Classics 47 Combining Forms Flashcards

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.