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Medical Word Elements

Medical Word
Element

Meaning

A
aababdomin/o
abort/o
-ac
acous/o
acr/o
acromi/o
-acusis
-ad
adaden/o
adenoid/o
adip/o
adren/o
adrenal/o
aer/o
afagglutin/o
agora-al
albin/o
albumin/o
-algesia
-algia
alloalveol/o
ambly/o
amni/o
anan/o
anaandr/o
aneurysm/o
angi/o
anisoankyl/o
ante522

without, not
from, away from
abdomen
to miscarry
pertaining to, relating to
hearing
extremity
acromion (projection of
scapula)
hearing
toward
toward
gland
adenoids
fat
adrenal glands
adrenal glands
air
toward
clumping, gluing
marketplace
pertaining to,
relating to
white
albumin (protein)
pain
pain
other, differing from the
normal
alveolus (plural, alveoli)
dull, dim
amnion (amniotic sac)
without, not
anus
against; up; back
male
a widening, a widened blood
vessel
vessel (usually blood or
lymph)
unequal, dissimilar
stiffness; bent, crooked
before, in front of

Medical Word
Element

Meaning

anter/o
anthrac/o
antiaort/o
append/o
appendic/o
aque/o
-ar
-arche
arteri/o
arteriol/o
arthr/o
-ary
asbest/o
-asthenia
astr/o
-ate
atel/o
ather/o
-ation
atri/o
audi/o
audit/o
aur/o
auricul/o
autoax/o
azot/o

anterior, front
black, coal
against
aorta
appendix
appendix
water
pertaining to, relating to
beginning
artery
arteriole
joint
pertaining to, relating to
asbestos
weakness, debility
star
having the form of, possessing
incomplete; imperfect
fatty plaque
process (of)
atrium
hearing
hearing
ear
ear
self, own
axis, axon
nitrogenous compounds

B
bacteri/o
balan/o
bas/o
bibi/o
-blast
blast/o
blephar/o
brachi/o
bradybronch/o
bronchi/o

bacteria
glans penis
base (alkaline, opposite
of acid)
two
life
embryonic cell
embryonic cell
eyelid
arm
slow
bronchus (plural, bronchi)
bronchus (plural, bronchi)

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Glossary of Medical Word Elements

Medical Word
Element

Meaning

bronchiol/o
bucc/o

bronchiole
cheek

C
calc/o
calcane/o
-capnia
carcin/o
cardi/o
-cardia
carp/o
catacaud/o
cauter/o
-cele
-centesis
cephal/o
-ception
cerebell/o
cerebr/o
cervic/o
chalic/o
cheil/o
chem/o
chlor/o
chol/e
cholangi/o
cholecyst/o
choledoch/o
chondr/o
chori/o
choroid/o
chrom/o
chromat/o
-cide
cinecinemat/o
circumcirrh/o
-cision
-clasia
-clasis

calcium
calcaneum (heel bone)
carbon dioxide (CO2)
cancer
heart
heart condition
carpus (wrist bones)
down
tail
heat, burn
hernia, swelling
surgical puncture
head
conceiving
cerebellum
cerebrum
neck; cervix uteri (neck of
uterus)
limestone
lip
chemical; drug
green
bile, gall
bile vessel
gallbladder
bile duct
cartilage
chorion
choroid
color
color
killing
movement
things that move
around
yellow
a cutting
to break; surgical fracture
to break; surgical fracture

Medical Word
Element
-clast
clavicul/o
-cleisis
clon/o
-clysis
coccyg/o
cochle/o
col/o
colon/o
colp/o
condyl/o
coni/o
conjunctiv/o
-continence
contracore/o
corne/o
cor/o
corp/o
corpor/o
cortic/o
cost/o
crani/o
crin/o
-crine
cruci/o
cry/o
crypt/o
culd/o
-cusia
-cusis
cutane/o
cyan/o
cycl/o
-cyesis
cyst/o
cyt/o
-cyte

Meaning
to break; surgical fracture
clavicle (collar bone)
closure
clonus (turmoil)
irrigation, washing
coccyx (tailbone)
cochlea
colon
colon
vagina
condyle
dust
conjunctiva
to hold back
against, opposite
pupil
cornea
pupil
body
body
cortex
ribs
cranium (skull)
secrete
secrete
cross
cold
hidden
cul-de-sac
hearing
hearing
skin
blue
ciliary body of eye; circular,
cycle
pregnancy
bladder
cell
cell

