Medical Terminology skeleton

To learn any course, we need to learn its language. The language consists of vocabularies. Medical and Nursing studies also demands the same efforts from its learner . There are certain prefixes, root words and suffixes which makes the language of medical. We came to know by experience that the freshers or first year Medical or nursing students face most of the difficulties because they don’t know the meaning of the words which lecturer or books are using. If they know the technique to interpret the meaning; they will never bet tensed again . Here, we are giving a list of essential medical Terminology –Skeleton. Yeah these are not the words, but they are the base upon which those all odd sounding words are made upon. Hope you will be benefited .

What are the Basic Elements of Medical Terminology ?

Medical terms may have 4 word parts: 1. Root 2. Prefix 3. Suffix 4. Combining form .

Word Roots (WR)  Usually derived form Greek or Latin  ,Frequently indicates a body part . Most medical terms have one or more word roots that gives basic meaning of term . In medical terminology roots usually indicate a body part: cardi/o, dent/o, pulmon/o, enter/o, etc.

The prefix is  a word part added before a root to modify its meaning . Many medical terms do not have a prefix .Prefixes usually indicates a number, time, position, direction, or color. Example:pretest

Prefix examples:  Numeric prefixes-  uni- (uni/lateral), bi- (bi/lateral), tri- (tri/),

Time prefixes : re- (pre/test), post- (post/test).

Positional prefixes : sub- (sub/costal), trans- (trans/atlantic), hypo- (hypo/dermic) ,

Negation prefixes ,a- (a/moral) , an- (an/aerobic) .

The suffix is  a word part added to end of root to modify its meaning . Most medical terms have a suffix Word Ending . Suffix usually indicates a procedure, condition, or disease Example: -cardio(root)centesis(suffix)

In medical terminology, a suffix often times indicates:

a procedure ( -ectomy = surgical removal of) / append/ectomy / dermat/osis / tonsill/itis  a condition,

( -osis = abnormal condition of)  a disease,

( -itis = inflammation of)

Combining Forms Examples :

Cardi/ + o = cardi/o heart,

gastr/ + o = gastr/o stomach ,

hepat/ + o = hepat/o liver ,

nephr/ + o = nephr/o kidney ,

oste/ + o = oste/o bone

A list is given below.The term which ends with hyphen (-) is a prefix, the term which have no hyphen is a root word, The term which start with hyphen (-) is a suffix .

Term	Definition
a-	no, not, without
ab-	away from
-ac	pertaining to
acr/o	extremities, top
ad-	toward, increase
aden/o	gland
adenoid/o	adenoids
adip/o	fat
adren/o	adrenal glands
albin/o	white, deficient pigmentation
-algia	pain
aliment/o	nutrition
allo-	other
alveol/o	alveolus
ambly/o	dull, dim
ambul/o	walking
amni/o	amnion, sac around embryo
-an	pertaining to
an/o	anus, ring
ana-	up, apart, again
angi/o	blood or lymph vessel
ankyl/o	bent, stiff
ante-	forward, before
anter/o	front
anti-	against
aort/o	aorta
aphth/o	ulcer
apo-	separate, away from
append/o	appendix
-ar	pertaining to
arteri/o	artery
arteriol/o	small artery
arthr/o	joint
articul/o	joint
astr/o	star
ather/o	plaque, soft fatty deposit
atri/o	atrium
audi/o	hearing
aur/o	ear
auto-	self, same
axill/o	armpit

balan/o	glans penis
bas/o	base, bottom
bi-	double, twice, two
bi/o	life
bil/i	bile, gall
blephar/o	eyelid
brady-	slow
bronch/o	bronchial tube
bronchi/o	bronchial tube
bucc/o	cheek
burs/o	bursa (fluid sac near joints)

