Medical Terminology Flashcards
Components of medical terms
Word root
Prefix
Suffix
Combining vowel
Foundation of the word
Word root
What occurs before the word root
Prefix
What occurs after the word root
Suffix
A vowel that joins one or more word roots to other components of a term
Combining vowel
A prefix gives the word root a ___
Specific meaning
Suffixes usually indicate ___
A procedure, condition, disease, or part of speech
Cardi
Heart
Hepat
Liver
Nephr
Kidney
Neur
Nerves
Psych
Mind
Thorac
Chest
Hyper-
Over, excessive, high
Hypo-
Under, below
Tachy-
Rapid, fast
Brady-
Slow
Pre-
Before
Post-
After, behind
-al
Pertaining to
-algia
Pertaining to pain
-ectomy
Surgical removal of
-ic
Pertaining to
-itis
Inflammation
-logy
Study of
-logist
Specialist
-megaly
Enlargement
-meter
Measuring instrument
-oma
Tumor
-pathy
Disease
Usually the combining vowel is an ___, but may also be an ___ or an ___
O
I
E
A combining vowel is usually used when joining a ___
Suffix that begins with a consonant or when joining another word root
A combining vowel shown with the word root is called a ___
Combining form
When a term has more than one word root, a ___
Combining vowel must be placed between the two word roots, even if the second root begins with a vowel
Singular words that end in “a” change to ___ when plural
ae
Singular words that end in “is” change to ___ when plural
es
Singular words that end in “ex” or “ix” changed to ___ when plural
ices
Singular words that end in “on” or “um” change to ___ when plural
a
Singular words that end in “us” change to ___ when plural
i
Uni-
One
Dipl-
Two, double
Null-
None
Primi-
First
Multi-
Many
Bi-
Two
Tri-
Three
Quad-
Four
Tetra-
Four
Quint-
Five
Sext-
Six
Sept-
Seven
Oct-
Eight
Nona-
Nine
Deca-
Ten
Semi-
Half, partial
Hemi-
Half, one-sided
Ambi-
Both
Pan-
All, entire
Cyan/o
Blue
Leuk/o
White
Erythr/o
Red
Cirrh/o
Yellow-orange
Melan/o
Black
Poli/o
Gray
Alb
White
Chlor/o
Green
Ab-
Away from
Ad-
To, toward
De-
Down from, away
Circum-
Around, about
Peri-
Around
Trans-
Across, through, beyond
Epi-
Above, upon, on
Supra-
Above, over
Retro-
Behind
Sub-
Under, beneath
Infra-
Below, under
Para-
Near, beside, beyond, apart from
Contra-
Against, opposite
Ecto-
Out, outside
Endo-
Within
Extra-
Outside, in addition
Intra-
Inside, within
Ipsi-
Same
The terms “right” and “left” refer to ___
The patient’s right and left sides, not to your right and left sides
The portion of the body or body part nearest the head
Superior
The portion of the body or body part nearest the feet
Inferior
Parts of the body that lie farther from the midline
Lateral structures
Parts of the body that lie closer to the midline
Medial structures
In general terms, “lateral” means ___
Side
Something that occurs on both sides
Bilateral
When describing the location of an injury, the terms ___ help pinpoint the exact location
Medial and lateral
Describes structures that are closer to the trunk
Proximal
Describes structures that are farther from the trunk or nearer to the free end of the extremity
Distal
The terms “proximal” and “distal” are used to describe ___
The relationship of any two structures on an extremity
Closer to or on the skin
Superficial
Farther inside the body or tissue and away from the skin
Deep
Front
Anterior (ventral)
Back
Posterior (dorsal)
Right
Patient’s right
Left
Patient’s left
Top
Superior
Bottom
Inferior
Closest
Proximal
Farthest
Distal
Middle
Medial
Side
Lateral
In
Deep
Out
Superficial
Belly side of the body, or the anterior surface of the body
Ventral
Refers to the spinal side of the body, or the posterior surface of the body, including the back of the hand
Dorsal
Ventral is used less frequently than ___
Anterior
Dorsal is used less frequently than ___
Posterior
Front region of the hand
Palmar surface or palm
Bottom of the foot
Plantar surface
Tip of a structure
Apex (plural apices)
Decreasing the angle of the joint
Flexion
Increasing the angle of the joint
Extension
Motion toward the midline
Adduction
Motion away from the midline
Abduction
A body part that appears on both sides of the midline is ___
Bilateral
Something that appears on only one side of the body is said to occur ___
Unilaterally
The way to describe the sections of the abdominal cavity is by ___
Quadrants
Quadrants of the abdomen
Right upper quadrant
Left upper quadrant
Right lower quadrant
Left lower quadrant
Lying face down
Prone
Lying face up
Supine
An inclined position in which the head of the bed is raised
Fowler position
Purpose of the fowler position
Help them breathe easier and to control the airway
Semi-Fowler position
Sitting with the back of the stretcher at a 45° angle
High-Fowler position
Sitting at a 90° angle
When trying to define a term ___
Start with the suffix and work backwards. If the word also contains a prefix, define the suffix, then the prefix, and then the word root
1°
First, first degree, primary
2°
Secondary, second degree
↑
Increase(d)
↓
Decrease(d)
®
Right
Ⓛ
Left
μ
Micro
α
Alpha
β
Beta
~
Approximately
N
Normal
X2
Times two
/
Per
≠
Not equal
>
Greater than
<
Less than
?
