Nomenclature Flashcards
a-, an-
Ex: analgesic
without
ab-
Ex: abduction
away from
abdomin-
Ex: abdominocenthesis
relating to the abdomen
ad-
Ex: adduction
toward
aden-
Ex: adenocarcinoma
relating to a gland
-aemia, ema,
Ex: anaemia, anemia
blood condition
-algia
Ex: fibromyalgia
pain
ante-
Ex: antebrachium
describing something as positioned in front of
rostral
towards the nose
cranial
towards the head
caudal
towards the rear/tail
ventral
moving down towards belly
distal
down towards a limb
proximal
up from a limb
pads of front paws
palmar
pads of back paws
plantar
arthr-
Ex: arthritis
of or pertaining to the joint, limbs
bacteri-
Ex: bactericide
pertaining to bacteria
bi-
Ex: bipartite
twice, double
bio-
Ex: biology
life
blephar(o)-
Ex: blepharospasm
of or pertaining to the eyelid
brachy-
Ex: brachycephalic
indicating “short”
brady-
Ex: bradycardia
slow
bronch(i)-
Ex: bronchitis
of or relating to the bronchus
bucc(o)-
Ex: buccolabial
of or pertaining to the cheek
burs(o)- (bursitis)
relating to bursa
cardi-
Ex: cardiogram
of or pertaining to the heart
carp-
Ex: carpometacarpal joint
of or pertaining to the carpus
-centesis
Ex: abdominocentesis
surgical puncture for aspiration
cephal(o)-
Ex: hydrocephalus
of or pertaining to the head
cerebell(o)-
Ex: cerebellum
of or pertaining to the cerebellum
cervic-
Ex: cervical vertebrae
of or pertaining to the neck
chol(o)-
Ex: cholemia
of or pertaining to the bile
cholecyst(o)
Ex: cholecystoduodenostomy
of or pertaining to the gallbladder
chondro-
Ex: chondromalacia
cartilage
-cidal, -cide
Ex: bactericide
killing, destroying
co-
Ex: coenzymes
with, together, in association
coccus
Ex: streptococcus
round, spherical
col-, colo-
Ex: colonoscopy
of or pertaining to the colon
coron(o)-
Ex: coronography
of or pertaining to the heart
cortic(o)-
Ex: cerebral cortex
outer region
crani(o)-
Ex: craniotomy
belonging or relating to the cranium
cyst(o), cyst-
Ex: cystoscopy
of or pertaining to the urinary bladder
dermat(o)-
Ex: dermatophytes, hypodermic
of or pertaining to the skin
-dipsia
Ex: polydipsia
thirst
dis-
Ex: dissection
taking apart, separation
dors(o)-, dors(i)-
Ex: dorsal
of or pertaining to the back
dys-
Ex: dystocia
bad, difficult, abnormal
-eal
Ex: esophageal, perineal
pertaining to
-ectasia, -ectasis
Ex: bronchiectasis
expansion, dilation
-ectomy
Ex: mastectomy, gastrectomy
removal, resection, excision
-emesis
Ex: hematemesis
vomiting condition
encephal(o)-
Ex: hepatoencephalopathy
of or pertaining to the brain
endo-
Ex: endocrinology, endoskeleton
something as inside or within
enter(o)-
Ex: enterectomy
of or pertaining to the intestine
epi-
Ex: epicardium, epidermis
on, upon
episi(o)-
Ex: episiotomy
of or pertaining to the pubic region
exo-
Ex: exoskeleton
denotes something as “outside” another
fibr-
Ex: fibroblast, fibrin
fiber
foramen
Ex: foramen magnum, interventricular
hole, opening, or aperture
-form
Ex: falciform, cruciform
having the form of
galact-
Ex: galactorrhea
milk
gastr-
Ex: gastrectomy