D
dacry/o
dacryocyst/o

523

tear; lacrimal apparatus

(duct, sac, or gland)
lacrimal sac

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524

Glossary of Medical Word Elements

Medical Word
Element
dactyl/o
dedendr/o
dent/o
derm/o
-derma
dermat/o
-desis
didiadipldipl/o
dips/o
-dipsia
dist/o
dors/o
duct/o
-duction
duoden/o
dur/o
-dynia
dys-

Meaning
fingers; toes
cessation
tree
teeth
skin
skin
skin
binding, fixation (of a
bone or joint)
double
through, across
double
double
thirst
thirst
far, farthest
back (of body)
to lead; carry
act of leading, bringing,
conducting
duodenum (first part of
small intestine)
dura mater; hard
pain
bad; painful; difficult

Meaning

encephal/o

brain

end-

within

endo-

in, within

enter/o

intestine (usually small

intestine)

eosin/o

dawn (rose-colored)

epi-

above, upon

epididym/o

epididymis

epiglott/o

epiglottis

episi/o

vulva

erythem/o

red

erythemat/o

red

erythr/o

red

eschar/o

scab

-esis

condition

eso-

inward

esophag/o

esophagus

esthes/o

feeling

-esthesia

feeling

eti/o

cause

eu-

good, normal

ex-

out, out from

exo-

outside, outward

extra-

outside

E
-eal
ececho-ectasis
ecto-ectomy
-edema
efelectr/o
-ema
embol/o
-emesis
-emia
emphys/o
end-

Medical Word
Element

pertaining to, relating to

out, out from
a repeated sound
dilation, expansion
outside, outward
excision, removal
swelling
away from
electricity
state of; condition
plug
vomiting
blood condition
to inflate
in, within

faci/o
fasci/o

femor/o
-ferent
fibr/o
fibul/o
fluor/o
frotteur/o

face
band, fascia (fibrous
membrane supporting
and separating muscles)
femur (thigh bone)
to carry
fiber, fibrous tissue
fibula (smaller bone
of lower leg)
luminous, fluorescence
to rub

G
galact/o
gangli/o

milk
ganglion (knot or
knotlike mass)

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Glossary of Medical Word Elements

Medical Word
Element

Meaning

gastr/o
-gen
gen/o
-genesis

stomach
forming, producing, origin
forming, producing, origin
forming, producing, origin

gingiv/o

gum(s)

glauc/o

gray

gli/o

glue; neuroglial tissue

-glia

glue; neuroglial tissue

-globin

protein

glomerul/o

glomerulus

gloss/o

tongue

glott/o

glottis

gluc/o

sugar, sweetness

glucos/o

sugar, sweetness

glyc/o

sugar, sweetness

-gnosis

knowing

gonad/o

gonads, sex glands

goni/o

angle

-graft

transplantation

-gram

record, writing

granul/o

granule

-graph

instrument for recording

-graphy

process of recording

-gravida
gyn/o
gynec/o

pregnant woman
woman, female
woman, female

H
hallucin/o

hallucination

hedon/o

pleasure

hem/o

blood

hemangi/o

blood vessel

hemat/o

blood

hemi-

one half

hepat/o

liver

hetero-

different

hidr/o

sweat

hist/o

tissue

histi/o

tissue

homeo-

same, alike

homo-

same

525

Medical Word
Element

Meaning

humer/o
hydr/o
hyperhypn/o
hypohyster/o

humerus (upper arm bone)

water
excessive, above normal
sleep
under, below, deficient
uterus (womb)

I
-ia
-iac
-iasis

iatr/o
-iatry
-ic
-ical
-ice
ichthy/o
-ician
-icle
-icterus
idi/o
-ile
ile/o
ili/o
imimmun/o
in-ine
infer/o
infrainguin/o
insulin/o
interintra-ion
-ior
irid/o
-is

condition
pertaining to, relating to
abnormal condition
(produced by something
specified)
physician; medicine;
treatment
medicine; treatment
pertaining to, relating to
pertaining to, relating to
noun ending
dry, scaly
specialist
small, minute
jaundice
unknown, peculiar
pertaining to, relating to
ileum (third part of small
intestine)
ilium (lateral, flaring portion
of hip bone)
not
immune, immunity, safe
in, not
pertaining to, relating to
lower, below
under, below
groin
insulin
between
in, within
the act of
pertaining to, relating to
iris
noun ending

