Medical Terminology: The Basics

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FOUNDATION OF MEDICAL WORDS A. Structure Most medical words are composed of two or more terms. To define a medical word: • divide the word into its terms • analyze the terms • define the word Examples: Pericarditis peri = around; card = heart; itis = inflammation Inflammation around the heart Oncology onco = tumor, mass; logy = study of Study of tumors

B. Terms Term + Term (.....+.....) = medical word There are five categories of terms: 1.Prefix - beginning of a word (ex., pre____; post_____) Designated by a “____” after the term. 2.Suffix - ending of a word (ex., _____stomy; _____itis) Designated by a “____” before the term. 3.Root - foundation/base of a word (ex., hepat; gastr) 4.Combining vowel - vowel (usually “o”) added to a root (ex., gastro). Use a combining vowel when joining: a. Root to another root (ex., gastrohepatitis) b. Root to a suffix beginning with a consonant (ex., cardiomegaly)

5.Combining form - root + vowel (ex., hepat/o; gastr/o) Designated by a “/” between the root and the vowel Examples: Hyperleukocytosis hyper (prefix) = excessive leuko (combining form) = white cyt (root) = cell osis (suffix) = condition of Definition: condition of excessive white blood cells (leukocytes) Hematotoxic hemato (combining form) = blood tox (root) = poison ic (suffix) = pertaining to Definition: pertaining to blood poisoning

TIPS: 1.Some terms have more than one definition. To determine the correct definition in a particular medical word, analyze the other terms in the word. Example: Poliomyelitis polio = gray (matter) myel = spinal cord, bone marrow itis = inflammation Definition: Inflammation of the gray matter of the spinal cord. The bone marrow does not have gray matter. 2.Some terms may function as a root/combining form in one word and a suffix in another word. Classification depends upon the specific medical word. Examples: Cytology cyto (combining form) = cell logy (suffix) = study of Definition: Study of cells Erythrocyte erythro (combining form) = red cyte (suffix) = cell Definition: Red blood cell

WORLD’S #1 ACADEMIC OUTLINE

THE HUMAN BODY A. Development

Cells - tissues - organs - systems - organism 1.Cells: Major Components a. Cell membrane b. Cytoplasm c. Nucleus

2.Tissues: Primary Types a. Connective b. Epithelium c. Muscle d.Nervous

3.Organs a. Composed of two or more different tissues b. Have specific functions

4.Systems: Related organs with common functions 5.Organism: A living person

B. Cavities

A space containing organs 1.Dorsal a. Cranial b. Vertebral (spinal)

2.Ventral a. Abdominal b. Pelvic c. Thoracic

C. Planes

An imaginary flat surface 1.Frontal – anterior/posterior 2.Sagittal – right/left 3.Transverse – upper/lower

D. Positions

A reference point for location or direction. 1.Anterior/Ventral – front of the body Posterior/Dorsal – back of the body 2.Deep – away from the surface Superficial – on the surface 3.Inferior – situated below Superior – situated above 4.Lateral – pertaining to the side 5.Medial – pertaining to the middle 6.Prone – lying face down Supine – lying face up

TERMS acid/o acuacu/o, acut/o adip/o aer/o agit/o -algia ambul/o anomal/o anthrac/o anthrop/o antr/o aphth/o apic/o aque/o atmoaxi/o bar/o bary-basia bathy-, bathobio-, bi/o blast/o, -blast -calculia

DEFINITIONS acid, sour, bitter needle sharp, severe fat air, gas rapidity, restlessness pain to walk irregular coal, carbon, carbuncle man, human being antrum ulcer apex water steam, vapor axis weight, pressure heavy, dull, hard walking deep, depth life, living early embryonic stage, immature to compute 1

WORDS acidity acupuncture subacute adiponecrosis aerophagy agitophasia cephalalgia ambulatory anomaly anthracosis anthropometry antrotomy aphthosis apicotomy aqueous atmometer abaxial barotrauma baryphonia brachybasia bathycardia biogenesis blastocyte dyscalculia

calor/i campt/o capsul/o, caps/o carcin/o cari/o -cataphasia cathar/o, cathart/o -cathisia, -kathisia caud/o cavit/o, cav/o chem/o chron/o clin/o -coimesis -coma consci/o constrict/o contus/o corpor/o critic/o cry/o cyt/o, -cyte dem/o desicc/o dilat/o dolich/o dolor/o dors/o duct/o dynam/o -dynia dysechin/o ectr/o ele/o emmetr/o enanti/o equierethism/o eti/o eu-facient febr/i fil/o, fil/i, filament/o -form frig/o, frigid/o funct/o gel/o gemell/o -gen, gen/o -genesis -genic ger/o, geront/o -grade hapl/o heredo-hexia hist/o homeohydr/o iatr/o -ician ion/o

heat bent capsule, container cancer caries, rottenness affirmation cleansing, purging

calorimetry camptocormia capsulitis carcinolysis cariogenic acataphasia catharsis

