Word Roots Flashcards
Roots for Cells & Tissues:
Morph/0
Meaning: Form
Example: Polymorphous
Definition: Having many forms
Roots for Cells & Tissues:
Cyt/o, -Cyte
Meaning: Cell
Example: Cytologist
Definition: One who studies cells
Roots for Cells & Tissues:
Nucle/o
Meaning: Nucleus
Example: Nuclear
Definition: Pertaining to a nucleus
Roots for Cells & Tissues:
Kary/o
Meaning: Nucleus
Example: Karyotype
Definition: Picture of a cell’s chromosomes organized according to size.
Roots for Cells & Tissues:
Hist/o, Histi/o
Meaning: Tissue
Example: Histocompatibility
Definition: Tissue similarity that permits transplantation
Roots for Cells & Tissues:
Fibr/o
Meaning: Fiber
Example: Fibrosis
Definition: Abnormal formation of fibrous tissue
Roots for Cells & Tissues:
Reticul/o
Meaning: Network
Example: Reticulum
Definition: A network
Roots for Cells & Tissues:
Aden/o
Meaning: Gland
Example: Adenoma
Definition: Tumor (-oma) of a gland
Roots for Cells & Tissues:
Papill/o
Meaning: Nipple
Example: Papilla
Definition: Projection that resembles a nipple
Roots for Cells & Tissues:
Myx/o
Meaning: Mucus
Example: Myxadenitis
Definition: Inflammation (-itis) of a mucus-secreting gland
Roots for Cells & Tissues:
Muc/o
Meaning: Mucus, Mucous Membrane
Example: Mucorrhea
Definition: Increased flow (-rhea) of mucus
Roots for Cells & Tissues:
Sumat/o, -some
Meaning: Body, Small Body
Example: Chromosome
Definition: Small body that takes up color (dye) (chrom/o)
Roots for Cell Activity:
Blast/o, -blast
Meaning: Immature cell, Productive cell, Embryonic cell
Example: Histioblast
Definition: A tissue-forming cell
Roots for Cell Activity:
Gen
Meaning: Origin, Formation
Example: Karyogenesis
Definition: Formation of a Nucleus
Roots for Cell Activity:
Phag/o
Meaning: Eat, Ingest
Example: Autophagy (aw-TOF-ah-je)
Definition: Self (auto)-destruction of a cell’s organelles
Roots for Cell Activity:
Phil
Meaning: Attract, Absorb
Example: Basophilic
Definition: Attracting basic stain
Roots for Cell Activity:
Plas
Meaning: Formation, Molding, Development
Example: Hyperplasia
Definition: Overdevelopment of an organ or tissue
Roots for Cell Activity:
Trop
Meaning: Act on, Affect
Example: Chronotropic
Definition: Affecting rate or timing (chron/o)
Roots for Cell Activity:
Troph/o
Meaning: Feeding, Growth, Nourishment
Example: Atrophy
Definition: Tissue wasting
Roots for Body Chemistry:
Hydr/o
Meaning: Water, Fluid
Example: Hydration
Definition: Addition of water, relative amount of water present
Roots for Body Chemistry:
Gluc/o
Meaning: Glucose
Example: Glucogenesis
Definition: Production of glucose
Roots for Body Chemistry:
Glyc/o
Meaning: Sugar, Glucose
Example: Normoglycemia
Definition: Normal blood sugar level
Roots for Body Chemistry:
Sacchar/o
Meaning: Sugar
Example: Polysaccharide
Definition: Compound containing many simple sugars
Roots for Body Chemistry:
Amyl/o
Meaning: Starch
Example: Amyloid
Definition: Resembling starch
Roots for Body Chemistry:
Lip/o
Meaning: Lipid, Fat
Example: Lipophilic
Definition: Attracting or absorbing lipids
Roots for Body Chemistry:
Adip/o
Meaning: Fat
Example: Adiposuria
Definition: Presence of fat in the urine (ur/o)
Roots for Body Chemistry:
Steat/o
Meaning: Fatty
Example: Steatorrhea
Definition: Discharge (rhea) of fatty stools
Roots for Body Chemistry:
Prote/o
Meaning: Protein
Example: Protease
Definition: Enzyme that digests protein
Roots for Regions of the Head & Trunk:
Cephal/o
Meaning: Head
Example: Megacephaly
Definition: Abnormal largeness of the head
Roots for Regions of the Head & Trunk:
Cervic/o
Meaning: Neck
Example: Cervicofacial
Definition: Pertaining to the neck and face.
Roots for Regions of the Head & Trunk:
Thorac/o
Meaning: Chest/Thorax
Example: Thoracotomy
Definition: Incision (-tomy) into the chest.
