Comparative Anatomy Word Root List

Question 1

A-/An-

Answer 1

absence or lack (arrhythmia - lack of normal heartbeat)

Question 2

Ab-

Answer 2

away (abductor muscle - pulls an extremity away from midline)

Question 3

Acou-

Answer 3

hearing (acoustics)

Question 4

Ad-

Answer 4

to, toward (adductor muscle - pulls extremity toward midline)

Question 5

Adeno-

Answer 5

gland (adenocarcinoma - cancer of mucus-secreting glandular tissue)

Question 6

Aero-

Answer 6

air (aerobic)

Question 7

Af-

Answer 7

toward (afferent neuron - carries info toward brain)

Question 8

Alba-

Answer 8

white (albino)

Question 9

Amphi-

Answer 9

both (amphiphilic - hydrophobic&phillic)

Question 10

Ana-

Answer 10

apart (anaphase)

Question 11

Anastamos-

Answer 11

come together (anastomosis connection b/w vein and artery)

Question 12

Andro-

Answer 12

male (androgens)

Question 13

Angio-

Answer 13

vessel (angiogram)

Question 14

Ante-

Answer 14

preceding/before (antecubital - front of elbow)

Question 15

Anti-

Answer 15

opposed to/preventing

Question 16

Api-

Answer 16

tip (apex)

Question 17

Arachn-

Answer 17

spider (arachnoid matter w/in meninges)

Question 18

Arbor-

Answer 18

tree

Question 19

Arrect-

Answer 19

upright (arrector pilli muscles)

Question 20

Arthro-

Answer 20

joint

Question 21

Astro-

Answer 21

star

Question 22

Audi-

Answer 22

hearing

Question 23

Aut-

Answer 23

self

Question 24

Baro-

Answer 24

pressure

Question 25

Baso-/Basal-

Answer 25

base/bottom

Question 26

Bi-

Answer 26

two

Question 27

Blast-

Answer 27

bud/germ (blastocytes)

Question 28

Brachi-

Answer 28

arm

Question 29

Brady-

Answer 29

slow

Question 30

Brev-

Answer 30

short (fibularis brevis - short muscle along fibula)

Question 31

Bronch-

Answer 31

airway

Question 32

Bucco-

Answer 32

cheek

Question 33

Carcin-

Answer 33

cancer

Question 34

Cardio/Cardi-

Answer 34

heart

Question 35

Carneo-

Answer 35

flesh

Question 36

Caud-

Answer 36

tail

Question 37

Cec-

Answer 37

blind (the cecum - blind sad coming off intestine)

Question 38

Cele-

Answer 38

abdominal (celiac artery - in abdominal region)

Question 39

Cephal-

Answer 39

head

Question 40

Cerebro-

Answer 40

brain

Question 41

Chiasm

Answer 41

crossing

Question 42

Cili-

Answer 42

small hair

Question 43

Chondro-

Answer 43

cartilage

Question 44

Chromo-

Answer 44

color

Question 45

Circum-

Answer 45

around

Question 46

Coel-

Answer 46

hollow/cavity

Question 47

Concha-

Answer 47

shell

Question 48

Contra-

Answer 48

against/opposite

Question 49

Corona

Answer 49

crown (coronal suture)

Question 50

Corp-

Answer 50

body (corpse - dead body)

Question 51

Cortex-

Answer 51

outer layer of an organ

Question 52

Cost-

Answer 52

pertaining to the ribs (intercostal muscles b/w ribs)

Question 53

Crani-

Answer 53

skull (craniotomy)

Question 54

Crypt-

Answer 54

hidden (cryptomenorrhea - no blood loss during menstruation)

Question 55

Cusp-

Answer 55

point (tricuspid valve has 3 points)

Question 56

Cyan-

Answer 56

blue (cyanosis - skin has blue color)

Question 57

Cyte-

Answer 57

cell

Question 58

Delta

Answer 58

triangular (delta symbol - deltoid muscle is triangular)

Question 59

Dendro-

Answer 59

tree

Question 60

Dent-

Answer 60

tooth

Question 61

Derm-

Answer 61

skin

Question 62

Desmo-

Answer 62

band (desmosomes bands of protein)

Question 63

Di-

Answer 63

twice

Question 64

Dura-

Answer 64

hard

Question 65

Dys-

Answer 65

poor (muscular dystrophy - poor muscle growth)

Question 66

Ectop-

Answer 66

displaced (ectopic pregnancy)

