Medical terminology can be confusing and overwhelming to some people. There are a lot of words which the layman does not normally come across. For example, what is a abdomin/o? And what about a linge/o? Listed below in alphabetical order are common root words which you will come across. You can learn common terminology by studying these terms with flash cards.
Included are several interpretations of words. Some of the contents include the word mamm/o or mast/o, which is more commonly known as the breast. Additionally, you will find that myc/o means fungus, onc/o is a tumor, and a ophthalm/o is an eye.
Flash cards are very useful when studying. They are very simple to make. All you are required to do is write a question or phrase on the front of the card, and the answer or its meaning on the back. You may find playing games with your flash cards is a fun way to memorize medical terminology. Whatever you decide to do, studying these medical terms makes your life easier.
Front | Back | |
---|---|---|
ureter/o | ureter | |
abdomin/o | abdomen | |
acr/o | extremities | |
aden/o | gland | |
adenoid/o | adenoids | |
adip/o | fat | |
aer/o | air | |
alb/o | white | |
albumin/o | albumin | |
amni/o | amnion | |
amyl/o | starch | |
angi/o | vessel | |
ankyl/o | crooked/fused | |
anter/o | anterior/before | |
aort/o | aorta | |
append (ic) /o | appendix | |
arteri/o | artery | |
arthr/o | joint | |
articul/o | joint | |
atel/o | imperfect | |
ather/o | yellow, fatty plaque | |
aur/i | ear | |
bil/i | bile | |
blast/o | embryonic form | |
blephar/o | eyelid | |
brachi/o | arm | |
brachy | short | |
bronchi/o, bronch/o | windpipe | |
bucc/o | cheek | |
burs/o | bursa | |
calc/i | calcium | |
calcane/o | heel | |
carcin/o | cancer | |
cardi/o | heart | |
carp/o | carpus/wrist | |
caud/o | tail | |
cec/o | cecum | |
cephal/o | head | |
cerebr/o | brain | |
cervic/o | neck | |
chlor/o | green | |
chol/e* | bile | |
cholecyst/o* | gallbladder | |
chondr/o | cartilage | |
chori/o | fetal covering | |
clavicul/o | clavicle | |
coccyg/o | coccyx | |
col/o | colon | |
colp/o | hollow/vagina | |
cost/o | rib | |
crani/o | cranium/skull | |
cry/o | cold | |
crypt/o | hide/conceal | |
cutane/o | skin | |
cyan/o | blue | |
cyst/o | cyst/bladder | |
cyt/o (-cyte) | cell | |
dactyl/o | finger/toe | |
dent/i dent/o | teeth | |
derm/a dermat/o | skin | |
dextr/o | right | |
dips/o | thirst | |
disc/o | disc/disk | |
dist/o | far/distant from origin | |
dors/o | directed toward/on the back | |
duoden/o | duodenum | |
ech/o | sound | |
electr/o | electricity | |
encephal/o | brain | |
enter/o | intestine | |
erythr/o | red | |
esophag/o | esophagus | |
esthesi/o | feeling | |
femor/o | femur | |
fet/o | fetus | |
fibr/o | fiber | |
fibul/o | fibula | |
front/o | forehead/front | |
galact/o | milk | |
gastr/o | stomach | |
genit/o | genitals | |
ger/o | old | |
glomerul/o | glomerulus | |
gloss/o | tongue | |
glyc/o | sugar | |
gnath/o | jaw | |
granul/o | grain/particle | |
gynec/o | female | |
hem/a hem/o hemat/o | blood | |
hepat/o | liver | |
hist/o | tissue | |
hom/o | common/same | |
humer/o | humerus | |
hydr/o | water | |
hyster/o | uterus/womb | |
ile/o | ileum (small intestine) | |
ili/o | ilium (hip bone) | |
immun/o | immune | |
infer/o | lowermost/below | |
intestin/o | intestine | |
irid/o | colored circle/iris | |
ischi/o | ischium (hip) | |
jejun/o | jejunum | |
labi/o | lip | |
lacrim/o | tear/crying | |
lact/o | milk | |
lapar/o | flank/abdominal wall | |
laryng/o | larynx (voice box) | |
later/o | side | |
leuc/o leuk/o | white | |
lingu/o | tongue | |
