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MEDICAL PREFIXES, SUFFIXES, AND COMBINING FORMS
a- not, without, less ab- from, away from, off abs- from, away from, off acantho- thorn acou- hearing acro- extremity acu- hearing ad- increase, adherence, motion toward, very -ad toward, in the direction of, -ward adeno- gland adip- fat adipo- fat -agogue, -agogue promoter, stimulator aidoio- genitals -al pertaining to alb- white albo- white alge- pain algesi- pain algio- pain algo- pain allo- other, different ambi- around, on (both) sides, on all sides, both ambly- dull amblyo- dull amyl- starch, polysaccharide amylo- starch, polysaccharide an- not, without, -less ana- up, toward, apart andro- male angi- vessel angio- vessel ankylo- crooked ante- before anthraco- coal, carbon anti- 1 against, opposing, 2 curative, 3 antibody apo- separated from, derived from aque- water aqueo- water -ar pertaining to -arche beginning arteri- artery arterio- artery arthr- joint, articulation arthro- joint, articulation -ary pertaining to -ase an enzyme -ate a salt or ester of an -ic acid athero- pasty, fatty atto- one quintillionth (10 18) audi- hearing audio- hearing aur- ear auri- ear auro- ear aut- self, same auto- self, same bacteri- bacteria bacterio- bacteria balano- penis bi- twice, double bio- life blasto- budding by cells or tissue blephar- eyelid blepharo- eyelid brachi- arm brachio- arm brachy- short bronch- bronchus bronchi- bronchus broncho- bronchus carcin- cancer carcino- cancer cardi- 1 heart, 2 esophageal opening of stomach cardio- 1 heart, 2 esophageal opening of stomach carpo- wrist cata- down caud- tail, lower part of body caudo- tail, lower part of body -cele hernia, swelling celio- abdomen -centesis surgical puncture centi- one hundredth (10 2) cephal- the head cephalo- the head cervic- 1 neck, 2 uterine cervix cervico- 1 neck, 2 uterine cervix cheil- lip cheilo- lip cheir- hand cheiro- hand chem- 1 chemistry, 2 drug chemo- 1 chemistry, 2 drug chir- hand chiro- hand chlor- 1 green, 2 chlorine chloro- 1 green, 2 chlorine chol- bile chondrio- 1 cartilage, 2 granular, 3 gritty chondro- 1 cartilage, 2 granular, 3 gritty chrom- color chromat- color chromo- color chron- time chrono- time -cidal killing, destroying -cide killing, destroying cis- on this side, on the near side -clast breaker -clysis washing co- with, together, in association, very, complete col- with, together, in association, very, complete colp- vagina colpo- vagina com- with, together, in association, very, complete con- with, together, in association, very, complete conio- dust cor- with, together, in association, very, complete coreo- pupil cost- rib costo- rib crani- cranium cranio- cranium -crine secretion cry- cold cryo- cold crypt- hidden crypto- hidden culdo- cul-de-sac cyan- 1 blue, 2 cyanide cyano- 1 blue, 2 cyanide cycl- 1 circle, cycle, 2 ciliary body cyst- 1 bladder, 2 cyst, 3 cystic duct cysti- 1 bladder, 2 cyst, 3 cystic duct cysto- 1 bladder, 2 cyst, 3 cystic duct cyt- cell -cyte cell cyto- cell dacry- tears dacryo- tears dactyl- finger, toe dactylo- finger, toe de- away from, cessation deca- ten deci- one tenth (10 1) deka- ten dent- tooth denti- tooth derm- skin derma- skin dermat- skin dermato- skin dermo- skin -desis binding dextr- right, toward or on the right side dextro- right, toward or on the right side di- separation, taking apart, reversal, not, undif- separation, taking apart, reversal, not, undipso- thirst dir- separation, taking apart, reversal, not, undis- separation, taking