Medical Terminology Flashcards: Prefixes & Roots

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Questions and Answers

What does the term 'Kal/i' refer to?

Potassium (correct)

Hydrogen

Oxygen

Sodium

What does 'Kary/o' mean?

Nucleus

What is 'Kel/o' associated with?

Tumor, fibrous growth

What does 'Kerat/o' refer to?

Cornea, hard, horny tissue Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'Keraun/o' mean?

Lightning Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Kern-' relate to?

Nucleus (collection of nerve cells in brain) Signup and view all the answers

What are 'Ket/o' and 'Keton/o' associated with?

Ketones, acetones Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Kines/o' mean?

Movement Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Klept/o' indicate?

To steal Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Koil/o' mean?

Hollow, concave, depressed Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Kraur/o' refer to?

Dry Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'Kym/o' relate to?

Waves Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Kyph/o' refer to?

Humpback Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Labile' mean?

Unstable, perishable Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Labi/o' refer to?

Lip Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Lacrim/o' signify?

Tear, tear duct, lacrimal duct Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Lact/o' mean?

Milk Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Lal/o' or '-lalia' indicate?

Speech, babble Signup and view all the answers

What is the meaning of 'Lamin/o'?

Lamina Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Lampr/o' signify?

Clear Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Lapar/o' refer to?

Abdominal wall, abdomen Signup and view all the answers

What does '-lapse' mean?

To slide, fall, sag Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Leth/o' mean?

Death Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Leuk/o' refer to?

White Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Laryng/o' mean?

Larynx (voice box) Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Later/o' indicate?

Side Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Lecith/o' mean?

Yolk, ovum Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Lei/o' refer to?

Smooth Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Leiomy/o' mean?

Smooth (visceral) muscle Signup and view all the answers

What does '-lemma' indicate?

Sheath, covering Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Lepid/o' mean?

Plakes, scales Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Lepr/o' refer to?

Leprosy Signup and view all the answers

What does '-lepsy' signify?

Seizure Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Lept/o' mean?

Thin, slender Signup and view all the answers

What does '-leptic' indicate?

To seize, take hold of Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Levo-' refer to?

Left Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Lex/o' or '-lexia' signify?

Word, phrase Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Lien/o' mean?

Spleen Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Ligament/o' signify?

Ligament Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Ligat/o' mean?

Binding, tying Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Lim/o' indicate?

Hunger Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Lingu/o' refer to?

Tongue Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Lip/o' mean?

Fat, lipid Signup and view all the answers

What does '-lipsis' indicate?

Omit, fail Signup and view all the answers

What does '-listhesis' mean?

Condition of stones Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Lith/o' signify?

Stone, calculus Signup and view all the answers

What does '-lithotomy' mean?

Incision (for removal of a stone) Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Lob/o' indicate?

Lobe Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Logad/o' mean?

Whites of eyes Signup and view all the answers

What does '-logist' refer to?

Specialist Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Log/o' signify?

Study Signup and view all the answers

What does '-logy' refer to?

Study (process of) Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Loph/o' signify?

Ridge Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Lord/o' mean?

Curve, swayback Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Lox/o' signify?

Oblique, slanting Signup and view all the answers

What does '-lucent' refer to?

To shine Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Lumb/o' indicate?

Lower back, loin Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Lumin/o' mean?

Light Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Lute/o' signify?

Yellow Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Lux/o' mean?

To slide Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Lymph/o' relate to?

Lymph Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Ly/o' mean?

To dissolve, loosen Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Lymphaden/o' signify?

Lymph gland (node) Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Lymphangi/o' mean?

Lymph vessel Signup and view all the answers

What does '-lysis' signify?

Breakdown, separation, destruction, loosening Signup and view all the answers

What does '-lytic' mean?

To reduce, destroy, separate, breakdown Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Macro-, Mega-' indicate?

Large Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Mal-' mean?

Bad Signup and view all the answers

What does '-malacia' refer to?

Softening Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Malleol/o' signify?

Malleolus Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Mamm/o, Mast/o' indicate?

Breast Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Mandibul/o' mean?

Mandible (lower jawbone) Signup and view all the answers

What does '-mania' signify?

Obsessive preoccupation Signup and view all the answers

What does '-maseis' mean?

Mastication, chewing Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Mastoid/o' signify?

Mastoid process (behind ear) Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Maxill/o' mean?

Maxilla (upper jawbone) Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Medical Terminology: Prefixes and Suffixes

