Medical Roots (A-H) Flashcards
A useful resource for learning where all those fancy medical words come from. In this deck, all roots running from A-H.
What does this medical root mean?
a-, an-
Denotes an absence of, without
What does this medical root mean?
ab-
away from
What does this medical root mean?
abdomin(o)-
Of or relating to the abdomen
What does this medical root mean?
-ac, -acal
pertaining to
What does this medical root mean?
acanth(o)-
thorn or spine
What does this medical root mean?
acous(io)-
Of or relating to hearing
What does this medical root mean?
acr(o)-
extremity, topmost
What does this medical root mean?
-acusis
hearing
What does this medical root mean?
-ad
toward, in the direction of
What does this medical root mean?
ad-
increase, adherence, motion toward, very
What does this medical root mean?
aden(o)-, aden(i)-
Of or relating to a gland
What does this medical root mean?
adip(o)-
Of or relating to fat or fatty tissue
What does this medical root mean?
adren(o)-
Of or relating to adrenal glands
What does this medical root mean?
-aemia
blood condition
What does this medical root mean?
aer(o)-
air, gas
What does this medical root mean?
aesthesio-
sensation
What does this medical root mean?
-al
pertaining to
What does this medical root mean?
alb-
Denoting a white or pale color
What does this medical root mean?
alge(si)-
pain
What does this medical root mean?
-algia
pain
What does this medical root mean?
alg(i)o-
pain
What does this medical root mean?
allo-
Denoting something as different, or as an addition
What does this medical root mean?
ambi-
Denoting something as positioned on both sides; Describing both of two
What does this medical root mean?
amnio-
Pertaining to the membranous fetal sac (amnion)
What does this medical root mean?
amph-, amphi-
on both sides
What does this medical root mean?
an-
not, without
What does this medical root mean?
ana-
back, again, up
What does this medical root mean?
an(o)
anus
What does this medical root mean?
andr(o)-
pertaining to a man
What does this medical root mean?
angi(o)-
blood vessel
What does this medical root mean?
aniso-
Describing something as unequal
What does this medical root mean?
ankyl(o)-,ancyl(o)-
Denoting something as crooked or bent
What does this medical root mean?
ante-
Describing something as positioned in front of another thing
What does this medical root mean?
anti-
Describing something as ‘against’ or ‘opposed to’ another
What does this medical root mean?
apo-
separated from, derived from
What does this medical root mean?
arch(i,e,o)
first, primitive
What does this medical root mean?
arsen(o)-
Of or pertaining to a male; masculine
What does this medical root mean?
arteri(o)-
Of or pertaining to an artery
What does this medical root mean?
arthr(o)-
Of or pertaining to the joints, limbs
What does this medical root mean?
articul(o)-
joint
What does this medical root mean?
-ary
pertaining to
What does this medical root mean?
-ase
enzyme
What does this medical root mean?
-asthenia
weakness
What does this medical root mean?
atel(o)
imperfect or incomplete development
What does this medical root mean?
ather(o)-
fatty deposit, Soft gruel-like deposit
What does this medical root mean?
-ation
process
What does this medical root mean?
atri(o)-
an atrium (esp. heart atrium)
What does this medical root mean?
aur(i)-
Of or pertaining to the ear
What does this medical root mean?
aut(o)-
self
What does this medical root mean?
aux(o)-
increase; growth
What does this medical root mean?
axill-
Of or pertaining to the armpit [uncommon as a prefix]
What does this medical root mean?
azo(to)
nitrogenous compound
What does this medical root mean?
balano-
Of the glans penis or glans clitoridis
What does this medical root mean?
bi-
twice, double
What does this medical root mean?
bio-
life
What does this medical root mean?
blast(o)-
germ or bud
What does this medical root mean?
blephar(o)-
Of or pertaining to the eyelid
What does this medical root mean?
brachi(o)-
Of or relating to the arm
What does this medical root mean?
brachy-
Indicating ‘short’ or less commonly ‘little’
What does this medical root mean?
brady-
slow’
What does this medical root mean?
bronch(i)-
bronchus
What does this medical root mean?
bucc(o)-
Of or pertaining to the cheek
What does this medical root mean?
burs(o)-
bursa (fluid sac between the bones)
What does this medical root mean?
capill-
Of or pertaining to hair
What does this medical root mean?
capit-
Pertaining to the head (as a whole)
What does this medical root mean?
carcin(o)-
cancer
What does this medical root mean?
cardi(o)-
Of or pertaining to the heart
What does this medical root mean?
carp(o)-
Of or pertaining to the wrist
What does this medical root mean?
cata-
down, under
What does this medical root mean?