apart, reversal, not, unduo- two duodeno- duodenum -dynia pain dynamo- force, energy dys- bad, difficult ect- outer, on the outside -ectasia dilatation, stretching -ectasis dilatation, stretching ecto- outer, on the outside -ectomy excision -emphraxis obstruction encephal- brain encephalo- brain end- within, inner endo- within, inner enter- intestine entero- intestine ent- inner, within ento- inner, within epi- upon, following, subsequent to ergo- work erythr- red, redness erythro- red, redness eso- inward esthesio- sensation, perception eu- good, well ex- out of, from, away from exo- exterior, external, outward extra- outside of, without ferri- ferric ion (Fe3+) ferro- 1 metallic iron, 2 ferrous ion (Fe2+) fibr- fiber fibro- fiber -form in the form or shape of galact- milk galacto- milk gastr- 1 stomach, 2 belly gastro- 1 stomach, 2 belly -gen 1 producing, coming to be, 2 precursor gen- 1 producing, coming to be, 2 precursor giga- one billion (109) gingiv- gums gingivo- gums gloss- tongue glosso- tongue gluco- glucose glyco- sugars gnath- jaw gnatho- jaw gon- seed, semen gonio- angle gono- seed, semen -gram a recording
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APP 12 granul- granular, granule granulo- granular, granule -graph recording instrument gyn- woman gyne- woman gyneco- woman gyno- woman hecto- one hundred (1010) hem- blood hema- blood hemat- blood hemato- blood hemi- one half hemo- blood hepat- liver hepatico- liver hepato- liver hept- seven hepta- seven hidr- sweat hidro- sweat hist- tissue histio- tissue histo- tissue homeo- same, constant hydr- water, hydrogen hydro- water, hydrogen hyper- excessive, above normal hypo- beneath, diminution, deficiency, the lowest hyster- 1 uterus, hysteria, 2 late, following hystero- 1 uterus, hysteria, 2 late, following -ia a condition -iasis condition, state -ic pertaining to -ics organized knowledge, practice, treatment ileo- ileum ilio- ilium in- 1 in, 2 not -in chemical suffix -ine chemical suffix infra- below inguino- groin inter- between, among intra- within intro- within irid- iris irido- iris ischi- ischium ischio- ischium -ism 1 condition, disease, 2 practice, doctrine -ismus spasm, contraction iso- 1 equal, like, 2 isomer, 3 sameness -ite the nature of, resembling -ites -y, -like -itides plural of -itis -itis inflammation kal- potassium
MEDICAL PREFIXES, SUFFIXES, AND COMBINING FORMS
kali- potassium karyo- nucleus kerat- cornea kerato- cornea kilo- one thousand (103) kin- movement kine- movement kinesi- motion kinesio- motion kineso- motion kino- movement labio- lip lacrim- tears lacrimo- tears lact- milk lacti- milk lacto- milk laparo- abdomen, abdominal wall laryng- larynx laryngo- larynx lateri- lateral, to one side, side latero- lateral, to one side, side -lepsis seizure -lepsy seizure lepto- light, slender, thin, frail leuk- white leuko- white linguo- tongue lip- fat, lipid lipo- fat, lipid lith- stone, calculus, calcification litho- stone, calculus, calcification -log speech, words log- speech, words logo- speech, words -logy 1 study of; 2 collecting lymph- lymph lympho- lymph lys- lysis, dissolution lyso- lysis, dissolution macr- large, long macro- large, long mal- bad, deficient -malacia softening mamm- breast mamma- breast mammo- breast mast- breast masto- breast meg- large, oversize mega- 1 large, oversize, 2 one million (106) megal- large megalo- large -megaly, enlargement melan- black melano- black men- menstruation mening- meninges meningo- meninges meno- menstruation