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Glossary of Medical Word Elements

Medical Word
Element
isch/o
ischi/o
-ism
iso-ist
-isy
-itic
-itis
-ive
-ization

Meaning
to hold back
ischium (lower portion
of hip bone)
condition
same, equal
specialist
state of; condition
pertaining to, relating to
inflammation
pertaining to, relating to
process (of)

J
jaund/o
jejun/o

yellow
jejunum (second part of small
intestine)

K
kal/i
kary/o
kerat/o
kern/o
ket/o
keton/o
kinesi/o
-kinesia
kinet/o
klept/o
kyph/o

potassium (an electrolyte)

nucleus
horny tissue; hard; cornea
kernel (nucleus)
ketone bodies (acids
and acetones)
ketone bodies (acids and
acetones)
movement
movement
movement
to steal
hill, mountain

Medical Word
Element

Meaning

later/o
lei/o
leiomy/o
-lepsy

side, to one side

smooth
smooth muscle (visceral)
seizure

lept/o

thin, slender

leuk/o

white

lex/o

word, phrase

lingu/o

tongue

lip/o

fat

lipid/o

fat

-lith

stone, calculus

lith/o

stone, calculus

lob/o

lobe

log/o

study of

-logist

specialist in study of

-logy

study of

lord/o

curve, swayback

-lucent

to shine; clear

lumb/o

loins (lower back)

lymph/o

lymph

lymphaden/o

lymph gland (node)

lymphangi/o

lymph vessel

-lysis

separation; destruction;
loosening

M
macromal-malacia
mamm/o
-mania

L
labi/o
labyrinth/o
lacrim/o

lapar/o

lip
labyrinth (inner ear)
tear; lacrimal apparatus
(duct, sac, or gland)
milk
speech, babble
lamina (part of vertebral
arch)
abdomen

laryng/o

larynx (voice box)

lact/o
-lalia
lamin/o

mast/o
mastoid/o
maxill/o
meat/o
medimedi/o
medull/o
megamegal/o
-megaly

large
bad
softening
breast
state of mental disorder,
frenzy
breast
mastoid process
maxilla (upper jaw bone)
opening, meatus
middle
middle
medulla
enlargement
enlargement
enlargement

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Glossary of Medical Word Elements

Medical Word
Element
melan/o
men/o
mening/o

meningi/o

ment/o
mesometametacarp/o
metatars/o
-meter
metr/o
metri/o
-metry
mi/o
micr/o
micromonomorph/o
muc/o
multimuscul/o
mut/a
my/o
myc/o
mydr/o
myel/o
myos/o
myring/o
myx/o

Meaning
black
menses, menstruation
meninges (membranes
covering brain and spinal
cord)
meninges (membranes
covering brain and spinal
cord)
mind
middle
change, beyond
metacarpus (hand bones)
metatarsus (foot bones)
instrument for measuring
uterus (womb); measure
uterus (womb)
act of measuring
smaller, less
small
small
one
form, shape, structure
mucus
many, much
muscle
genetic change
muscle
fungus
widen, enlarge
bone marrow; spinal cord
muscle
tympanic membrane
(eardrum)
mucus

N
narc/o
nas/o
nat/o
natr/o
necr/o
neonephr/o

stupor; numbness; sleep

nose
birth
sodium (an electrolyte)
death, necrosis
new
kidney

Medical Word
Element

Meaning

neur/o
neutr/o
nid/o
noct/o
nucle/o
nullinyctal/o

nerve
neutral; neither
nest
night
nucleus
none
night

527

O
obstetr/o
ocul/o
odont/o
-oid

midwife
eye
teeth
resembling

-ole

small, minute

olig/o

scanty

-oma

tumor

omphal/o

navel (umbilicus)

onc/o

tumor

onych/o

nail

oophor/o

ovary

-opaque

obscure

ophthalm/o

eye

-opia

vision

-opsia

vision

-opsy

view of

opt/o

eye, vision

optic/o

eye, vision

or/o

mouth

orch/o

testis (plural, testes)

orchi/o

testis (plural, testes)

orchid/o

testis (plural, testes)

