Medical Terminology: Prefixes & Suffixes (PDF)

aden- glands adenocarcinoma (tumor in a gland) andro- male androgens (male hormones) angi- blood vessels angiotensin (hormone causing constriction of blood vessels) axill-...

aden- glands adenocarcinoma (tumor in a gland) andro- male androgens (male hormones) angi- blood vessels angiotensin (hormone causing constriction of blood vessels) axill- armpit region axillary nerve brachi- the arm brachioradialis (muscle that originates in the arm) bronch(i)- the lungs bronchitis (inflammation in the lungs) capit-, cep-, ceph- the head rectus capitis muscle, quadriceps muscle, brachiocephalic artery (supplies blood to the arm and head) cardi-, coron- the heart great cardiac vein (a vein draining the heart muscle), coronary artery carp- the wrist carpal bones (bones after the wrist joint) cerebr-, encephal- the brain cerebrospinal fluid (fluid circulating around the brain and spinal cord), encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) cervic- the neck cervical spine, cervix (neck of the uterus) cholecyst- the gallbladder cholecystectomy (removal of the gallbladder) chondr- cartilage chondromalacia (softening of the cartilage) cyst- bladder cystic duct (vessel leading to/from the gallbladder) clav-, cleid- collar bone  clavicle, sternocleidomastoid (neck muscle) col-, colo-, colono- the colon/large intestine colonoscopy condyl- a knuckle/knob femoral condyle (bony prominence at the knee joint) cost-, the ribs costal cartilage (cartilage between ribs and sternum) cran- the skull cranium (bones that encase the brain) cut-, derm- the skin cutaneous nerve, dermis (layer of skin) dendr- tree dendrites (branches of a nerve cell) enter- the intestines enterology (study of the intestines) gang- collection of nerve cell bodies (Greek for ‘a swelling’) dorsal root ganglion gloss-, glott-, lingu-, the tongue lingu- glossopharyngeal nerve glut- buttocks gluteus maximus muscle hepat- the liver hepatocytes (main functional cells of the liver) kary- nucleus karyote (cell with a nucleus) lumb- loin, lower spine region lumbosacral plexus (nerves arising from the lumbar and sacral regions of the spine) myel- spinal cord myelencephalon (embryonic division of the central nervous system) neph-, ren- the kidney nephritis (inflammation of the kidney), renal artery omo- shoulder omohyoid muscle onco- tumor oncology (the study of tumors) pect- chest pectoralis major muscle ped- foot dorsalis pedis artery plant-, sole-, tars- sole of foot plantar flexion, soleus muscle, tarsal bones pne(um)-, pneumon-, the lungs pulmon-, pulmo- pneumonia (an infection in the lungs), pulmonary edema (fluid accumulation in the lungs) poll- thumb abductor pollicis muscle poplit- knee joint, behind the knee popliteal artery spin-, spondyl- the spine/vertebrae erector spinae (muscles along the spine), spondylitis (inflammation in the spine) splen- the spleen splenic artery tal- ankle talus bone thorac- chest region thoracic spine thromb- blood clot thrombus ven-, (phlebo) veins, venous blood superior vena cava (large vein that empties into the right atrium of the heart) viscer- the internal organs visceral pericardium (a layer of the heart wall) Common Suffixes ac gram phagia pertaining to record; x-ray film eating; swallowing al graph philia pertaining to instrument used to record love ar graphy phily pertaining to process of recording; x-ray filming love phobia ary ia abnormal fear of, or aversion to pertaining to condition of diseased or abnormal state specific objects or things eal iatry phonia pertaining to physician; treatment sound or voice ial ician phoria pertaining to one who feeling ic ictal physis pertaining to seizure; attack growth ous ism plasia pertaining to state of formation; development; a growth agra itis plasm excessive pain inflammation growth; substance; formation algia lepsy plasty pain seizure plastic or surgical repair apheresis lysis plegia removal loosening; dissolution; separating paralysis ase lytic pnea enzyme destroy; reduce breathing asthenia malacia poiesis removal softening formation atresia mania porosis absence of a normal body madness; insane desire passage opening; occlusion; closure capnia megaly prandial carbon dioxide enlargement meal cele meter praxia hernia; protusion instrument used to measure in front of; before centesis metry ptosis surgical puncture to aspirate measurement dropping; sagging; prolapse fluid cidal morph ptysis killing form; shape spitting clasia odia salpinx break smell fallopian tube clast odynia sarcoma break pain malignant tumor clysis oid schisis irrigating; washing resembling split; fissure coccus (pl. cocci) ologist sclerosis berryshaped (a form of one who studies and practices (specialist) hardening bacterium) scope crine ology instrument used for visual separate; secrete study of examination crit oma scopy to separate tumor; swelling visual examination cyte opia scopic cell vision (condition) visual examination desis opsy sepsis surgical fixation; fusion to view infection drome oorhagia sis run; running rapid flow of blood state of ectasis spasm orrhaphy stretching out; dilatation; sudden, involuntary muscle suturing; repairing expansion contraction ectomy orrhea stasis excision or surgical removal flow; excessive discharge control; stop ectopia orrhexis stalsis displacement rupture contraction osis emesis stenosis abnormal condition (means increased when vomiting constriction; narrowing used with blood cell word roots) emia ostomy thorax blood condition creation of an artificial opening chest er otomy tocia one who cut into or incision birth; labor esis oxia tome condition oxygen instrument used to cut iasis paresis tripsy condition slight paralysis surgical crushing gen pathy trophy substance or agent that produces disease nourishment or causes genesis penia ule origin; cause abnormal reduction in number little genic pepsia uria producing; originating; causing digestion urine; urination pexy surgical fixation; suspension