ment- chin mento- chin -mer member of a series mes- 1 middle, mean, intermediate, 2 attaching membrane meso- 1 middle, mean, intermediate, 2 attaching membrane meta- 1 after, behind, 2 joint action, sharing -meter measurement, measuring device metr- uterus metro- uterus micr- small, microscopic micro- 1 small, microscopic, 2 one-millionth (10 6) milli- one-thousandth (10 3) mon- single mono- single morph- form, shape, structure morpho- form, shape, structure my- muscle myo- muscle myel- 1 bone marrow, 2 spinal cord myelo- 1 bone marrow, 2 spinal cord myring- tympanic membrane myringo- tympanic membrane myx- mucus myxo- mucus nano- 1 dwarf, 2 one billionth (10 9) nas- nose naso- nose natr- sodium natri- sodium necr- death, necrosis necro- death, necrosis neo- new nephr- kidney nephro- kidney neur- nerve, nervous system neuri- nerve, nervous system neuro- nerve, nervous system norm- normal normo- normal octo- eight oculo- eye, ocular odont- tooth odonto- tooth odyn- pain odyno- pain -oid resemblance to olig- few, little oligo- few, little -oma tumor, neoplasm -omata plural of -oma oncho- oncoonco- tumor, bulk, volume -one ketone (CO group)
onych- fingernail, toenail onycho- fingernail, toenail oo- egg, ovary oophor- ovary oophoro- ovary ophthalm- eye ophthalmo- eye -opia vision -opsia vision or- mouth orchi- testis orchido- testis orchio- testis ori- mouth oro- mouth -ose sugar -oses plural of -osis -osis process, condition, state ossi- bone osseo- bony ost- bone oste- bone osteo- bone ovari- ovary ovario- ovary ovi- egg ovo- egg oxa- oxygen oxo- oxygen oxy- 1 sharp, acid, 2 acute, shrill, quick, 3 oxygen pachy- thick pan- all, entire pant- all, entire panto- all, entire para- 1 abnormal, 2 involvement of two like parts pari- equal path- disease patho- disease -pathy disease ped- 1 child, 2 foot pedi- 1 child, 2 foot pedo- 1 child, 2 foot -penia deficiency penta- five per- through, thoroughly, intensely peri- around, about -pexy fixation, usually surgical phaco- lens -phage eating, devouring -phagia eating, devouring phago- eating, devouring -phagy eating, devouring phako- lens phanero- visible, evident pharmaco- drugs, medicine pharyng- pharynx pharyngo- pharynx phil- 1 attraction, 2 chemical affinity
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MEDICAL PREFIXES, SUFFIXES, AND COMBINING FORMS
APP 13 tendin- tendon teno- tendon tenont- tendon tenonto- tendon tera- one quadrillion (1015) tetra- four thel- nipple thelo- nipple therm- heat thermo- heat thorac- chest, thorax thoracico- chest, thorax thoraco- chest, thorax thromb- blood clot thrombo- blood clot thyr- thyroid gland thyro- the thyroid gland toco- childbirth -tome 1 cutting instrument, 2 segment, section -tomy cutting operation tono- tone, tension, pressure top- place, topical topo- place, topical tox- toxin, poison toxi- toxin, poison toxico- toxin, poison toxo- toxin, poison trache- trachea tracheo- trachea trans- across, through, beyond tri- three trich- hair trichi- hair -trichia hair tricho- hair tris- three -trophic food, nutrition tropho- food, nutrition -trophy food, nutrition -tropia turning -tropic turning toward, affinity ultra- beyond uni- one, single uri- uric acid -uria urine, urination uric- uric acid urico- uric acid uro- 1 urine, 2 urinary tract vas- duct, blood vessel vasculo- blood vessel vaso- duct, blood vessel vesic- urinary bladder, vesicle vesico- urinary bladder, vesicle xanth- yellow, yellowish xantho- yellow, yellowish xero- dry zo- 1 animal, 2 life zoo- 1 animal, 2 life zym- fermentation, enzymes zymo- fermentation, enzymes
