Medical terminology

MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY

Stems
Prefixes
Suffixes

Stems

acanth-	spine, prickle
aceto-	vinegar
acou-	hear
acro-	extremity, tip, sharp
actin-	ray, beam
acu-	sharp, abrupt, sudden
adeno-	gland
adipo-	fat
aero-	air
(a)esth-	perception
agon-	contest, struggle
alb-	white
algo-	pain
allelo-	one another, mutual
amauros-	blind
am(o)eb-	constantly changing
ambi-/amph-	both sides
ambly-	dim, faint
amnio-	amnion, "bowl"
amylo-	starch
andro-	male
angio-	vessel (blood, bile)
ankyl-	bent, crooked; a joint locked in one position
anser-	goose
anthem-	flower
anthrac-	black
anthropo-	man / human
aphro-	froth, sexual love
aqu-	water
arachn-	spider, spiderweb
archo-	ancient, beginning
argy-	silver, shiny
arthro-	joint
asthm	panting, short breaths
athero-	gruel
axill-	armpit
axo-	center, axis
aud-	hear
aur-	hear
aus-	hear
auto-	self
aux-	make grow
azo-	nitrogen
bac(t)-	rod
ball-	throw
balano-	acorn, glans
blast-	sprout
blenno-	snot
bleph-	eyelid
bol-	throw
brachi-	arm
brady-	slow
bucc-	cheek (inside)
c(o)ele-	rupture
calci-	limestone
calco-	heel, spur
calyc-	cup
campy-	bend
canc-	crab
capo-	head, expanded part
carc-	crab
card-	heart, heart-shape
carpo-	wrist
caus-	burn
centr-	center
cephal-	head
cept-	seize, take
cereb(r)-	brain
cervic-	neck
ch(e)ir-	hand
chlor-	light green
chol(e)-	bile
chondr-	cartilage; grain
chorea-	dance
chrom-	color
chron-	time, long time
cili-	eyelash
cion-	uvula
clast-	break
claustr-	barrier
cleido-	collarbone, key
clino-	bed
collic-	hill
collo-	glue
conios-	dust
cond-	hard knob
core-	dolly, pupil (of eye)
cori-	leather
corn-	horn
cox(a)-	hip
corp-	physical body
cre(s)c-	grow
cribi-	sieve
cubit-	elbow
cubo-	lay down
cule-	little
culpo-	vagina
cuneo-	wedge
cyan-	dark blue
cycl-	circle, wheel
cysto-	urinary bladder
cyto-	cell
dacr-	tear (from the eye)
dacty-	finger
demo-	people
dent-	tooth
derm-	skin
desm-	harden, bind together
desmo-	hard
dextro-	right-sided
diadocho-	succeed, take over
didym-	twin
digi(t)-	finger, toe
diphth-	leathery membrane
docho-	cup, container
drepan-	sickle
dromo-	running a race; course
duc-, duct-	lead, guide
echin-	spiny
embol-	bottle stopper
enceph-	brain
entero-	intestine
ergo-	work
erythro-	red
f(a)eco-	feces, refuse
fac-	make, build, do, perform
faci-	face, countenance, looks
fasc-	bundle, fascia
fec-	make, build, do, perform
fer-	carrying, bearing
fibro-	fibrous
fic-	make, build, do, perform
fis-, fid-	split, cleave, divide
flav-	yellow
flat-	blow
flect-	bend
flex-	bend
fora/foro	hole
fract-	break into pieces
frag-	break into pieces
fring-	break into pieces
fuge-	flee
fun-	melt, pour
fus-	melt, pour
gam(y)-	marry
gangl-	knot
galact-	milk
gastr-	stomach, belly
gemin-	twin
gen-	become, beget, produce
genu-	knee
ger-	old age
gest-	bring forth, produce
gleno-	shoulder
gli(o)-	glue
glob-	sphere, ball, round body
glomer-	tuft
gloss-	tongue
glute-	buttocks
gnatho-	jaw
gno-	know
gono-	offspring, product, seed, semen
gonio-	angle
gram-	record
gran-	grain
graph-	writing, scratching
gryph-	claw
gynec-	female
(h)(a)em-	blood
helic-	spiral
helm-	worm
hermaphro-	male and female in one body
hepat-	liver
hidr-	sweat
hippo-	horse
histo-	tissue, web, cloth
hy(a)l-	glass, primitive material
hydatid-	water drop
hydro-	water
hypno-	sleep
hystero-	uterus
iatro-	physician
ichth-	fish
idio-	self, personal, private
inguin-	part of body from groin to hip
insul-	island
irid-	rainbow, bright-color circle
ischi-	hip joint
ject-	throw, hurl
jejun-	hungry
junc-	join together
jug-	join together
jux-	join together
kera-	horny
kerato-	skin surface, cornea, horn
kine-	set in motion
kyn-	dog
lachry-	tear (from the eye)
labio-	lip
lacto-	milk
lal-	babble, talk
lecith-	egg yolk
leiomyo-	smooth muscle
lein-	spleen
lepros-	rough and rotting off
lepto-	thin, fine, slender
leuco- / leuko-	white
levo-	left-sided
liga(t)-	bind together, bandage
ling-	tongue
lith-	stone
lumbo-	lower back, loin
lumbri-	earthworm
lymph-	"clear fresh water"
malar	cheek (outside)
mal(i)	abnormal, bad
malako-	soft
medi-	middle portion
medulla-	soft inner part
meli-	sweet
melleo-	hammer
mere-	part
manu-	hand
mara-	wither
mast(i)-	whip, flog, beat
mast(o)-	breast
mea-	passage
meatus-	external opening
meios-	lessening
melano-	black
mening-	meninges
men(i)s-	moon, month
ment-	mind, chin
meter-	measure
metro-	uterus
mito-	thread
mnem-	memory
mnes-	memory
mob-	move
morb-	sick
morph-	shapes, dreams
mot-	move
mur(al)-	wall
musc-	mouse, muscle
myc(o)-	fungus
myelo-	soft, pith
myi-	fly (insect)
myo-	muscle
myxo-/muco-	slime
narco-	sleep
naso-	nose
necro-	dead
nephelo-	cloud
nephr-	kidney
nerv-	nerve
neuro-	nerve
nos-, nox-	nasty, sickening
nyct-	night
ocul-	eye
(h)odo-	way, path, road
odon-	tooth
odyn-	pain
olfact-	smell
omen(t)-	omentum
omphalo-	belly button
on(e/t)-	to be
onco-	tumor, mass
onycho-	nail (finger/toe)
oo	egg
oophor-	carrying egg
op-	eye, see, etc.
ophth-	eye
opio-	poppy juice
opsi-	late
opson-	relish, meat seasoning
orbi-	wheel
orch-	testis
org-	work
oro-	mouth
ortho-	straight
osm-	smell
ost(eo)-	bone
ot(o)-	ear
ovin-	sheep
p(a)ed-	child
palpebr-	eyelid
pap-	nipple
par(i)t-	have a baby
partheno-	virgin
patho-	disease, misery
pect-	chest
ped-	foot
phag-	eat
phakos-	lentil, lens of the eye
pharmako-	sorcery, poison, drug
pheo-	ugly, dusky
phero-	carry, bear
phlebo-	vein
phleg-	flame
phoco-	seal (the animal)
phoro-	carry, bear
phos/phot-	light
phragm-	divide into two, wall off
phren-	mind, breath
phth-	waste away, wither
phyllo-	leaf-like
physio-	nature
phyt-	a plant
pineo-	pine cone
pino-	drink
pisi-	pea
pituit-	snot
plak-	cake
plasm-	molded
plast-	molded
platy-	flat
plex-	braid, wind together