calc/i	calcium
calc/o	calcium
calcul/o	stone
cali/o	calyx
capit/o	head
capn/o	carbon dioxide
carcin/o	cancerous
cardi/o	heart
-cardia	condition of the heart
carp/o	wrist
caud/o	tail
caus/o	burn, burning
cauter/i	burn
cec/o	cecum, first section of colon
-cele	swelling, hernia
celi/o	abdomen
cellul/o	cell
-centesis	surgical puncture
cephal/o	head
cerebell/o	cerebellum (posterior section of brain)
cerebr/o	cerebrum
cerumin/o	earwax
cervic/o	cervix
-chalasia	relaxation
cheil/o	lips
-chezia	defecation, stool
chir/o	hard
chol/e	bile, gall
cholecyst/o	gallbladder
choledoch/o	common bile duct
chondr/i, chondri/o	cartilage
chori/o	chorion (outer fetal sac)
chrom/o	color
chym/o	juice, to pour
circum-	around
cirrh/o	orange-yellow
-clasis	breaking a bone
-clast	break
claustr/o	closed space
claustro/o	closed space
clavicul/o	clavicle
coccyg/o	coccyx (tailbone)
cochle/o	cochlea (inner part of ear)
col/o	colon
colon/o	colon
colp/o	vagina
concuss/o	shaken together
condyl/o	knob
coni/o	dust
conjunctiv/o	mucous membrane that lines the inner surface of eyelids
contra-	against, opposite
contus/o	to bruise
cor/o	pupil
corne/o	cornea
coron/o	encircle, crown
corpor/o	body
cortic/o	cortex, outer section
cost/o	rib
crani/o	skull
crin/o	secrete
-crine	to secrete
crur/o	leg
cry/o	cold
crypt/o	hidden
culd/o	cul-de-sac
-cusis	hearing
cutane/o	skin
cyan/o	blue
cycl/o	recurring, round
-cyesis	pregnancy
cyst/o	urinary bladder, cyst, sac of fluid
cyt/o	cell
-cyte	cell
-cytosis	condition of cells, increase in number of cells

dacry/o	tears
dactyl/o	fingers, toes
de-	lack of, without, less, down
dent/i	teeth
derm/o	skin
dermat/o	skin
-desis	bind, fixation
dextr/o	right
dia-	complete, through
digit/o	finger, toe
dipl/o	double, two-sided
-dipsia	thrist
dist/o	distant, far
dors/o	back of body
duoden/o	duodenum
dur/o	hard, dura mater
-dynia	pain
dys-	bad, painful, abnormal

echo-	reflected sound
-ectasis	dilation, stretching
ecto-	out, outward
-ectomy	removal, excision
-edema	swelling
electro/o	electricity
-emesis	vomiting
-emia	condition of the blood
en-	in, within
encephal/o	brain
endo-	within
endocardi/o	endocardium (inner lining of the heart)
endometri/o	endometrium (mucous membrane lining the uterus)
enter/o	small intestine
eosin/o	rose-colored
epi-	above, on. following
epididym/o	epididymis (structure within the scrotum that stores sperm)
epiglott/o	epiglottis (cartilage that prevents food from entering the trachea)
episi/o	vulva
epitheli/o	epithelium
erthr/o	red
erythr/o	red
erythrocyt/o	red blood cell
eschar/o	scab
eso-	inward
esophag/o	esophagus
esthes/o	nerve sensation, feeling
-esthesia	sensation, feeling
eu-	normal, good
ex-	out, away from

faci/o	face
fasci/o	fascia (layer of fibrous tissue)
femor/o	femoral (thigh bone)
fet/o	fetus
fibr/o	fiber
fibul/o	fibula
fluor/o	fluorine, fluoride
follicul/o	follicle (small cavity)

galact/o	milk
ganglion/o	ganglion
gastr/o	stomach
-gen	producing, origin
gen/o	to become, being born, producing
-genic	producing, origin
ger/o	old age
gingiv/o	gums
gli/o	glue-like
glomerul/o	glomerulus
gloss/o	tongue
glyc/o	glucose, sugar
gnos/o	knowledge
gonad/o	sex glands
goni/o	angle
-gram	recording, metric unit of weight
granul/o	small grain
-graph	instrument that records
-graphy	process of recording
gravid/o	pregnancy
-gravida	pregnant
gynec/o	woman, female

halit/o	breath
hedon/o	pleasure
hem/o	blood
hemat/o	blood
hemi-	half
hepat/o	liver
herni/o	hernia
hiat/o	gap, opening, pause
hidr/o	sweat
hist/o	tissue
home/o	same, not changed
homo-	same
humer/o	humerus (bone of the upper arm, extending from shoulder to elbow)
hydr/o	water, fluid
hyper-	excessive, above
hypo-	deficient, under
hypophys/o	pituitary gland
hyster/o	uterus

-ia	condition, state, disease
-iasis	condition, state
iatr/o	Physicians, treatment, medicine
-ic	pertaining to
ile/o	ileum (final section of small intestine)
immun/o	immune, safe
in-	in, not
infra-	below, down,   under
inguin/o	groin
inter-	between
intra-	within
-ior	pertaining to
ipsi-	same
irid/o	iris
is/o	equal
-ism	condition, process
-ist	person who specializes
-itis	inflammation

jejun/o

jejunum (second part of the small intestines)

kal/i	potassium
kary/o	nucleus
kerat/o	cornea, horny, hard
kines/o	movement
kinesi/o	movement
klept/o	to steal
kyph/o	bent, hump