lip/o | fat | |
lith/o | stone | |
lob/o | lobe | |
lumb/o | lower back | |
lymph/o | lymph/lymphatics | |
mamm/o mast/o | breast | |
medi/o | middle | |
melan/o | black | |
men/o | month | |
mening/o | membrane | |
metr/i | uterine tissue | |
mon/o | one/only | |
muc/o | mucus | |
muscul/o | muscle | |
my/0 | muscle | |
myc/o | fungus | |
myel/o | marrow/spinal cord | |
narc/o | sleep/numbness | |
nas/o | nose | |
ne/o | new | |
necr/o | dead/corpse | |
nephr/o | kidney | |
neur/o | nerves | |
odont/o | teeth | |
odyn/o | pain/distress | |
onc/o | bulk/tumor | |
oophor/o | ovary | |
ophthalm/o | eye | |
or/o | mouth | |
orchi/o | testicle | |
orth/o | straight | |
oste/o | bone | |
ot/o | ear | |
pancreat/o | pancreas | |
patell/o | patella (kneecap) | |
path/o | disease | |
pelv/i | pelvis | |
periton/o | peritoneum | |
pharmac/o | drugs/medicine | |
pharyng/o | pharynx | |
phleb/o | vain | |
phon/o | sound/voice | |
phot/o | light | |
phren/o | mind/diaphram | |
pleur/o | pleura | |
poster/o | posterior/toward back | |
pneum/o | air/breathing/lung | |
proct/o | rectum/anus | |
prostat/o | prostate | |
proxim/o | nearest point of origin | |
pseud/o | false | |
psych/o | mind | |
pub/o | pubis | |
pulm/o pulmon/o | lung | |
py/o | pus | |
pyel/o | trough/renal pelvis | |
radi/o | radius/radiant energy | |
rect/o | rectum | |
ren/o | kidneys | |
rhin/o | nose | |
sacr/o | sacrum | |
salping/o | tube | |
scrot/o | scrotum | |
semin/o | semen | |
ser/o | serum | |
somat/o | body | |
son/o | sound | |
spermat/o | seed | |
sphen/o | wedge/sphenoid | |
splen/o | spleen | |
spondyl/o | vertebrae | |
stern/o | sternum | |
tars/o | ankle bone (tarsal) | |
tempor/o | temple | |
ten/o | tendon/tight band | |
therm/o | heat | |
thorac/o | chest | |
thromb/o | clot/thrombus | |
tibi/o | tibia | |
tonsill/o | tonsil | |
tox/o | poison | |
trache/o | trachea (windpipe) | |
uln/o | ulna | |
ur/o | urine | |
ureter/o | ureter | |
urethr/o | urethra | |
uter/o | uterus | |
vag/o | vagus nerve | |
vas/o | vessel/ductus deferens | |
ven/o | vein | |
ventr/o | ventral/belly side | |
vertebr/o | vertebra | |
vulv/o | vulva | |
xanth/o | yellow | |
-emia | blood | |
-genic/-genesis* | beginning/producing | |
-gram | record | |
-graph | instrument for recording | |
-graphy | process of recording | |
-ia/-iasis | condition | |
-ism | condition | |
-ist | one who | |
-itis | inflammation | |
-kinesia/-kinesis | movement/motion | |
-logist | specialist | |
-logy | study of | |
-lysis | loosening/freeing/breaking apart/destroying | |
-lytic | pertaining to destruction | |
-malacia | softening | |
-mania | preoccupation | |
-megaly | enlargement | |
-meter | instrument to measure | |
-metry | process of measuring | |
-oid | resembling | |
-oma | tumor | |
-opia | vision | |
-ose | sugar | |
-osis | condition is usually abnormal; in particular, it means proliferation or an increased number of | |
-ous | pertaining to/characterized by | |
-pathy | disease or abnormality | |
-penia | dificiency | |
-pexy | surgical fixation | |
-phagia/-gic/-gy | eating/swallowing | |
-phasia | speech | |
-phobia | abnormal fear | |
-plasty | surgical repair | |
-plegia | paralysis | |
-rrhage/-rrhagia | excessive flow or discharge | |
-rrhaphy | suture | |
-rrhea | flow or discharge | |
-rrhexis | rupture | |
-sclerosis | hardening | |
-scopy | examination with an instrument | |
-spasm | twitching | |
-stasis | stopping | |
-stomy | forming of an opening | |
-tome | an instrument for cutting | |
-tomy | incision (cutting into) | |
-tripsy | surgical crushing | |
-trophic*/-trophy | nutrition |