Word Parts
-algia
pain, suffering
dys-
bad, difficult, or painful
-ectomy
surgical removal, cutting out
hyper-
excessive, increased
hypo-
deficient, decreased
-itis
inflamation
-osis
abnormal condition, disease
-ostomy
the surgical creation of an artificial openingto the body surface
-otomy
cutting, surgical incision
-plasty
surgical repair
-rrhage
bleeding, abnormal excessive fluid discharge
-rraphy
surgical suturing
-rrhea
flow, discharge
-rrhexis
rupture
-sclerosis
abnormal hardening
What are the four types of word parts used to create many medical terms
word root, combining form, suffix, and prefix
Word root
contains the basic meaning of the term. Most of the time indicates the involved body part. (example, the word root meaning stomach is gastr-)
combining form
A word root that has a vowel, usually the letter "o" put on the end before the addition of another word root or a suffix
suffix
the word part attached at the end of a word that usually but not always indicates the procedure, condition, disorder, or disease
prefix
The word part attatched at the beginning of a word that usually but not always indicates location, time, number, or status
cyan/o
blue
cyanosis
blue discoloration of the skin caused by lack of adequate oxygen in the blood
erythr/o
red
-cyte
cell
leuk/o
white
melan/o
black
melanosis
is any condition of unusual deposits of black pigment in body tissues or organs
poli/o
grey
myel/o
spinal cord or bone marrow
erythrocyte (eh-RITH-roh-sight)
is a mature red blood cell
leukocyte (LOO-koh-sight)
is a white blood cell
poliomyelitis (poh-lee-oh-my-eh-LYE-tis)
A viral infection of the gray nerve tissue of the spinal cord
neur/o
nerve
neuroplasty
surgical repair of a nerve
neurorrhaphy (new-ROR-ah-fee)
suturing together the ends of a severed nerve
tonsill
tonsils
tonsillitis
inflammation of the tonsils
tonsillectomy
The surgical removal of the tonsils
crani
skull
cranium
The portion of the skull that encloses the brain
suffixes as noun endings
-a, -um, -y, -e, -us
cardi
heart
cardiac
pertaining to the heart
suffixes meaning "pertaining to"
-ac, -eal, -ior, -al, -ical, -ory, -an, -ial, -ous, -ar, -ic, -tic, -ary, -ine
suffixes meaning "abnormal condition"
-ago, -iasis, -osis, -esis, -ion, -ia, -ism
pathology
the study of all aspects of diseases
path-
disease
-ology
study of
-dynia
pain
gastrodynia (gas-troh-DIN-ee-ah)
pain in the stomach
-megaly
enlargement
hepat/o
liver
hepatomegaly
abnormal enlargement of the liver
-malacia
abnormal softening
arteriomalacia
The abnormal softening of the walls of an artery or arteries
-necrosis
tissue death
arterionecrosis
The tissue death of an artery or arteries
arteri/o
artery
arteriosclerosis
The abnormal hardening of the walls of an artery or arteries
-stenosis
abnormal narrowing
Arteriostenosis
The abnormal narrowing of an artery or arteries
abdominocentesis
The surgical puncture of the abdominal cavity to remove fluid
abdomin/o
abdomen
-centesis
A surgical puncture to remove fluid.
-graphy
the process of producing a picture or record
-gram
a picture or record
angi/o
blood vessel
my/o
muscle
myoplasty
surgical repair of muscle
-scopy
visual examination
arthr/o
joint
arthroscopy
The visual examination of the internal structure of a joint
myorrhaphy (my-OR-ah-fee)
The surgical suturing of a muscle wound
ather/o
means plaque or fatty substance
-pathy
disease
dermat/o
skin
neo-
new
nat
birth
pyel/o
renal pelvis, which is part of the kidney.
py/o
pus
pyr/o
fever or fire
physi
nature or physical
supra
above
costal
pertaining to the ribs.
epi-
above
gastr/o
stomach
aden/o
gland
adip/o
fat
anter/o
before, front
caud/o
lower part of body,tail
cephal/o
head
cyt/o -cyte
cell
end-, endo-
in, withon, inside
exo-
out of, outside,away from
hist/o
tissue
-ologist
specialist
-ology
the science or study of
path/o, -pathy
disease, suffering, feeling, emotion
plas/i, plas/o, -plasia
development, growth, formation
poster/o
behind, toward the back