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This glossary shows medical prefixes, suffixes, and combining forms.
| Prefix/Suffix
|
Meaning
|
| a-, an-
|
not, without, less
|
| ab
|
away from
|
| –ac
|
pertaining to
|
| acous/acouso-
|
hearing
|
| acr/acro-
|
extremity, topmost
|
| –acusis
|
hearing condition
|
| –ad
|
toward, in the direction of
|
| ad-
|
increase, adherence, motion toward, very
|
| aden/adeno-
|
gland
|
| adip/adipo-
|
fat
|
| adren/adreno-
|
gland
|
| –aemia
|
(UK) blood condition
|
| aer/aero-
|
air, gas
|
| aesthesio-
|
(UK) sensation
|
| –al
|
pertaining to
|
| alge/algesi-
|
pain
|
| –algia
|
pain
|
| algio/algo-
|
pain
|
| ambi-
|
around, on all sides, both
|
| an-
|
not, without
|
| an/o
|
anus
|
| angi-
|
blood vessel
|
| ankyl/ankylo-
|
crooked, stiff
|
| ante-
|
before
|
| anti-
|
against, opposed to
|
| apo-
|
separated from, derived from
|
| arteri/arterio-
|
artery
|
| arthr/arthro-
|
joint, articulation
|
| articul/articulo-
|
joint
|
| –ary
|
pertaining to
|
| –ase
|
enzyme
|
| –asthenia
|
weakness
|
| –ation
|
process
|
| auri-
|
ears (aural)
|
| aut/auto-
|
self, same
|
| bacteri/bacterio-
|
bacteria
|
| bi-
|
twice, double
|
| bio-
|
life
|
| blast/blasto-
|
germ or bud, baby/embryo
|
| bleph/blepharo-
|
eyelid
|
| brachi/brachio-
|
arm
|
| brady-
|
slow
|
| bronch/bronchi-
|
bronchus
|
| bucc/bucco-
|
cheek
|
| burs/burso-
|
bursa
|
| carcin/carcino-
|
cancer
|
| cardi/cardio-
|
heart, esophageal opening of stomach
|
| cata-
|
down
|
| –cele
|
pouching, hernia
|
| –centesis
|
surgical puncture for aspiration
|
| cephal/cephalo-
|
head
|
| chem/chemo-
|
chemistry, drug
|
| chlor/chloro-
|
green
|
| chol-
|
bile
|
| chondrio/chondro-
|
cartilage, gristle, granule, granular
|
| chrom/chromato-
|
color
|
| –cidal/cide
|
killing, destroying
|
| circum-
|
around
|
| cis-
|
on this side
|
| co-
|
with, together, in association
|
| col/colo/colono-
|
colon
|
| com-
|
with, together
|
| contra
|
against
|
| cor-
|
with, together
|
| costo
|
ribs
|
| crani/cranio-
|
cranium, skull
|
| cry/cryo-
|
cold
|
| cycl-
|
circle, cycle
|
| cyst/cysti/cysto-
|
bladder or sac
|
| cyt/cyto-
|
cell
|
| –cyte
|
cell
|
| dacrio-
|
tear
|
| dactyl/dactylo-
|
digit (finger or toe)
|
| de-
|
away from, cessation
|
| derm/dermis/dermato-
|
skin
|
| –desis
|
binding
|
| dextr/dextro-
|
right, on the right side
|
| di-
|
separation, two
|
| dif-
|
separation
|
| diplo-
|
double
|
| dis-
|
separation, taking apart
|
| duodeno-
|
duodenum
|
| dynamo-
|
force, energy
|
| –dynia
|
pain
|
| dys-
|
bad, difficult
|
| –eal
|
pertaining to
|
| ec-
|
out, away
|
| ect-
|
outer, outside
|
| –ectasis
|
expansion, dilation
|
| ecto-
|
outer, outside
|
| –ectomy
|
excision, removal
|
| edopotra-
|
stiff
|
| –emesis
|
vomit
|
| –emia
|
(US)blood condition
|
| –encephal/encephalo-