Question 67

Edem-

Answer 67

swelling

Question 68

Ef-

Answer 68

away (efferent neuron - carries info away from CNS)

Question 69

Epi-

Answer 69

above/over

Question 70

Erythro-

Answer 70

red

Question 71

Endo-

Answer 71

within/inner (endocytosis - particles taken into a cell)

Question 72

Entero-

Answer 72

intestine

Question 73

Extra-

Answer 73

outside

Question 74

Exo-

Answer 74

outer

Question 75

Ferr-

Answer 75

iron (transferrin - iron storage protein)

Question 76

Fasci-

Answer 76

bundle

Question 77

Fenestr-

Answer 77

window

Question 78

Flagell-

Answer 78

whip

Question 79

Foram-

Answer 79

opening

Question 80

Gangli-

Answer 80

swelling or knot

Question 81

Gastro-

Answer 81

stomach

Question 82

Glom-

Answer 82

ball (glomerulus is a ball of capillaries in the kidney)

Question 83

Glosso-

Answer 83

tongue

Question 84

Glyco-

Answer 84

sugar

Question 85

Gust-

Answer 85

taste

Question 86

Hemi-

Answer 86

half

Question 87

Hemo/a-

Answer 87

blood

Question 88

Hepat-

Answer 88

liver

Question 89

Hetero-

Answer 89

different

Question 90

Hiat-

Answer 90

gap (hiatus)

Question 91

Histo-

Answer 91

tissue

Question 92

Holo-

Answer 92

whole/entire (holocrine secretions consist of the entire cell)

Question 93

Homo-

Answer 93

same

Question 94

Humor-

Answer 94

fluid (aqueous humor is a fluid w/in the eye)

Question 95

Hyalo-

Answer 95

glass/clear (hyaline cartilage)

Question 96

Hyo-

Answer 96

u-shaped (hyoid bone)

Question 97

Hyper-

Answer 97

excess

Question 98

Hypo-

Answer 98

below/deficient

Question 99

Infra-

Answer 99

below

Question 100

Interna/Intra-

Answer 100

within (intracranial hemorrhage - occurs w/in the skull)

Question 101

Inter-

Answer 101

between

Question 102

Iso-

Answer 102

same/equal

Question 103

Juxta-

Answer 103

near

Question 104

Labi-

Answer 104

lip

Question 105

Lact-

Answer 105

milk

Question 106

Lat-

Answer 106

wide/broad

Question 107

Later-

Answer 107

side

Question 108

Lacun-

Answer 108

space/cavity

Question 109

Lamina-

Answer 109

layer/sheet (laminated poster)

Question 110

Laryngo-

Answer 110

larynx

Question 111

Leuko-

Answer 111

white

Question 112

Leva-

Answer 112

to raise

Question 113

Liga-

Answer 113

bind (ligase - binds nucleotides)

Question 114

Lingua-

Answer 114

tongue

Question 115

Lipo-

Answer 115

fat

Question 116

Luci-

Answer 116

clear

Question 117

Lutea-

Answer 117

yellow (corpus luteum - yellow body w/in ovary)

Question 118

Lys-

Answer 118

break apart

Question 119

Magn-

Answer 119

large (foramen magnum - large opening in the skull)

Question 120

Mal-

Answer 120

abnormal/bad

Question 121

Mamm/Mast-

Answer 121

breast

Question 122

Manu-

Answer 122

hand (manufacture)

Question 123

Medi-

Answer 123

middle

Question 124

Medulla

Answer 124

inner volume of an organ (renal medulla is w/in renal cortex)

Question 125

Mega-

Answer 125

large

Question 126

Melano-

Answer 126

black

Question 127

Meningo-

Answer 127

membrane

Question 128

Mero-

Answer 128

part (merocrine secretion gives off part of a glandular cell)

Question 129

Meso-

Answer 129

middle

Question 130

Meta-

Answer 130

beyond/between (metatarsal bones b/w tarsals and phalanges of foot)

Question 131

Mono-

Answer 131

single

Question 132

Morpho-

Answer 132

shape

Question 133

Multi-

Answer 133

many

Question 134

Myo-

Answer 134

muscle

Question 135

Naso-

Answer 135

Nose

Question 136

Nat-

Answer 136

birth

Question 137

Natri-

Answer 137

sodium (Na)

