Medical Terminology Flashcards

Prefixes and Suffixes Related to Anatomy and Physiology

• -orexia: indicates appetite, often used in medical terms related to eating disorders.
• organ/o: refers to organs, essential units of the body that perform specific functions.
• orgasm/o: denotes swelling or excitement, often used in contexts of physical or emotional response.
• orth/o: means straight, normal, or correct; commonly used in terms related to alignment.
• -ory: signifies pertaining to, frequently used to describe functions or characteristics of body parts.

Root Words

• os-: represents mouth or bone; essential for discussing oral health or skeletal structures.
• -ose: implies full of, pertaining to; commonly relates to sugar in biological contexts.
• -osis: signifies an abnormal condition or disease; crucial for classifying medical disorders.
• osm/o: indicates pushing or thrusting, particularly in physiological processes.
• -osmia: refers to smell or odor; often relevant in discussions of sensory functions.

Bone-Related Terminology

• oss/e, oss/i: both represent bone, foundational to discussions surrounding skeletal health.
• ossicul/o: refers to ossicles, small bones, particularly relevant in ear anatomy.
• ost/o, oste/o: denote bone; key roots in terms related to bone health and diseases.
• -ostomy: involves surgically creating an opening, often used in surgical procedures related to the digestive or urinary systems.
• -ostosis: refers to a condition of bone; important for diagnostic terminology in orthopedics.

Ear and Hearing Vocabulary

• ot/o: indicates ear or hearing; central to otology and audiology.
• -otia: pertains to ear conditions, relevant for various auditory disorders.
• -otomy: refers to cutting or surgical incision; often related to surgical procedures.

Reproductive System Terms

• ov/i, ov/o: signify egg or ovum; crucial for reproductive and developmental biology discussions.
• ovari/o: pertains to the ovary, integral to discussions of female reproductive health.
• ovul/o: relates to egg, particularly in the context of ovulation.

Oxygen-Related Terminology

• ox/i, ox/o, ox/y: all denote oxygen, fundamental to discussions on respiration and metabolism.
• -oxia: refers to oxygen condition; critical in evaluating respiratory health.
• oxid/o: indicates the presence of oxygen in compounds; relevant in biochemical discussions.
• oxy/o: implies the presence of oxygen in a compound, significant in pharmacology and chemistry.

Additional Clinical Terms

• pachy-: describes something heavy or thick, useful in various clinical descriptions.
• palat/o: refers to the palate, significant in dental and oral health discussions.
• pall/o, pallid/o: indicate paleness, often used in clinical descriptions of skin or tissue.
• Palliat/o: conveys a sense of being cloaked or hidden, often referring to palliative care.
• Palm/o: signifies the palm of the hand, relevant in anatomy and physiotherapy.
• Palpat/o: involves touch or feel; crucial in clinical examinations.
• palpebr/o: refers to the eyelid, important in ocular health.
• Palpit/o: means throbbing or quivering; valuable in cardiology discussions.

Comprehensive Terms

• Pan-: means all, entire, or every; frequently used in medical terminology to indicate a total scope.
• pancreat/o: refers to the pancreas, essential for discussions about metabolism and digestion-related disorders.
• papill/i, papill/o: denotes nipple-like structures, significant in various anatomical contexts.
• papul/o: refers to pimples, crucial in dermatological discussions.
• par-, para-: suggests beside, near, beyond, or abnormal; useful in the description of conditions or locations in anatomy.