Questionable, possible
∆
Change
-
Negative
♀
Female
♂
Male
Abdomin/o
Abdomen
Acou/o
Hear
Aden/o
Gland
Adip/o
Fat
Alb/o
White
Alges/o
Pain
Andr/o
Man, male
Angi/o
Vessel
Angin/o
Blood vessel
Ankyl/o
Fused, stiff
Anter/o
Front
Aort/o
Aorta
Append/o
Appendix
Arteri/o
Artery
Arthr/o
Joint
Asthen/o
Weak
Atel/o
Incomplete
Ather/o
Fat
Atri/o
Atrium
Audi/o
To hear
Aur/o
Ear
Aut/o
Self
Bacteri/o
Bacteria
Bi
Life, also two
Bil/i
Bile
Blast/o
Germ, bud, developing cell
Blephar/o
Eyelid
Brachi/o
Arm
Bronch/i
Airway, bronchus
Bucc/o
Cheek
Burs/o
Pouch or sac
Calc/i
Calcium
Capn/o
Carbon dioxide
Carcin/o
Cancer
Cardi/o
Heart
Carp/o
Wrist
Cartil/o
Cartilage, gristle
Caud/o
Tail
Cec/o
Blind intestine, cecum
Cel/o
Hernia, protrusion
Cent/i
One-hundredth or 100
Cephal/o
Head
Cerebr/o
Brain, cerebrum
Cervic/o
Neck
Chol/e
Bile
Chondr/o
Cartilage
Chrom/o
Color
Chron/o
Time
Cirrh/o
Yellow-orange
Cleid/o
Clavicle
Col/o
Colon
Colp/o
Vagina
Condyl/o
Knuckle of a joint
Cor/o
Pupil
Corne/o
Cornea
Cost/o
Rib
Crani/o
Cranium, skull
Crin/o
To secrete
Cubitus
Elbow
Cutane/o
Skin
Cyan/o
Blue
Cycl/o
Circle or cycle
Cyst/o
Bladder
Cyt/o
Cell
Derm(at)/o
Skin
Digit
Finger or toe
Dipl/o
Two, double
Dips/o
Thirst
Disk/o
Flat shape, intervertebral disk
Dist/o
Distant, away
Diverticul/o
Diverticulum, a small blind pouch
Dors/o
Back
Duct/o
Lead, move
Duoden/o
Duodenum
Ech/o
To bounce, sound
Ede
Swelling
Elast/o
Change shape
Electr/o
Electricity
Embol/o
A plug
Embry/o
Embryo
Emesis
Vomit
Emmetr/o
According to measure
Encephal/o
Brain
Enter/o
Small intestine
Episi/o
Vulva
Erythr/o
Red
Esthesi
Sensation or perception
Febr
Fever
Flex
Bend
Foramen
Opening
Fract
Break
Gastr/o
Stomach
Gest
Carry, produce, congestion
Glyc/o
Sugar, sweet
Gno
Know
Gyn/o
Woman, female
Hem(at)/o
Blood
Hepat/o
Liver
Heter/o
Other, different
Hom/o
The same
Hydr/o
Water
Idi/o
Person, self
Lact/o
Milk
Leuk/o
White
Lingu/o
Tongue
Mal/o
Abnormal, bad
Medi/o
Middle
Melan/o
Black, dark
Men/o
Month, menstruation
Mening/o
Usually refers to the meninges
Myel/o
Marrow or spinal cord
My/o
Muscle
Nephr/o
Kidney
Neur/o
Nerve
Ocul/o
Eye
Ophthalm/o
Eye
Oste/o
Bone
Ot/o
Ear
Ov/o
Egg
Palpate
To examine by touch
Path/o
Disease
Ped/o
Child or foot
Percuss
To examine by striking
Phag/o
Eat
Pharyng/o
Throat
Phot/o
Light
Pleur/o
Rib, side
Pneum(at)/o
Lungs, air
Pneumo(n)/o
Lung
Pod(i)
Foot
Pseud/o
False
Psych/o
Mind
Pto
Fall
Ptyal/o
Salvia
Pulmon/o
Lungs
Pur, py
Pus
Pyr/o
Fire, heat
Quadr/o; quar
Four
Ren/o
Kidney
Rhin/o
Nose
Sangui(n)o
Blood
Scler/o
Hard
Sebum
Fatty secretions of the sebaceous glands
Sect/o
Cut
Sept/o
Wall, divider; also seven
Serum
Clear portion of blood
Sinus
Cavity, channel, or hollow space
Som(at)
Body
Spir/o
Coil, to breath
Stern/o
Sternum (breastbone)
Stomat/o
Mouth
Thorac/o
Chest
Tom/o
Cut
Toxic/o
Poisonous
Trich/o
Hair
