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Understanding Medical Words: A Tutorial→
Appendix A: Word Parts and What They Mean
URL of this page: https://medlineplus.gov/appendixa.html
Here is a list of word parts. They may be at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of a medical word.
- General Words
- Body Parts and Disorders
- Positions and Directions
- Numbers and Amounts
- Colors
- Physical Properties and Shapes
- Good and Bad
- Procedures, Diagnosis and Surgery
General Words
Part | Definition |
---|---|
-ac | pertaining to |
andr-, andro- | male |
auto- | self |
bio- | life |
chem-, chemo- | chemistry |
cyt-, cyto- | cell |
-blast-, -blasto, -blastic | bud, germ |
-cyte, -cytic | cell |
fibr-, fibro- | fiber |
gluco-, glycol- | glucose, sugar |
gyn-, gyno-, gynec- | female |
hetero- | other, different |
hydr-, hydro- | water |
idio- | self, one's own |
-ity | pertaining to |
karyo- | nucleus |
neo- | new |
-ous | pertaining to |
oxy- | sharp, acute, oxygen |
pan-, pant-, panto- | all or everywhere |
pharmaco- | drug, medicine |
re- | again, backward |
somat-, somatico-, somato- | body, bodily |
Body Parts and Disorders
Part | Definition |
---|---|
acous-, acouso- | hearing |
aden-, adeno- | gland |
adip-, adipo- | fat |
adren-, adreno- | gland |
angi-, angio- | blood vessel |
ateri-, aterio- | artery |
arthr-, arthro- | joint |
blephar- | eyelid |
bronch-, bronchi- | bronchus (large airway that leads from the trachea (windpipe) to a lung) |
bucc-, bucco- | cheek |
burs-, burso- | bursa (a small, fluid-filled sac that acts as a cushion between a bone and other moving parts) |
carcin-, carcino- | cancer |
cardi-, cardio- | heart |
cephal-, cephalo- | head |
chol- | bile |
chondr- | cartilage |
Coron- | heart |
cost- | rib |
crani-, cranio- | brain |
cutane | skin |
cyst-, cysti-, cysto- | bladder or sac |
dactyl-, dactylo- | digit (finger or toe) |
derm-, dermato- | skin |
duodeno- | duodenum (the first part of your small intestine, right after your stomach) |
-esthesio | sensation |
gloss-, gloss- | tongue |
gastr- | stomach |
gnath-, gnatho- | jaw |
grav- | heavy |
hem, hema-, hemat-, hemato-, hemo- | blood |
hepat-, hepatico-, hepato- | liver |
hidr-, hidro- | sweat |
hist-, histio-, histo- | tissue |
hyster-, hystero- | uterus |
ileo- | ileum (the lower part of the small intestine) |
irid-, irido- | iris |
ischi-, ischio- | ischium (the lower and back part of the hip bone) |
-ium | structure or tissue |
kerat-, kerato- | cornea (eye or skin) |
lacrim-, lacrimo- | tear (from your eyes) |
lact-, lacti-, lacto- | milk |
laryng-, laryngo- | larynx (voice box) |
lingu-, linguo- | tongue |
lip-, lipo- | fat |
lith-, litho- | stone |
lymph-, lympho- | lymph |
mamm, mast-, masto- | breast |
mening-, meningo- | meninges (the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord) |
muscul-, musclo- | muscle |
my-, myo- | muscle |
myel-, myelo- | spinal cord OR bone marrow |
myring-, myringo- | eardrum |
nephr-, nephro- | kidney |
neur-, neuri-, neuron | nerve |
oculo- | eye |
odont-, odonto- | tooth |
onych-, onycho- | fingernail, toenail |
oo- | egg, ovary |
oophor-, oophoro- | ovary |
op-, opt- | vision |
ophthalm-, ophthalmo- | eye |
orchid-, orchido-, orchio- | testis |
ossi- | bone |
osseo- | bony |
ost-, oste-, osteo- | bone |
ot-, oto- | ear |
ovari-, ovario-, ovi-, ovo- | ovary |
phalang- | phalanx (any bone in the fingers or toes) |
pharyng-, pharyngo- | pharynx, throat |
phleb-, phlebo- | vein |
phob-, phobia | fear |
phren-, phreni-, phrenico-, phreno- | diaphragm |
pleur-, pleura-, pleuro- | rib, pleura (membrane that wraps around the outside of your lungs and lines the inside of your chest cavity) |
pneum-, pneuma-, pneumat-, pneumato- | air, lung |
pod-, podo | foot |
prostat- | prostate |
psych-, psyche-, psycho- | mind |
proct-, procto- | anus, rectum |
pyel-, pyelo- | pelvis |
rachi- | spine |
rect-, recto- | rectum |
ren-, reno- | kidney |
retin- | retina (of the eye) |
rhin-, rhino- | nose |
salping-, salpingo- | tube |
sial-, sialo- | saliva, salivary gland |
sigmoid-, sigmoido- | sigmoid colon |
splanchn-, splanchni-, splanchno- | viscera (internal organ) |
sperma-, spermato-, spermo- | sperm |
spirat- | breathe |
splen-, spleno- | spleen |
spondyl-, spondylo- | vertebra |
stern- | sternum (breastbone) |
stom-, stoma-, stomat-, stomato- | mouth |
thel-, thelo- | nipples |
thorac-, thoracico-, thoraco- | chest |
thromb-, thrombo- | blood clot |
thyr-, thyro- | thyroid gland |
trache-, tracheo- | trachea (windpipe) |