of or pertaining to the stomach
gingiv-
Ex: gingivitis
of or pertaining to the gums
gloss(o)-
Ex: hypoglossia
of or pertaining to the tongue
gluco-
Ex: glucosuria, glucose
sweet
-gnosis
Ex: diagnosis, prognosis
knowledge
-graph, -graphy
Ex: electrocardiograph, angiography
record data
hemat-
Ex: hematology
of or pertaining to blood
hemi-
Ex: hemiparesis
one-half
hepat-
Ex: hepatitis
of or pertaining to the liver
hist(o)-, histio-
Ex: histology
tissue
hydr(o)-
Ex: hydrocephalus, hydrotherapy
water
hyper-
Ex: hypertension
extreme, beyond normal
hypo-
Ex: hypothermia
below normal
iatro-
Ex: iatrogenic
of or pertaining to medicine or a physician
Idio-
Ex: idiopathic
self, one’s own
ileo-
Ex: ileocecocolic junction
ileum
inter-
Ex: intervertebral disc
between, among
intra-
Ex: intraarticular injection
within
ipsi-
Ex: ipsilateral
same
irid(o)-
Ex: iridectomy
of or pertaining to the iris
iso-
Ex: isotonic saline
denoting something as being equal
kal-
Ex: hypokalemia
potassium
-ism
Ex: hyperadrenocorticism
condition, disease
-itis
Ex: bursitis, endocarditis
inflammation
ischio-
Ex: ischiocavernosus muscle
of or pertaining to the ischium
-ium
Ex: pericardium
structure, tissue
kerato-
Ex: keratoconjonctivitis sicca
cornea
labi-
Ex: labial flap
of or pertaining to the lip
kary-
Ex: eukaryote
nucleus
lacrim(o)-
Ex: lacrymal duct
tear
lapar(o)-
Ex: laparotomy
of or pertaining to the abdominal wall
lei(o)-
Ex: leiomyoma
smooth
leuc(o)-, leuk(o)-
Ex: leukocyte
white color
lipo-
Ex: lipoma
fat
lumb(o)-
Ex: thoracolumbar disc
of or relating to the part between the ribs
-lysis
Ex: paralysis
destruction, separation
-malacia
Ex: osteomalacia, myelomalacia
softening
mast(o)-
Ex: mastectomy
of or pertaining to the mammary tissue
meg(a)-, megaly
Ex: splenomegaly
enlargement
melan(o)-
Ex: melanoma
having a black color
mening(o)-
Ex: meningitis
membrane
met, meta-
Ex: metacarpal, metatarsus
after, beside, beyond
metr-
Ex: pyometra
pertaining to conditions of the uterus
myo-
Ex: myofibroma
of or relating to muscle
myco-
Ex: onychomycosis
fungus
myelo-
Ex: myeloblast, myelopathy
of or relating to bone marrow or spinal cord
myring(o)-
Ex: myringotomy
eardrum, tympanic membrane
nas(o)-
Ex: nasal bone
of or pertaining to the nose
necr(o)-
Ex: necropsy, necrotizing fasciitis
death
neo-
Ex: neonatal, neoplasm
new
nephr(0)-
Ex: nephrotomy
of or pertaining to the kidney
neur-
Ex: neuroblastoma
of or pertaining to the nervous system
noci-
Ex: nociception
pain, injury, hurt
norm-
Ex: normothermic
normal
ocul-
Ex: oculomotor nerve
of or pertaining to the eye
odont-
Ex: odontoma
of or pertaining to teeth
ole
Ex: arteriole, bronchiole
small or little
onych(o)-
Ex: onychectomy
of or pertaining to the nails
-opsy
Ex: biopsy
examination or inspection
-osis
Ex: osteoporosis
a condition, disease
orchi(o)-
Ex: orchiectomy
testis
ossi-, osse-
Ex: osseous, osteoarthritis
bone, bony
oto-
Ex: otoscopy
of or pertaining to the ear
ovario-
Ex: ovariectomy
of or pertaining to the ovaries
pan-
Ex: pancarpal arthrodesis