sitting

acathisia

tail caudal hollow, cavity cavitation chemical, chemistry chemosurgery time, timing chronobiology to slope, bend clinocephaly sleeping dyscoimesis deep sleep semicoma awareness, aware unconscious narrowing, binding vasoconstriction to bruise contusion body corporeal crisis, dangerous critical cold cryotherapy cell cytocide people epidemic to dry electrodesiccation enlarge,expand vasodilator long dolichofacial pain dolorogenic back dorsoventral to lead conduction power, strength dynamometer pain gastrodynia bad, difficult, painful dysphonia spiny, prickly echinocyte congenital absence ectrogeny oil eleoma the correct measure, emmetropia proportioned opposite, opposed enantiobiosis equality, equal equilibrium irritation erethismic cause etiology good, normal, well eubiotics to cause, make liquefacient happen fever febriphobia thread, threadlike filamentous specified shape, form multiform

cold performance to freeze, congeal twins producing, generating production, formation produced by, forming

frigorism dysfunctional gelosis gemellology pathogen neogenesis carcinogenic geriatrics centigrade haploid heredoimmunity cachexia histoclastic homeodynamics

aged, old age step simple, single heredity condition tissue likeness, constant, sameness water, hydrogen hydrolysis treatment, physician iatrogenic specialist clinician ion ionophoresis

same ipsilateral specialist pharmacist inflammation hepatitis nucleus karyorrhexis tumor, fibrous keloid growth kraur/o dry kraurosis kym/o waves kymography -labile unstable, perishable frigolabile later/o side bilateral ligat/o binding, tying ligature lim/o hunger bulimia -logist specialist neurologist -logy study of cardiology -lucent light-admitting radiolucent lumin/o light luminescence ly/o dissolve, loosen lyoenzyme -malacia softening osteomalacia -masesis mastication, chewingdysmasesis medi/o middle medial medic/o heal, healing medical mer/o part meromicrosomia mesomiddle mesoderm method/o procedure, technique methodology -mimesis imitation, simulation pathomimesis morph/o shape, form dolichomorphic mort/o death mortician nom/o custom, law nomotopic nomenname nomenclature nos/o disease nosology nucle/o nucleus nucleoplasm nutri/o, nutrit/o nourish nutrition ole/o oil oleovitamin -oma tumor, mass histocytoma onc/o tumor, mass oncogenesis organ/o organ organomegaly palliat/o soothe, relieve palliative pant/o all, whole pantomorphia path/o disease pathogenic pharmac/o drugs pharmacology phyl/o race, species, type phylogenesis physi/o nature physiologist physic/o physical, natural physicochemical phyt/o, -phyte plant phytotoxin pin/o to drink pinocytosis plan/o flat, level, wandering planocellular plant/o sole of the foot plantalgia -plasm formation, growth neoplasm plex/o network (nerves plexectomy or vessels), plexus -poiesis formation cytopoiesis posit/o arrangement, place reposition prosop/o face prosopospasm prote/o protein proteolysis psamm/o sand, psammomatous sand-like material puls/o, pulsat/o to beat, beating pulsation -puncture to pierce a surface venipuncture purul/o pus formation purulent pyr/o fire, fever, heat pyrogen pyret/o fever pyretolysis -receptor, receiver thermoreceptor -ceptor resuscit/o revive resuscitation reticul/o netlike reticular sanit/a health sanitarian scirrh/o hard scirrhoma somat/o body somatotype -some body chromosome spectr/o image, spectrum spectrogram -stabile stable, fixed thermostabile -stasis standing still, hemostasis standing -stat device/instrument for hemostat keeping something stationary stere/o solid, stereoradiography three dimensional ipsi-ist -itis kary/o kel/o

succ/o ymptom/o synaps/o, synapt/o system/o systol/o techn/o tele/o temp/o, tempor/o -therapy, therapeut/o therm/o tors/o trem/o, tremul/o tri/o -tumescence, tumesc/o -type, typ/o ventil/o ventr/o vers/o, -verse vir/o viscer/o vit/o volv/o, volut/o zyg/o

juice occurrence point of contact, to join system contraction skill, art perfect, complete period of time, the temples treatment

succorrhea asymptomatic synaptogenesis

heat twisting, twisted shaking, trembling to sort out, sorting swelling

thermometer sinistrotorsion tremor triage detumescence

class, representative form to aerate, oxygenate belly, front of the body turn, turning virus internal organs life to roll union, junction

somatotype

systematic presystole technology teleomitosis tempolabile therapeutics

ventilation ventrolateral cardioversion virologist visceromegaly vital involution zygogenesis

