The Language of Medicine

C. J. Hall - SR Summer School, 2004

The Language of Medicine.

As a scientist from outside the discipline of medicine, the terminology used by medics can often sound

complicated and confusing. Like any other vocabulary though you can get a long way by learning the basic

terminology. The naming of organs, diseases, and procedures can be easily understood if the component

parts of the words are known. Below is a selection of prefixes, suffixes, and the roots which go to make up

medical terms. The roots  are usually derived from Latin or Greek nouns, verbs, or adjectives. Prefixes are

placed before the root, and suffixes are added after.

Term Meaning  Example

a-  Without, lack of  Aphasia (lack of speech)

ab-  Away from  Abductor (leading away from)

-able  Capable  Viable(capable of living)

acou-  Hearing  Acoustics (science of sound)

acr- Extremity  Acromegaly (large extremities)

ad-  To, toward, near to  Adrenal (near the kidney)

adeno- Gland  Adenoma (glandular tumor)

-al  Expressing relationship   Neural (referring to nerves)

-algia Pain  Gastralgia (stomach pain)

an-  Without, lack of  Anaerobic (without oxygen)

ana-  Up, back, again  Anatomy (a cutting up)

angio-  Vessel  Angiography (radiography of blood vessels)

ante-  Before, forward  Antecubital (before elbow)

anti-  Against, reversed  Antiperistalsis (reversed peristalsis)

arthr-  Joint  Arthritis (inflammation of a joint)

-ary  Associated with  Urinary (associated with urine)

-asis  Condition, state of   Homeostasis (state of staying the same)

auto-  Self  Autolysis (self breakdown)

bi-  Twice, double  Bicuspid (two cusps)

bio-  Live  Biology (study of living)

-blast-  Bud, germ  Fibroblast (fiber-producing cell)

brady-  Slow  Bradycardia (slow heart rate)

-c  Expressing relationship  Cardiac (referring to heart)

carcin-  Cancer  Carcinogenic (causing cancer)

cardio- Heart  Cardiopathy (heart disease)

cata-  Down, according to  Catabolism (breaking down)

cephal-  Head  Cephalic (toward the head),

-cele  Hollow  Blastocele (hollow cavity inside a blastocyst)

cerebro-  Brain  Cerebrospinal (referring to brain and spinal cord)

chol-  Bile  Acholic (without bile)

cholecyst-  Gallbladder  Cholecystokinin (hormone that causes the gallbladder to contract)

chondr- Cartilage  Chondrocyte (cartilage cell)

-cide  Kill  Bactericide (agent that kills bacteria)

circum-  Around,about  Circumduction (circular movement)

-clast-  Smash, break  Osteoclast (cell that breaks down bone)

co-  With, together  Coenzyme (molecule that functions with an enzyme)

com-  With, together  Commissure (coming together)

con-  With, together  Convergence (to incline together)

contra-  Against, opposite  Contralateral (opposite side)

crypto-  Hidden   Cryptorchidism (undescended or hidden testes)

cysto-  Bladder or sac  Cystocele (hernia of a bladder)

-Cyte-  Cell  Erythrocyte (red blood cell)

cyto-  Cell  Cytoskeleton (supportive fibers inside a cell)

de-  Away from  Dehydrate (remove water)

derm-  Skin  Dermatology (study of the skin)

di-  Two  Diploid (two sets of chromosomes)

dia-  Through, apart, across   Diapedesis (ooze through)

dis-  Reversal, apart from  Dissect (cut apart)

-duct-  Draw  Abduct (lead away from) The Language of Medicine

C. J. Hall - SR Summer School, 2004

-dynia  Pain  Mastodynia (breast pain)

dys-  Difficult, bad  Dysmentia (bad mind)

e-  Out, away from  Eviscerate (take out viscera)

ec-  Out from  Ectopic (out of place)

ecto-  On outer side  Ectoderm (outer skin)

-ectomy  Cut out  Appendectomy (cut out the appendix)

-edem-  Swell  Myoedema (swelling of a muscle)

em- In  Empyema (pus in)

-emia  Blood  Anemia (deficiency of blood)

en-  In  Encephalon (in the brain)

endo-  Within  Endometrium (within the uterus)

entero-  Intestine  Enteritis (inflammation of the intestine)

epi-  Upon, on  Epidermis (on the skin)

erythro-  Red  Erythrocyte (red blood cell)

eu- Well, good  Euphoria (well-being)

ex-  Out, away from  Exhalation (breathe out)

exo-  Outside, on outer side  Exogenous (originating outside)

extra-  Outside  Extracellular (outside the cell)