-orexia

appetite

orth/o

straight

-ory

pertaining to, relating to

-osis

abnormal condition; increase

(used primarily with blood
cells)
smell
bone
ear
pertaining to, relating to
ovary

-osmia
oste/o
ot/o
-ous
ovari/o

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Glossary of Medical Word Elements

Medical Word
Element

Meaning

ox/i
-oxia
ox/o
oxy-

oxygen
oxygen
oxygen
quick, sharp

P
pachypalat/o
panpancreat/o
-para
paraparathyroid/o
-paresis
patell/o
path/o
-pathy
pector/o
ped/i
ped/o
pedicul/o
pelv/i
pelv/o
pen/o
-penia
-pepsia
perperiperine/o
peritone/o
-pexy
phac/o
phag/o
-phage
-phagia
phalang/o
pharmaceutic/o
pharyng/o
-phasia
phe/o
-phil

thick
palate (roof of mouth)
all
pancreas
to bear (offspring)
near, beside; beyond
parathyroid glands
partial paralysis
patella (kneecap)
disease
disease
chest
foot; child
foot; child
a louse
pelvis
pelvis
penis
decrease, deficiency
digestion
through
around
perineum
peritoneum
fixation (of an organ)
lens
swallowing, eating
swallowing, eating
swallowing, eating
phalanges (bones of fingers
and toes)
drug, medicine
pharynx (throat)
speech
dusky, dark
attraction for

Medical Word
Element

Meaning

phil/o
-philia
phim/o
phleb/o
-phobia
phon/o
-phonia
-phoresis
-phoria
phot/o
phren/o
-phylaxis
-physis
pil/o

attraction for
attraction for
muzzle
vein
fear
voice, sound
voice, sound
carrying, transmission
feeling (mental state)
light
diaphragm; mind
protection
growth
hair

pituitar/o
-plakia
plas/o
-plasia
-plasm
-plasty
-plegia
pleur/o
-plexy
-pnea
pneum/o
pneumon/o
pod/o
-poiesis
poikil/o
poli/o

pituitary gland
plaque
formation, growth
formation, growth
formation, growth
surgical repair
paralysis
pleura
stroke
breathing
air; lung
air; lung
foot
formation, production
varied, irregular
gray; gray matter (of brain
or spinal cord)
many, much
small growth
porous
after, behind
back (of body), behind,
posterior
power
meal
before, in front of
old age
first

polypolyp/o
-porosis
postposter/o
-potence
-prandial
prepresby/o
primi-

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Glossary of Medical Word Elements

Medical Word
Element
proproct/o
prostat/o
proxim/o
pseudopsych/o
ptyal/o
-ptosis
-ptysis
pub/o
pulmon/o
pupill/o
py/o
pyel/o
pylor/o
pyr/o

Meaning
before, in front of
anus, rectum
prostate gland
near, nearest
false
mind
saliva
prolapse, downward
displacement
spitting
pelvis bone (anterior part
of pelvic bone)
lung
pupil
pus
renal pelvis
pylorus
fire

Q
quadri-

four

Medical Word
Element

Meaning

-rrhexis
rube/o

rupture
red

S
sacr/o

sacrum

salping/o

tube (usually fallopian or

eustachian [auditory]
tubes)

-salpinx

tube (usually fallopian or

eustachian [auditory]
tubes)

sarc/o

flesh (connective tissue)

scapul/o

scapula (shoulder blade)

-sarcoma

malignant tumor of
connective tissue

-schisis

a splitting

schiz/o

split

scler/o

hardening; sclera (white

of eye)

scoli/o

crooked, bent

-scope

instrument for examining

-scopy

visual examination

scot/o

darkness

seb/o

sebum, sebaceous

rachi/o

spine

semi-

one half

radi/o

radiation, x-ray; radius

(lower arm bone on
thumb side)

sept/o

septum

radicul/o

sequestr/o

a separation

ser/o

serum

nerve root

sial/o

saliva, salivary gland

rect/o

rectum

sider/o

iron

ren/o

kidney

sigmoid/o

sigmoid colon

reticul/o

net, mesh

silic/o

flint

retin/o

retina

sin/o

sinus, cavity

retro-

backward, behind

sinus/o

sinus, cavity

rhabd/o

rod-shaped (striated)