TERMINOLOGY SETS A. DIRECTIONAL TERMS abadambiamphianaanteanter/o antiapocatacircumcontradextr/o diadisdist/o ec-, ectoen-, endoepiesoexexoextraforehyperhypoinfrainterintrajuxtalater/o levomedi/o mesoparaperperipostposter/o prepropros/o proxim/o reretrosinistr/o

away from toward, near around, on both sides, about around, on both sides up, backward, against before, forward front against away, separation down, under around against, opposite right through, throughout apart, to separate distant outside, out inside, within above, over, upon within out, away from outside, outward outside before, in front above, excessive, beyond under, deficient, below below, beneath between within near side left middle middle alongside, near, beyond, abnormal through, throughout around, surrounding after, behind behind, towards the back before, in front of before forward, anterior near back, again behind, backward left 2

subsupersupratel/e transultra-

under, beneath above, beyond above, beyond distant, end across beyond, excess

B. FIVE rrh’s -rrhagia, -rrhage -rrhaphy -rrhea -rrhexis rrhythm/o

excessive flow, profuse fluid discharge suture flow, discharge rupture rhythm

C. NUMERICAL VALUES demihemisemione monounione and a half sesquitwo bidithree trifour tetraquadrifive quinquepentpentasix hexhexasexseven heptaseptseptieight octaoctinine noniten (101) decahundred (102) hectothousand (103) kilomillion (106) megabillion (109) gigatrillion (1012) teraquadrillion (1015) petaquintillion (1018) exaone tenth (10-1) decione hundredth (10-2) centione thousandth (10-3) millione millionth (10-6) microone billionth (10-9) nanoone trillionth (10-12) picoone quadrillionth (10-15) femtoone quintillionth (10-18) attohalf

D. SURGICAL PROCEDURES -centesis -desis -ectomy -pexy -plasty -rrhaphy -sect -stomy -tomy -tripsy

surgical puncture of a cavity surgical fixation, fusion surgical removal fixation surgical correction/repair suture to cut surgical opening surgical incision to crush, break

E. DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURES aspir/o, aspirat/o -assay auscult/o, auscultat/o echoelectr/o -gram -graph -graphy -meter

removal to examine, analyze to listen reverberating sound electricity written record instrument for recording process of recording instrument for measuring

process of measuring to view to touch gently to tap x-ray, radiation instrument for visual examination visual examination instrument for cutting

-metry -opsy palp/o, palpat/o percuss/o radi/o -scope -scopy -tome

F. PATHOGENS acar/o arachn/o bacteri/o -coccus fung/i helminth/o, -helminth hirud/i, hirudin/i ixod/i myc/o parasit/o pedicul/o scolec/o verm/i vir/o

mites spider bacteria berry-shaped bacterium fungus, mushroom worm leech ticks fungus parasite louse worm worm virus

G. COLORS white green orange-yellow blue red, rosy, dawn red yellow dark brown gray, bluish green yellow white yellow black gray purple red, rosy rosy red gray (ashen) yellow

alb/o, albin/o chlor/o cirrh/o cyan/o eosin/o erythr/o flav/o fusc/o glauc/o jaund/o leuk/o lute/o melan/o poli/o purpur/i rhod/o rose/o rubr/o, rubr/i tephr/o xanth/o

