
beat, beating, striking
punct/o
sting, prick, puncture
pupill/o
pupil
pur/o
pus
purpur/o
purple
purul/o
pus-filled
pustul/o
infected pimple
py/o
pus
pyel/o
renal pelvis, bowl of kidney
pylor/o
pylorus, pyloric sphincter
pyr/o, pyret/o
fever, fire
quadr/i, quadr/o
four
rabi/o
madness, rage
rachi/o
spinal column, vertebrae
radi/o
radiation, x-rays, radius (lateral lower arm bone)
radiat/o
giving off rays or radiant energy
radicul/o
nerve root
raph/o
seam, suture
recept/o
receive, receiver
recipi/o
receive, take to oneself
rect/o
rectum, straight
recticul/o
network
recuperat/o
recover, regain health
reduct/o
bring back together
refract/o
bend back, turn aside
regurgit/o
flood or gush back
remiss/o
give up. let go, relax
ren/o
kidney
restor/o
rebuild, put back, restore
resuscit/o
revive
retent/o
hold back
reticul/o
network
retin/o
retina, net
retract/o
draw back or in
rhabd/o
rod, rod-shaped
rhabdomy/o
striated muscle
rheum/o, rheumat/o
water flow, subect to flow
rhin/o
nose
rhiz/o
root
rhonc/o
snore, snoring
rhythm/o
rhythm
rhytid/o
wrinkle
rigid/o
stiff
ris/o
laugh
rotat/o
rotate, revolve
rug/o
wrinkle, fold
sacc/i, sacc/o
sac
sacchar/o
sugar
sacr/o
sacrum
saliv/o
saliva
salping/o
uterine (Fallopian) tube, auditory (Eustachian) tube
san/o
sound, healthy, sane
sangu/i, sanguin/o
blood
sanit/o
soundness, health
saphen/o
clear, apparent, manifest
sapr/o
decaying, rottein
sarc/o
flesh, connective tissue
scalp/o
carve, scrape
scapul/o
scapula, shoulder blade
schiz/o
division, split
scirrh/o
hard
scler/o
sclera, white of eye, hard
scoli/o
curved bent
scot/o
darkness
scrib/o, script/o
write
scrot/o
bag or pouch
seb/o
sebum
secret/o
produce, separate out
sect/o, secti/o
cut, cutting
segment/o
pieces
sell/o
saddle
semin/i
semen, seed, sperm
sen/i
old
senesc/o
grow old
senil/o
old age
sens/i
feeling, sensation
sensitiv/o
sensitive to, affected by
seps/o
infection
sept/o
infection, partition
ser/o
serum
seros/o
serous
sial/o
saliva
sialaden/o
salivary gland
sigm/o
Greek letter sigma
sigmoid/o
sigmoid colon
silic/o
glass
sin/o, sin/u
hollow, sinus
sinistr/o
left, left side
sinus/o
sinus
sit/u
place
skelet/o
skeleton
soci/o
companion, fellow being
solut/o, solv/o
loosened, dissolved
somat/o
body
somn/i, somn/o
sleep
son/o
sound
sopor/o
sleep
spad/o
draw off, draw
spasmod/o
sudden involuntary contraction, tigtening, cramping
spec/i
look at, a kind or sort
specul/o
mirror
sperm/o, spermat/o
sperm, spermatozoa, seed
sphen/o
sphenoid bone, wedge
spher/o
round, sphere, ball
sphincter/o
tight band
sphygm/o
pulse
spin/o
spine, backbone
spir/o
to breathe
spirill/o
little coil
spirochet/o
coiled microorganism
splen/o
spleen
spondyl/o
vertebrae, vertebral colmn, backbone
spontane/o
unexplained, of one’s own accord
spor/o
seed, spore
sput/o
sputum, spit
squam/o
scale
stapedi/o
stapes (middle ear bone)
staphyl/o
clusters, bunch of grapes
steat/o
fat, lipid, sebum
sten/o
narrowing, contracted
ster/o
solid structure
stere/o
solid, three-dimensional structure
steril/i
sterile
stern/o
sternum, the breast bone
steth/o
chest
stigmat/o
point, spot
stimul/o
goad, prick, incite
stol/o
send or place
stom/o, stomat/o
mouth, oral cavity
strab/i
sqint, squint-eyed
strat/i
layer
strept/o
twisted chain
striat/o
stripe, furrgroove
strict/o
draw tightly together, bind or tie
strid/o
harsh sound
stup/e
benumbed, stunned
styl/o
pen, pointed instrument
subluxat/o
partial dislocation
sucr/o
sugar
sudor/i
sweat
suffoc/o, suffocat/o
choke, strangle
sulc/o
furrow, groove
super/o
above, excessive, higher than
superflu/o
overflowing, excessive
supin/o
lying on the back