Question 138

Necr-

Answer 138

death

Question 139

Neo-

Answer 139

new

Question 140

Nephro-

Answer 140

kidney

Question 141

Neuro-

Answer 141

nerve

Question 142

Oculo-

Answer 142

eye

Question 143

Odonto-

Answer 143

teeth

Question 144

Olfact-

Answer 144

smell (olfactory nerve)

Question 145

Oligo-

Answer 145

a few

Question 146

Oo-

Answer 146

egg

Question 147

Orb-

Answer 147

circular

Question 148

Ortho-

Answer 148

straight (orthodontist)

Question 149

Osteo-

Answer 149

bone

Question 150

Oto-

Answer 150

ear

Question 151

Papill-

Answer 151

nipple

Question 152

Para-

Answer 152

beside (paranasal sinuses are beside the nasal cavity)

Question 153

Peri-

Answer 153

around (periodontist)

Question 154

Phag-

Answer 154

eat

Question 155

Pharyngo-

Answer 155

pharynx

Question 156

Phleb-

Answer 156

vein

Question 157

Pia-

Answer 157

tender, delicate (pia mater)

Question 158

Pili-

Answer 158

hair

Question 159

Pino-

Answer 159

drink (pinocytosis is cell drinking)

Question 160

Platy-

Answer 160

flat (platysma is a broad, flat muscle)

Question 161

Plexus-

Answer 161

network

Question 162

Pneumo-

Answer 162

air

Question 163

Poly-

Answer 163

multiple

Question 164

Pre-

Answer 164

before

Question 165

Pseudo-

Answer 165

false

Question 166

Pulmo-

Answer 166

lung

Question 167

Quad-

Answer 167

four

Question 168

Rect-

Answer 168

straight (rectus abdominis)

Question 169

Ren-

Answer 169

kidney (renal vein)

Question 170

Retic-

Answer 170

net (endoplasmic reticulum)

Question 171

Rhug-

Answer 171

fold/wrinkle (rugae folds)

Question 172

Salta-

Answer 172

leap (saltation)

Question 173

Sclero-

Answer 173

hard

Question 174

Septi-

Answer 174

rotten (sepsis/septic tank)

Question 175

Septum-

Answer 175

fence/wall

Question 176

Semi-

Answer 176

half

Question 177

Serrate-

Answer 177

saw-edged

Question 178

Sigmo-

Answer 178

S-shaped (sigmoid colon)

Question 179

Soma-

Answer 179

body

Question 180

Squam-

Answer 180

flat (squamous epithelial cells have flat shape)

Question 181

Stoma-

Answer 181

mouth

Question 182

Strat-

Answer 182

layer

Question 183

Sub-

Answer 183

below

Question 184

Super-

Answer 184

above/upon

Question 185

Supra-

Answer 185

above/upon

Question 186

Syn/Sym-

Answer 186

together (synapse)

Question 187

Tachy-

Answer 187

fast

Question 188

Telo-

Answer 188

end/far (telomere)

Question 189

Trab-

Answer 189

beam (trabeculae are beams of bone comprising the spongy bone)

Question 190

Trans-

Answer 190

across

Question 191

Tri-

Answer 191

three

Question 192

Tunic-

Answer 192

covering (tunica albuginea is a covering of the testis)

Question 193

Vena/o-

Answer 193

vein

Question 194

-al

Answer 194

pertaining to

Question 195

-algia

Answer 195

pain (neuralgia is nerve pain)

Question 196

-blast

Answer 196

to build

Question 197

-clast

Answer 197

to break down

Question 198

-crine

Answer 198

to secrete

Question 199

-ectomy

Answer 199

to cut out

Question 200

-glia

Answer 200

glue (neuroglia is the connective tissue that holds together nervous tissue)

Question 201

-itis

Answer 201

inflammation

Question 202

-issimus

Answer 202

qualifier to end of a term meaning most extreme example of something (gluteus maximus is the largest gluteal muscle)

Question 203

-lemma

Answer 203

husk (neurolemma is an outer layer of a Schwann cell)

Question 204

-logy

Answer 204

study of

Question 205

-lysis

Answer 205

loosening or breaking down

Question 206

-oid

Answer 206

similar in shape (cuboid cells have a shape that is similar to that of a cube)

Question 207

-osis

Answer 207

condition of (nephrosis is a degenerative disease of the kidneys)

Question 208

-pathy

Answer 208

disease

Question 209

-phile

Answer 209

loving

Question 210

-phobe

Answer 210

fear

Question 211

-phore

Answer 211

bearer of (chromatophores are cells that contain colored pigment molecules)