FIVE SENSES A. Hearing

B. Smell

C. Touch

acous/o acoust/o audi/o audit/o -cusis

olfact/o -osmia osm/o -ophresia osphresi/o

haph/e pselaphes/o tact/o thigm/o

D. Taste

E. Vision

-geusia gustat/o gust/o

-opia -opsia opt/o

SYNONYMS abdomen abdomin/o celi/o lapar/o

air aer/o phys/o pneum/o pneumon/o

all panpant/o

bile bil/i chol/e

bladder cyst/o vesic/o

blood hem/o hemat/o sangu/i sanguin/o

body corpor/o somat/o -some

breast mamm/o mast/o

cecum cec/o typhl/o

chest pector/o steth/o thorac/o

breathe -pnea respir/o respirat/o spir/o

childbirth -para -parous -partum -tocia toc/o

cornea of the eye corne/o kerat/o

death mort/o necr/o thanat/o

different allohetero-

disease nos/o path/o

dry kraur/o xer/o

ear aur/o auricul/o ot/o

eardrum myring/o tympan/o

eye ocul/o opthalm/o opt/o

eyelid blephar/o palpebr/o

face faci/o op/o prosop/o

fat adip/o lip/o steat/o pimel/o

feces corp/o scat/o sterc/o

fever febr/i pyr/o pyret/o

first arch/i arch/e -arche primiprot/o

foot ped/o pod/o

hair pil/o trich/o

half demihemisemi-

hearing acous/o acoust/o audi/o audit/o -cusis

heart cardi/o coron/o

heat calor/i therm/o

huge gigant/o megameglo-

itching prurit/o psor/o

kidney nephr/o ren/o

lens of the eye phac/o phak/o

life biobi/o vit/o viv/i

lip cheil/o chil/o labi/o

ligament desm/o ligament/o syndesm/o

little, small -ole -ule

lung pneum/o pneumon/o pulmon/o

milk galact/o lact/o

mind ment/o -noia phren/o psych/o

mouth or/o stomat/o

mucus blenn/o muc/o myx/o

muscle muscul/o my/o myos/o

nail onych/o ungu/o

night noct/i nyct/o

nose nas/o rhin/o

nucleus kary/o nucle/o

oil ele/o ole/o

ovary oophor/o ovari/o

pain -algia dolor/o -dynia

palate palat/o uran/o

pregnancy pupil -cyesis cor/o gravid/o pupill/o

rectum proct/o rect/o

saliva ptyal/o sial/o

same homeohomoipsitauto-

skin cutane/o derm/o dermat/o

sound son/o phon/o

specialist -ician -ist -logist

stone lith/o petr/o

straight ithyorth/o

strength dynam/o -sthenia sthen/o

sugar gluc/o glyc/o sacchar/o

sweat hidr/o sud/o

swelling -edema -tumescence tumesc/o

tear dacry/o lacrim/o

thick pachypycn/o pykn/o

time chron/o temp/o tempor/o

tongue gloss/o lingu/o

tooth dent/i odont/o

tumor/mass onc/o -oma

uterus hyster/o metr/o uter/o

vagina colp/o vagin/o

vein phleb/o ven/o

vertebral/spinal column rachi/o spin/o spondyl/o

vulva episi/o vulv/o

water aque/o hydr/o 3

vessel angi/o vas/o

GLOSSARY A a-, anababdomin/o ablat/o abrad/o, abras/o acanth/o acar/o acid/o acous/o acoust/o acr/o actin/o acuacu/o, acut/o adaden/o adenoid/o adip/o adren/o aer/o agglutin/o agit/o -agogue -agra alb/o, albin/o albumin/o -algesia, alges/o -algia alloalveol/o ambiambly/o ambul/o ammon/o amni/o amphiamyl/o an/o anaandr/o aneurysm/o angi/o anis/o ankyl/o anomal/o anteanter/o anthrac/o anthrop/o antiantr/o aort/o -apheresis aphth/o apic/o apoaque/o arachn/o arch/i, arch/e, -arche arsenic/o arteri/o arteriol/o arthr/o articul/o aspir/o, aspirat/o -assay -asthenia, asthen/o astr/o atel/o ather/o atmo-atresia atretoatri/o attoaudi/o, audit/o aur/o, auricul/o auscult/o, auscultat/o autoaux/o axi/o axill/o azot/o

without, not away from abdomen to remove, take away to scrape off thorny, spiny mites acid, sour, bitter hearing hearing, sound extremities ray, radiation needle sharp, severe toward, near gland adenoids fat adrenal glands air, gas clumping rapidity, restlessness producer, leader severe pain white albumin pain sensitivity pain other, different alveolus around, on both sides, about dim, dull to walk ammonium amnion around, on both sides starch anus up, backward, against male aneurysm vessel unequal stiff, crooked, bent irregular before, forward front coal, carbon, carbuncle man, human being against antrum aorta separation, removal ulcer apex away, separation water spider first arsenic artery arteriole joint joint inhaling, removal to examine, analyze weakness star, star shaped incomplete, imperfect fatty substance, plaque steam, vapor closure, occlusion closed, lacking an opening atrium one quintillionth (10-18) hearing ear to listen self growth, acceleration axis armpit nitrogen, urea

B bacteria glans penis bath weight, pressure heavy, dull, hard base, foundation walking deep, depth two books bile life, living early embryonic stage, immature blenn/o mucus blephar/o eyelid brachi/o arm brachyshort bradyslow brom/o bromine containing compound, odor bronch/o bronchus bronchiol/o bronchiole bucc/o cheek -bulia, -boulia will burs/o bursa bacteri/o balan/o balne/o bar/o barybas/o, basi/o -basia bathy-, bathobibibli/o bil/i bio-, bi/o blast/o, -blast

C cac/o bad, ill calcane/o heel calci/o calcium -calculia, to compute calcul/o cali/o calyx calor/i heat campt/o bent -capnia, capn/o carbon dioxide capsul/o, caps/o capsule, container carb/o carbon carcin/o cancer cardi/o heart cari/o caries carp/o wrist catadown, under -cataphasia affirmation cathar/o, cleansing, purging cathart/o -cathisia, sitting -kathisia caud/o tail caus/o, cauter/o burn, burning cavit/o, cav/o hollow, cavity cec/o cecum -cele hernia, swelling celi/o abdomen -centesis surgical puncture of a cavity centione hundredth ( 10-2) centr/o center cephal/o head cerebell/o cerebellum cerebr/o cerebrum, brain cervic/o neck, cervix -chalasia relaxation cheil/o, chil/o lip chem/o chemical, chemistry -chezia, -chesia defecation chir/o, cheir/o hand chlor/o green chol/e gall, bile choledoch/o common bile duct chondr/o cartilage chori/o chorion -chroia skin coloration chrom/o color chron/o time, timing chrys/o gold chyl/o chyle -cide killing, agent which kills cinemovement circumaround cirrh/o orange-yellow -clasis, -clasia break cleid/o clavicle clin/o to slope, bend -clysis irrigation, washing coagul/o coagulation, clotting