supinat/o
bend backward, place on the back
suppress/o
press down
suppur/o, supporate/o
to form pus
supraren/o
above or on the kidney, suprarenal gland
sutur/o
stitch, seam
symptomat/o
falling together, symptom
synaps/o, synapt/o
point of contact
syncop/o
to cut short, cut off
syndrom/o
running together
synovi/o, synv/o
synovial membrane, synovial fluid
syphil/i, syphil/o
syphilis
syring/o
tube
system/o, systemat/o
body system
systol/o
contraction
tact/i
touch
talip/o
foot and ankle deformity
tars/o
tarsus (ankle bone), instep, edge of the eyelid
tax/o
coordination, order
techn/o, techni/o
skill
tectori/o
covering, rooflike
tele/o
distant, far
tempor/o
temporal bone, temple
ten/o, tend/o
tendon, stretch out, extend, strain
tenac/i
holding fast, sticky
tendin/o
tendon
tens/o
stretch ot, extend, strain
termin/o
end, limit
test/i, test/o
testicle, testis
tetan/o
rigid, tense
thalam/o
thalamus, inner room
thanas/o, thanat/o
death
the/o
put, place
thec/o
sheath
thel/o
nipple
therap/o, therapeut/o
treatment
therm/o
heat
thora/o, thorac/o
chest
thromb/o
clot
thym/o
thymus gland
thyr/o, thyroid/o
thyroid gland
tibi/o
tibia (shin bone)
tine/o
gnawing worm, ringworm
tinnit/o
ringing, buzzing, tinkling
toc/o
labor, birth
tom/o
cut, section, slice
ton/o
tension, tone stretching
tone/o
to stretch
tonsill/o
tonsil, thorat
top/o
place, position, location
tors/o
twist, rotate
tort/i
twisted
tox/o, toxic/o
poison, poisonous
trabecul/o
little beam marked with cross bars or beams
trache/i, trache/o
trachea, windpipe
tract/o
draw, pull, path, bundle of nerve fibers
tranquil/o
quiet, calm, tranquil
transfus/o
pour across, transfer
transit/o
changing
transvers/o
crosswise
traumat/o
injury
trem/o
shaking, trembling
tremul/o
fine tremor or shaking
treponem/o
coiled, turning microbe
trich/o
hair
trigon/o
trigone (usually of the bladder)
trop/o
turn, change
troph/o
development, nourishment
tub/i, tub/o
tube, pipe
tubercul/o
little knot, swelling
tunic/o
covering, cloak, sheath
turbinat/o
coiled, spiral shaped
tuss/i
cough
tympan/o
tympanic membrane, eardrum
ulcer/o
sore, ulcer
uln/o
ulna (medial lower arm bone)
umbilic/o
navel
ungu/o
nail
ur/o
urine, urinary tract
ureter/o
ureter
urethr/o
urethra
urg/o
press, push
urin/o
urine or urinary organs
urtic/o
nettle, rash, hives
uter/i, uter/o
uterus
uve/o
iris, chorioid, ciliary body, uveal tract
uvul/o
uvula, little grape
vaccin/i, vaccin/o
vaccine
vacu/o
empty
vag/o
vagus nerve, wandering
vagin/o
vagina
valv/o, valvul/o
valve
var/o
bent or twisted inward
varic/o
varicose veins, swollen or dilated vein
vas/o
vas deferens, vessel
vascul/o
blood vessel, little vessel
vast/o
vast, great , extensive
vect/o
carry, convey
ven/o
vein
vener/o
sexual intercourse
ventilat/o
expose to air, fan
ventr/o
infront, belly side of body
ventricul/o
ventricle of brain or heart, small chamber
venul/o
venule, small vein
verg/o
twist, incline
verm/i
worm
verruc/o
wart
vers/o, vert/o
turn
vertebr/o
vertebra, backbone
vertig/o, vertigin/o
whirling round
vesic/o
urinary bladder
vesicul/o
seminal vesicle, blister, little bladder
vestibul/o
entrance, vestibule
vi/o
force
vill/i
shaggy hair, tuft of hair
vir/o
poison, virus
viril/o
masculine, manly
vis/o
seeing, sight
visc/o
sticky
viscer/o
viscera, internal organ
viscos/o
sticky
vit/a, vit/o
life
viti/o
blemish, defect
vitre/o
glassy, made of glass
voc/i
voice
vol/o
palm or sole
volv/o
roll, turn
vulgar/i
common
vulv/o
vulva, covering
xanth/o
yellow
xen/o
strange, foreign
xer/o
dry
xiph/i, xiph/o
sword
zo/o
animal life
zygomat/o
cheek bone, yoke
zygot/o
joined together