labi/o	lips, labia
labyrinth/o	inner ear
lacrim/o	tears
lact/o	milk
lamin/o	lamina (part of the vertebral arch that forms the roof of the spinal canal)
lapar/o	abdominal wall
laryng/o	larynx
later/o	side
leiomy/o	smooth (visceral) muscle
-lepsy	seizure
leuk/o	white
leukocyt/o	white blood   cell
levo-	left
lex/o	word
ligat/o	to tie, binding
lingu/o	tongue
lip/o	fat, lipid
-listhesis	slipping
lith/o	stone, calcification
-lithiasis	presence of   stones
-lithotomy	incision for stone removal
lob/o	lobe
-logy	study of
lord/o	curve, swayback
lumb/o	lower back
lumin/o	lumen (channel within a tube)
lymph/o	lymph
lymphaden/o	lymph node
lymphangi/o	lymph vessel
-lysis	loosening, separating

macro-	large
macul/o	spot
-malacia	softening
malleol/o	malleolus (The bony prominence on either side of the ankle)
mamm/o	breast
mandibul/o	mandible (lower jaw bone)
-mania	obsession with
mast/o	breast
mastoid/o	rounded protrusion of bone behind the ear
maxill/o	upper jawbone formed from the fusion of two maxillary bones
meat/o	a natural opening
medi/o	middle
-megaly	enlargement
melan/o	black, dark
men/o	menstruation, menses
mening/o	membranes
ment/o	mind
meta-	beyond, change
metacarp/o	metacarpal (five cylindrical bones extending from wrist to fingers)
metatars/o	metatarsal (five cylindrical bones that extend from heel to toes)
-meter	measurement, instrument to measure
metr/o	uterus (womb)
-metry	to measure
micro-	small
morph/o	shape, form
muscul/o	muscle
my/o	muscle
myc/o	fungus
myel/o	spinal cord, bone marrow
myocardi/o	myocardium (heart muscle)
myring/o	tympanic membrane (eardrum)

narc/o	sleep, numbness, stupor
nas/o	nose
nat/o	birth
natr/o	sodium
neo-	new
nephr/o	kidney
neur/o	nerve
neutr/o	neutral
noct/i	night
nod/o	knot
non-	not
nucle/o	nucleus
nyct/o	night

ocul/o	eye
odont/o	tooth
-oid	resembling
olecran/o	olecranon (elbow point)
olig/o	few, scanty
-oma	tumor, neoplasm
omphal/o	umbilicus (naval)
onc/o	tumor
onych/o	fingernail, toenail
oophor/o	ovary
ophthalm/o	eye
-opia	vision condition
-opsy	process of viewing
opt/o	eye, vision
or/o	mouth
orchid/o	testicles
-orexia	appetite
orth/o	straight
-osis	abnormal condition
oss/e	bone
oss/i	bone
ossicul/o	ossicle (small bone)
ost/o	bone
oste/o	bone
ot/o	ear, hearing
-ous	pertaining to
ov/o	egg, ovum
ovari/o	ovary
ox/i	oxygen
ox/o	oxygen

palat/o	palate
palpebr/o	eyelid
pan-	all
pancreat/o	pancreas
papill/o	nipple, optic disc
papul/o	papule, pimple
-para	to bear
para-	abnormal, near
parathyroid/o	parathyroid glands
-paresis	weakness, slight paralysis
pariet/o	wall
patell/o	patella (kneecap)
path/o	disease
-pathy	disease
pector/o	chest
ped/o	child, foot
pelv/i	pelvis
-penia	deficiency
-pepsia	digestion
per-	through
peri-	around, surrounding
pericardi/o	pericardium
perine/o	perineum (surface region in both males and females between the pubic symphysis and the coccyx)
peritone/o	peritoneum (serous membrane lining the abdominal cavity)
-pexy	surgical fixation
phac/o	pertaining to   lens
phag/o	eat, swallow
-phagia	eating, swallowing
phak/o	pertaining to   lens
phalang/o	phalanx (any   bone of the finger or toe)
phall/o	penis
pharyng/o	throat
phas/o	speech
-phil	attraction
phil/o	attraction
phleb/o	vein
phobia	abnormal fear
-phobia	abnormal fear
phon/o	sound, voice
phor/o	to carry
phot/o	light
phren/o	diaphragm, mind
-phylaxis	protection
pil/o	hair
pituitar/o	pituitary
-plakia	patches
plas/o	formation, development
-plasm	formation
plast/o	formation
-plasty	surgical repair
-plegia	paralysis
pleur/o	pleura, rib
plic/o	fold
-pnea	breathing
pneum/o	lung, air
pneumon/o	lung
-poiesis	production, formation
poly-	many
por/o	passage, opening, duct
post-	after, behind
poster/o	back
pre-	before, in front of
presby/o	old age
pro-	before, in front of
proct/o	anus and rectum
prostat/o	prostate
proxim/o	nearest
psych/o	mind
-ptosis	drooping, prolapse
-ptysis	splitting
pub/o	pubic, pubes
pulm/o	lung
pulmon/o	lung
pupill/o	pupil
purpur/o	purple
py/o	pus
pyel/o	renal pelvis
pylor/o	pylorus (opening between the stomach and duodenum)
pyr/o	fire, fever
pyrex/o	fever