-coccus coccyg/o cochle/o -coimesis col/o colp/o com-, con-coma coni/o conjunctiv/o consci/o constrict/o contracontus/o cor/o corne/o coron/o corpor/o cortic/o cost/o cox/o crani/o -crasia cric/o crin/o -crit critic/o cry/o crypt/o crystall/o cubit/o culd/o cune/o cupr/o -cusis cutane/o cyan/o cycl/o -cyesis cyst/o cyt/o, -cyte

embol/o embry/o -emesis -emia emmetr/o

berry-shaped bacterium coccyx cochlea sleeping colon vagina with, together deep sleep dust conjunctiva awareness, aware narrowing, binding against, opposite to bruise pupil cornea heart body cortex rib hip skull mixture (good or bad), temperament ring secrete, separate separate crisis, dangerous cold hidden, concealed crystal, transparent elbow, forearm cul-de-sac wedge, wedge-shaped copper hearing skin blue ciliary body, circular pregnancy bladder, cyst cell

-emphraxis en-, endoenanti/o encephal/o enter/o eosin/o epiepididym/o epiglott/o episi/o equierethism/o erg/o erythem/o erythr/o eschar/o esoesophag/o esthesi/o, -esthesia eti/o eueuryexexaexcit/o exoextra-

tear digit (finger or toe) ten (101) one tenth (10-1) half people tooth skin to dry surgical fixation, fusion ligament second, secondary right two through, throughout a twin, testis conjoined twin enlarge,expand double thirst apart, to separate distant long pain back running to lead duodenum power, strength pain bad, difficult, painful

E ec-, ectoechin/o echoeco-ectasis, -ectasia -ectomy ectr/o -edema ele/o electr/o

gluc/o glyc/o gnath/o gnos/o gon/o gonad/o goni/o -grade -gram granul/o -graph graph/o -graphy gravid/o -gravida gustat/o, gust/o gynec/o gyr/o

glucose, sugar glucose, sugar jaw knowledge genitals, semen gonads angle step written record granules instrument for recording writing process of recording pregnancy pregnant woman taste woman, female circle, spiral

H

haph/e touch hapl/o simple, single hect/o hundred (102) helc/o ulcer heli/o sun helminth/o, worm -helminth cause hemihalf good, normal, well hem/o, hemat/o blood wide, broad hepat/o liver out, away from heredoheredity quintillion (1018) heterodifferent, other to arouse hex-, hexasix outside, outward -hexia condition outside heptaseven hidr/o sweat F hirsut/o hairy faci/o face hirud/i, hirudin/i leech -facient to cause, make happen hist/o tissue fasci/o fascia holoentire, complete febr/i fever homeolikeness, constant, femor/o femur sameness -15 femtoone quadrillionth (10 ) homosame, similar ferr/i, ferr/o iron hormon/o hormone fet/o fetus humer/o humerus fibr/o fiber, fibrous hyal/o resembling glass, glassy fibul/o fibula hydr/o water, hydrogen fil/o, fil/i, thread, threadlike hygr/o moisture filament/o hymen/o hymen flav/o yellow hyperabove, excessive, beyond flex/o, flect/o bend hypn/o sleep flu/o, flux/o to flow hypounder, deficient, below fluor/o fluorine hypothalam/o hypothalamus follicul/o small sac, follicle hypsihigh forebefore, in front hyster/o uterus -form specified shape, form frig/o, frigid/o cold I funct/o performance iatr/o treatment, physician fung/i fungus, mushroom ichthy/o fish fusc/o dark brown -ician specialist icter/o jaundice G ide/o idea, mental images galact/o milk idi/o individual, distinct, galvanodirect electric current unknown gamet/o gamete ileum gam/o marriage, sexual union ile/o ili/o ilium gangli/o, ganglion immun/o protection, immune ganglion/o infrabelow, beneath gastr/o stomach inguin/o groin ge/o earth, soil interbetween gel/o to freeze, congeal intrawithin gemell/o twins iod/o iodine -gen, gen/o producing, generating ion/o ion -genesis production, formation ipsisame -genic produced by, forming ir/o, irid/o iris geni/o chin isch/o suppress, restrain genit/o reproduction ischi/o ischium ger/o, geront/o aged, old age is/o equal gest/o, gestat/o to bear -ist specialist -geusia taste ithyerect, straight gigabillion (109) gigant/o huge -itis inflammation gingiv/o gums ixod/i ticks glauc/o gray, bluish green gli/o glue, neuroglia J -globin protein jaund/o yellow glomerul/o glomerulus jejun/o jejunum gloss/o tongue juxtanear

D dacry/o dactyl/o decadecidemidem/o dent/i derm/o, dermat/o desicc/o -desis desm/o deuter/o dextr/o didiadidym/o -didymus dilat/o dipl/o dips/o disdist/o dolich/o dolor/o dors/o drom/o, -drome duct/o duoden/o dynam/o -dynia dys-

embolus embryo vomiting blood condition the correct measure, proportioned stoppage, obstruction inside, within opposite, opposed brain intestines (small intestines) red, rosy, dawn above, over, upon epididymis epiglottis vulva equality, equal irritation work flushed, redness red scab within esophagus sensation, feeling

outside, out spiny, prickly reverberating sound environment dilation, expansion surgical removal congenital absence swelling oil electricity 4

