Roots of Medical Termology Flashcards
Prefixes, Suffixes, Vocab Etc.
Paideia
preadolescent children
hemi
half
kranion
skull
toxon
archery
philos
lover
pharmakon
drug
-osis
abnormal condition
nephr
Kidney
endo
within
metra
uterus
cyt-
cell
stenosis
narrowing of a pasage
sclerosis
hardening of tissues
cyanosis
blue
aitia
cause, origion
-logy
the study of something
a- (an- before a vowel of h)
without, lacking, deficient
anti- (ant - often before a vowel or h)
against, opposed, releiving
di- (rarely dis-)
two, twice, double
dys
difficult, painful, defective, abnormal
ec- (ex- before a vowel)
out of, away from
ecto - (ect- often before a vowel)
outside of
en- (em- before b, m, and p)
in, into, within
endo-, ento- (end, ent- before a vowel)
within
epi- (ep- before a vowel or h)
upon, over, above
syn- (sym- before b,p, and m; the n assimilates or is dropped before the s)
together, with, joined
exo-
outside, from the outside, toward the outside
hemi-
half, partial
hyper-
over, above, excessive, beyond normal
hypo-
under, deficient, below normal
mono- (mon- before a vowel or h)
one, single
peri-
around, surrounding
-a
state, condition
-ac
pertaining to, located in
-ia
state, condition
-iac
person afflicted with
-iasis
disease, abnormal condition, abnormal presence of; often used with the name of a parasitic organism
-itis
inflammation
-itides
plural of -itis
-ium
membrane, connective tissue
-ma
abnormal condition or disease
-tic
nouns ending in -sis: indication drug or agent
-y
condition, quality, process, procedure
-ic
drug or agent
-in, ine
names of substances
-ist
person interested in
-itic
inflammation/ drug or agent
-osis
abnormal or diseased condition
-otic
adjective version of -osis
-sia
state, condition
-sis
state, condition, quality, process, procedure
Acanth-
thorn, spine
Alg-
pain
Alges-
sensitivity to pain
All-
other, divergence, difference from
Angi-
blood vessel, duct
Arteri-
passage, artery
Arthr-
joint
Bi-
life
Brady-
slow
Cardi-
heart
Cephal-
head
crani
skull
cyt-
cell
encephal
brain
erythr-
red, red blood cell
lept-
thin, fine, slight
leuk-
white, white blood cell
lith-
stone, calculus
log-
word, study
malac-
soft
mes-
middle, secondary, partial, mesentery
-meter, metr-
measure, measuring device
neur-
nerve, nervous system
oste-
bone
prax-
act, action
prot-
primitive, first, early
scler-
hard
sten-
narrow
stere-
solid, having three dimensions
tachy-
rapid
tox(i)
poison
-logy
study, science,
-logist
one who specializes in a certain study or science
-malacia
the softening (of tissues) of
-sclerosis
the hardening (of tissues) of
-stenosis
the narrowing (of a part of the body)
-toxic
poisonous (to an organ)
-toxin
a substance poisonous to (a part of the body)
derma, dermatos
skin
gaster, gastros
stomach
amphi-, ampho-
on both sides, around, both
ana-
up, back, against
apo-
away from
cata- (cat- before a vowel or h)
downward, disordered
dia- (di- before a vowel)
through, across, apart
eso-
within, inner, inward
eu:
good, normal, healthy
heter- hetero-
different, other, relationship to another
homo- ,homoe-
same, likeness
meta- (met- before a vowel or h)
change, transformation, after, behind
para- (often par- before a vowel)
alongside, around, abnormal, beyond
pros- ,prosth-
in place of
-al
located in
-ase
enzyme names
-asia, -asis (rare)
state or condition
-ema
state or condition
-esis
state, condition, procedure
-etic
forms adjectives from nouns ending in -esis
-ics
science or study
-ism
state, condition
-ics
science or study of
-ism
state, condition, quality
-ismus
muscular spasm
-oid (rarely) -ode, -id
shape, form, or resemble
-oma
usually a tumor, occasionally a disease
-ose
resembling an a noun-forming suffix used to form names of chemical substances
-ous
pertaining to, characterized by, full of
-tics
science or study of
-us
condition, person
-ize
verb forming- to make, become, cause to be
-ate
verb forming chemical substances
-ide
verb forming chemical substances
-ite
verb forming chemical substances
-one
verb forming chemical substances
coli-
verb forming: bacteria
cyst(i)-
verb forming: referring to urinary bladder
Cholecyst
verb forming: referring to the gallbladder
acr-
extremities
ambly-
dull, faint
carcin-
carcinome, cancer
-cel-, -cele
hernia, tumor, swelling
cheir, chir,
hand
chol(e)-
bile, gall
col(i)-, colon
colon
cyst(i), -cystis
bladder, cyst
diplo-
double, twin
enter-
(small) intestine
erg-
action, work
gastr-
stomach
Hem-, hemat-, -em-
blood
hepar-, hepat-
liver
lip-
fat
macr-
abnormally large, or long
melan-
dark, black
micr-
(abnoramally) small
nyct-
night
odyn-
pain
onc-
tumor
pachy-
thick
pseud-
fasle
py-
pus
sarc-
flash, soft tissue
spasm-
spasm, involuntary muscular contraction
splen-
spleen
stom-, stomat-
mouth, opening
-stomy