plic-	braid, wind together
pn(e)-	breath
pod(o)-	foot
poie(sis)	making
polio-	gray; gray matter of the nervous system
pollic-	thumb
pomp-	precede, parade
porph-	purple
porta-	door
posthe-	foreskin
prac-	done
prag-	done
prax-	done
pre/pro-	before
procto-	rectum
pron(o)-	prone, face down
proto-	first
pseud-	false
psyche-	spirit, mind
psychr-	cold, frigid
pter-	wing
pto-	droop
pty(alo)-	spit
pulmo-	lung
punct-	prick, little spot
purp-	purple
pyelo-	vat, basin, pelvis
pykno-	shrivelled
pyo-	pus
p(u/y)ri-	pear
pyr(o)-	fever (cognate to "fire")
radi-	rod
r(h)ach-	backbone
ret(ic)	net
rhabdo-	striated muscle
rhaph-	sew together
rheo-	flow
rheum-	runny stuff
rhino-	nose
rhizo-	root
rub(r)-	red
sacc-	sack
sacch(ar)-	sugar
sang(ui)	blood
sapro-	dead
sarc(o)-	flesh
scato-	feces, filth
scapho-	boat
schi(s/z)-	split
sclero-	hard
scope	examine carefully
sebo-	hard fat, skin grease, suet
sec/seg-	cut
seps/sept	make rotten
sept-	fence, partition
sero-	whey, wet protein
sial -	saliva
skel	dried up, skeleton
soma/somy	body
spasm	a drawing tight
spondylo-	spine
sphinct-	bind tight, squeeze shut
sphygno-	heartbeat
spir-	breathing
splanchn-	innards
staphyl-	bunch of grapes
stasis	standing up, being stable
stat-	stop
statio-	standing up, being stable
staxis-	drip, drop
stem-	standing up, being stable
steato-	fat
sterco-	feces
sthen-	strength
stigm-	spot
strepto-	wavy
stylo-	stylus
sudo-	sweat
sulco-	plowed furrow
syring-	pipe, tube, reed
tachy-	fast, swift
talo-	ankle
tasis-	stretch
taxo-	arrangement, put in order
telo-	the tip, the end
ten(d)o-	stretch, tendon
terato-	monster
thel-	breast, covering layer
thym-	mind, spirit, mood
thyro-	oblong shield
toco-	have a baby
tom-	cut
tono-	stretch
topo-	place
tort-	twist
tox(o)-	bow, arrow, poisoned arrow
trema-	hole
tricho-	hair
trophy	grow/food
tryps-	break into many pieces, crush
tuber-	bump, potato(e)
typho-	smoky, delirious fever
typhl-	cecum
ungu-	nail (finger, toe)
uro-	urine
uvo-	grape
vacc-	cow
vago-	wanderer
vaso-	blood vessel
velo-	veil, curtain, cover
vener-	sexual acts, lusty
veno-	vein (as opposed to artery)
vert-	turn
vesico-	bladder
viscero-	innards
volv-	turn around, twist around
xantho-	yellow
xeno-	stranger
xero-	dry
zoo-	animals
zema-	boiled
zygo-	yoke
zym-	ferment