K kal/i potassium kary/o nucleus kel/o tumor, fibrous growth ken/o empty kerat/o horny tissue, cornea keraun/o lightning keton/o ketones kilothousand (103) kinesi/o, movement -kinesia, -kinetic klept/o theft, stealing koil/o hollow, concave, depressed kraur/o dry kym/o waves kyph/o humpback

L -labile lacrim/o lact/o lal/o, -lalia lamin/o lampr/o lapar/o laryng/o later/o laxat/o lecith/o -legia lei/o -lemma lepid/o lepr/o -lepsy lept/o letharg/o leuk/o levo-lexia lien/o ligament/o ligat/o lim/o lingu/o lip/o -lipsis -listhesis lith/o lob/o logad/o log/o, -log, -logue -logist -logy loph/o lord/o lox/o -lucent luc/i lucid/o lumb/o lumin/o lute/o luxat/o ly/o lymph/o -lysis

unstable, perishable tear, lacrimal duct milk speech, babble lamina clear abdomen, abdominal wall larynx side to slacken, relax, loosen yolk, ovum reading smooth confining membrane flakes, scales leprosy seizure slender, thin, delicate drowsiness white left speech, word spleen ligament binding, tying hunger tongue fat omit, fail slipping stone, calculus lobe whites of the eyes word, speech, thought specialist study of ridge curvature, bending oblique, slanting light-admitting light clear loin light yellow dislocate dissolve, loosen lymph dissolution, breakdown

M softening breast madness, obsessive preoccupation -masesis mastication, chewing mast/o breast maxill/o maxilla medi/o middle mediastin/o mediastinum medic/o heal, healing medull/o medulla, marrow megamillion (106) mega-, megalo- large -megaly enlargement mel/o limbs, limb -malacia mamm/o -mania

melan/o meli-, melitmen/o mening/o ment/o mer/o mesometametall/o -meter method/o metr/o -metry micromi/o milli-mimesis mis/o -mnesia mogimonomorph/o mort/o -motor muc/o multimuscul/o mutilat/o my/o, myos/o myc/o myel/o myring/o myx/o

black honey, sugar menses, menstruation meninges, membranes mind part middle after, beyond, change metal instrument for measuring procedure, technique uterus process of measuring one millionth (10-6), small less, smaller one thousandth (10-3) imitation, simulation hatred of, aversion memory difficult one shape, form death movement, motion mucus many, much muscle to maim, disfigure muscle fungus bone marrow, spinal cord eardrum mucus

orch/o, orchi/o, orchid/o -orexia organ/o ornith/o orth/o osche/o oscill/o -osis osm/o, -osmia osphresi/o, -osphresia oste/o ot/o ov/o, ov/i ovari/o ox/o, -oxia oxy-

appetite organ bird straight, normal, correct scrotum to swing condition, status, abnormal increase sense of smell, odor, impulse sense of smell, odor bone ear egg, ovum ovary oxygen sharp, quick, sour

phot/o phren/o phyc/o phyl/o -phylaxis phyll/o -phyma physic/o physi/o phys/o -physis phyt/o, -phyte picopicr/o piez/o, pies/i, -piesis pil/o pimel/o pin/o pineal/o pituitar/o plagi/o plan/o plant/o -plasm plasm/o

light mind, diaphragm seaweed, algae race, species, type protection leaf, leaf-like tumor, growth physical, natural nature air, gas growth, growing plant one trillionth (10-12) bitter pressure