Ur/o
Urine
Uter/o
Uterus, womb
Varic/o
Dilated vein
Vas/o
Blood vessel
Viscer/o
Internal organs
Xen/o
Foreign (material)
Xer/o
Dry
A-
Without, lack of
Ab-
Away from
Ad-
To, toward
An-
Without, lack of
Ana-
Up, back, again
Ante-
Before, forward
Anti-
Against, opposed to
Auto-
Self
Bi-
Two
Brady-
Slow
Circum-
Around, about
Contra-
Against, opposite
De-
Down from, away
Di-
Twice, double
Dia-
Through, completely
Dys-
Difficult, painful, abnormal
Ect(o)-
Out, outside
End(o)-
Within
Epi-
Upon, over, above
Eu-
Easy, good, normal
Ex(o)-
Outside, away from
Extra-
Outside, in addition
Hemi-
Half
Hyper-
Over, excessive, high
Hypo-
Under, below normal
In-
In, into, not, without
Infra-
Below, under
Inter-
Between
Intra-
Inside, within
Ipsi-
Same
Iso-
Equal
Macro-
Large
Mal-
Bad or abnormal
Mega-
Large
Meta-
After, change
Micro-
Small
Mono-
One, single
Multi-
Many
Neo-
New
Noct-
Night
Nulli-
None
Olig(o)-
Little, deficient
Ortho-
Straight or normal
Pan-
All, entire
Para-
Near, beside, beyond, apart from
Per-
Through
Peri-
Around
Poly-
Many
Post-
After, behind
Pre-
Before
Primi-
First
Pro-
Before, in front of
Quadr(i)
Four
Re-
Back
Retro-
Backward, behind
Semi-
Half, partial
Sub-
Under, below
Super-
Above, excessive, or more than normal
Supra-
Above, upper
Sym-
Together, joined
Syn-
Together, joined
Tachy-
Rapid, fast
Tetra-
Four
Trans-
Across, through, beyond
Tri-
Three
Uni-
One
-al
Pertaining to
-algia
Pertaining to pain
-asthenia
Weakness
-blast
Immature cell
-cele
Pertaining to a tumor or swelling
-centesis
Pertaining to puncturing an organ or body cavity, often to drain excess fluid or obtain a sample for analysis
-cyte
Cell
-ectomy
Surgical removal of
-emesis
Vomiting
-emia
Pertaining to the presence of a substance in the blood
-esthesia
Pertaining to sensation or perception
-genic
Causing
-gram
Record
-graph
A record or the instrument used to create the record
-ia
Condition of
-ic
Pertaining to
-itis
Inflammation
-lysis
Decline, disintegration, or destruction
-megaly
Enlargement of
-meter
Measuring instrument
-ology
Science or study of
-oma
Tumor
-osis
Pertaining to a disease process
-ostomy
Surgical creation of an opening
-pathy
Disease or a system for treating disease
-phagia
Pertaining to eating or swallowing
-phasia
Pertaining to speech
-phobia
Pertaining to an irrational fear
-plasty
Plastic surgery
-plegia
Paralysis
-pnea
Pertaining to breathing
-ptosis
Drooping
-rrhage
Abnormal or excessive flow or discharge
-rrhagia
Abnormal or excessive flow or discharge
-rrhaphy
Suture of; repair of
-rrhea
Flow or discharge
-scope
Instrument for examination
-scopy
Examination with an instrument
-sis
A process, action, or condition
-stasis
Slowing or stopping of the normal flow of a fluid, such as blood
-taxis
Order, arrangement of
-trophic
Pertaining to nutrition