tympan-, tympano- | eardrum |
ur-, uro- | urine |
uri-, uric-, urico- | uric acid |
-uria | in the urine |
vagin- | vagina |
varic-, varico- | duct, blood vessel |
vasculo- | blood vessel |
ven-, veno- | vein |
vertebr- | vertebra, spine |
vesic-, vesico- | vesicle (cyst or pouch) |
Positions and Directions
Part | Definition |
---|---|
ab-, abs- | away from |
ambi- | both sides |
ante- | before, forward |
circum- | around |
cycl- | circle, cycle |
dextr-, dextro- | right side |
de- | away from, ending |
dia- | across, through |
ect-, ecto-, exo- | outer; outside |
en- | inside |
end-, endo-, ent- enter-, entero-, | within; inner |
epi- | Upon, outside of |
ex-, extra- | beyond |
infra- | beneath; below |
inter- | between |
intra- | within |
meso- | middle |
meta- | beyond, change |
para- | alongside, abnormal |
per- | through |
peri- | around |
post- | behind, after |
pre- | before, in front |
retro- | backward, behind |
sinistr-, sinistro- | left, left side |
sub- | under |
super- | above |
supra- | above, upon |
sy-. syl-, sym-, syn-, sys- | together |
trans- | across, through |
Numbers and Amounts
Part | Definition |
---|---|
bi- | two |
brady- | slow |
diplo- | double |
hemi- | half |
homo- | same |
hyper- | above, beyond, excessive |
hypo- | under, deficient |
iso- | equal, like |
macro- | large, long, big |
meg-, mega-, megal-, megalo- | great, large |
-megaly | enlargement |
mic-, micro- | small |
mon-, mono- | one |
multi- | many |
olig-, oligo- | few, little |
poly- | many, excessive |
quadri- | four |
semi- | half |
tachy- | fast |
tetra- | four |
tri- | three |
uni- | one |
Color
Part | Definition |
---|---|
chlor-, chloro- | green |
chrom-, chromato- | color |
Cyano- | blue |
erythr-, erythro- | red |
leuk-, leuko- | white |
melan-, melano- | black |
xanth-, xantho- | yellow |
Physical Properties and Shapes
Part | Definition |
---|---|
-cele | bulge |
elect- | electrical activity |
kin-, kine-, kinesi-, kinesio-, kino- | movement |
kyph-, kypho- | humped |
morph-, morpho- | shape |
rhabd-, rhabdo- | rod-shaped, striated |
scoli-, scolio- | twisted |
cry-, cryo- | cold |
phon-, phono- | sound |
phos- | light |
phot-, photo- | light |
reticul-, reticulo- | net |
therm-, thermo- | heat |
tono- | tone, tension, pressure |
Good and Bad
Part | Definition |
---|---|
-alge-, -algesi | pain |
a-, an- | without; lacking |
anti- | against |
contra- | against |
dis- | separation, taking apart |
-dynia | pain, swelling |
dys- | difficult, abnormal |
-eal, -ial | pertaining to |
-ectasis | expansion or dilation |
-emesis | vomiting |
-emia | blood condition |
-esis | state or condition |
eu- | good, well |
-ia | condition |
-iasis | condition, formation of |
-ism | condition |
-ites, -itis | inflammation |
-lysis, -lytic, lyso-, lys- | break down, destruction, dissolving |
mal- | bad, abnormal |
-malacia | softening |
-mania | morbid impulse towards an object/thing |
myc-, myco- | fungus |
myx-, myxo- | mucus |
necr-, necro- | death |
normo- | normal |
-odyn | pain |
-oma | tumor |
-oid | resembling |
orth-, ortho- | straight, normal, correct |
-osis | condition, usually abnormal |
-pathy, patho-, path- | disease |
-penia | deficiency, lack of |
-phagia, phagy | eating, swallowing |
-phasia | speech |
-plasia, -plastic | growth |
-plegia | paralysis |
-pnea | breathing |
-poiesis | production |
-praxia | movement |
pro- | favoring, supporting |
pseudo- | false |
pro- | favoring, supporting |
-ptosis | falling, drooping |
pyo- | pus |
pyro- | fever |
onco- | tumor, bulk, volume |
-rrhage, -rrhagic | bleeding |
-rrhea | flow or discharge |
sarco- | muscular, fleshlike |
schisto- | split, cleft, division |
schiz-, schizo | split, cleft |
sclera-, sclero- | hardness |
-sclerosis | hardening |
-sis | condition |
-spasm | muscle condition |
spasmo- | spasm |
-stasis | level, unchanging |
sten-, steno- | narrowed, blocked |
-taxis | movement |
-trophy | growth |
Procedures, Diagnosis and Surgery
Parts | Definition |
---|---|
-centesis | surgical puncture to remove fluid |
-desis | surgical binding |
-ectomy | cut out, removal |
-gram, -graph, -graphy | recording, written |
-meter | device used for measuring |
-metry | measurement of |
-opsy | visual examination |
-ostomy | opening |
-otomy | Incision |
-pexy | surgical fixation |
-plasty | surgical reconstruction |
radio- | radiation, radius |
-rrhaphy | suture |
-scope, -scopy | examine, for examining |
-stomy | surgical opening |
-tomy | cutting; incision |
-tripsy | crushing |