Medical Abbreviations A - F Flashcards
Contains all word parts and their meanings
a-
without, not (an is added before words beginning with a vowel)
-a
noun ending / a name
ab-
away from
abdomin/o
abdomen
-able
capable of / having ability to
ac-
pertaining to/to/toward
acanth/o
spiny
acarin/o
mites of the order Acarina
acar/i/o
mites of the order Acarina
acetabul/o
acetabulum
acet/o
vinegar
aceton-
ketones/acetone
achill/o
Achilles tendon
acid/o
acid
acin/i
sac-like dilatation
acne/o
acne vulgaris / point / peak
acou-
hear/hearing
-acousia
condition of hearing
acoust/o
hear/hearing/sound
acro-
extremities, point
acromi/o
acromion (point of the shoulder)
act-
do, drive, act
actin/o
rays, eg. of sun / ultraviolet radiation
acu-
hear/hearing/severe/sudden
-acusia
condition / sense of hearing
ad-
to/toward/in the direction of the mid line/near dental enamel
adamant/o
dental enamel
aden/o
gland
adenoid-
adenoids (nasopharyngeal tonsils)
adip/o
adipose tissue / fat
adnex/o
bound to / conjoined
adrenal/o
adrenal gland
adren/o
adrenal gland
adrenocortic/o
adrenal cortex
-aem-
blood (Am. -em-)
-aemia
condition of blood (Am. -emia)
aer/o
air/gas
aesthe/s/i/o
sensation/sensitivity (Am. esthe/s/i/o)
aeti/o
cause (Am. eti/o)
af-
to/towards/near
ag-
to/towards/near
agglutin/o
sticking / clumping together
-ago
abnormal condition / disease
-agogic
pertaining to inducing/ stimulating
-agogue
an agent that promotes/ induces
agora-
market place/ open space
-agra
seizure I sudden pain
-aise
comfort/ease
-al
pertaining to
-al
used in pharmacology to mean a drug or drug action
albin/o
white
alb/i/o
white
album-
white
albumin/o
albumin/albumen
aldosterone-
aldosterone
-algesia
condition of pain
alges/i/o
sense of pain
-algia
condition of pain
alg/e/i/o
pain
aliment/o
to nourish
all/o
other I different from normal
alopec
baldness/ like the mange of (a fox)
alve/o
trough / channel / cavity
alveol/o
alveoli (of lungs)
ambi-
both / on both sides
ambly/o
dull/dim
ameb/o (Am.)
ameba, a type of protozoan
amel/o
dental enamel
-amine
nitrogen containing compound
amni/o
amnion / fetal membrane
amnion/o
amnion / fetal membrane
amoeb/o
amoeba a type of protozoan (Am. ameb/o)
amph/i
both / doubly/ both sides
amyl/o
starch
an-
without / not
-an
pertaining to/ characteristic of
ana-
reversion/ going backward/ apart / up/ again
ancyl/o
crooked/stiffening/fusing/bent
andr/o
male/masculine/man
-ane
a saturated, open-chain hydrocarbon
aneurysm/o
aneurysm
angi/o
vessel / blood vessel
an-iso-
unequal/dissimilar
ankyl/o
crooked/stiffening/fusing/bent
an/o
anus
-ant
having the characteristic of/ an agent that…
ante-
before in time or place/ in front of/ forward
anter/o
front/ in front of/ anterior to
anthrac/o
coal dust/ black
anthrop/o
man/human
anti-
against
antr/o
antrum I maxillary sinus
anxi/o
anxiety
aort/o
aorta
ap-
to / towards / near / separated from
-aph-
touch
-apheresis
removal
aphth/o
ulcer
apic/o