Kal/i: Refers to potassium, an essential nutrient in the human body.
Kary/o: Indicates the nucleus, which contains genetic material in cells.
Kel/o: Means tumor or fibrous growth, often associated with abnormal tissue formations.
Kerat/o: Pertains to the cornea or hard, horny tissue, vital for eye structure and protection.
Keraun/o: Translates to lightning, related to electrical phenomena.
Kern-: Refers to the nucleus in the context of brain nerve cell collections.
Ket/o, Keton/o: Represents ketones and acetones, important in metabolism, especially during fasting.
Kines/o, Kinesi/o, -kinesis, -motor: Relates to movement, crucial in understanding bodily motions.
Klept/o: Means to steal, often used in medical contexts relating to the act of stealing in psychology.
Koil/o: Indicates something hollow, concave, or depressed, used to describe certain body structures.
Kraur/o: Signifies dryness, often used in medical conditions like xerostomia.
Kym/o: Refers to waves, commonly used in the context of physiological functions or movement patterns.
Kyph/o: Means humpback, describing a spinal curvature disorder.
Labile: Describes something unstable or perishable, often in emotional or chemical contexts.
Labi/o: Refers to lip, used both in anatomy and in terms related to speech.
Lacrim/o: Pertains to tears and tear ducts, essential for eye lubrication.
Lact/o: Indicates milk, relevant in nutrition and lactation studies.
Lal/o, -lalia: Relates to speech or babbling, relevant in language development studies.
Lamin/o: Refers to the lamina, a layer of tissue in various organs.
Lampr/o: Means clear, often used in contexts describing transparency in fluids or materials.
Lapar/o: Pertains to the abdominal wall or abdomen, significant in surgical contexts.
-lapse: Indicates to slide, fall, or sag, relevant in descriptions of bodily functions or conditions.
Leth/o: Refers to death, often used in medical terminology regarding end-of-life conditions.
Leuk/o: Means white, commonly associated with white blood cells or related medical conditions.
Laryng/o: Refers to the larynx, or voice box, a critical area for sound production.
Later/o: Indicates the side, used in anatomical descriptions for positioning.
Lecith/o: Pertains to yolk or ovum, significant in reproductive studies.
Lei/o: Refers to smooth tissue, used to describe various muscle types.
Leiomy/o: Specifically denotes smooth (visceral) muscle, crucial for understanding muscle function.
-lemma: Refers to a sheath or covering, often describing protective layers in tissues.
Lepid/o: Refers to scales or flakes, relevant in dermatological contexts.
Lepr/o: Relates to leprosy, a historical disease with significant impact on health.
-lepsy: Indicates a seizure, used in neurological terminology.
Lept/o: Refers to something thin or slender, relevant in contexts like body composition.
-leptic: Means to seize or take hold of, relevant in medication descriptions.
Levo-: Indicates the left side, commonly used in anatomical references.
Lex/o, -lexia: Pertains to words or phrases, often in linguistic studies.
Lien/o: Refers to the spleen, an organ involved in immune function.
Ligament/o: Signifies ligament, which connects bones and supports joints.
Ligat/o: Refers to binding or tying, often in surgical contexts.
Lim/o: Means hunger, relevant in nutritional studies and conditions.
Lingu/o: Pertains to the tongue, essential for taste and speech.
Lip/o: Refers to fat or lipids, significant in metabolic studies and nutrition.
-lipsis: Indicates omission or failure, relevant in descriptions of medical conditions.
-listhesis: Refers to a condition involving stones, often in urological contexts.
Lith/o: Means stone or calculus, often linked to kidney or gallbladder issues.
-lithotomy: Indicates incision for stone removal, significant in urological surgery.
Lob/o: Refers to a lobe, often used in organ anatomy descriptions.
Logad/o: Refers to the whites of the eyes, important in ophthalmology.
-logist: Denotes a specialist, significant in various fields of medicine.
Log/o: Refers to study, used in various medical disciplines.
-logy: Indicates study or process of understanding specific systems or conditions.
Loph/o: Refers to ridge structures, important in anatomical descriptions.
Lord/o: Denotes curve or swayback, commonly used in spinal health discussions.
Lox/o: Indicates oblique or slanting, used in describing certain anatomical orientations.
-lucent: Means to shine, relevant in imaging and diagnostic techniques.
Lumb/o: Pertains to the lower back or loin, significant in musculoskeletal health.
Lumin/o: Refers to light, often used in contexts involving visibility or diagnostics.
Lute/o: Indicates yellow, potentially relating to various physiological processes.
Lux/o: Means to slide, often in context with joint or spinal movement.
Lymph/o: Refers to lymph, critical to the immune system.
Ly/o: Indicates to dissolve or loosen, relevant in biochemical processes.
Lymphaden/o: Refers to lymph glands or nodes, pivotal in understanding immune responses.
Lymphangi/o: Pertains to lymph vessels, crucial for fluid balance.
-lysis: Describes breakdown, separation, destruction, or loosening, relevant in various medical processes.
-lytic: Refers to reducing, destroying, or separating substances, commonly used in pharmacology.
Macro-, Mega-: Both indicate large, often used to describe various conditions or anatomical structures.
Mal-: Means bad, widely used to describe unfavorable medical conditions.
-malacia: Refers to softening, relevant in pathological contexts.
Malleol/o: Refers to the malleolus, part of the ankle structure.
Mamm/o, Mast/o: Pertains to breast, significant in studies of mammary health.
Mandibul/o: Refers to the mandible or lower jawbone, important in dental and craniofacial studies.
-mania: Indicates obsessive preoccupation, relevant in psychological contexts.
-masesis: Refers to mastication or chewing, significant in digestive processes.
Mastoid/o: Pertains to the mastoid process behind the ear, important in ear health.

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Test your knowledge with these flashcards covering essential medical prefixes and roots. Each term includes its specific definition to help reinforce your understanding of medical vocabulary. Perfect for students in health sciences or anyone interested in medical terminology.