Medical Word Elements Flashcards
a-
an-
without, not
ab-
from, away from
abdomin/o
abdomen
abort/o
to miscarry
-ac
pertaining to
acid/o
acid
acous/o
hearing
acr/o
extremity
acromi/o
acromion (projection of the scapula)
- acusia
- acusis
hearing
-ad
toward
ad-
toward
aden/o
gland
adeniod/o
adenoids
adip/o
fat
adren/o
adrenal/o
adrenal glands
aer/o
air
af-
toward
agglutin/o
clumping, gluing
agora-
marketplace
-al
pertaining to
albin/o
white
albumin/o
albumin (protein)
- algesia
- algia
pain
allo-
other, differing from normal
alveol/o
alveolus; air sac
ambyl/o
dull, dim
amni/o
amnion (amniotic sac)
an/o
anus
ana-
against; up; back
andr/o
male
aneurysm/o
aneurysm (widened blood vessel)
angi/o
vessel (usually blood or lymph)
angin/o
choking pain
aniso-
unequal, dissimilar
ankyl/o
stiffness; bent, crooked
ante-
before, in front of
anter/o
anterior, front
anthrac/o
coal, coal dust
anti-
against
aort/o
aorta
append/o
appendic/o
appendix
aque/o
water
-ar
pertaining to
-arche
beginning
arteri/o
artery
arteriol/o
arteriole
arthr/o
joint
-ary
pertaining to
asbest/o
asbestos
-asthenia
weakness, debility
astr/o
star
-ate
having the form of, possessing
atel/o
incomplete; imperfect
ather/o
fatty plaque
-ation
process (of)
atri/o
atrium
audi/o
audit/o
hearing
aur/o
auricul/o
ear
auto-
self, own
ax/o
axis, axon
azot/o
nitrogenous compounds
bacteri/o
bacteria (singular bacterium)
balan/o
glans penis
bas/o
base (alkaline, opposite of acid)
bi-
two
bil/i
bile, gall
bi/o
life
-blast
blast/o
embryonic cell
blephar/o
eyelid
brachi/o
arm
brachy-
short
brady-
slow
bronch/o
bronchi/o
bronchus (plural bronchi)
bronchiol/o
bronchiole
bucc/o
cheek
calc/o
calcium
calcane/o
calcaneum (heel bone)
-capnia
carbon dioxide
carcin/o
cancer
cardi/o
heart
-cardia
heart condition
carp/o
carpus (wrist bones)
cata-
down
caud/o
tail
cauter/o
heart, burn
cec/o
cecum
-cele
hernia, swelling
-centesis
surgical puncture
cephal/o
-ceps
head
-ception
conceiving
cerebell/o
cerebellum
cerebr/o
cerebrum
cervic/o
neck; cervix uteri (neck of the uterus)
chalic/o
limestone
cheil/o
lip
chem/o
chemical; drug
chlor/o
green
chol/e
bile, gall
cholangi/o
bile vessel
cholecyst/o
gallbladder
choledoch/o
bile duct
chondr/o
cartilage
chori/o
chorion
choroid/o
choroid
chrom/o
chromat/o
color
-cide
killing
circum-
around
cirrh/o
yellow
-cision
cutting
- clasia
- clasis
- clast
to break; surgical fracture
clavicul/o
clavicle (collar bone)
-clysis
irrigation, washing
coccyg/o
coccyx
cochle/o
cochlea
col/o
colon/o
colon
colp/o
vagina
condyl/o
condyle
coni/o
dust
conjunctiv/o
conjunctiva
-continence
to hold back
contra-
against, opposite
cor/o
core/o
pupil
corne/o
conrea
coron/o
heart
corp/o
corpor/o
body
cortic/o
cortex
cost/o
ribs
crani/o
cranium (skull)
crin/o
-crine
secrete
cruci/o
cross
cry/o
cold
crypt/o
hidden
culd/o
cul-de-sac
- cusia
- cusis
hearing
cutane/o
skin
cyan/o
blue
cycl/o
ciliary body of the eye; circular; cycle
-cyesis
pregnancy
cyst/o
bladder
cyt/o
-cyte
cell
dacry/o
tear; lacrimal apparatus (duct, sac, or gland)
dacryocyst/o
lacrimal sac
dactyl/o
fingers; toes
de-
cessation
denrd/o
tree
dent/o
teeth
derm/o
-derma
dermat/o
skin
-desis
binding; fixation of a bone or joint
di-
double
dia-
through, across
dipl-
dipl/o
double
dips/o
-dipsia
thirst
dist/o
far, furthest
dors/o
back (of the body)
duct/o
to lead; carry
-duction
act of leading, bringing, or conducting
