Medical Terminology Flashcards

Medical Prefixes and Suffixes Flashcards

• Arthr/o: Refers to joints, often used in words related to joint conditions.
• Bi/o: Signifies life, commonly found in biological terms.
• Cardi/o: Relates to the heart, frequently appears in cardiovascular terminology.
• Caud/o: Indicates tail, used in anatomical references.
• Cephal/o: Pertains to the head, often used in medical diagnoses involving the head.
• Cervic/o: Refers to the neck or cervix, significant in cervical health discussions.
• Col/o-, Colon/o-: Represents the large intestine or colon, crucial in gastrointestinal healthcare.
• Cost/o-: Denotes ribs, important in discussions about thoracic anatomy.
• Dist/o-: Indicates something distant or far from the point of origin, often used in anatomical descriptions.
• Dors/o-: Refers to the back of the body, important in posture and anatomical positioning.
• Enter/o-: Pertains to the intestines, specifically the small intestine, essential in digestive discussions.
• Poster/o-: Signifies the back or behind the body, used in anatomical directions.
• Sarc/o-: Relates to flesh or connective tissue, relevant in muscle and tissue studies.
• Thorac/o-: Refers to the chest, often used in cardiopulmonary contexts.
• Viscer/o-: Indicates internal organs, significant in discussions about organ systems.
• Gastr/o-: Signifies the stomach, essential in digestive health references.
• Glyc/o: Refers to glucose or sugar, key in discussions of metabolism and diabetes.
• Hepat/o-: Pertains to the liver, significant in hepatology.
• Hist/o-: Indicates tissue, commonly used in histopathology.
• Infer/o-: Relates to something below or lower, often used in anatomical terminology.
• Later/o-: Signifies side, relevant in lateral anatomy references.
• Lip/o-: Denotes fat, important in studying metabolism and obesity.
• Log/o-: Refers to the process of, commonly found in medical terminology.
• Medi/o-: Indicates middle, often used in anatomical orientations.
• My/o-: Refers to muscle, prevalent in musculoskeletal discussions.
• Neur/o-: Pertains to nerves, significant in neurology.
• Path/o-: Indicates disease, essential in pathology.
• Proxim/o-: Describes something near or close to the point of origin, relevant in anatomical descriptions.
• Super/o-: Refers to something above, commonly used in anatomical directions.
• Ventr/o-: Signifies the belly side of the body, important in anatomical orientation.
• Cyt/o: Refers to cells, crucial in cytology.
• A-, An-: Signifies not or without, often used in negation terms.
• Ante-: Means before, significant in medical timelines.
• Anti-: Denotes against, commonly used in pharmacology.
• Bi-: Means two or both, relevant in many biological terms.
• Brady-: Indicates slow, often used in relation to heart rate.
• Intra-: Means within or into, frequently used in medical procedures.
• Peri-: Refers to around, important in anatomical positioning.
• Tachy-: Indicates fast, commonly related to heart rhythms.
• Endo-: Means in or within, often used in surgical contexts.
• Epi-: Refers to on, over, or upon, significant in anatomy.
• Hyper-: Indicates above or excessive, relevant in describing conditions.
• Hypo-: Means below or deficient, often used in medical diagnoses.
• Inter-: Signifies between, essential in anatomical references.
• Sub-: Refers to below or under, commonly used in anatomical structures.
• Supra-: Indicates above, relevant in anatomical descriptions.
• Trans-: Means across, often used in medical terminology.
• -ic, -ac, -al, -ar, -ary, -ial, -iac, -ior, -ical, -ous: Suffixes meaning pertaining to.
• -algia: Denotes pain, significant in symptom descriptions.
• -ectomy: Refers to surgical removal, commonly used in surgical terms.
• -cyte: Indicates cell, essential in cellular biology.
• -oma: Signifies tumor or mass, relevant in oncology.
• -emia: Refers to blood condition, often used in hematology.
• -tomy: Indicates the process of cutting or incision, significant in surgery.
• -ine: Means a substance or chemical, typically used in pharmacology.
• -ia: Refers to a condition, essential in medical diagnoses.
• -logy: Signifies the study of, commonly found in scientific disciplines.
• -megaly: Means enlargement, often used in medical terms regarding organ size.
• -osis: Indicates an abnormal condition, significant in pathology.
• -gen: Refers to a substance that produces, important in biology and medicine.
• -pathy: Denotes disease, commonly found in medical terminology.
• -stomy: Indicates a surgical opening, significant in surgical procedures.
• -plasty: Refers to surgical repair, commonly used in medical practices.
• -um: Indicates structure or tissue, often used in anatomy.
• -itis: Denotes inflammation, crucial in diagnosing conditions.
• -logist: Refers to a specialist or one who studies, significant in professional titles.
• Abd: Abbreviation for abdomen or abdominal, relevant in anatomical references.
• CBC: Stands for complete blood count, a common blood test.
• C/o: Abbreviation for complains of or care of, used in patient records.
• CT: Abbreviation for computerized tomography, a diagnostic imaging tool.
• ECG, EKG: Refers to electrocardiogram, used in heart monitoring.
• ER: Stands for emergency room, critical in acute medical care.
• hs: Abbreviation for take at bedtime, common in medication orders.
• ht: Refers to height, used in physical assessments.
• STAT, stat: Means immediately, important in urgent care contexts.
• wt: Abbreviation for weight, common in health assessments.
• y/o: Stands for years old, frequently used in patient demographics.
• WNL: Abbreviation for within normal limits, important in lab results.
• NKDA: Stands for no known allergies, significant in patient history.
• NPO: Abbreviation for nothing by mouth, used prior to surgeries or procedures.
• OR: Refers to operating room, critical in surgical contexts.
• Pt, pt.: Abbreviation for patient, commonly used in healthcare settings.
• SOB: Stands for shortness of breath, important in respiratory assessments.
• s/p: Refers to condition after, used to describe postoperative status.