Roots for Regions of the Head & Trunk:
Abdomin/o
Meaning: Abdomen
Example: Intra-abdominal
Definition: Within the abdomen
Roots for Regions of the Head & Trunk:
Celi/o
Meaning: Abdomen
Example: Celiocentesis
Definition: Surgical puncture (centesis) of the abdomen
Roots for Regions of the Head & Trunk:
Lapar/o
Meaning: Abdominal Wall
Example: Laparoscope
Definition: Instrument (-scope) for viewing the peritoneal cavity through the abdominal wall.
Roots for Regions of the Head & Trunk:
Lumb/o
Meaning: Lumbar Region, Lower Back
Example: Thoracolumbar
Definition: Pertaining to the chest and lumbar region.
Roots for Regions of the Head & Trunk:
Periton, Peritone/o
Meaning: Peritoneum
Example: Peritoneal
Definition: Pertaining to the peritoneum
Roots for the Extremities:
Acro
Meaning: Extremity, End
Example: Acrocyanosis
Definition: Bluish discoloration of the extremities
Roots for the Extremities:
Brachi/o
Meaning: Arm
Example: Antebracheum
Definition: Forearm
Roots for the Extremities:
Dactyl/o
Meaning: Finger, Toe
Example: Polydactyly
Definition: Having more than the normal number of fingers or toes.
Roots for the Extremities:
Ped/o
Meaning: Foot
Example: Pedometer
Definition: Instrument that measures footsteps
Roots for the Extremities:
Pod/o
Meaning: Foot
Example: Podiatric
Definition: Pertaining to the study and treatment of the foot
Roots for Bones & Joints:
oste/o
Meaning: Bone
Example: Osteopenia (os-te-o-PE-ne-ah)
Definition: Deficiency of bone tissue
Roots for Bones & Joints:
Myel/o
Meaning: Bone Marrow, also Spinal Cord
Example: Myeloid (MI-eh-loyd)
Definition: pertaining to or resembling bone marrow
Roots for Bones & Joints:
Chondr/o
Meaning: Cartilage
Example: Chondroblast (KON-dro-blast)
Definition: A cartilage forming cell
Roots for Bones & Joints:
Arthr/o
Meaning: Joint
Example: Arthrosis (ar-THRO-sis)
Definition: Joint, Condition affecting a joint
Roots for Bones & Joints:
Synov/i
Meaning: Synovial Fluid, Joint, or Membrane
Example: Asynovia (ah-sin-O-ve-ah)
Definition: Lack of synovial fluid
Roots for Bones & Joints:
Burs/o
Meaning: Bursa
Example: Peribural (per-ih-Ber-sal)
Definition: Around a bursa
Roots for the Skeleton:
Crani/o
Meaning: Skull, Cranium
Example: Craniometry
Definition: Measurement of the cranium
Roots for the Skeleton:
Spondyl/o
Meaning: Vertebra
Example: Spondylolysis (spon-dih-LOL-ih-sis)
Definition: Destruction and separation of a vertibra
Roots for the Skeleton:
Vertebr/o
Meaning: Vertebra, Spinal Column
Example: Paravertebral (pah-rah-VER-te-bral)
Definition: Near the vertebrae or spinal column
Roots for the Skeleton:
Rachi/o
Meaning: Spine
Example: Rachischisis (ra-KIS-kih-sis)
Definition: Fissure (-schisis) of the spine, Spina bifida
Roots for the Skeleton:
Cost/o
Meaning: Rib
Example: Costochondral (kos-to-KON-dral)
Definition: Pertaining to a rib and its cartilage.
Roots for the Skeleton:
Sacr/o
Meaning: Sacrum
Example: Presacral (pre-SA-kral)
Definition: In front of the sacrum
Roots for the Skeleton:
Coccy, Coccyg/o
Meaning: Coccyx
Example: Coccygeal (kok-SIJ-e-al)
Definition: Pertaining to the coccyx
Roots for the Skeleton:
Pelvi/o
Meaning: Pelvis
Example: Pelviscope (PEL-vih-skope)
Definition: Endoscope for examining the pelvis
Roots for the Skeleton:
Ili/o
Meaning: Ilium
Example: Iliopelvic (il-e-o-PEL-vik)
Definition: Pertaining to the ilium and pelvis
Roots Pertaining to Muscles:
My/o
Meaning: Muscle
Example: Myositis (mi-o-SI-tis)
Definition: Inflammation of muscle
Roots Pertaining to Muscles:
Muscul/o
Meaning: Muscle
Example: Musculature (MUS-kyu-lah-chur)
Definition: Muscle arrangement in a part of the whole body.