duoden/o
duodenum
dur/o
dura mater, hard
-dynia
pain
dys-
bad; painful; difficult
-eal
pertaining to
ec-
out, out from
echo-
repeated sound
-ectasis
dilation, expansion
ecto-
outside, outward
-ectomy
excision, removal
-edema
swelling
ef-
away from
electr/o
electricity
-ema
state of; condition
embol/o
embolus (plug)
-emesis
vomiting
-emia
blood condition
emphys/o
to inflate
en-
end-
end/o
in, within
encephal/o
brain
enter/o
intestine (usually small intestine)
eosin/o
dawn, rose colored
epi-
above, upon
epididym/o
epididymis
epiglott/o
epiglottis
episi/o
vulva
erythem/o
erythemat/o
erythr/o
red
eschar/o
scab
-esis
condition
eso-
inward
esophag/o
esophagus
esthes/o
-esthesia
feeling
eti/o
cause
eu-
good; normal
ex-
out, out from
exo-
outside, outward
extra-
outside
faci/o
face
fascio
band, fascia
femor/o
femur
-ferent
to carry
fibr/o
fiber, fibrous tissue
fibul/o
fibula
fluor/o
luminous, fluorescence
galact/o
milk
gangli/o
ganglion (knot or knotlike mass)
gastr/o
stomach
-gen
gen/o
-genesis
forming, producing, origin
genit/o
genitalia
gest/o
pregnancy (gestation)
gingiv/o
gum(s)
glauc/o
gray
gli/o
-glia
glue; neuroglial tissue
-globin
protein
glomerul/o
glomerulus
gloss/o
tongue
glott/o
glottis
gluc/o
glucos/o
glyc/o
glycos/o
sugar, sweetness
gnos/o
-gnosis
knowing
gonad/o
gonads, sex glands
goni/o
angle
gon/o
seed (ovum or spermatozoon)
-grade
to go
-graft
transplantation
-gram
record, writing
granul/o
granule
-graph
instrument for recording
-graphy
process of recording
-gravida
pregnant woman
gyn/o
gynec/o
woman, female
hallucin/o
hallucination
hedon/o
pleasure
hem/o
hemat/o
blood
hemangi/o
blood vessel
hemi-
one half
hepat/o
liver
heter/o
different
hidr/o
sweat
hist/o
histi/o
tissue
home/o
homeo-
same, alike
homo-
same
humer/o
humerus
hydr/o
water
hyp-
hyp/o
hypo-
under, below, deficient
hyper-
excessive, above normal
hypn/o
sleep
hyster/o
uterus (womb)
-ia
condition
- iac
- ic
- ical
- ine
- itic
- ive
pertaining to
-iasis
abnormal condition (produced by something specified)
iatr/o
-iatry
physician, treatment
-ice
noun ending
ichthy/o
dry, scaly
-ician
specialist
-icle
small, minute
-icterus
jaundice
idi/o
unknown, peculiar
ile/o
ileum
ili/o
ilium
im-
not
immun/o
immune, immunity, safe
in-
in, not
infer/o
lower, below
infra-
below, under
inguin/o
groin
insulin/o
insulin
inter-
between
intra-
in, within
-ion
the act of
irid/o
iris
isch/o
to hold back, block
ischi/o
ischium
-ism
condition
iso-
same, equal
-ist
specialist
-isy
state of; condition
-itis
inflammation
-ization
process of
jaund/o
yellow
jejun/o
jejunum
kal/i
potassium
kary/o
nucleus
kerat/o
horny tissue; hard; cornea
kern/o
kernel (nucleus)
ket/o
keton/o
ketone bodies (acids and acetones)
kinesi/o
-kinesia
kinet/o
movement
klept/o
to steal
kyph/o
humpback
labi/o
lip
labyrinth/o
labyrinth (ear)
lacrim/o
tear; lacrimal apparatus (duct, sac, or gland)
lact/o
milk
-lalia
speech, babble
lamin/o
lamina
lapar/o
abdomen
laryng/o
larynx (voice box)
later/o
side, to one side
lei/o
smooth
leiomy/o
smooth, visceral muscle
-lepsy
seizure
lept/o
thin, slender
leuk/o
white
lex/o
word, phrase
lingu/o
tongue
lip/o
lipid/o
fat
-listhesis
slipping
-lith
lith/o
stone, calculus
lob/o
lobe
log/o
-logy
study of
-logist
specialist in the study of
lord/o
curve, swayback
-lucent
to shine, clear
lumb/o
loins, low back
lymph/o
lymph
lymphaden/o
lymph gland