hair fat, fatty to drink pineal gland pituitary gland slanting, oblique P flat, level, wandering pachythick sole of the foot -pagus conjoined twins formation, growth palat/o palate plasma, formative pale/o old palin-, palirecurrence, repetition substance palliat/o soothe, relieve -plasty surgical correction/repair palp/o, palpat/o to touch gently platybroad, flat palpebr/o eyelid ple/o more palpit/o, palpitat/o flutter, throbbing -plegia paralysis panall plesi/o nearness, similarity pancreat/o pancreas pless/i striking pant/o all, whole pleur/o pleura papill/o nipple-like, papilla plex/o network (nerves or papul/o papule, pimple vessels), plexus paraalongside, near, beyond, plic/o, plicat/o to fold, pleat abnormal -ploid, -ploidy number of chromosome -para, -parous to bear, bring forth sets parasit/o parasite plurimore, several parathyroid/o parathyroid -pnea breathe -paresis partial paralysis pneum/o lung, air -partum childbirth, labor pneumon/o lung, air patell/o patella pod/o foot path/o disease -poiesis formation -pause cessation poikil/o variation, irregular pector/o chest poli/o gray (matter) ped/o foot, child polymany, much pedicul/o louse pon/o fatigue, overwork, pain pel/o mud -pore, por/o opening, passageway pelv/i pelvis -porosis porous, decrease in -penia deficiency density pent-, penta- five -posia drinking -pepsia digestion posit/o arrangement, place perthrough, throughout postafter, behind percuss/o to tap poster/o behind, towards the back periaround, surrounding potenti/o power, strength perine/o perineum -prandial meal peritone/o peritoneum -praxia action, activity per/o deformed, maimed prebefore, in front of perone/o fibula presbyaging, elderly perspir/o breathe through primifirst pest/i plague, pests -privia loss, deprivation petaquadrillion (1015) before -petal moving toward, seeking proproct/o rectum, anus petr/o stone, petrous region pros/o forward, anterior of temporal bone prosop/o face -pexy fixation prostat/o prostate gland phac/o lens prote/o protein phag/o, -phagia eating, ingestion prot/o first phak/o lens proxim/o near phalang/o phalanges prurit/o itching phall/o penis psamm/o sand, sand-like material phaner/o visible, apparent pselaphes/o touch pharmac/o drugs pseudofalse phas/o, -phasia speech psor/o itching phe/o dusky psych/o mind phen/o appearance psychr/o cold -pheresis removal -phil, -philia affinity for, tendency -pterygium abnormality of the towards conjunctiva phim/o muzzle pteryg/o wing-shaped phleb/o vein -ptosis prolapse, drooping -phobia, phob/o fear, aversion ptyal/o saliva phon/o, -phonia voice, sound -ptysis spitting -phore, phor/o bearer, processor pub/o pubis -phoresis bearing, transmission pulmon/o lung phosphat/o phosphate puls/o, pulsat/o to beat, beating

N one billionth (10-9) numbness, stupor nose birth sodium death new kidney nerve neutral mole, birthmark to cause harm, injury or pain noct/i night nod/o knot -noia mind, will nom/o custom, law nomenname noninine norm/o normal, usual nos/o disease not/o the back nucle/o nucleus nullinone nutri/o, nutrit/o nourish nyct/o night nanonarc/o nas/o nat/o natr/o necr/o neonephr/o neur/o neutr/o nev/o noci-

O obstetr/o octa-, octiocul/o odont/o -oid -ole ole/o olfact/o olig/o -oma om/o omphal/o onc/o onych/o o/o oophor/o ophry/o ophthalm/o -opia, -opsia opisth/o op/o -opsy opt/o or/o

testis

midwife eight eye tooth resembling little, small oil smell scanty, few, little tumor, mass shoulder navel tumor, mass nail egg, ovum ovary eyebrow eye vision backward, behind juice, face to view eye, vision mouth 5

-puncture pupill/o purgat/o purpur/i purul/o py/o pyel/o pyg/o pykn/o, pycn/o pyl/e pylor/o pyret/o pyrex/o pyr/o

to pierce a surface pupil cleansing purple pus formation pus renal pelvis buttocks thick, dense portal vein pylorus fever feverishness, fever heat, fire, fever

Q quadriquinquequint/i

four five fifth

R rachi/o radi/o radicul/o ram/i re-receptor, -ceptor rect/o reflex/o, reflect/o registrat/o relaps/o ren/o respir/o, respirat/o resuscit/o reticul/o retin/o retract/o retrorhabd/o rhabdomy/o rhe/o rhin/o rhiz/o rhod/o rhytid/o rose/o rot/o, rotat/o -rrhagia, -rrhage -rrhaphy -rrhea -rrhexis rrhythm/o -rubr/o, rubr/i

spine x-ray, radiation nerve root branch back, again receiver rectum to bend back recording to slide back kidney breathe, breathing revive netlike retina drawing back behind, backward rod striated/skeletal muscle flow, current, stream nose root red, rosy wrinkle rosy turn, revolve excessive flow,profuse fluid discharge suture flow, discharge rupture rhythm red

S sacchar/o sacr/o salping/o sangu/i, sanguin/o sanit/a sap/o sapr/o sarc/o saur/o scaph/o scapul/o scat/o scel/o, -scelia schist/o, -schisis schiz/o scint/i scirrh/o scler/o -sclerosis scolec/o scoli/o -scope -scopy scot/o scrib/o, script/o seb/o

sugar sacrum fallopian tube blood health soap rotten, decay flesh lizard a scapha, boat-shaped scapula feces leg split, cleft split, division spark hard sclera hardening worm crooked, twisted instrument for visual examination visual examination darkness to write sebum