apex
ap/o
away from I detached/ derived from/ separate
aponeur/o
aponeurosis (flat tendon)
append/ic/o
appendix
aqu/a/e/o
water
-ar
pertaining to
arachn/o
spider
arc/o
arch/bowed
-arch/e
beginning
arrhen/o
male/masculine
arter/i/o
artery
arteriol/o
arteriole
arthr/o
joint
articul/o
joint
-ary
pertaining to / connected with
as-
to/towards/near
-ase
an enzyme
-asia
state or condition
-asis
state or condition
-asthenia
condition of weakness
asthen/o
weakness
astr/o
star-shaped/star
at-
to/towards/near
-ate
denoting a state or function / possessing / a chemical from a specific source / like
atel/o
imperfect/incomplete
ather/o
atheroma, a fatty plaque lining a blood vessel
-ation
action/condition
-atresia
condition of occlusion / closure / absence of opening
atret/o
closure of a normal opening / imperforation
atri/o
atrium
audi/o
hearing / sense of hearing
audit/o
hearing / sense of hearing
-aural
pertaining to the ear
auricul/o
pinna of the ear or auricle
aur/i/o
ear/hearing
auto-
self
aux/i/o
increase
-auxis
increase
-ax
noun ending / a name
axill/o
armpit
ax/i/o
axis
axon/o
axis / axon of neuron
azot/o
urea/nitrogen
bat-
go/walk/stand
bacill/o
bacillus / a rod-shaped bacterium
bacter/i/o
bacterium/bacteria
balan/o
glans penis
ballist/o
throw/movement
bar/i/o
pressure / weight
bartholin/o
Bartholin glands / greater vestibular glands of the vagina
basi-
base/basic/alkaline
baso-
base/basic/alkaline
bathy-
deep
bi-
two/twice/double/life
bili-
bile
bilirubin/o
bilirubin
bin-
two each / double
bio-
life/living
-blast
germ cell / immature cell / embryonic cell / developing stage
blast/o
germ cell / immature cell / embryonic cell / developing stage
blenn/o
mucus
blephar/o
eyelid
bol-
ball
brachi/o
arm
brachy-
short
brady-
slow
brev/i
short
bromidr/o
stench / smell of sweat
bronch/i/o
bronchus / bronchial tube/ windpipe
bronchiol/o
bronchiole
bront/o
thunder
bucca-
cheek
bucc/o
cheek
bulb/o
bulb/ medulla oblongata
burs/o
bursa (fluid-filled sac)
byssin/o
cotton dust
cac/o
bad/ill/abnormal
caec/o
caecum (Am. cecum)
calcane/o
calcaneus / heel bone
calci/i/o
calcium/lime/heel
calcin/o
calcium
calcul/o
calculus / stone / little stone
calic-
calyx (Am. calix) / a cup-shaped organ or cavity
calor/i
heat
calyc-
calyx (Am. calix) / a cup-shaped organ or cavity
cancer/o
cancer (general term)
canth/o
canthus (corner of the eye)
capill/o
blood capillary / hair-like
capit/o
head
-capnia
condition of carbon dioxide
caps-
container
capsul/o
capsule
carb/o
carbon
carcin/o
cancerous / malignant tumour of epithelial tissue
carcinomat-
carcinoma
-cardia
condition of the heat
cardi/o
heart
cari/o
rot/decay (of teeth)
carp/o
carpal / wrist bones
cary/o
nucleus
cat/o
down/negative/wrong/back
caud/o
tail / towards the tail / lower part of body
caus-
burn/corrosive
caut-
burn
cav-
hollow
cec/o (Am.)
cecum
-cele
swelling/protrusion/hernia
celi/o
hollow/abdomen
cell-
cell
cellul-
cell
cel/o (Am.)
