Medical Roots (S-Z) Flashcards

A useful resource for learning where all those fancy medical words come from. In this deck, all roots running from S-Z.

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
1
Q

What does this medical root mean?

salping(o)-

A

Of or pertaining to the fallopian tubes

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2
Q

What does this medical root mean?

sangui-, sanguine-

A

Of or pertaining to blood

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3
Q

What does this medical root mean?

sarco-

A

muscular, fleshlike

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4
Q

What does this medical root mean?

schist(o)-

A

split, cleft

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5
Q

What does this medical root mean?

schiz(o)-

A

Denoting something ‘split’ or ‘double-sided’

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6
Q

What does this medical root mean?

scler(o)-

A

hardness

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7
Q

What does this medical root mean?

-sclerosis

A

hardening of the skin

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8
Q

What does this medical root mean?

scoli(o)-

A

twisted

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9
Q

What does this medical root mean?

-scope

A

instrument for viewing

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10
Q

What does this medical root mean?

-scopy

A

use of instrument for viewing

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11
Q

What does this medical root mean?

scoto-

A

darkness

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12
Q

What does this medical root mean?

semi-

A

one-half, partly

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13
Q

What does this medical root mean?

sial(o)-

A

saliva, salivary gland

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14
Q

What does this medical root mean?

sigmoid(o)-

A

sigmoid, S-shaped curvature

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15
Q

What does this medical root mean?

sinistr(o)-

A

left, left side

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16
Q

What does this medical root mean?

sinus-

A

Of or pertaining to the sinus

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17
Q

What does this medical root mean?

sito-

A

food, grain

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18
Q

What does this medical root mean?

somat(o)-, somatico-

A

body, bodily

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19
Q

What does this medical root mean?

-spadias

A

slit, fissure

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20
Q

What does this medical root mean?

spasmo-

A

spasm

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21
Q

What does this medical root mean?

sperma-, spermo-, spermato-

A

semen, spermatozoa

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22
Q

What does this medical root mean?

splanchn(i)-, splanchn(o)-

A

viscera

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23
Q

What does this medical root mean?

splen(o)-

A

spleen

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24
Q

What does this medical root mean?

spondyl(o)-

A

Of or pertaining to the spine, the vertebra

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25
Q

What does this medical root mean?

squamos(o)-

A

Denoting something as ‘full of scales’ or ‘scaly’

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26
Q

What does this medical root mean?

-stasis

A

stop, stand

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27
Q

What does this medical root mean?

-staxis

A

dripping, trickling

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28
Q

What does this medical root mean?

sten(o)-

A

Denoting something as ‘narrow in shape’ or pertaining to narrowness

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29
Q

What does this medical root mean?

-stenosis

A

abnormal narrowing in a blood vessel or other tubular organ or structure

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30
Q

What does this medical root mean?

steth(o)-

A

Of or pertaining to the upper chest, chest, the area above the breast and under the neck

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31
Q

What does this medical root mean?

stheno-

A

strength, force, power

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32
Q

What does this medical root mean?

stom(a)

A

mouth

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33
Q

What does this medical root mean?

stomat(o)-

A

Of or pertaining to the mouth

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34
Q

What does this medical root mean?

-stomy

A

creation of an opening

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35
Q

What does this medical root mean?

sub-

A

beneath

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36
Q

What does this medical root mean?

super-

A

in excess, above, superior

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37
Q

What does this medical root mean?

supra-

A

above, excessive

38
Q

What does this medical root mean?

sy, syl-, sym-, syn-, sys-

A

Indicates similarity, likeness, or being together; Assimilates before some consonants: before l to syl-, s tosys-, before a labial consonant to sym-.

39
Q

What does this medical root mean?

tachy-

A

Denoting something as fast, irregularly fast

40
Q

What does this medical root mean?

