List of medical roots, suffixes and prefixes

List of medical roots, suffixes and prefixes

This is a list of roots, suffixes, and prefixes used in medical terminology, their meanings, and their etymology. Most of them are combining forms in New Latin and hence international scientific vocabulary. There are a few general rules about how they combine. First, prefixes and suffixes, most of which are derived from ancient Greek or classical Latin, have a droppable -o-. As a general rule, this -o- almost always acts as a joint-stem to connect two consonantal roots, e.g. arthr- + -o- + logy = arthrology. But generally, the -o- is dropped when connecting to a vowel-stem; e.g. arthr- + itis = arthritis, instead of *arthr-o-itis. Second, medical roots generally go together according to language, i.e., Greek prefixes occur with Greek suffixes and Latin prefixes with Latin suffixes. Although international scientific vocabulary is not stringent about segregating combining forms of different languages, it is advisable when coining new words not to mix different lingual roots.

Prefixes and suffixes

The following is an alphabetical list of medical prefixes and suffixes, along with their meanings, origin, and English examples.

A

Root

Meaning

a-, an-

not, without

ab-

from; away from

abdomin-

Of or relating to the abdomen

-ac

pertaining to

acanth- thorn or spine

acou- [1] Of or relating to hearing

acr-

-acusis -ad adaden-

extremity, topmost

hearing toward, in the direction of at, increase, on, toward Of or relating to a gland Of or relating to fat or fatty

Origin language and etymology

Ancient Greek -/- (a-/an-), not, without Latin Latin abdmen, abdomen, fat around the belly Greek - (-akos) Ancient Greek (?kantha), thorn Greek (ako?ein), (akoustik?s), of or for hearing Greek (akron), highest or farthest point Greek (akoustik?s), of or for hearing

Latin Ancient Greek , - (adn, aden-), an acorn; a gland

Examples

analgesic, apathy

abduction

abdomen, abdominal

cardiac, hydrophobiac acanthion, acanthocyte, acanthoma, acanthulus

acoumeter, acoustician, hyperacusis

acrocrany, acromegaly, acroosteolysis, acroposthia

paracusis

dorsad adduction adenocarcinoma, adenology, adenotome, adenotyphus

adip-

tissue

Latin (adeps, adip-), fat

Adipocyte

adren-aemia (BrE) aer(o)aesthesi(BrE) -al albalge(si)-algia, alg(i)oall-

ambi-

amni-

amph(i)-, amyloananaanandrangianisoankyl-, ancyl-

ante-

anti-

apoarch-

Of or relating to adrenal glands

Latin

blood condition

Greek ?, without blood

air, gas

Greek ,

sensation

Greek

pertaining to

Denoting a white or pale color

pain

Latin -alis Latin albus, white Greek

pain

Greek

Denoting something as different, or as an addition

Denoting something as positioned on both sides; describing both of two

Pertaining to the membranous fetal sac (amnion)

Ancient Greek (allos), another, other

Latin (ambi-, ambo), both, on both sides

Greek ?

on both sides

Greek ? (amphi)

starchy, carbohydrate-related Latin amylum (starch)

not, without

Greek

back, again, up

Greek

anus

Latin

pertaining to a man

Greek , -

blood vessel

Greek

Describing something as unequal

Ancient Greek (ansos), unequal

Denoting something as crooked or bent

Ancient Greek (ank?los), crooked, curved

Describing something as positioned in front of another Latin (nt), before, in front of thing

Describing something as 'against' or 'opposed to' another

Ancient Greek (anti), against

away, separated from, derived from

Ancient Greek

first, primitive

Ancient Greek

Of or pertaining to a male;

adrenal artery

Anaemia Aerosinusitis Anesthesia abdominal, femoral Albino Analgesic Myalgia

Alloantigen, allopathy

Ambidextrous

Amniocentesis

Amphicrania, amphismela, amphomycin Amylase, amylophagia Analgesia Anaplasia anal Android, andrology, androgen angiogram, angioplasty Anisocytosis, anisotropic

Ankylosis

antepartum

Antibody, antipsychotic

Apoptosis archinephron

arsen(o)- masculine

Greek (arsein)

arsenoblast

arteri(o)-

arthrarticul-ary -ase -asthenia atel(o)-

ather-ation atri(o)aur(i)aut(o)-

Of or pertaining to an artery

Of or pertaining to the joints, limbs joint pertaining to enzyme weakness imperfect or incomplete development fatty deposit, soft gruel-like deposit process an atrium (esp. heart atrium) Of or pertaining to the ear self

Ancient Greek (artr?a), a wind-pipe, artery (used distinctly versus a vein) Ancient Greek (?rthron), a joint, limb Latin articulus Latin -arius Greek , division Greek,

(ath?r)

Latin Latin Latin (auris), the ear Greek -

aux(o)- increase; growth

axill-

Of or pertaining to the armpit (uncommon as a prefix)

Latin (axilla), armpit

azo(to)- nitrogenous compound

Arteriole, artery

Arthritis

Articulation biliary tract, coronary Lactase Myasthenia gravis

atelocardia

Atherosclerosis

medication atrioventricular Aural Autoimmune Auxocardia: enlargement of the heart, auxology