hollow/abdomen/celom
cement/o
cementum of a tooth
cen/o
new/empty/common
-centesis
surgical puncture to remove fluid
centi
hundred / one hundredth
centr/i/o
centre / central location
cephal/o
head
cerat/o
horny/epidermis/cornea (synonym: kerat/o)
cerebell/o
cerebellum
cerebr/i/o
cerebrum/brain
cer/o
wax
cerumin/o
cerumen / ear wax
cervic/o
cervix
-chalasis
slackening/loosening
chancr-
chancre, a destructive sore
cheil/o
lip
cheir/o
hand
chem/i/c/o
chemical
-chezia
condition of defaecation, especially of foreign substances
chil/o
lip (cheil/o now used)
chir/o
hand
chlorhydr/o
hydrochloric acid
chlor/o
green/chlorine
cholangi/o
bile vessel / bile duct
cholecyst/o
gallbladder
choledoch/o
common bile duct
chol/e/o
bile
cholester/o
cholesterol
chondr/o
cartilage
chord/o
string/cord
chore/o
chorea / dance / jerky movement
chori/o
chorion / outer fetal membrane
chorioid/o
choroid layer of eye
chromat/o
colour
-chromia
condition of haemoglobin / colour (Am. hemoglobin)
chrom/o
colour
chron/o
time
chrys/o
gold
chyl/e/o
chyle, a fluid formed by lacteals (lymphatics) in the intestine, a product of fat digestion
chym/o
chyme, a creamy material produced by digestion of food
cib/o
meal
-cidal
pertaining to killing
-cide
agent that kills / killing
cili/o
cilia / ciliary body of eye / eyelash
cinemat/o
movement/motion (picture)
cine/o
movement/motion
cinesi/o
movement/motion
circum-
around
cirrh/o
yellow/tawny
cirs/o
varicose vein / varix
cis-
on the near side / this side
-cis-
cut/kill
cistern/o
cistern / enclosed space (sub-arachnoid space)
-clasia
condition of breaking
-clasis
breaking
-clast
a cell that breaks
claustr/o
barrier/enclosed
clavic/o
clavicle
clavicul/o
clavicle
-cle
small
cleid/o
clavicle
clin/o
bend/incline
clitor/i/o
clitoris
clon/o
clone of cells
-clonus
violent action
-clysis
infusion/injection/irrigation
co-
with/together
coagul/o
clotting
coccid/i
types of parasitic protozoa of the order Coccidia
cocc/i/o
a berry-shaped bacterium/a coccus
-coccus
a berry-shaped bacterium
coccyg/o
coccyx
cochle/o
cochlea
-coel(e)
hollow/abdomen
coel/o
hollow/abdomen/ceolom (Am. celom)
col-
with/together
coll/a
glue
collagen/o
collagen
col/o
colon
colon/o
colon
colp/o
vagina
com-
with/together
coma/t/o
a deep sleep, a coma or state of unconsciousness
con-
with/together
condyl/o
condyl
coni/o
dust
conjunctiv/o
conjunctiva
contra-
against/opposed/opposite
-conus
cone-like protrusion
copr/o
faeces (Am. Feces)
cor-
with/together
cord/o
a cord
cor/e/o
pupil
-coria
condition of the pupils
corne/o
cornea/horny (consisting of keratin)
coron/o
crown-like projection / encircling / coronary vessels of the heart
corpor/o
body
-cortext-
outer part / bark
cortic/o
adrenal cortex/ cortex/ outer region
cost/o
rib
cox/o
hip / hip joint
crani/o
cranium/skull
cren/o
crenated/notched
-crescent
crescent / sickle-shaped / shaped like a new moon
-crine
secrete
crin/o
secrete
-crit
separate / device for measuring cells
crur/o
leg
cry/o
relating to cold
crypt/o
hidden
cubit/o
elbow
culd/o
Douglas pouch / rectouterine pouch/ cul-de sac
-cule
small
cult-
cultivate
cune/i
wedge (shape)
cutane/o
skin
cut/i
skin
cyan/o
blue
cycl/o
ciliary body / circle
cyes/i/o
pregnancy
-cyesis
pregnancy
cylindr/o
cylinder
cyll/o
deformity
cyn/o
dog
cyrt/o
curved / abnormal curvature
cyst/i/o
bladder / a cyst
-cyte
cell
cyt/o
cell
-cytosis
condition of cells, usually an abnormal increase
dacry/o
tear / lacrimal apparatus
dacryocyst/o
lacrimal sac
dactyl/o
digits / fingers or toes
de-
down / away from / loss of / reversing
deca-
ten
deci-
one-tenth
demi-
half
dem/o
people
denr/i/o
tree/tree-like (dendrite of neuron)
dentin/o
dentine of tooth (Am. dentin)
dent/i/o
tooth
derm/a/o
skin
dermat/o
skin
descemet/o
Descemet membrane (of cornea)
-desis
fixation / to bind together by surgery/ sticking together
desm/o
band/ligament
deuter/o
second
dextro-
right
di-
two/twice/double
dia-
through/apart/across/between
-dialysis
separate
diaphor/o
sweating (excessive)
diaphragmat/o
diaphragm
diastol-
diastole
didym-
twins
digit/o
finger / toe
dipl/o-
double
dips/o
thirst
dis-
apart / reversal / separation / duplication / free from
disc/o
intervertebral disc
disk/o (Am.)