Roots Pertaining to Muscles:
In/o
Meaning: Fiber
Example: Inotropic
Definition: Acting on (muscle) fibers
Roots Pertaining to Muscles:
Fasci/o
Meaning: Fascia
Example: Fasciodesis (fash-i-OD-eh-sis)
Definition: Binding (suture) of a fascia to a tendon or other fascia
Roots Pertaining to Muscles:
Ten/o, Tendin/o
Meaning: Tendon
Example: Tenostosis (ten-os-TO-sis)
Definition: Ossification of a tendon.
Roots Pertaining to Muscles:
Ton/o
Meaning: Tone
Example: Cardiotonic (kar-de-o-TON-ik)
Definition: Having a strengthening action on the heart muscle.
Roots Pertaining to Muscles:
Erg/o
Meaning: Work
Example: Ergonomics (er-go-NOM-iks)
Definition: Study of the efficient use of energy during work.
Roots Pertaining to Muscles:
Kin/o, Kine, Kinesi/o, Kinet/o
Meaning: Work
Example: Kinesis (ki-NE-sis)
Definition: Movement (adjective: kinetic)
Roots Pertaining to the Ear and Hearing:
Audi/o
Meaning: Hearing
Example: Audiology
Definition: The study of hearing
Roots Pertaining to the Ear and Hearing:
Acous, Acus, Cus
Meaning: Sound, Hearing
Example: Acoustic
Definition: Pertaining to Sound or Hearing
Roots Pertaining to the Ear and Hearing:
Ot/o
Meaning: Ear
Example: Ototoxic
Definition: Poisonous or harmful to the ear
Roots Pertaining to the Ear and Hearing:
Myring/o
Meaning: Tympanic Membrane
Example: Myringotome
Definition: Knife used for surgery on the eardrum
Roots Pertaining to the Ear and Hearing:
Tympan/o
Meaning: Tympanic Cavity (middle ear), tympanic membrane
Example: Tympanometry
Definition: Measurement of transition through the tympanic membrane and middle ear
Roots Pertaining to the Ear and Hearing:
Salping/o
Meaning: Tube, Auditory Tube
Example: Salpingoscopy
Definition: Endoscopic examination of the auditory tube
Roots Pertaining to the Ear and Hearing:
Staped/o, Stapedi/o
Meaning: Stapes
Example: Stapedoplasty
Definition: Plastic repair of the stapes
Roots Pertaining to the Ear and Hearing:
Labyrinth/o
Meaning: Labyrinth (inner ear)
Example: Labyrinthitis
Definition: Inflammation of the inner ear (labyrinth)
Roots Pertaining to the Ear and Hearing:
vestibul/o
Meaning: Vestibule, Vestibular Apparatus
Example: Vestibulotomy
Definition: Incision of the vestibule of the inner ear
Roots for External Eye Structures:
Blephar/o
Meaning: Eyelid
Example: Symblepharon
Definition: Adhesion of the eyelid to the eyeball (sym means together)
Roots for External Eye Structures:
Palpebr/o
Meaning: Eyelid
Example: Palpebral
Definition: Pertaining to an eyelid
Roots for External Eye Structures:
Dacry/o
Meaning: Tear, Lacrimal Apparatus
Example: Dacryorrhea
Definition: Discharge from the lacrimal apparatus
Roots for External Eye Structures:
Dacryocyst/o
Meaning: Lacrimal Sac
Example: Dacryocystocele
Definition: Hernia of the lacrimal sac
Roots for External Eye Structures:
Lacrim/o
Meaning: Tear, Lacrimal Apparatus
Example: Lacrimation
Definition: Secretion of Tears
Roots for Eye & Vision:
Opt/o
Meaning: Eye, Vision
Example: Optometer
Definition: Instrument for measuring refractive power of the eye
Roots for Eye & Vision:
Ocul/o
Meaning: Eye
Example: Sinistrocular
Definition: Pertaining to the left eye
Roots for Eye & Vision:
Ophthalm/o
Meaning: Eye
Example: Exophthalmos
Definition: Protrusion of the eyeball
Roots for Eye & Vision:
Scler/o
Meaning: Sclera
Example: Episcleritis
Definition: Inflammation of the tissue on the surface of the sclera
Roots for Eye & Vision:
Corne/o
Meaning: Cornea
Example: Circumcorneal
Definition: Around the cornea
Roots for Eye & Vision:
Kerat/o
Meaning: Cornea
Example: Keratoplasty
Definition: Plastic repair of the cornea, corneal transplant