Medical Terminology Part 1 Flashcards
a-, an-
not, without
ab-
from; away from
abdomin(o)-
Of or relating to the abdomen
-ac, -acal
pertaining to
acanth(o)-
thorn or spine
acous(io)-
Of or relating to hearing
acr(o)-
extremity, topmost
-acusis
hearing
-ad
toward, in the direction of
ad-
at, increase, on, toward
aden(o)-, aden(i)-
Of or relating to a gland
adip(o)-
Of or relating to fat or fatty tissue
adren(o)-
Of or relating to adrenal glands
-aemia (BrE)
blood condition
aer(o)-
air, gas
aesthesio- (BrE)
sensation
-al
pertaining to
alb-
Denoting a white or pale color
alge(si)-
pain
-algia, alg(i)o-
pain
all(o-)
Denoting something as different, or as an addition
allic-
big toe
ambi-
Denoting something as positioned on both sides; describing both of two
amni-
Pertaining to the membranous fetal sac (amnion)
amph-, amphi-
on both sides
an-
not, without
ana-
back, again, up
an-
anus
andr(o)-
pertaining to a man
angi(o)-
blood vessel
aniso-
Describing something as unequal
ankyl(o)-, ancyl(o)-
Denoting something as crooked or bent
ante-
Describing something as positioned in front of another thing
anti-
Describing something as ‘against’ or ‘opposed to’ another
aort(o)-
aorta
apo-
away, separated from, derived from
arch-
first, primitive
arsen(o)-
Of or pertaining to a male; masculine
arteri(o)-
Of or pertaining to an artery
arthr(o)-
Of or pertaining to the joints, limbs
articul(o)-
joint
-ary
pertaining to
-ase
enzyme
-asthenia
weakness
atel(o)-
imperfect or incomplete development
ather(o)-
fatty deposit, soft gruel-like deposit
-ation
process
atri(o)-
an atrium (esp. heart atrium)
aur(i)-
Of or pertaining to the ear
aut(o)-
self
aux(o)-
increase; growth
axill-
Of or pertaining to the armpit (uncommon as a prefix)
azo(to)
nitrogenous compound
balano-
Of the glans penis or glans clitoridis
bi-
twice, double
bio-
life
blast(o)-
germ or bud
blephar(o)-
Of or pertaining to the eyelid
brachi(o)-
Of or relating to the arm
brachy-
Indicating ‘short’ or less commonly ‘little’
brady-
slow’
bronch(i)-
bronchus
bucc(o)-
Of or pertaining to the cheek
burs(o)-
bursa (fluid sac between the bones)
capill-
Of or pertaining to hair
capit-
Pertaining to the head (as a whole)
carcin(o)-
cancer
cardi(o)-
Of or pertaining to the heart
carp(o)-
Of or pertaining to the wrist
cata-
down, under
cel-
tumour
-cele
pouching, hernia
-centesis
surgical puncture for aspiration
cephal(o)-
Of or pertaining to the head (as a whole)
cerat(o)-
Of or pertaining to the cornu; a horn
cerebell(o)-
Of or pertaining to the cerebellum
cerebr(o)-
Of or pertaining to the brain
cervic-
Of or pertaining to the neck, the cervix
cheil(o)-, chil(o)-
lip
chem(o)-
chemistry, drug
chir(o)-, cheir(o)-
Of or pertaining to the hand
chlor(o)-
Denoting a green color
chol(e)-
Of or pertaining to bile
cholecyst(o)-
Of or pertaining to the gallbladder
chondr(i)o-
cartilage, gristle, granule, granular
chrom(ato)-
color
-cidal, -cide
killing, destroying
cili-
Of or pertaining to the cilia, the eyelashes; eyelids
circum-
Denoting something as ‘around’ another
cis-
on this side
clast
break
co-
with, together, in association
col-, colo-, colono-
colon
colp(o)-
Of or pertaining to the vagina
com-
with, together
contra
against
cor-
with, together
cor-, core-, coro-
Of or pertaining to eye’s pupil
cordi-
Of or pertaining to the heart [Uncommon as a prefix]
cornu-
Applied to processes and parts of the body describing them likened or similar to horns
coron(o)-
crown
corpor-
body
cost(o)-
Of or pertaining to the ribs
cox-
Of or relating to the hip, haunch, or hip-joint
crani(o)-
Belonging or relating to the cranium
-crine, crin(o)
to secrete
cry(o)-
cold
cut-, cutane- cuticul,
skin
cyan(o)-
Denotes a blue color
cycl-
circle, cycle
cyph(o)-
Denotes something as bent (uncommon as a prefix)
cyst(o)-, cyst(i)-
Of or pertaining to the urinary bladder
cyt(o)-
cell
-cyte
cell
dacryo-
tear
-dactyl(o)-
Of or pertaining to a finger, toe
de-
away from, cessation
dent-
Of or pertaining to teeth
dermat(o)-, derm(o)-
Of or pertaining to the skin
-desis
binding
dextr(o)-
right, on the right side
di-
two
di-
apart, separation
dia-
through, during, across
dif-
apart, separation
digit-
Of or pertaining to the finger [rare as a root]
-dipsia
suffix meaning “(condition of) thirst”’
dis-
separation, taking apart
dors(o)-, dors(i)-
Of or pertaining to the back
dromo-
running, conduction, course
duodeno-
duodenum, twelve: upper part of the small intestine (twelve inches long on average), connects to the stomach
dynam(o)-
force, energy, power
-dynia
pain
dys-
bad, difficult, defective, abnormal
-eal
pertaining to
ec-
out, away
ect(o)-
outer, outside
-ectasia, -ectasis
expansion, dilation
-ectomy
Denotes a surgical operation or removal of a body part. Resection, excision
-emesis
vomiting condition
-emia
blood condition (AmE)
encephal(o)-
Of or pertaining to the brain. Also see Cerebro.
endo-
Denotes something as ‘inside’ or ‘within’
eosin(o)-
Red
enter(o)-
Of or pertaining to the intestine
epi-
on, upon
episi(o)-
Of or pertaining to the pubic region, the loins
erythr(o)-
Denotes a red color
-esophageal, -esophago-
gullet (AmE)
esthesio-
sensation (AmE)
eu-
true, good, well, new
ex-
out of, away from
exo-
Denotes something as ‘outside’ another
extra-
outside
faci(o)-
Of or pertaining to the face
fell-
gallbladder
fibr(o)
fiber
filli-
fine, hair like
-form, -iform
Used to form adjectives indicating ‘having the form of’
fore-
before or ahead
fossa
A hollow or depressed area; trench or channel
front-
Of or pertaining to the forehead
galact(o)-
milk
gastr(o)-
Of or pertaining to the stomach
-gen
(1) Denotes the sense ‘born in, from’ (2) Denotes the sense ‘of a certain kind’
-genic
Formative, pertaining to producing
genu-, gon-
Of or pertaining to the knee
gingiv-
Of or pertaining to the gums