-tension, -tensive

A

pressure

41
Q

What does this medical root mean?

tetan-

A

rigid, tense

42
Q

What does this medical root mean?

thec-

A

case, sheath

43
Q

What does this medical root mean?

thel(e)-, thel(o)-

A

Of or pertaining to a nipple [uncommon as a prefix]

44
Q

What does this medical root mean?

thely-

A

Denoting something as ‘relating to a woman, feminine’

45
Q

What does this medical root mean?

therap(o)-

A

treatment

46
Q

What does this medical root mean?

therm(o)-

A

heat

47
Q

What does this medical root mean?

thorac(i)-, thorac(o)-, thoracico-

A

Of or pertaining to the upper chest, chest; the area above the breast and under the neck

48
Q

What does this medical root mean?

thromb(o)-

A

Of or relating to a blood clot, clotting of blood

49
Q

What does this medical root mean?

thyr(o)-

A

thyroid

50
Q

What does this medical root mean?

thym(o)(ia)-

A

emotions

51
Q

What does this medical root mean?

-tic

A

pertaining to

52
Q

What does this medical root mean?

toco-

A

childbirth

53
Q

What does this medical root mean?

-tome

A

cutting instrument

54
Q

What does this medical root mean?

-tomy

A

act of cutting; incising, incision

55
Q

What does this medical root mean?

tono-

A

tone, tension, pressure

56
Q

What does this medical root mean?

-tony

A

tension

57
Q

What does this medical root mean?

top(o)-

A

place, topical

58
Q

What does this medical root mean?

tort(i)-

A

twisted

59
Q

What does this medical root mean?

tox(i)-, tox(o)-, toxic(o)-

A

toxin, poison

60
Q

What does this medical root mean?

trache(a)-

A

trachea

61
Q

What does this medical root mean?

trachel(o)-

A

Of or pertaining to the neck

62
Q

What does this medical root mean?

trans-

A

Denoting something as moving or situated ‘across’ or ‘through’

63
Q

What does this medical root mean?

trich(i)-, trichia, trich(o)-

A

Of or pertaining to hair, hair-like structure

64
Q

What does this medical root mean?

-tripsy

A

crushing

65
Q

What does this medical root mean?

-trophy

A

nourishment, development

66
Q

What does this medical root mean?

tympan(o)-

A

eardrum

67
Q

What does this medical root mean?

-ula, -ule

A

small

68
Q

What does this medical root mean?

ultra-

A

beyond, excessive

69
Q

What does this medical root mean?

umbilic-

A

Of or pertaining to the navel, the umbilicus

70
Q

What does this medical root mean?

ungui-

A

Of or pertaining to the nail, a claw

71
Q

What does this medical root mean?

un(i)-

A

one

72
Q

What does this medical root mean?

ur(o)-

A

Of or pertaining to urine, the urinary system; (specifically) pertaining to the physiological chemistry of urine

73
Q

What does this medical root mean?

uri(c)-, urico-

A

uric acid

74
Q

What does this medical root mean?

urin-

A

Of or pertaining to urine, the urinary system

75
Q

What does this medical root mean?

uter(o)-

A

Of or pertaining to the uterus or womb

76
Q

What does this medical root mean?

vagin-

A

Of or pertaining to the vagina

77
Q

What does this medical root mean?

varic(o)-

A

swollen or twisted vein

78
Q

What does this medical root mean?

vas(o)-

A

duct, blood vessel

79
Q

What does this medical root mean?

vasculo-

A

blood vessel

80
Q

What does this medical root mean?

ven-

A

Of or pertaining to the (blood) veins, a vein (used in terms pertaining to the vascular system)

81
Q

What does this medical root mean?

ventr(o)-

A

Of or pertaining to the belly; the stomach cavities

82
Q

What does this medical root mean?

ventricul(o)-

A

Of or pertaining to the ventricles; any hollow region inside an organ

83
Q

What does this medical root mean?

-version

A

turning

84
Q

What does this medical root mean?

vesic(o)-

A

Of or pertaining to the bladder

85
Q

What does this medical root mean?

viscer(o)-

A

Of or pertaining to the internal organs, the viscera

86
Q

What does this medical root mean?

xanth(o)-

A

Denoting a yellow color, an abnormally yellow color

87
Q

What does this medical root mean?

xen(o)-

A

Foreign, different

88
Q

What does this medical root mean?

xer(o)-

A

dry, desert-like

89
Q

What does this medical root mean?

-y

A

condition or process of

90
Q

What does this medical root mean?

zo(o)-

A

animal, animal life

91
Q

What does this medical root mean?

zym(o)-

A

fermentation, enzyme