Questions and Answers
What does 'acanth-' mean?
What does 'alg-' refer to?
What is the meaning of 'alges-'?
Which word means 'other or difference from'?
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What does 'angi-' signify?
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What does 'brady-' mean?
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What is indicated by 'cardi-'?
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What does 'cephal-' mean?
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What does 'neur-' refer to?
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What does 'oste-' signify?
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What does 'tacchy-' mean?
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What does 'tox(i)' refer to?
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What does 'sarc-' stand for?
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Match the following combining forms with their meanings:
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Study Notes
Medical Combining Forms
- acanth-: Refers to a thorn or spine, often used in medical terminology related to skin or anatomical structures.
- alg-: Denotes pain, important for terms related to pain management and therapeutic practices.
- alges-: Indicates sensitivity to pain, relevant in contexts such as neurological assessments.
- all-: Suggests divergence, otherness, or difference, commonly used in comparative medical studies.
- angi-: Refers to (blood) vessels or ducts, essential for understanding circulatory and vascular conditions.
- arteri-: Pertaining to arteries, critical in cardiovascular studies and descriptions.
- arthr-: Concerns joints, fundamental for discussions on joint disorders and rheumatology.
- bi-: Means life, frequently seen in biological and medical terminologies.
- brady-: Indicates slowness, relevant in contexts such as bradycardia or reduced physiological processes.
- cardi-: Relates to the heart, crucial for cardiology and related health fields.
- cephal-: Means head, commonly used in terms related to cranial anatomy or head injuries.
- crani-: Refers to the skull, important for discussing head injuries and neurological access.
- cyt-: Denotes cell or hollow container, foundational in cytology and cellular biology.
- encephal-: Pertains to the brain within the head, significant in neurology.
- erythr-: Refers to red blood cells, relevant in hematology.
- lept-: Implies thin, fine, or slight, used in medical descriptions of structures.
- leuk-: Indicates white or white blood cells, pertinent in oncology and blood disorders.
- lith-: Refers to stones or calculi, key in urology and certain surgical contexts.
- log-: Means word or study, common in the study of medical terminology and language.
- malac-: Suggests softness, important in discussions of tissue integrity.
- mes-: Refers to middle, second, or partial; important in anatomy and pathology.
- -meter/ metr-: Denotes measure or measuring device, essential in diagnostic tools.
- nephr-: Pertains to the kidney, critical in nephrology and related fields.
- neur-: Relates to nerves or the nervous system, fundamental in neurology.
- oste-: Refers to bone, crucial in orthopedics and skeletal health.
- prosop-: Means face, significant in facial anatomy and reconstructive surgery.
- prot-: Indicates first or primitive, relevant in discussions of evolutionary biology.
- scler-: Implies hardness, often associated with tissue types and pathological conditions.
- stere-: Refers to solid or three-dimensional, important in imaging and anatomical studies.
- tachy-: Denotes fast, relevant in discussions of heart rate and metabolic processes.
- tox(i)-: Refers to poison, significant in toxicology and emergency medicine.
- acr-: Indicates extremities, important in venous and arterial assessments.
- ambly-: Suggests dull or faint, often used in sensory assessments.
- carcin-: Refers to cancer or malignancy, crucial in oncology.
- -cel-: Indicates tumor, hernia, or swelling; used in various pathologies.
- cheir-/ chir-: Refers to hand, relevant in surgical interventions and anatomy.
- chol(e)-: Means bile or gall, connected to digestive health and liver function.
- col(i)-/ colon-: Pertains to colon, essential in gastrointestinal studies.
- cyan-: Indicates blue, often used in clinical signs of cyanosis.
- cyst-/-cystis: Refers to bladder or cyst, relevant in urology.
- diplo-: Means double or twin, may relate to congenital conditions.
- enter-: Indicates small intestine, crucial for understanding digestive pathways.
- erg-: Refers to work or action, often used in physical therapy.
- gastro-: Pertains to stomach, crucial in gastrointestinal medicine.
- hem-/hemat-/-em: Refers to blood, foundational in hematology and transfusion medicine.