lymphangi/o
lymph vessel
-lysis
separation; destruction; loosening
macro-
large
mal-
bad
-malacia
softenng
mamm/o
mast/o
breast
-mania
state of mental disorder, frenzy
mastoid/o
mastoid process
maxill/o
maxilla
meat/o
opening, meatus
medi-
medi/o
middle
mediastin/o
mediastinum
medull/o
medulla
mega-
megal/o
-megaly
enlargement
melan/o
black
men/o
menses, menstruation
mening/o
meninges
menstr/o
monthly discharge of blood
ment/o
mind
meso-
middle
meta-
change, beyond
metacarp/o
metacarpus (hand bones)
metatars/o
metatarsus (foot bones)
-meter
instrument for measuring
metr/o
uterus (womb); measure
metri/o
uterus (womb)
-metry
act of measuring
micr/o
micro-
small
mono-
one
morph/o
form, shape, structure
muc/o
myx/o
mucus
multi-
many, much
muscul/o
my/o
myos/o
muscle
mut/a
genetic change
myc/o
fungus
mydr/o
widen, enlarge
myel/o
bone marrow; spinal cord
myring/o
tympanic membrane (eardrum)
narc/o
stupor; numbness; sleep
nas/o
nose
nat/o
birth
natr/o
sodium
necr/o
death, necrosis
neo-
new
nephr/o
kidney
neur/o
nerve
neutr/o
neutral; neither
nid/o
nest
noct/o
night
nucle/o
nucleus
nulli-
none
nyctal/o
night
obstetr/o
pregnancy; childbirth
ocul/o
eye
odont/o
teeth
-oid
resembling
-ole
small, minute
olig/o
scanty
-oma
onc/o
tumor
omphal/o
navel (umbilicus)
onych/o
nail
oophor/o
ovary
-opaque
obscure
ophthalm/o
eye
- opia
- opsia
vision
-opsy
view of
opt/o
optic/o
eye, vision
or/o
mouth
orch/o
orchi/o
orchid/o
testis (plural, testes)
-orexia
appetite
orth/o
straight
-ory
pertaining to
-ose
pertaining to; sugar
-osis
abnormal condition; increase (used primarily with blood cells)
-osmia
smell
oste/o
bone
ot/o
ear
-ous
pertaining to
ovari/o
ovary
ox/i
ox/o
-oxia
oxygen
pachy-
thick
palat/o
palate
pan-
all
pancreat/o
pancreas
-para
to bear (offspring)
para-
near, beside, beyond
parathyroid/o
parathyroid glands
-paresis
partial paralysis
patell/o
patella (kneecap)
path/o
-pathy
disease
pector/o
chest
ped/i
ped/o
foot; child
pedicul/o
lice
pelv/i
pelv/o
pelvis
pen/o
penis
-penia
decrease, deficiency
-pepsia
digestion
per-
through
peri-
around
perine/o
perineum
peritone/o
peritoneum
-pexy
fixation (of an organ)
phac/o
lens
phag/o
- phage
- phagia
swallowing, eating
phalang/o
phalanges
pharmaceutic/o
drug, medicine
pharyng/o
pharynx
-phasia
speech
phe/o
dusky, dark
-phil
phil/o
-philia
attraction for
phim/o
muzzle
phleb/o
vein
-phobia
fear
-phonia
voice
-phoresis
carrying, transmission
-phoria
feeling (mental state)
phot/o
light
phren/o
diaphragm; mind
-phylaxis
protection
-physis
growth
pil/o
hair
pituitar/o
pituitary gland
-plakia
plaque
plas/o
- plasia
- plasm
growth, formation
-plasty
surgical repair
-plegia
paralysis
pleur/o
pleura
-plexy
stroke
-pnea
breathing
pneum/o
pneumon/o
air; lung
pod/o
foot
-poiesis
formation, production
poikil/o
varied, irregular
poli/o
gray, gray matter
poly-
many, much
polyp/o
small growth
-porosis
porous
post-
after, behind
poster/o
back (of body), behind, posterior
-potence
power
-prandial
meal
pre-
before, in front of
presby/o
old age
primi-
first
pro-
before, in front of
proct/o
anus, rectum
prostat/o
prostate gland
proxim/o
near, nearest
psuedo-
false
psych/o
mind
-ptosis
prolapse, downward displacement
ptyal/o
saliva
-ptysis
spitting
pub/o
pubis
pulmon/o
lung
pupill/o
pupil
py/o
pus
pyel/o
renal pelvis
pylor/o
pylorus
pyr/o
fire
quadri-
four
rachi/o
spine
radi/o