-sis

state of; condition

rhabdomy/o

striated (skeletal) muscle

-social

society

rhin/o

nose

somat/o

body

rhytid/o

wrinkle

somn/o

sleep

roentgen/o

x-rays

son/o

sound

-rrhage

bursting forth (of)

-spadias

slit, fissure

-rrhagia

bursting forth (of)

-spasm

-rrhaphy

suture

involuntary contraction,
twitching

-rrhea

discharge, flow

sperm/o

spermatozoa, sperm cells

529

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530

Glossary of Medical Word Elements

Medical Word
Element
spermat/o
sphygm/o
-sphyxia
spin/o
spir/o
splen/o
spondyl/o
squam/o
staped/o
-stasis
steat/o
sten/o
-stenosis
stern/o
steth/o
sthen/o
stigmat/o
stomat/o
-stomy
subsudor/o
supersuprasymsynsynapt/o
synov/o

Meaning
spermatozoa, sperm cells
pulse
pulse
spine
breathe
spleen
vertebrae (backbone)
scale
stapes
standing still
fat
narrowing, stricture
narrowing, stricture
sternum (breastbone)
chest
strength
a point
mouth
forming an opening (mouth)
under, below
sweat
upper, above
above; excessive; superior
union, together, joined
union, together, joined
synapsis, point of contact
synovial membrane,
synovial fluid

T
tachytax/o
-taxia
ten/o
tend/o
tendin/o
-tension
test/o
thalam/o
thalass/o
thec/o
thel/o

rapid
order, coordination
order, coordination
tendon
tendon
tendon
to stretch
testis (plural, testes)
thalamus
sea
sheath (usually refers to
meninges)
nipple

Medical Word
Element
therapeut/o
-therapy
therm/o
thorac/o
-thorax
thromb/o
thym/o
-thymia
thyr/o
thyroid/o
tibi/o
-tic
till/o
-tocia
tom/o
-tome
-tomy
ton/o
tonsill/o
tox/o
-toxic
toxic/o
trabecul/o
trache/o
transtritrich/o
trigon/o
-tripsy
-trophy
-tropia
-tropin
tubercul/o
tympan/o

Meaning
treatment
treatment
heat
chest
chest
blood clot
thymus gland
mind; emotion
thyroid gland
thyroid gland
tibia (larger bone of
lower leg)
pertaining to, relating to
to pull
childbirth, labor
to cut
instrument to cut
incision
tension
tonsils
poison
poison
poison
trabecula (supporting
bundles of fibers)
trachea (windpipe)
through, across
three
hair
trigone (triangular region
at base of bladder)
crushing
development, nourishment
turning
stimulate
a little swelling
tympanic membrane
(eardrum)

U
-ula
-ule
uln/o

small, minute
small, minute
ulna (lower arm bone on
opposite side of thumb)

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Glossary of Medical Word Elements

Medical Word
Element

Meaning

Medical Word
Element

ultra-

excess, beyond

ventricul/o

-um

structure, thing

ventricle (of heart or

brain)

umbilic/o

umbilicus, navel

-version

turning

ungu/o

nail

vertebr/o

vertebrae (backbone)

uni-

one

vesic/o

bladder

ur/o

urine

vesicul/o

seminal vesicle

ureter/o

ureter

vest/o

clothes

urethr/o

urethra

viscer/o

internal organs

-uria

urine

vitr/o

vitreous body (of eye)

urin/o

urine

vitre/o

glassy

-us

condition; structure

vol/o

volume

uterus (womb)
uvula

voyeur/o

to see

vulv/o

vulva

uter/o
uvul/o

Meaning

V
vagin/o

vagina

xanth/o

yellow

valv/o

valve

xen/o

foreign, strange

varic/o

dilated vein

vas/o

vessel; vas deferens; duct

xer/o
xiph/o

dry
sword

vascul/o
ven/o
ventr/o

vessel
vein
belly, belly side

Y
-y

condition; process

531