-ferent  Carry  Afferent (carrying to the central nervous system)

-form  Expressing resemblance   Fusiform (resembling a fusion)

gastro- Stomach  Gastrodynia (stomach ache)

-genesis  Produce, origin  Pathogenesis (origin of disease)

gloss-  Tongue  Hypoglossal (under the tongue)

glyco- Sugar, sweet  Glycolysis (breakdown of sugar)

-gram  A drawing  Myogram (drawing of a muscle contraction)

-graph  Instrument that records  Myograph (instrument for measuring muscle contraction)

hern-  Blood  Hemolysis (breakdown of blood)

hemi-  Half  Hemiplegia (paralysis of half of the body)

hepato-  Liver  Hepatitis (inflammation of the liver)

hetero-  Different, other  Heterozygous (different genes for a trait)

hist-  Tissue  Histology (study of tissues)

homeo-  Same  Homeostasis (state of staying the same)

hydro-  Wet, water  Hydrocephalus (fluid within the head)

hyper-  Over, above, excessive  Hypertrophy (overgrowth)

hypo-  Under, below, deficient   Hypotension (low blood pressure)

-ia  Expressing condition  Neuralgia (pain in nerve)

-iatr-  Treat, cure  Pediatrics (treatment of children)

-id  Expressing condition  Flaccid (state of being weak)

im- Not  Impermeable (not permeable)

in-  In, into  Injection (forcing fluid into)

infra-  Below  Infraorbital (below the eye)

inter-  Between  Intercostal (between the ribs)

intra-  Within  Intraocular (within the eye)

-ism Condition, state of  Dimorphism (condition of two forms)

iso-  Equal  Isotonic (same tension)

-itis  Inflammation  Gastritis (inflammation of the stomach)

_ity  Expressing condition  Acidity (condition of acid)

kerato-  Cornea or horny tissue  Keratinization (formation of a hard tissue)

-kin-  Move  Kinesiology (study of movement)

leuko-  White  Leukocyte (white blood cell)

-liga-  Bind  Ligament (structure that binds bone to bone)

lip-  Fat  Lipolysis (breakdown of fats)

-logy  Study  Histology (study of tissue)

-lysis  Breaking up, dissolving  Glycolysis (breakdown of sugar)

macro-  Large  Macrophage (large phagocytic cell)

mal- Bad  Malnutrition (bad nutrition)

malaco- Soft  Osteomalacia (soft bone)

mast-  Breast  Mastectomy (excision of the breast)

mega-  Great  Megacolon (large colon)

melano-  Black  Melanocyte (black pigment producing skin cell) The Language of Medicine

C. J. Hall - SR Summer School, 2004

rneso-  Middle, mid  Mesoderm (middle skin)

meta-  Beyond, after, change  Metastasis (beyond original position)

micro-  Small  Microorganism (small organism)

mito-  Thread, filament  Mitosis (referring to threadlike chromosomes during cell division)

mono-  One, single  Monosaccharide (one sugar)

-morph-  Form  Morphology (study of form)

multi-  Many, much  Multinucleated (two or more nuclei)

myelo-  Marrow, spinal cord  Myeloid (derived from bone marrow)

Myo- Muscle  Myocardium (heart muscle)

narco-  Numbness  Narcotic (drug producing stupor or weakness)

neo-  New  Neonatal (first four weeks of life)

nephro-  Kidney  Nephrectomy (removal of a kidney)

neuro-  Nerve  Neuritis (inflammation of a nerve)

oculo-  Eye  Oculomotor (movement of the eye)

odonto-  Tooth or teeth  Odontomy (cutting a tooth)

-oid  Expressing resemblance  Epidermoid (resembling epidermis)

oligo-  Few, scanty, little  Oliguria (little urine)

-oma Tumor  Carcinoma (cancerous tumor)

-op- See  Myopia (nearsighted)

ophthalm-  Eye  ophthalmology (study of the eye)

ortho-  Straight, normal  Orthodontics (discipline dealing with the straightening of teeth)

-ory  Referring to  Olfactory (relating to the sense of smell)

-ose  Full of  Adipose (full of fat)

-osis  A condition of  Osteoporosis (porous condition of bone)

osteo- Bone  Osteocyte (bone cell)

oto-  Ear  Otolith (ear stone)

_ous  Expressing material  Serous (composed of serum)

para-  Beside, beyond, near to  Paranasal (near the nose)

-pathy  Disease  Cardiopathy (disease of the heart)

-penia  Deficiency  Thrombocytopenia (deficiency of thrombocytes)

per-  Through, excessive  Permeate (pass through)

peri- Around  Periosteum (around bone)