etymology the formation of a passge between two different parts
Arachn-
spider,web; arachnoid membrane
Chlor-
green
Chondr-
Cartilage
Dactyl-
finger, toe
Derm(at)-, Derma
Skin
(H)Elc-
ulcer
Hidro(ot)-, -Idr-
Sweat
Hist(i)
[web] tissue
Hydr-
water, fluid
hypn-
sleep
Icter-
Jaundice
in-,inos-
fiber, muscle
is-
equal, same, similar, alike
mening-, -meninx
meningeal membrane, menings
My(s)-
[mouse], muscle
Myc(et)-
mushroom
Myel-
bone marrow, spinal cord
narc-
stupor, numbness
Necr-
corpse; dead
olig-
few, deficient
Onych-
fingernail,toenail
Pod-
foot
Poli-
[gray] gray matter of the brain and spinal cord
poly-
many, excessive
por-
passage, opening, duct, pore, cavity
Psych-
[soul] mind
Som(at)-,-soma
body
sthen-
strength
Trachel-
neck, cavity
Xanth-
yellow
Three layers of the membranes surrounding the spinal cords (inside to out)
Arachnoidea mater –> Dura Mater –> Myel
Aut-
Self
Crin-
[separate], secrete, secretion
Esthe(s)-
sensation, sensitivity, sense
Gen(e)-, -Gen
come into being; produce
gram-
[something written], a record
Graph-
write, record
Iatr-
healer, physician; treatment
Idi-
of one’s self
Kine-
move
Kine(s)-
movement, motion
Ly(s)-
destroy, break down
Myx-
mucus
Orth-
straight, erect; normal
ot-
ear
path-
[suffering] disease
phil-
love, have an affinity for
pt-
fall, sag, drop, prolapse
pyr-
[fire] fever, burning
pyret-
fever
pyrex-
be feverish
rhe-
[run], flow, secrete
rhag-
[burst forth], flow profusely
rhex-
hemorrhage rupture
rhin-
nose
scop-
look at, examine
sep-
[be putrid] be infected
ta-
stretching
tel-
end, completion
ten-, tendon(t)-
tendon
therap(eu)-
treat medically, heal
tom-
a cutting, slice, incision
ton-
[a stretching] (muscular) tone, tension
-ectasia, ectasis, -ectomy
dilation, enlargement, surgical excision, removal of all (total excision) or part (partial excision) of an organ
-gen, -genesis, -genic, -genous
substance that produces (something)
-gram
causing, producing, caused by, produced by or in
-graph
a record of the activity of an organ (often an x ray)
-graphy
an instrument of recording the activity of an organ
-lysis
dissolution, reduction, decomposition, disintegration
-lytic
pertaining to dissolution or decomposition, disintegration (forms adjective from words ending in -lys)
-pathy
disease
-ptosis
dropping, sagging, prolapse (of an organ or part)
-rrhagia
profuse discharge, hemorage
-rrhea
profuse discharge, excessive secretion
-rrhexis
bursting (of tissues), rupture
-scope
a surgical instrument for examining
-scopy
examining
-tome
examination
-tomy
surgical instrument for cutting surgical incision
tetnus
comes from tasis: - stretching, tonos -tension
opisthotonos
tetanus case if stretched back
emprosthotonos
tetanus case if stretched forward
pleurothotonus
tetanus case if stretched sideways
orthotonos
tetanus case if stretched straight up
idios
ones self
parotid gland
runs along ear and supplies saliva to the mouth
Rheum
flowing of humors within the body
capillary
hair (small and thin veins)
telangiectasis
the vascular lesion formed by dilation of a group of small blood vessel’s
Acou(s)-, Acu(s)
Hear
Amni-
fetal membrane, amniotic sac amnion
Asc-, Ascit-
[leather bag], bladder, sac, bag
Bar-
weight, pressure
Cente-
peirce
chrom-, chroma-, chromat-
color, pigment
Dips-
thirst
Echo-
Reverberating Sound, echo
Edema-, edemat-
swelling
Eme-
vomit
Gno(s)-
Knows
Lal-
Talk
Lapar-
abdomen, abdominal wall
lex-
read
Mne-
remember
Ne-
New
No-
mind, mental activity, comprehension
Orec-, Orex
have an appetite
Ox(y)-
acute, pointed; rapid; acid; oxygen
Pha-
speak, communicate
Phag-
swallow, eat
Pharmec(eu)-
medicine, drug
Phem-
speech
Phob-
(abnormal) fear
Phon-
voice, sound
Phras-
speak
Phren-
mind, diaphragm
Phylac-
protection (against disease)
Phys(i)
nature, appearance
phyt-
plant (organism), growth
poie-
produce, make
Prosop-
Face
Sarp-
rotten, putrid, decaying
Stear-, Steat-
Fat, sebum, sebaceous glands
“-xis” –> “cs”
ex) -phylac-sis or em-pharc-sis
andr-
man, male
ankyl-, ancyl-
fused, stiffened; hooked, crooked
Aphrodis(i)-
{of or pertaining to Aphrodite, Greek goddess of Love] sexual desire
Brachy-
short
crypt-
hidden, latent
dem-
people, population
Dolich-
long, narrow, slender
Drom-
a running
Er-, Erot-
[Eros, son of Aphrodite, Greek goddess of love] sexual desire
Gyn(ec)-
woman, female
Helmint(h)-
(instestinal) worm
nemat-
thread (worm)
nos-
disease, illness
Odont-
tooth
Pali(n)
back, again
Pan(t)
all, entire, every
Phor
bearing, carrying
Phos-, Phot-
light, daylight
Plec-, Pleg-
Strike, paralyze
R(h)achi
spine
Schiz-, Schist, -schisis
split, claft, fissure
Spondyl-
vertebra
-staxis, -staxia
dripping, oozing (of blood)
Than(at)-
death
the-
place, put
Trich-
hair
Troph-
Nourishment
Example break down: Apoplexy
“apo-plec-sia” –> “-sia” will go to “-sy(sia)”