intervertebral disk
dist/o
far from point of origin
diverticul/o
diverticulum
doch/o
duct / to receive
dolich/o
long
dolor/i/o
pain (dol, unit of pain)
-dorsal
pertaining to the back (of the body)
dors/i/o
the back (of the body) / dorsal
-drome
a course / conduction / flowing
drom/o
a course / conduction / flowing
-duct-
a tube to lead material toward or away from a structure
duoden/o
duodenum
dur/o
dura mater / hard
dynam/o
force/power (of movement)
-dynia
condition of pain
dys-
difficult/disordered/painful/bad
e-
away from / out from / outside / without
-e
noun ending / a name
-eal
pertaining to
ec-
away from / out from / outside / without
ech/o
echo / reflected sound
ect
out / outside / outer part
ecto
out / outside / outer part
ectopia
condition of displacement
ectop/o
displaced away from normal position
-ectasia
condition of dilation or stretching
-ectasis
dilatation, stretching
-ectomy
removal, excision
ectro-
congenital absence / miscarriage
edema- (Am.)
condition of swelling due to fluid
ef-
out / away from
eikon/o
icon
elast/o
elastic / elastic tissue / elastin
electr/o
electrical
ele/o (Am.)
oil/fat
ellipto-
shaped like an ellipse
em-
in
-em- (Am)
blood
-ema
condition
embol/o
embolus/plug/blockage
embry/o
embryo
-emesis
vomiting
emet/o
vomiting
-emia (Am.)
condition of blood
emmetr/o
in dw measure/ normally proportioned
-emphraxis
blocking / stopping up
en-
within/ in
encephal/o
brain
endo
within/inside/inner
endocardi/o
endocardium
endocrin/o
endocrine (gland)
endometri/o
endometrium of uterus (the lining of the uterus)
endotheli/o
endothelium
enter/o
intestine
-ent
person/agent
ento
within, inside
eosin/o
rosy-red / dawn coloured / eosin, a red acid dye
ep-
above/ upon/ on
epi
above I upon / on / in addition
epiderm/
epidermis
epididym/o
epididymis
epiglott/o
epiglottis
epilept/i/o
epilepsy
epipl/o
omentum
episi/o
vulva/pudendum
epitheli/o
epithelium
equin/o
horse
-er
one who / a person / an agent
erg/o/n/o
work
-erysis
drag / draw / suck out
erythem/o
reddening of the skin / flushed / erythema
erythr/o
red
-esis
abnormal state / condition
es/o
within/inwards
esophag/o (Am.)
esophagus/gullet
esthesi/o (Am.)
sensation
estr/o (Am.)
estrogen/female/estrus
ethm/o
ethmoid bone
ethmoid/o
ethmoid bone
eti/o (Am.)
causation (of disease)
eu-
good/normal/easily
eury-
wide/broad
ex-
out / out of / away from
exo-
out / away from / outside
-externa
external
extr/a/o
outside of / beyond / outward
faci/o
face
faec/a/o
faeces (Am. feces)
falc/i
falx / sickle-shaped structure
fascicul/o
fascicle
fasci/o
fascia/fibrous tissue, eg. Covering muscles
febr/o
fever
fec/o (Am.)
feces/waste
femor/o
femur/thigh
-ferent
carrying/to carry/ to bear
fer/o
to carry/to bear
ferr/o
iron
fet/i/o (Am)
fetus
fibrill/o
musculat twitching
fibrin/o
fibrinogen
fimbri/o
fringe
fibr/o
fibre
fibul/o
fibula
-fida
split
fil/o
thread
fissur-
split/cleft
fistul/o
tube/pipe
flagell/o
flagellum/whip
flav/o
yellow
-flect
bend
-flex-
bend
foet/o
fluorescent/luminous/flow
follicul/o
small sac/follicle
fore-
before/in front of
-form
having form/structure of
foss/o
depression
fove/o
pit/often used to mean the central fovea of the retina
fraen/o
frenum or faenulum/a restraining structure eg fraenulum of the hip
fren/o (Am.)
frenum or faenulum/a restraining structure eg fraenulum of the hip
front/o
front/forehead
-fuge
agent that supresses/gets rid of
fund/o
bottom/base (of an organ)
fung/i
fungus
furc/o
branching
-fy
making or cause to become