-phag-  Eat  Dysphagia (difficult eating or swallowing)

-phas-  Speak, utter  Aphasia (unable to speak)

-phil- Like, love  Hydrophilic (water-loving)

phleb-  Vein  Phlebotomy (incision int(; a vein)

-phobia  Fear  Hydrophobia (fear of water)

-plas-  Form, grow  Neoplasm (new growth)

-plegia  Paralyze  Paraplegia (paralysis of lower limbs)

-pne-  Breathe  Apnea (lack of breathing)

pneumo-  Air, gas, or lungs  Pneumothorax (air in the thorax)

pod-  Foot  Podiatry (treatment of foot disorders)

-poie-  Make  Hematopoiesis (make blood cells)

poly-  Many, much  Polycythemia (excess red blood cells)

post-  After, behind  Postparturn (after childbirth)

pre-  Before, in front of  Prenatal (before birth)

pro-  Before, in front of  Prosect (to cut before-for the purpose of demonstration)

procto-  Anus, rectum  Proctoscope (instrument for examining the rectum)

pseudo-  False  Pseudostratified (falsely layered)

psycho-  Mind, soul  Psychosomatic (effect of the mind on the body)

Pyo-  Pus  Pyoderma (pus in the skin)

re-  Back, again, contrary  Reflect (bend back)

retro-  Backward, located behind   Retroperitoneal (behind the peritoneum)

-rrhagia  Burst forth, pour  Hemorrhage (bleed)

-rrhea  Flow, discharge  Rhinorrhea (nasal discharge)

sarco-  Flesh or fleshy  Sarcoma (connective tissue tumor)

sclero-  Hard  Arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries)

-scope  Examine  Endoscope (instrument for examining the inside of a hollow organ)

semi-  Half  Semilunar (shaped like half a moon)

somato-  Body  Somatotropin (hormone causing body growth) The Language of Medicine

C. J. Hall - SR Summer School, 2004

-stasis  Stop, stand still  Hemostasis (stop bleeding)

steno-  Narrow  Stenosis (narrow canal)

-stomy  To make an artificial opening   Tracheostomy (make an opening into the trachea)

sub- Under  Subcutaneous (under skin)

super-  Above, upper, excessive  Supercilia (upper brows)

supra-  Above, upon  SuprarenaI (above kidney)

sym-  Together, with  Symphysis (growing together)

syn-  Together, with  Synapsis (joining together)

tachy-  Fast, swift  Tachycardia (rapid heart rate)

therm-  Heat  Thermometer (device for measuring heat)

-tomy  Cut, incise  Phlebotomy (incision of a vein)

tox-  Poison  Antitoxin (substance effective against poison)

trans-  Across, through, beyond  Transection (cut across)

tri- Three  Triceps (three-headed muscle)

-troph-  Nourish  Hypertrophy (enlargement or overnourishment)

-tropic  Changing, influencing  Gonadotropic (influencing the gonads)

-uria  Urine  Polyuria (excess urine)

vene- Vein  Venesection (phlebotomy)

viscer-  Internal organ   Visceromotor (movement of internal organs)

Most medical terms can be broken down into one or more word parts. For simplicity you can assume that

there are four word parts, and any given medical term may contain one, some, or all of these: 

The roots.

The prefixes, 

The suffixes, and…

Some linking or combining vowels. 

An example of a word with three of the above parts is the medical term pericarditis.

This term refers to the inflammation of the area surrounding the heart, or an inflammation of the outer layer

of the heart, anatomically known as the pericardium. Pericarditis can be divided into three parts: 

peri - card - itis 

The prefix peri translates to surrounding.

The root card translates to heart, and 

The suffix itis translates to inflammation. 

A medical term must have at least one root, but does not have to have a prefix and/or a suffix. An example

of this is the term sternocleidomastoid, which is a muscle that has attachments at the sternum, the clavicle,

and the mastoid. The term sternocleidomastoid can be divided into three roots, in this case: 

stern -  o - cleid - o - mastoid. 

Notice that there are vowels between the three roots. These are linking or combining vowels, which serve to

make a term easier to pronounce.  The vowel used most of the time is o, but other vowels such as i and a are

also used. 

Combining vowels are often used between roots and suffixes or roots and other roots, but they are NOT used

between prefixes and roots. The Language of Medicine

C. J. Hall - SR Summer School, 2004

Medical

Terminology -

Directions The Language of Medicine

C. J. Hall - SR Summer School, 2004

Medical Terminology - Planes