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-sect secund/i sedat/o semisemin/i senil/o sens/o, sensat/o sensor/i -sepsis, septic/o sept-, septisept/o ser/o sesquisexsial/o sicc/o sider/o sigmoid/o silic/o sinistr/o sinus/o, sin/o sit/o skelet/o soci/o sodi/o solut/o somat/o -some somn/i, -somnia son/o span/o -spasm, spasm/o spectr/o sperm/o, spermat/o sphen/o spher/o sphygm/o -sphyxia spin/o spir/o splanchn/o splen/o spondyl/o spongi/o spor/o squam/o -stabile -stalsis staped/o staphyl/o -stasis -stat steat/o -stenosis, sten/o stere/o steril/o stern/o steth/o sthen/o, -sthenia stich/o, -stichia stigmat/o stomat/o -stomy strat/i strept/o strict/o -stroma stroph/o subsucc/o suct/o sud/o sulc/o supersupra-

to cut second to calm half semen old, old age feeling, perception sensory putrefaction, putrifying seven partition serum, serous one and a half six saliva to dry iron sigmoid colon silica, quartz left cavity, sinus food skeleton social, society compound containing sodium dissolved body body sleep sound scanty, scarce involuntary contraction image, spectrum spermatozoa

suspend/o, suspens/o sym-, synsymptom/o synaps/o, synapt/o syndesm/o synov/o syphil/o syring/o system/o systol/o syzygi/o

to hang up, suspend with, together occurrence point of contact, to join ligament, connective tissue synovia, synovial membrane syphilis tube, fistula system contraction bound together, conjunction

T fast touch talus grave low tarsus, edge of eyelid identical, same arrangement, coordination techn/o skill, art tect/o rooflike tegment/o covering tel/e end, distant tel/o end tele/o perfect, complete temp/o, tempor/o period of time, the temples ten/o tendon tenont/o tendon -tension, tens/o stretched, strained tephr/o gray (ashen) teratrillion (1012) terat/o monster termin/o boundary, limit tertithird test/o, testicul/o testis tetan/o tetanus tetrafour thalam/o thalamus thanat/o death thec/o sheath thel/o nipple theor/o speculation -therapy, therapeut/o treatment theri/o animals therm/o heat thigm/o touch thiopresence of sulfur thorac/o chest thromb/o clot, thrombus -thymia mind, emotions thym/o thymus gland thyr/o thyroid gland tibi/o tibia toc/o, -tocia childbirth, labor -tome instrument for cutting tom/o a cutting (section/layer) -tomy surgical incision ton/o tone, tension tonsill/o tonsils top/o particular place or area torpid/o sluggish, inactive tors/o twisting, twisted tox/o, toxic/o poison trachel/o neck trache/o trachea trachyrough transacross traumat/o trauma, injury, wound trem/o, tremul/o shaking, trembling -tresia opening, perforation trithree tri/o to sort out, sorting trich/o hair -tripsy to crush, break -trophy, troph/o nourishment, growth -tropia to turn tachytact/o tal/o taph/o tapin/o tars/o tauto-taxia, tax/o

wedge, sphenoid bone round, sphere pulse pulse spinal cord, spine breathe viscera spleen vertebrae, spinal column spongelike, spongy spore, seed squamous, scales stable, fixed contraction stapes uvula, grape like clusters standing still, standing device/instrument for keeping something stationary fat narrowed, constricted solid, three dimensional barren sternum chest strength rows mark, point mouth surgical opening layer twisted, curved to tighten, bind supporting tissue of an organ twisted under, beneath juice to suck sweat furrow, groove above, beyond above, beyond

NOTE TO STUDENT This QuickStudy ® reference guide is a comprehensive list of medical terminology. Use it to your advantage in class, during homework and as a memory refresher while preparing for exams. Reinforce your knowledge of medical terminology with this convenient guide. This is a powerful study tool that can be quickly and repeatedly referred to during and well beyond your college years. 6

tubercul/o tub/o -tumescence, tumesc/o turbid/i turg/o, turgid/o tympan/o -type, typ/o typhl/o typh/o tyr/o

tubercle, tuberculosis tube swelling cloudy, confused to swell, swollen eardrum (tympanic membrane) class, representa -tive form cecum, blindness typhus, typhoid cheese, caseous

U -ule ul/o ultraunungu/o uniuran/o -uresis ureter/o urethr/o -uria uric/o urin/o ur/o uter/o uve/o uvul/o

little, small scar, scarring beyond, excess not, reversal nail one palate urination ureter urethra urine condition uric acid urine urine uterus uvea uvula

V vaccin/o vag/o vagin/o valv/o, valvul/o varic/o vari/o, variat/o vas/o vascul/o ven/o venere/o ventil/o ventr/o ventricul/o venul/o verm/i verruc/i vers/o, -verse vertebr/o vesic/o vesicul/o vestibul/o vibr/o, vibrat/o viril/o vir/o viscer/o viscid/o, viscos/o vitell/o vit/o, vital/o vitre/o viv/i -volemia volv/o, volut/o vulv/o

vaccine vagus nerve vagina valve varicose veins change, vary vessel, vas deferens blood vessel vein sexual intercourse to aerate, oxygenate belly, front of the body ventricle of the heart or brain venule worm wart turn, turning vertebra urinary bladder seminal vesicle, a vesicle vestibule to quiver, shake masculine, manly virus internal organs sticky, glutinous yolk life glassy, vitreous body life, alive blood volume to roll vulva

X xanth/o xen/o xer/o xiph/o

yellow strange, foreign matter dry sword-shaped, xiphoid

Z zon/i, zon/o zo/o zyg/o zym/o

CREDITS Author: Dr. Corinne B. Linton

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zone, encircling region animal union, junction enzyme, ferment