Terminology

Medical Prefixes, Suffixes, and Root Words

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a – no, not, without
an – no, not, without
ab – away from
abdomin/o – abdomen
ac – pertaining to
acanth/o – spiny, thorny
acar/o – mites
acetabul/o – acetabulum
acous/o – hearing
acoust/o – hearing, sound
acr/o – extremities, top
acromi/o – acromion
actin/o- light
acu/o – severe, sharp, sudden
acusis – hearing
ad – toward
aden/o – gland
adenoid/o – adenoids
adip/o – fat
adren/o – adrenal gland
adrenal/o – adrenal gland
aer/o – air
agglutin/o – clumping, sticking together
-agogue – leader, producer
-agon – assemble, gather
-agra – excessive pain
-al – pertaining to
alb/o – white
albin/o – white
albumin/o – albumin
alges/o – sensitivity to pain
-algesia – sensitivity to pain
-algia – pain
all/o – other
alveol/o – alveolus
ambi- – about, around, on both sides
ambly/o – dim, dull
amphi- – around, on both sides
-amine – nitrogen compound
ammon/o – ammonium
amni/o – amnion
amyl/o – starch
-an – pertaining to
ana- – again, anew, apart, backward, up
andr/o – male
aneurysm/o -aneurysm
angi/o – vessel
anis/o – unequal
ankyl/o – stiff
an/o – anus
ante- – before, forward
anter/o – front
anthrac/o – coal
anthr/o – antrum of the stomach
anti- – against
anxi/o – anxious, uneasy
aort/o – aorta
-apheresis – removal
aphth/o – ulcer
apo- – away, off
aponeur/o – aponeurosis
append/o – appendix
appendic/o – appendix
aque/o – water
-ar – pertaining to
arachn/o – spider
-arche – beginning
arsenic/o – arsenic
arter/o – artery
arteri/o – artery
arteriol/o – arteriole
arthr/o – joint
-arthria – articulate
articul/o – joint
-artresia – closure, occlusion
atreto- – closed, lacking an opening
-ary – pertaining to
asbest/o – asbestos
-ase – enzyme
aspir/o – removal
-assay – analyze, to examine
-asthenia – lack of strength
astr/o – star, star-shaped
aque/o – water
atel/o – incomplete
ather/o – plaque
-ation – condition, process
atri/o – atrium
atmo- – steam, vapor
audi/o – hearing
audit/o – hearing
aur/o – ear
auricul/o – ear
auscult/o – to listen
aut/o – own, self
aut- – own, self
auto- – own, self
aux/o – acceleration, growth
axill/o – armpit
axi/o – axis
azot/o – nitrogen, ureaa- – no, not, without
an- – no, not, without
ab- – away from
abdomin/o – abdomen
-ac – pertaining to
acanth/o – spiny, thorny
acar/o – mites
acetabul/o – acetabulum
acous/o – hearing
acoust/o – hearing, sound
acr/o – extremities, top
acromi/o – acromion
actin/o- light
acu/o – severe, sharp, sudden
-acusis – hearing
ad- – toward
aden/o – gland
adenoid/o – adenoids
adip/o – fat
adren/o – adrenal gland
adrenal/o – adrenal gland
aer/o – air
af- – toward
agglutin/o – clumping, sticking together
-agogue – leader, producer
-agon – assemble, gather
-agra – excessive pain
-al – pertaining to
alb/o – white
albin/o – white
albumin/o – albumin
alges/o – sensitivity to pain
-algesia – sensitivity to pain
-algia – pain
all/o – other
alveol/o – alveolus
ambi- – about, around, on both sides
ambly/o – dim, dull
amphi- – around, on both sides
-amine – nitrogen compound
ammon/o – ammonium
amni/o – amnion
amyl/o – starch
-an – pertaining to
ana- – again, anew, apart, backward, up
andr/o – male
aneurysm/o -aneurysm
angi/o – vessel
anis/o – unequal
ankyl/o – stiff
an/o – anus
ante- – before, forward
anter/o – front
anthrac/o – coal
anthr/o – antrum of the stomach
anti- – against
anxi/o – anxious, uneasy
aort/o – aorta
-apheresis – removal
aphth/o – ulcer
apo- – away, off
aponeur/o – aponeurosis
append/o – appendix
appendic/o – appendix
aque/o – water
-ar – pertaining to
arachn/o – spider
-arche – beginning
arsenic/o – arsenic
arter/o – artery
arteri/o – artery
arteriol/o – arteriole
arthr/o – joint
-arthria – articulate
articul/o – joint
-artresia – closure, occlusion
atreto- – closed, lacking an opening
-ary – pertaining to
asbest/o – asbestos
-ase – enzyme
aspir/o – removal
-assay – analyze, to examine
-asthenia – lack of strength
astr/o – star, star-shaped
aque/o – water
atel/o – incomplete
ather/o – plaque
-ation – condition, process
atri/o – atrium
atmo- – steam, vapor
audi/o – hearing
audit/o – hearing
aur/o – ear
auricul/o – ear
auscult/o – to listen
aut/o – own, self
aut- – own, self
auto- – own, self
aux/o – acceleration, growth
axill/o – armpit
axi/o – axis
azot/o – nitrogen, urea

bacill/o – bacilli
bacteri/o – bacteria
balan/o – glans penis
bar/o – pressure, weight
bartholin/o – Bartholin glands
bary- – pressure, weight
-basia – walking
bas/o – base
batho- – deep, depth
bathy- – deep, depth
bi- – two
bi/o – life
bil/i – bile, gall
bilirubin/o – bilirubin
-blast – embryonic, immature cell
-blastoma – immature tumor cell
blenn/o – mucus
blephar/o – eyelid
bol/o – cast, throw
-boulia – will
brachi/o – arm
brachy- – short
brady- – slow
brom/o – bromine-containing compound, odor
bronchi – bronchus
bronch/o – bronchus
bronchi/o – bronchial tube
bronchiol/o – bronchiole
bucc/o – cheek
bunion/o – bunion
burs/o – burs

nas/o – nose

octa – eight
octi – eight
ocul/o – eye
opia – eye, vision
oplasty – surgical reconstruction, repair
opt/o – eye, vision
or/o – mouth
oscopy – to view
ostomy – creating an opening
otomy – incision

pancreat/o – pancreas
peri – surrounding
pexy – solidity
phak/o – lens
pharyng/o – pharynx
phleb/o – vein
phonia – voice
plasty – formation, molding
pleur/o – pleura
pnea – breathing
pneum/o – lung, air, respiration
pneumat/o – lung, air, respiration
polyp/o – polyp
phren/o – diaphragm
pulm/o – lung
pulmon/o- lung
pylor/o – pylorus

rect/o – rectum
retin/o – retina
rhin/o – nose

sigmoid/o – sigmoid colon
sinus/o – sinus
spir/o – breathing
sphygm/o – pluse
splen/o – spleen

thromb/o – thrombus, blood clot
trache/o – trachea

valv/o – valve
valvul/o – valve
vas/o – vessel
vascul/o – vessel
ventricul/o – ventricle, cavity