denoting something as “complete”, “all”
-paresis
Ex: hemiparesis
reduction in muscle strength, weakness
path(o)-
Ex: pathology
disease
-pathy
Ex: neuropathy
denotes a disease or disorder
ped-, -ped-, -pes
Ex: pes varus
of or pertaining to the foot
pelv(i)-
Ex: hemipelvectomy
pelvis
-penia
Ex: lymphopenia
deficiency
per-
Ex: percutaneous
through
peri-
Ex: perivenous
“around” another
-pexy
Ex: gastropexy
fixation
-phagia
Ex: coprophagia
condition relating to eating or ingestion
pharyng-
Ex: pharyngitis
of or pertaining to the pharynx
phleb-
Ex: phlebotomy
of or pertaining to the blood, veins
phot-
Ex: photophobia
of or pertaining to light
-plasia
Ex: dysplasia
formation, development
-plasty
Ex: rhinoplasty
surgical repair, reconstruction
-plegia
Ex: tetraplegia
paralysis
pleur-
Ex: pleuritis
of or pertaining to the ribs
pne-, pneum-
Ex: pneumonia, pneumothorax
air, breath, lung
poly-
Ex: polymyositis
denotes a “plurality”
post-
Ex: postpartum
denotes something as “after” or behind
pre-
Ex: premature
denotes something as “before”
pseud-
Ex: pseudoephedrine
denotes something false or fake
py-, pyo-
Ex: pyometra, pyoderma
pus, infection
pyr-
Ex: antipyretic
fever
quadr(i)-
Ex: quadraplegic
four
radic-
Ex: radiculopathy
referring to the beginning, or the root
re-
Ex: relapse, recurring
again, back
retro-
Ex: retroversion
backward, behind
rhabd(o)-
Ex: rhabdomyolysis
rod shaped, striated
rhin(o)-
Ex: rhinotomy
of or pertaining to the nose
-rrhaphy
Ex: herniorrhaphy
surgical suturing
sarco-
Ex: sarcoma
muscular, flesh-like
-scopy
Ex: endoscopy
process of viewing
semi-
Ex: semitendinosus
one-half, partly
sial(o)-
Ex: sialoadenosis
salivary gland
splen(o)-
Ex: splenectomy
of or pertaining to the spleen
spondyl(o)-
Ex: spondylosis
of or pertaining to the spine, the vertebra
-stalsis
Ex: peristalsis
contraction
-stasis
Ex: homeostasis, hemostasis
balance, stopping
stom-, stomat-
Ex: stomatitis
of or pertaining to the mouth
-stomy
Ex: gastrostomy
creation of an opening
sub-
Ex: subcutaneous
beneath, under
tachy-
Ex: tachypnea, tachycardia
denoting something as fast
therm(o)-
Ex: hypothermia
temperature
thoraco-
Ex: thoracotomy
of or pertaining to the chest
thromb(o)-
Ex: thrombocytopenia
of or relating to a blood clot, clotting of blood
-tomy
Ex: gastrotomy, cystotomy
act of cutting, incising
trache(a)-
Ex: tracheostomy
pertaining to the trachea
trich(i)-
Ex: trichiasis
of or pertaining to hair
-ula, -ule
Ex: papule, macule
small
umbilic-
Ex: umbilical cord
of or pertaining to the umbilicus
ungui-
Ex: ungual bed
of or pertaining to the nail
ur-, urin-
Ex: dysuria, urinalysis
of or pertaining to urine, urinary system
vagin-
Ex: vaginoscopy
of or pertaining to the vagina
vas(o)-
Ex: vasoconstriction
duct, blood vessel
ventr(o)-
Ex: ventrodorsal plane
of or pertaining to the belly
ventriculo-
Ex: atrioventricular node
of or pertaining to the ventricles
-version
Ex: anteversion, retroversion
turning
zo(o)-
Ex: zoology
animal, animal life
zym(o)-
Ex: enzyme
fermentation
