Medical Terms Flashcards

Medical Terminology: Key Roots and Definitions

• Kerat- (o): Pertains to the cornea of the eye, a crucial structure for vision.
• -kinesis, -kinetic: Relates to motion, fundamental in fields such as physiology and biomechanics.
• Labi- (a, o): Refers to the lip, significant in both anatomy and speech pathology.
• Lacrima-: Indicates tears, often discussed in contexts of emotion and eye health.
• Lact- (o): Associated with milk, important in nutrition and lactation studies.
• Lapar- (o): Denotes the abdomen or abdominal wall, relevant in surgical and anatomical contexts.
• Laryng- (o): Refers to the larynx, or voice box, essential for vocalization and respiratory health.
• Latero- (al): Means side, commonly used in anatomical orientation.
• -lepsy: Indicates seizure or convulsion, crucial in discussions of neurology and epilepsy disorders.
• Leuco-, Leuko-: Signifies white, often used in hematology (e.g., leukocytes).
• Lingu- (a, o): Refers to the tongue, key in anatomy, nutrition, and speech.
• Lip- (o): Related to fat or lipids, critical in metabolic studies and nutritional science.
• Lith- (o): Refers to stone or calculus, often in urology and gastrointestinal studies.
• -logy: Indicates study of or science of, applicable in diverse scientific disciplines (e.g., biology, geology).
• Lymph- (o): Pertains to lymph tissue, significant in immunology and the lymphatic system.
• -lys (is, o): Relates to destruction or dissolving, important in cellular biology.
• Macro-: Signifies large, often used to describe scale in various scientific contexts (e.g., macromolecules).
• Mal-: Denotes bad, abnormal, or disordered, commonly used in medical diagnostics.
• Malac- (ia): Refers to softening of tissue, relevant in pathology.
• Mamm- (o): Pertains to the breast and mammary glands, significant in both anatomy and reproductive health.
• -mania: Indicates insanity or mental disorder, relevant in psychology and psychiatry.
• Mast- (o): Refers specifically to the breast, important in breast health assessments.
• Med- (i, io): Indicates middle or midline, relevant in anatomical terminology.
• -megaly, mega-: Signifies large or enlarged, commonly used in medical conditions (e.g., cardiomegaly).
• Melan- (o): Refers to black, often discussed in contexts of pigmentation and pathology.
• Mening- (o): Refers to the membranes covering the brain, significant in neurology.
• Meno-: Pertains to monthly cycles or menstruation, key in gynecology.
• Mes- (o): Means middle or midline, relevant in anatomy and developmental biology.
• -meter: Denotes a measuring instrument, used in various scientific fields.
• -metry: Refers to measurement, often paired with different prefixes to indicate specific measurements.
• Micro-: Signifies small, frequently used in microbiology and anatomy.
• Mono-: Indicates one or single, important in genetics and biological classifications.
• -mortem: Refers to death, often used in pathological studies (e.g., post-mortem).
• Muc- (o, us): Refers to mucus or secretion from mucous membranes, important in respiratory and digestive health.
• Multi-: Signifies many, much, or a large amount, applicable in statistics and medicine.
• My- (o): Pertains to muscle tissue, essential in anatomy and physiology.
• Myc- (o): Indicates fungus, relevant in medical mycology and infectious diseases.
• Myel- (o): Refers to bone marrow or spinal cord, significant in hematology and neurology.
• Myring- (o): Relates to the eardrum or tympanic membrane, key in otology and auditory health.