Prefixes

a(d)-	towards
a(n)-	without
ab-	from
ab(s)-	away from
ad-	towards
allo-	other, another
ambi-	both
amphi-	on both sides, around
ana-	up to, back, again, movement from
aniso-	different, unequal
ante-	before, forwards
anti-	against, opposite
ap-, apo-	from, back, again
bi(s)-	twice, double
bio-	life
brachy-	short
cata-	down
circum-	around
con-	together
contra-	against
cyte-	cell
de-	from, away from, down from
deca-	ten
di(s)-	two
dia-	through, complete
di(a)s	separation
diplo-	double
dolicho-	long
dur-	hard, firm
dys-	bad, abnormal
e-, ec-	out, from out of
ecto-	outside, external
ek-	out
em-	in
en-	into
endo-	into
ent-	within
epi-	on, up, against, high
eso-	I will carry
eu-	well, abundant, prosperous
eury-	broad, wide
ex-, exo-	out, from out of
extra-	outside, beyond, in addition
haplo-	single
hapto-	bind to
hemi-	half
hept-	seven
hetero-	different
hex-	six
homo-	same
hyper-	above, excessive
hypo-	below, deficient
im-, in-	not
in-	into, to
infra-	below, underneath
inter-	among, between
intra-	within, inside, during
intro-	inward, during
iso-	equal,same
juxta-	adjacent to
kata-	down, down from
macro-	large
magno-	large
medi-	middle
mega-	large
megalo-	very large
meso-	middle
meta-	beyond, between
micro-	small
neo-	new
non-	not
ob-	before, against
octa-	eight
octo-	eight
oligo-	few
pachy-	thick
pan-	all
para-	beside, to the side of, wrong
pent-	five
per-	by, through, throughout
peri-	around, round-about
pleo-	more than usual
poly	many
post-	behind, after
pre-	before, in front, very
pros-	besides
prox-	besides
pseudo-	false, fake
quar(r)-	four
re, red-	back, again
retro-	backwards, behind
semi-	half
sex-	six
sept-	seven
sub-	under, beneath
super-	above, in addition, over
supra-	above, on the upper side
syn-	together, with
sys-	together, with
tetra-	four
thio-	sulfur
trans-	across, beyond
tri-	three
uni-	one
ultra-	beyond, besides, over

Suffixes


-ase	fermenter

-centesis	puncture
-cide	killer
-c(o)ele	cavity, hollow
-crine	secretion ("separation")
-desis	binding
-dynia	pain

-em(ia)	blood
-enchyme	filling, installation
-form	shaped like
-genesis	origin
-gogue	leader

-iasis	full of
-iatric	healing
-ile	little version
-illa	little version
-illus	little version
-in	stuff
-ism	theory, characteristic of
-itis	inflammation
-ity	makes a noun of quality
-ium	thing
-ize	do
-lysis / -lytic	breaking down
-logy	study of, reasoning about
-malacia	soft
-megaly	large
-melia	limbs
-noid	mind, spirit
-oid	resembling, image of
-ogen	precursor
-ol(e)	alcohol
-ole	little version
-oma	tumor/lump
-osis	full of
-pathy	disease of, suffering
-penia	lack
-pexy	fix in place
-plasty	re-shaping
-plexy	stroke
-plegia	stroke, paralysis
-philia / -philo	affection for
-rhage	burst out
-rhea	discharge, flowing out
-rhexis	shredding
-pagus	Siamese twins
-sis	idea (makes a noun, typically abstract)
-stomy	"mouth-cut"
-thrix	hair
-tomy	cut
-ule	little version
-um	thing (makes a noun, typically concrete)

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