radiation, x-ray; radius (low arm bone)
radicul/o
nerve root
rect/o
rectum
ren/o
kidney
reticul/o
net, mesh
retin/o
retina
retr/o
backward, behind
rhabd/o
rod-shaped, striated
rhabdomy/o
rod-shaped, striated muscle
rhin/o
nose
rhytid/o
wrinkle
roentgen/o
x-rays
- rrhage
- rrhagia
bursting forth (of)
-rrhaphy
suture
-rrhea
discharge, flow
-rrhexis
rupture
rrhythm/o
rhythm
rube/o
red
sacr/o
sacrum
salping/o
-salpinx
tube (fallopian or eustachian)
sarc/o
flesh, connective tissue
-sarcoma
malignant tumor of the connective tissue
scapul/o
scapula (shoulder blade)
-schisis
splitting
schiz/o
split
scler/o
hardening; sclera
scoli/o
crooked, bent
-scope
instrument for examining
scop/o
to view
-scopy
visual examination
scot/o
darkness
seb/o
sebum, sebaceous
sem-
one half
semin/o
semin/i
semen, seed
sept/o
septum
sequestr/o
separation
ser/o
serum
sial/o
saliva, salivary gland
sider/o
iron
sigmoid/o
sigmoid colon
silic/o
flint
sin/o
sinus/o
sinus, cavity
-sis
state of; condition
-social
society
somat/o
body
somn/o
sleep
son/o
sound
-spadias
slit, fissure
-spasm
involuntary contraction, twitching
sperm/i
sperm/o
spermat/o
spermatozoa, sperm skills
sphygm/o
-sphyxia
pulse
spin/o
spine
spir/o
breathe
splen/o
spleen
spondyl/o
vertebrae (backbone)
squam/o
scale
staped/o
stapes
-stasis
standing still
steat/o
fat
sten/o
-stenosis
narrowing, stricture
stern/o
sternum (breastbone)
steth/o
chest
stigmat/o
point, mark
stomat/o
mouth
-stomy
forming a mouth, opening
sub-
under, below
sudor/o
sweat
super-
super/o
upper, above
supra-
above; excessive; superior
sym-
syn-
union, together, joined
synapt/o
synapsis, point of contact
synov/o
synovial membrane, synovial fluid
tachy-
rapid
tax/o
-taxia
order, coordination
tele/o
distant
ten/o
tend/o
tendin/o
tendon
-tension
to stretch
test/o
testis (plural testes)
thalam/o
thalamus
thalass/o
sea
thec/o
sheath (usually referring to meninges)
thel/o
nipple
therapeut/o
-therapy
treatment
therm/o
heat
thorac/o
-thorax
chest
thromb/o
blood clot
thym/o
thymus gland
-thymia
mind; emotion
thyr/o
thyroid/o
thyroid gland
tibi/o
tibia
-tic
pertaining to
-tocia
childbirth, labor
tom/o
to cut
-tome
instrument to cut
-tomy
incision
ton/o
tension
tonsill/o
tonsils
tox/o
toxic/o
poison
-toxic
pertaining to poison
trabecul/o
trabecula (supporting bundles of fibers)
trache/o
trachea
trans-
across, through
tri-
three
trich/o
hair
trigon/o
trigone (triangular region at the base of the bladder)
-tripsy
crushing
-trophy
development, nourishment
-tropia
turning
-tropin
stimulate
tubercul/o
a little swelling
tympan/o
tympanic membrane (eardrum)
- ula
- ule
small, minute
uln/o
ulna
ultra-
excess, beyond
-um
structure, thing
umbilic/o
umbilicus, navel
ungu/o
nail
uni-
one
ur/o
-uria
urine, urinary tract
ureter/o
ureter
urethr/o
urethra
-us
condition; structure
uter/o
uterus (womb)
uvul/o
uvula
-verse
to turn
vagin/o
vagina
valv/o
valvul/o
valve
varic/o
dilated vein
vas/o
vessel; vas deferens; duct
vascul/o
vessel (usually blood or lymph)
ven/o
vein
ventr/o
belly, belly side
ventricul/o
ventricle (usually of the brain or heart)
-version
turning
vertebr/o
vertebrae, backbone
vesic/o
bladder
vest/o
clothes
vesicul/o
seminal vesicle
viscer/o
internal organs
vitr/o
vitreous body (of the eye)
vitre/o
glassy
vol/o
volume
voyeur/o
to see
vulv/o
vulva
xanth/o
yellow
xen/o
foreign, strange
xer/o
dry
xiph/o
sword
-y
condition; process