-cele
pouching, hernia
What does this medical root mean?
-centesis
surgical puncture for aspiration
What does this medical root mean?
cephal(o)-
Of or pertaining to the head (as a whole)
What does this medical root mean?
cerat(o)-
Of or pertaining to the cornu[disambiguation needed]; a horn
What does this medical root mean?
cerebell(o)-
Of or pertaining to the cerebellum
What does this medical root mean?
cerebr(o)-
Of or pertaining to the brain
What does this medical root mean?
cervic-
Of or pertaining to the neck, the cervix
What does this medical root mean?
chem(o)-
chemistry, drug
What does this medical root mean?
chir(o)-, cheir(o)-
Of or pertaining to the hand
What does this medical root mean?
chlor(o)-
Denoting a green color
What does this medical root mean?
chol(e)-
Of or pertaining to bile
What does this medical root mean?
cholecyst(o)-
Of or pertaining to the gallbladder
What does this medical root mean?
chondr(i)o-
cartilage, gristle, granule, granular
What does this medical root mean?
chrom(ato)-
color
What does this medical root mean?
-cidal, -cide
killing, destroying
What does this medical root mean?
cili-
Of or pertaining to the cilia, the eyelashes; eyelids
What does this medical root mean?
circum-
Denoting something as ‘around’ another
What does this medical root mean?
cis-
on this side
What does this medical root mean?
clast
break
What does this medical root mean?
co-
with, together, in association
What does this medical root mean?
col-, colo-, colono-
colon
What does this medical root mean?
colp(o)-
Of or pertaining to the vagina
What does this medical root mean?
com-
with, together
What does this medical root mean?
contra
against
What does this medical root mean?
cor-
with, together
What does this medical root mean?
cor-, core-, coro-
Of or pertaining to eye’s pupil
What does this medical root mean?
cordi-
Of or pertaining to the heart [Uncommon as a prefix]
What does this medical root mean?
cornu-
Applied to processes and parts of the body describing them likened or similar to horns
What does this medical root mean?
coron(o)-
crown
What does this medical root mean?
cost(o)-
Of or pertaining to the ribs
What does this medical root mean?
cox-
Of or relating to the hip, haunch, or hip-joint
What does this medical root mean?
crani(o)-
Belonging or relating to the cranium
What does this medical root mean?
-crine
to secrete
What does this medical root mean?
cry(o)-
cold
What does this medical root mean?
cutane-
skin
What does this medical root mean?
cyan(o)-
Denotes a blue color
What does this medical root mean?
cycl-
circle, cycle
What does this medical root mean?
cyph(o)-
Denotes something as bent (uncommon as a prefix)
What does this medical root mean?
cyst(o)-, cyst(i)-
Of or pertaining to the urinary bladder
What does this medical root mean?
cyt(o)-
cell
What does this medical root mean?
-cyte
cell
What does this medical root mean?
dacryo-
tear
What does this medical root mean?
dactyl(o)-
Of or pertaining to a finger, toe
What does this medical root mean?
de-
away from, cessation
What does this medical root mean?
dent-
Of or pertaining to teeth
What does this medical root mean?
dermat(o)-, derm(o)-
Of or pertaining to the skin
What does this medical root mean?
-desis
binding
What does this medical root mean?
dextr(o)-
right, on the right side
What does this medical root mean?
di-
two
What does this medical root mean?
di-
apart, separation
What does this medical root mean?
dia-
(same as Greek meaning)
What does this medical root mean?
dif-
apart, separation
What does this medical root mean?
digit-
Of or pertaining to the finger [rare as a root]
What does this medical root mean?
-dipsia
suffix meaning ‘(condition of) thirst’
What does this medical root mean?
dis-
separation, taking apart
What does this medical root mean?
dors(o)-, dors(i)-
Of or pertaining to the back
What does this medical root mean?
duodeno-
duodenum, twelve: upper part of the small intestine (twelve inches long on average), connects to the stomach
What does this medical root mean?
dynam(o)-
force, energy, power
What does this medical root mean?