- hepar-/ hepat-: Denotes liver, essential in liver disease discussions.
- lip-: Indicates fat, relevant in metabolic studies and nutrition.
- macr-: Refers to abnormally large or long, pertinent in pathological conditions.
- mega-/megal-: Also indicates abnormally large or long; used in various pathologies.
- melan-: Means black or dark, significant in dermatology and oncology.
- micr-: Refers to abnormally small, relevant in cellular studies.
- nyct-: Indicates night, commonly used in sleep medicine contexts.
- odyn-: Refers to pain, key in pain management discussions.
- onc-: Relates to mass or tumor, crucial in oncology.
- pachy-: Means thick, used in descriptions of tissue structure.
- pseud-: Denotes false or fake, relevant in diagnoses of conditions.
- py-: Pertains to pus, important in infectious diseases.
- sarc-: Refers to tissues or flesh, significant in biopsies and pathology.
- spasm-: Indicates involuntary contraction or twitch, key in muscular disorders.
- splen(o)-: Refers to the spleen, important in immunology and blood disorders.
- stom-/ -stomat: Denotes opening or mouth, often used in surgical contexts.
- arachn-: Refers to spider or web, significant in discussions of arachnoid membranes.
- chlor-: Indicates green, used in studies of chlorophyll and plant biology.
- chondr-: Refers to cartilage, relevant in joint health discussions.
- dactyl-: Denotes fingers and toes, significant in limb assessments.
- derm(at)-/derma-: Refers to skin; foundational in dermatology.
- (H)elc-: Indicates ulcer, critical in gastrointestinal and wound care.
- hidr(ot)-/ -idr-: Relates to sweat, important in thermoregulation studies.
- hist(i)-: Refers to tissue, vital in pathology and anatomy.
- hydr-: Indicates water, significant in fluid balance studies.
- hypn-: Refers to sleep, essential in sleep medicine discussions.
- icter-: Indicates jaundice, relevant in liver health assessments.
- in-/ inos-: Refers to fiber or muscle, significant in physiology.
- is-: Indicates same, equal, or similar, often used in comparative medical literature.
- mening-/ -menix: Pertains to the meninges, important in neurology and infections.
- my(s)-: Refers to muscle, pivotal in anatomy and physical therapy.
- myc(et)-: Indicates mushroom or fungus, relevant in microbiology.
- myel-: Refers to bone marrow or spinal cord, critical in hematology.
- narc-: Indicates stupor or numbness, often used in anesthesia contexts.
- necr-: Refers to dead, often used in discussions of necrosis and gangrene.
- olig-: Denotes few or deficient, relevant in lab results and conditions.
- onchy-: Indicates nail, significant in dermatological assessments.
- pod-: Refers to feet, essential in podiatry and orthopedic studies.
- poli-: Means gray, often relating to neurological structures.
- poly-: Indicates many, significant in various medical contexts.
- por-: Refers to passage or opening, relevant in anatomy.
- psych-: Pertains to mind, essential in mental health discussions.
- som(at)-, -soma: Refers to body, foundational in anatomy and physiology.
- sthen-: Indicates strength, often used in sports and rehabilitation.
- trachel-: Refers to neck or cervix, important in gynecology and anatomy.
- xanth-: Indicates yellow, often related to skin conditions.
- aut-: Refers to self, often seen in discussions of autoimmunity.
- crin-: Pertains to secretion, relevant in endocrinology.
- esthe(s)-: Relates to sensation or sensitivity, significant in neurology.
- gen(e)-/-gen: Indicates the act of producing or coming into being, essential in genetics.
- gram-: Refers to recording, often used in diagnostic imaging.
- -graph: Denotes an instrument for recording, critical in various medical diagnostic devices.
- iatr-: Relates to healer or physician, significant in patient care.
- idi-: Means one's own or peculiar, relevant in individualized medicine.
- kine-: Indicates movement, crucial in physical therapy and rehabilitation discussions.
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Description
Test your knowledge of key combining forms used in medical terminology with these flashcards. Each card presents a combining form along with its meaning, helping you learn valuable language that conveys anatomical and physiological concepts. Perfect for students in health-related fields.
