GLOSSARY
Medical Word Parts – English
Combining Form, Suffix, or Prefix Meaning
a-, an- no; not; without
ab– away from
abdomin/o abdomen
-ac pertaining to
acanth/o spiny; thorny
acetabul/o acetabulum (hip socket)
acous/o hearing
acr/o extremities; top; extreme point
acromi/o acromion (extension of shoulder bone)
actin/o light
acu/o sharp; severe; sudden
-acusis hearing
ad– toward
-ad toward
aden/o gland
adenoid/o adenoids
adip/o fat
adren/o adrenal gland
adrenal/o adrenal gland
aer/o air
af– toward
agglutin/o clumping; sticking together
-agon assemble, gather
agora- marketplace
-agra excessive pain
-al pertaining to
alb/o white
albin/o white
albumin/o albumin (protein)
alges/o sensitivity to pain
-algesia sensitivity to pain
-algia pain
all/o other
alveol/o alveolus; air sac; small sac
ambly/o dim; dull
-amine nitrogen compound
amni/o amnion (sac surrounding the embryo)
amyl/o starch
an/o anus
-an pertaining to
ana- up; apart; backward; again, anew
andr/o male
aneurysm/o aneurysm (widened blood vessel)
angi/o vessel (blood)
anis/o unequal
ankyl/o stiff
ante- before; forward
anter/o front
anthrac/o coal
anthr/o antrum of the stomach
anti- against
anxi/o uneasy; anxious
aort/o aorta (largest artery)
-apheresis removal
aphth/o ulcer
apo- off, away
aponeur/o aponeurosis (type of tendon)
append/o appendix
appendic/o appendix
aque/o water
-ar pertaining to
-arche beginning
arter/o artery
arteri/o artery
arteriol/o arteriole (small artery)
arthr/o joint
-arthria articulate (speak distinctly)
articul/o joint
-ary pertaining to
asbest/o asbestos
-ase enzyme
-asthenia lack of strength
atel/o incomplete
ather/o plaque (fatty substance)
-ation process; condition
atri/o atrium (upper heart chamber)
audi/o hearing
audit/o hearing
aur/o ear
auricul/o ear
aut/o self, own
aut-, auto- self, own
axill/o armpit
azot/o urea; nitrogen
bacill/o bacilli (bacteria)
bacteri/o bacteria
balan/o glans penis
bar/o pressure; weight
bartholin/o Bartholin glands
bas/o base; opposite of acid
bi– two
bi/o life
bil/i bile; gall
bilirubin/o bilirubin
-blast embryonic; immature cell
-blastoma immature tumor (cells)
blephar/o eyelid
bol/o cast; throw
brachi/o arm
brachy- short
brady- slow
bronch/o bronchial tube
bronchi/o bronchial tube
bronchiol/o bronchiole
bucc/o cheek
bunion/o bunion
burs/o bursa (sac of fluid near joints)
byssin/o cotton dust
cac/o bad
calc/o calcium
calcane/o calcaneus (heel bone)
calci/o calcium
cali/o, calic/o calyx (cup-shaped)
capillar/o capillary (tiniest blood vessel)
capn/o carbon dioxide
-capnia carbon dioxide
carcin/o cancerous; cancer
cardi/o heart
carp/o wrist bones (carpals)
cata- down
caud/o tail; lower part of body
caus/o burn; burning
cauter/o heat; burn
cec/o cecum (first part of the colon)
-cele hernia
celi/o belly; abdomen
-centesis surgical puncture to remove fluid
cephal/o head
cerebell/o cerebellum (posterior part of the
brain)
cerebr/o cerebrum (largest part of the brain)
cerumin/o cerumen
cervic/o neck; cervix (neck of uterus)
-chalasia relaxation
-chalasis relaxation
cheil/o lip
chem/o drug; chemical
-chezia defecation; elimination of wastes
chir/o hand
chlor/o green
chlorhydr/o hydrochloric acid
chol/e bile; gall
cholangi/o bile vessel
cholecyst/o gallbladder
choledoch/o common bile duct
cholesterol/o cholesterol
chondr/o cartilage
chore/o dance
chori/o chorion (outermost membrane of the
fetus)
chorion/o chorion
choroid/o choroid layer of eye
chrom/o color
chron/o time
chym/o to pour
cib/o meal
-cide killing
-cidal pertaining to killing
cine/o movement
cirrh/o orange-yellow
cis/o to cut
-clasis to break
-clast to break
claustr/o enclosed space
clavicul/o clavicle (collar bone)
-clysis irrigation; washing
coagul/o coagulation (clotting)
-coccus (-cocci, pl.) berry-shaped bacterium
coccyg/o coccyx (tailbone)
cochle/o cochlea (inner part of ear)
col/o colon
coll/a glue
colon/o colon (large intestine)
colp/o vagina
comat/o deep sleep
comi/o to care for
con– together, with
coni/o dust
conjunctiv/o conjunctiva (lines the eyelids)
-constriction narrowing
contra- against; opposite
cor/o pupil
core/o pupil
corne/o cornea
coron/o heart (crown or circle)
corpor/o body
cortic/o cortex, outer region
cost/o rib
crani/o skull
cras/o mixture; temperament
crin/o secrete
-crine secrete; separate
-crit separate
cry/o cold
crypt/o hidden
culd/o cul-de-sac
-cusis hearing
cutane/o skin
cyan/o blue
cycl/o ciliary body of eye; cycle; circle
-cyesis pregnancy
cyst/o urinary bladder; cyst; sac of fluid
cyt/o cell
-cyte cell
-cytosis abnormal condition of cells; slight
increase in numbers
dacry/o tear
dacryoaden/o tear gland
dacryocyst/o tear sac; lacrimal sac
dactyl/o fingers; toes
de– lack of; down; less; removal of
dem/o people
dent/i tooth; teeth
derm/o skin
-derma skin
dermat/o skin
desicc/o drying
-desis bind, tie together
dia- complete; through
diaphor/o sweat
emmetr/o in due measure
en– in; within
encephal/o brain
end- in; within
endo- in; within
enter/o intestines (usually small intestine)
eosin/o red; rosy; dawn-colored
epi- above; upon; on
epididym/o epididymis
epiglott/o epiglottis
episi/o vulva (external female genitalia)
epitheli/o skin; epithelium
equin/o horse
-er one who
erg/o work
erythem/o flushed; redness
erythr/o red
-esis action; condition; state of
eso- inward
esophag/o esophagus
esthes/o feeling (nervous sensation)
esthesi/o feeling (nervous sensation)
-esthesia feeling (nervous sensation)