Axilla

azothermia: raised temperature due to nitrogenous substances in blood

B

Affix

Meaning

bacteri-

Pertaining to bacteria

balan-

Of the glans penis or glans clitoridis

bas(o)-

Of or pertaining to base

bi-

twice, double

bio-

life

blast-

germ or bud

blephar(o)-

Of or pertaining to the eyelid

brachi(o)- Of or relating to the arm

brachy-

Indicating 'short' or less commonly 'little'

Origin language and etymology Latin ("bacterium"); Greek ("baktrion"), "small staff"

Greek (b?lanos), acorn, glans

Greek (b?sis), "foundation", "base" Latin Ancient Greek (b?os) Greek (blast?s) Ancient Greek (bl?pharon), eyelid Latin (bracchium), from Ancient Greek (brachin), arm Ancient Greek (brachys), short, little, shallow

Example(s) Bacteriophage, bactericide

Balanitis

Basolateral Binary Biology Blastomere

Blepharoplasty

Brachium of inferior colliculus

brachycephalic

bradybronch(i)bucc(o)burs(o)-

'slow'

of or relating to the bronchus

Of or pertaining to the cheek bursa (fluid sac between the bones)

Ancient Greek (bradys), slow

Latin (bronchus); Ancient Greek (br?nkhos), windpipe

Bradycardia

Bronchitis, bronchiolitis obliterans

Latin (bucca), cheek

Buccolabial

Latin (bursa), purse; Ancient Greek (b?rsa), hide, wine-skin

Bursa, bursitis

C

Affix capillcapitcarcin(o)cardi(o)-

carp(o)-

cata-cele -centesis cephal(o)cerat(o)cerebell(o)cerebrcerviccheilchemchir-, cheirchlor-

chol(e)-

Meaning Of or pertaining to hair Pertaining to the head (as a whole) cancer Of or pertaining to the heart

Of or pertaining to the wrist

down, under

pouching, hernia

surgical puncture for aspiration Of or pertaining to the head (as a whole) Of or pertaining to the cornu; a horn Of or pertaining to the cerebellum Of or pertaining to the brain Of or pertaining to the neck, the cervix Of or pertaining to the lips chemistry, drug Of or pertaining to the hand

Denoting a green color

Of or pertaining to bile

Origin language and etymology Latin (capillus), hair Latin (caput, capit-), the head Greek (karkinos), crab Ancient Greek (kard?a), heart Latin (carpus) < Ancient Greek (karp?s), wrist; NOTE: This root should not be confused with the mirror root carp(o)meaning fruit. Greek (kata)

Ancient Greek (kl)

Ancient Greek (kentsis)

Ancient Greek (k?phal), the head Ancient Greek , - (k?ras, kerat-), a horn Latin (cerebellum), little brain

Latin (cerebrum), brain

Latin (cervix, cervc-), neck, cervix Latin (cheilitis) Greek ? Ancient Greek , - (cheir, cheiro-), hand Ancient Greek (chlros), green, yellow-green

Ancient Greek (chol), bile

Example(s) Capillus capitation carcinoma cardiology

carpopedal spasm

Cataract, catabolism Hydrocele, Varicocele amniocentesis cephalalgy, hydrocephalus Ceratoid

Cerebellum

Cerebrology

cervicodorsal angular cheilitis chemotherapy chiropractor

chlorophyll Cholaemia (UK)/ Cholemia (US),

cholecyst(o)-

Of or pertaining to the gallbladder

Ancient Greek (cholk?stis), gallbladder < (chol), bile, gall + (k?stis), bladder

chondr(i)o-

cartilage, gristle, granule, granular

Ancient Greek (chondros)

chrom(ato)- color

Ancient Greek ? (chrma)

-cidal, -cide killing, destroying

Latin

cili-

Of or pertaining to the cilia, the eyelashes; eyelids

Latin (cilium), eyelash; eyelid

circum-

Denoting something as 'around' another

Latin (circum), around

cis-

on this side

Latin cis

clast

break

Greek "broken"

clostr-

spindle

Greek (klstr)

co-

with, together, in association

Latin

col-, colo-, colono-

colon

(k?lon)

colp(o)-

Of or pertaining to the vagina

Ancient Greek (k?lpos), bosom, womb; hollow, depth

com-

with, together

Latin cum

contra

against

Latin

cor-

with, together

Latin

cor-

Of or pertaining to eye's pupil

Ancient Greek (k?r), girl, doll; pupil of the eye

cord-

Of or pertaining to the heart (uncommon as a prefix)

Latin (cor, cordi-), "heart"

cornu-

Applied to processes and parts of the body describing them likened or similar to horns

Latin corn, "horn"

coron(o)-

pertaining to heart

Latin corna

cortic(o) costcox-

crani(o)-

-crine, crin(o) cry(o)-

Cortex, or outer region

Latin cortex, "Bark of a tree"

Of or pertaining to the ribs Latin (costa), "rib"

Of or relating to the hip, haunch, or hip-joint

Latin (coxa), hip

Belonging or relating to the cranium

Latin (cranium) < Ancient Greek (krnion), the cranium, skull, bones enclosing the brain

to secrete

ecrine

cold

Greek

Cholecystitis Cholecystectomy

Chondrocalcinosis Hemochromatosis bacteriocidal Ciliary circumcision cisgender osteoclast Clostridium coenzymes Colonoscopy Colposcopy

Contraindicate corrective Corectomy

Commotio cordis

Greater cornu

coronary heart disease Corticosteriod Costochondral Coxopodite

Craniology

Endocrine Cryoablation

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