MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY

Example:					Root word		Definition
tracheostomy = an opening in the trachea					tracheo		=trachea
gastrotomy = incision into the stomach					gastro		=stomach
Prefix		Prefix Definition			Root Word		Root Definition
a-, an-, ar-		without or not			Circulatory System
ab-		away from			cardio		heart
ad-		toward, to			angio, vaso		vessel
adeno-		glandular			hem, hema, hemato		vein
aero-		air			arteria		artery
ambi-		around, on both sides			lympho		lymph
ante-		before, forward			thrombo		clot (of blood)
anti-		against, counteracting			embolus		moving clot
bi-, bis-		two, double
bio-		life			Digestive System
brachi-		arm			bucca		cheek
brady-		slow			os, stomato		mouth
co-		together			gingival		gum
contra-		against, opposite			glossa		tongue
costo-		ribs			pharyngo		pharynx
demi-		half			esophago		esophagus
eryth-		red			gastro		stomach
ex-		out, out of, away from			hepato		liver
ferro-		iron			cholecyst		gallbladder
fore-		before, in front of			entero		intestines
glyco-		sugar			duodeno		uodenum
holo-		whole, entire			jeuno		jejunum
hyper-		too much, too high			ileo		ileum
hypo-		under, decreased			caeco		cecum
inter-		between			colo		colon
intra-		within			recto		rectum
juxta-		near, close to			ano, procto		anus
latero-		side
leuk-		white			Respiratory System
macro-		large, big			naso, rhino		nose
mal-		bad, poor			laryngo		larynx
medio-		middle			tracheo		trachea
megalo-		large, great			bronch		bronchus (pl. bronchi)
micro-		small			pulmo, pneum		lung (sac with air)
mono-		single
neo-		new			Nervous System
noct-		night			neuron		nerve
ob-		against, in front of			crebrum		brain
pan-		all			oculo, opthalmo		eye
para-		beside, accessory to			oto		ear
path-		disease			psych		mind
per-		by, through
phelb-		vein			Urinary System
poly-		too much, many			urethra		urethra
pre-		before			cysto		bladder
post-		after			uretero		ureter
pyro-		fever, heat			reni, reno, nephro		kidney
quad-		four			pyleo		pelvis of the kidney
sarco-		flesh			uro		urine
sclero-		hard, hardening
semi-		half			Female Reproductive System
steno-		narrowing, construction			Perineo		perineum
sub-		under			vag, colpo		vagina
super-		above, excess			utero		uterus, womb
syn-		together			tubo, salpingo		fallopian tubes
tachy-		fast			ovario, oophoro		ovaries
trans-		across, over
tri-		three			Male Reproductive System
ultra-		beyond			Orchido		testes
un-		not, back, reversal
uni-		one			Regions of the body
					cranio, cephalo		head
					cervico, tracheo		neck
					thoraco		chest
					abdomino		abdomen
					dorsum		back
					Tissues
					cutis, dermato		skin
					lipo		fat
					musculo, myo		muscle
					osteo		bone
					myelo		marrow
					chondro		cartilage
					Miscellaneous
					cyto		cell
					genetic		formation, origin
					gram		tracing or mark
					graph		writing, description
					kinesis		motion
					meter		measure
					oligo		small
					phobia		fear
					photo		light
					pyo		pus
					scope		instrument for visual examination of
					roentgen		X-ray
					lapar		flank; through the abdominal wall
	Suffix		Definition
	ostomy		=to form an opening
	tomy		=incision into
	Suffix		Suffix Definition
	-able		able to
	-algia		pain
	-cele		tumor, swelling
	-centesis		surgical puncture to remove fluid
	-cephaly		head
	-cide		killing, destructive
	-cule		little
	-cyte		cell
	-ectasia		dilating, stretching
	-ectomy		excision, surgical removal of
	-emia		blood
	-esis		action
	-form		shaped like
	-genesis		formation, origin
	-gram		tracing, mark
	-ism		condition
	-itis		inflammation
	-ize		to treat
	-lith		stone, calculus
	-logy		study
	-lysis		disintegration
	-megaly		enlargement
	-oid		likeness, resembalance
	-opathy		disease of
	-orrhaphy		surgical repair
	-osis		disease or condition of
	-ostomy		to form an opening or outlet
	-pexy		fixation
	-phage		ingestion
	-plegia		paralysis
	-rhage		to burst forth
	-rhea		excessive discharge
	-rhexis		rupture
	-tomy		incision into