-philia 1 attraction, 2 chemical affinity philo- 1 attraction, 2 chemical affinity phleb- vein phlebo- vein -phobia fear phon- sound, speech phono- sound, speech phor- carrying, bearing phoro- carrying, bearing phos- light phot- light photo- light phren- 1 diaphragm, 2 mind, 3 phrenic phreni- 1 diaphragm, 2 mind, 3 phrenic -phrenia of mind phrenico- 1 diaphragm, 2 mind, 3 phrenic phreno- 1 diaphragm, 2 mind, 3 phrenic -phylaxis protection phyll- leaf phyllo- leaf physi- 1 physical, 2 natural physio- 1 physical, 2 natural physo- 1 swelling, inflation, 2 air, gas phyt- plants phyto- plants pico- one trillionth (10 12) plan- flat plani- flat plano- flat -plasia formation plasma- plasma plasmat- plasma plasmato- plasma plasmo- plasma platy- wide, flat -plegia paralysis pleo- more plesio- near, similar pleur- rib, side, pleura pleura- rib, side, pleura pleuro- rib, side, pleura pluri- several, more -pnea breath, respiration pneo- breath, respiration pneum- 1 air, gas, 2 lung, 3 breathing pneuma- 1 air, gas, 2 lung, 3 breathing pneumat- 1 air, gas, 2 lung, 3 breathing pneumato- 1 air, gas, 2 lung, 3 breathing pod- foot, foot-shaped -pod foot, foot-shaped podo- foot, foot-shaped
-poiesis production poikilo- irregular, variable polio- gray poly- 1 multiplicity, 2 polymer post- after, behind, posterior pre- anterior, before presby- old pro- 1 before, forward, 2 precursor proct- anus, rectum procto- anus, rectum prot- first proto- first pseud- false pseudo- false psych- mind psyche- mind psycho- mind -ptosis sagging, falling pyel- (renal) pelvis pyelo- (renal) pelvis pykn- dense, compact pykno- dense, compact pyo- suppuration, pus pyreto- fever pyro- fire, heat, fever quadr- four quadri- four rachi- spinal column rachio- spinal column radio- 1 radiation, x-ray, 2 radius re- again, backward rect- rectum, straight recto- rectum, straight ren- kidney reno- kidney retro- backward, behind rhin- nose rhino- nose -rrhagia discharge -rrhaphy surgical suturing -rrhea flow -rrhexis rupture salping- tube salpingo- tube sarco- flesh, muscle schisto- split, cleft schiz- split, cleft, division schizo- split, cleft, division scler- hardness (induration), sclerosis, ocular sclera sclero- hardness (induration), sclerosis, ocular sclera scolio- crooked -scope instrument for viewing -scopy viewing scot- shadow, darkness scoto- shadow, darkness semi- one-half, partly sept- 1 seven, 2 septum, 3 sepsis, infection
septi- seven septo- 1 seven, 2 septum, 3 sepsis, infection sial- saliva, salivary gland sialo- saliva, salivary gland sider- iron sidero- iron sigmoid- 1 S-shaped, 2 sigmoid colon sigmoido- 1 S-shaped, 2 sigmoid colon sin- sinus sino- sinus sinu- sinus sito- food, grain somat- body, bodily somato- body, bodily somatico- body, bodily somno- sleep son- 1 sound, 2 ultrasound sono- 1 sound, 2 ultrasound spasmo- spasm spermato- semen, spermatozoa spermo- semen, spermatozoa sperma- semen, spermatozoa sphygmo- pulse spir- breathing spiro- breathing splanchn- viscera splanchni- viscera splanchno- viscera splen- spleen spleno- spleen staphyl- grape, bunch of grapes, staphylococci staphylo- grape, bunch of grapes, staphylococci -stasis stopping -stat arresting change or movement steno- narrowness, constriction stereo- solid stheno- strength, force, power stom- mouth stoma- mouth stomat- mouth stomato- mouth sub- beneath, less than normal, inferior super- in excess, above, superior, in the upper part supra- above sy- together syl- together sym- together syn- together sys- together tachy- rapid tel- distant tele- distant ten- tendon