-dynia
pain
What does this medical root mean?
dys-
bad, difficult
What does this medical root mean?
-eal
pertaining to
What does this medical root mean?
ec-
out, away
What does this medical root mean?
ect(o)-
outer, outside
What does this medical root mean?
-ectasis, -ectasia
expansion, dilation
What does this medical root mean?
-ectomy
Denotes a surgical operation or removal of a body part. Resection, excision
What does this medical root mean?
-emesis
vomiting condition
What does this medical root mean?
-emia
blood condition
What does this medical root mean?
encephal(o)-
Of or pertaining to the brain. Also see Cerebro.
What does this medical root mean?
endo-
Denotes something as ‘inside’ or ‘within’
What does this medical root mean?
eosin(o)-
Red
What does this medical root mean?
enter(o)-
Of or pertaining to the intestine
What does this medical root mean?
epi-
[Same as Greek meaning: on, upon]
What does this medical root mean?
episi(o)-
Of or pertaining to the pubic region, the loins
What does this medical root mean?
erythr(o)-
Denotes a red color
What does this medical root mean?
-esophageal, -esophago
gullet
What does this medical root mean?
esthesio-
sensation
What does this medical root mean?
eu-
true, good, well, new
What does this medical root mean?
ex-
out of, away from
What does this medical root mean?
exo-
Denotes something as ‘outside’ another
What does this medical root mean?
extra-
outside
What does this medical root mean?
faci(o)-
Of or pertaining to the face
What does this medical root mean?
fibr(o)
fiber
What does this medical root mean?
filli-
fine, hair like
What does this medical root mean?
-form, -iform
Used to form adjectives indicating ‘having the form of’
What does this medical root mean?
fossa
A hollow or depressed area; trench or channel
What does this medical root mean?
front-
Of or pertaining to the forehead
What does this medical root mean?
galact(o)-
milk
What does this medical root mean?
gastr(o)-
Of or pertaining to the stomach
What does this medical root mean?
-gen
(1) Denotes the sense ‘born in, from’ (2) Denotes the sense ‘of a certain kind’
What does this medical root mean?
-genic
Formative, pertaining to producing
What does this medical root mean?
genu-
Of or pertaining to the knee
What does this medical root mean?
gingiv-
Of or pertaining to the gums
What does this medical root mean?
glauc(o)-
Denoting a grey or bluish-grey colour
What does this medical root mean?
gloss(o)-, glott(o)-
Of or pertaining to the tongue
What does this medical root mean?
gluco-
glucose
What does this medical root mean?
glyco-
sugar
What does this medical root mean?
gnath(o)-
Of or pertaining to the jaw
What does this medical root mean?
-gnosis
knowledge
What does this medical root mean?
gon(o)-
seed, semen; also, reproductive
What does this medical root mean?
-gram, -gramme
record or picture
What does this medical root mean?
-graph
instrument used to record data or picture
What does this medical root mean?
-graphy
process of recording
What does this medical root mean?
gyn(aec)o-, gyn(ec)o-
woman
What does this medical root mean?
halluc-
to wander in mind
What does this medical root mean?
hemat-, haemato- (haem-, hem-)
Of or pertaining to blood
What does this medical root mean?
hema or hemo-
blood
What does this medical root mean?
hemangi or hemangio-
blood vessels
What does this medical root mean?
hemi-
one-half
What does this medical root mean?
hepat- (hepatic-)
Of or pertaining to the liver
What does this medical root mean?
heter(o)-
Denotes something as ‘the other’ (of two), as an addition, or different
What does this medical root mean?
hidr(o)-
sweat
What does this medical root mean?
hist(o)-, histio-
tissue
What does this medical root mean?
home(o)-
similar
What does this medical root mean?
hom(o)-
Denotes something as ‘the same’ as another or common
What does this medical root mean?
humer(o)-
Of or pertaining to the shoulder (or [rarely] the upper arm)
What does this medical root mean?
hydr(o)-
water
What does this medical root mean?
hyper-
Denotes something as ‘extreme’ or ‘beyond normal’
What does this medical root mean?
hyp(o)-
Denotes something as ‘below normal’
What does this medical root mean?
hyster(o)-
Of or pertaining to the womb, the uterus