quadri-

four

rachi/o	spinal column
radi/o	x-rays, radius
radicul/o	nerve root
re-	again, back
rect/o	rectum
ren/o	kidney
retin/o	retina
retro-	backward
rhabdomy/o	striated muscle
rheumat/o	watery flow
rhin/o	nose
rhiz/o	root
rhythm/o	rhythm
rhytid/o	wrinkle
-rrhage	bursting forth
-rrhea	discharge, flow
-rrhexis	rupture

sacr/o	sacrum (large bone at base of spine)
sagitt/o	from front to   back, arrow
salping/o	fallopian tube
sarc/o	flesh, connective tissue
-sarcoma	cancer of connective tissue
scapul/o	scapula (shoulder blade)
scler/o	white of eye,   hard
-sclerosis	abnormal hardening
scoli/o	curved, crooked
-scope	instrument used to view
-scopy	process of viewing
scot/o	darkness
scrot/o	scrotum
seb/o	sebum
semin/i	semen
sept/o	septum.
ser/o	blood serum
sial/o	saliva
sialaden/o	salivary gland
sider/o	iron
sigmold/o	sigmoid colon
sinistr/o	left
sinus/o	sinus
-sis	condition
somat/o	body
somn/o	sleep
son/o	sound
-spadia	to tear, cut
-spasm	sudden, involuntary muscle contradtion
sperm/o	sperm cells
sphenoid/o	sphenoid (compound bone at base of skull)
spin/o	spine
spir/o	to breath
splen/o	spleen
spondyl/o	vertebra, backbone
squam/o	scaly
-stalsis	contraction
staped/o	stapes (a middle ear bone)
-stasis	maintenance of level, prevent increase
steat/o	fat
-stenosis	abnormal narrowing
stere/o	three dimensional
stern/o	sternum (breastbone)
steth/o	chest
sthen/o	strength
stom/o	mouth
-stomy	new opening
sub-	under, below
supra-	above, upward
syn-	together
syndesm/o	ligament
synov/o	synovial membrane
synovi/o	synovial membrane, synovial joint

tachy-	fast
tars/o	tarsal bone (ankle)
tax/o	order, coordination
tel/o	complete, end
tempor/o	temporal bone (compound bones on side of skull)
ten/o	tendon
tendin/o	tendon
test/i	testicle
tetra-	four
thalam/o	thalamus
thel/e	nipple
-therapy	treatment
therm/o	heat, temperature
thorac/o	chest, pleural cavity
-thorax	chest, pleural cavity
thromb/o	blood clot
thym/o	thymus gland
-thymia	state of mind
thyr/o	thyroid gland
tibi/o	tibia
-tic	pertaining to
-tion	process of
toc/o	labor, birth
-tocia	condition of birth, labor
tom/o	section, slice
-tome	instrument to cut
-tomy	cutting, incision
ton/o	tension, tone
tonsill/o	tonsil
top/o	place
tox/o	poison
trache/o	trachea (windpipe)
trans-	across, through
tri-	three
trich/o	hair
trigon/o	trigone (triangular body part)
-tripsy	to crush
trop/o	turn
troph/o	nourishment, development
-trophy	nourishment, development
-tropic	turning
tympan/o	eardrum

uln/o	ulna, lower medial arm bone
-um	structure, tissue
umbilic/o	umbilicus (naval)
ungu/o	nail
uni-	one
ur/o	urine
-uresis	urination
ureter/o	ureter
urethr/o	urethra
-uria	urination
urin/o	urine, urinary system
uter/o	uterus
uve/o	uvea
uvul/o	uvula (a fleshy extension at the back of the soft palate)

vag/o	vagus nerve
vagin/o	vagina
valv/o	valve
varic/o	varices (swollen twisted veins
vas/o	vessel
ven/o	vein
ventebr/o	vertebra, backbone
ventr/o	front, belly side
ventricul/o	ventricle
venul/o	venule (small vein in lungs)
vesic/o	bladder, blister
vesicul/o	vesicle
vestibul/o	vestibule
vir/o	virus
viscer/o	body organs
vitre/o	vitreous body
vulv/o	vulva

xen/o	foreigh
xer/o	dry

zo/o	animal life