|
brain
|
| endo-
|
internal
|
| enter/entero-
|
small intestine
|
| epi-
|
upon
|
| erythr/erythro-
|
red
|
| –esophageal/esophago-
|
(US) gullet
|
| esthesio-
|
(US)sensation
|
| eu-
|
good, well
|
| ex-
|
out of, away from
|
| exo-
|
exterior, outward
|
| extra-
|
outside
|
| fibr/fibro-
|
fiber
|
| –form
|
in the form or shape of
|
| –galact/galacto-
|
milk
|
| gastr/gastro-
|
stomach
|
| –gen
|
origin or production
|
| geo-
|
earth
|
| gloss/glosso-
|
tongue
|
| glott/glotto-
|
variant form of gloss/glosso-, language
|
| gluco-
|
glucose
|
| glyc/glyco-
|
sugar
|
| gnath/gnatho-
|
jaw
|
| –gram
|
recording
|
| –graph
|
recording instrument
|
| –graphy
|
process of recording
|
gyn/gyno-
gynae/gynaeco-
gyne/gyneco-
|
woman, also:
(UK)
(US)
|
| haem/haema/haemat/haemato/haemo–
|
blood (BrE)
|
| hem/hema/hemat/hemato-
|
(US) blood
|
| hemi-
|
one-half
|
| hemo-
|
(US) blood
|
| hepat/hepatico/hepato-
|
liver
|
| hidr/hidro-
|
sweat
|
| hist/histio/histo-
|
tissue
|
| hydr/hydro-
|
water
|
| hyper-
|
above normal, excessive
|
| hypo-
|
below normal, deficient
|
| hyster/hystero-
|
uterus
|
| –ia/iasis
|
condition
|
| –iatrics
|
treatment
|
| iatr/iatro-
|
treatment, physician
|
| –iatry
|
treatment
|
| –ic
|
pertaining to
|
| –icle
|
small
|
| –ics
|
organized knowledge, treatment
|
| idio-
|
self, one's own
|
| ileo-
|
ileum
|
| infra-
|
below
|
| inter-
|
between, among
|
| intra-
|
within
|
| irid/irido-
|
iris
|
| ischi/ischio-
|
ischium
|
| –ism
|
condition, disease
|
| –ismus
|
spasm, contraction
|
| is/iso-
|
equal, like
|
| –ist
|
one who specializes in
|
| –ite
|
the nature of, resembling
|
| –itis
|
inflammation
|
| –ium
|
structure, tissue
|
| karyo-
|
nucleus
|
| kerat/kerato-
|
cornea (eye or skin)
|
| kin/kine/kinesi/kinesio-
|
movement
|
| kino-
|
movement
|
| kyph/kypho-
|
humped
|
| lacrim/lacrimo-
|
tear
|
| lact/lacti/lacto-
|
milk
|
| laryng/laryngo-
|
larynx
|
| latero-
|
lateral
|
| lei/leio-
|
smooth
|
| –lepsis/lepsy
|
seizure
|
| lepto-
|
light, slender
|
| leuk/leuko-
|
white
|
| linguo-
|
tongue
|
| lip/lipo-
|
fat
|
| lith/litho-
|
stone, calculus
|
| log-
|
speech
|
| –logist
|
one who specializes in study or treatment of
|
| logo-
|
speech
|
| –logy
|
study of
|
| lymph/lympho-
|
lymph
|
| lys-/lyso-
|
dissolution
|
| –lytic
|
dissolution
|
| macr/macro-
|
large, long
|
| –malacia
|
softening
|
| mal-
|
bad
|
| mast/masto-
|
breast
|
| meg/mega-
|
large
|
| megal/megalo-
|
large
|
| –megaly
|
large
|
| melan/melano-
|
black
|
| mening/meningo-
|
meninges
|
| mes/meso-
|
middle
|
| meta-
|
after, behind
|
| –meter
|
instrument for measuring
|
| –metry
|
process of measuring
|
| micr/micro-
|
smallness, one-millionth
|
| mon/mono-
|
single
|
| morph/morpho-
|
form, shape
|
| muscul/musculo-
|
muscle
|
| my/myo-
|
muscle
|
| myc/myco-
|
fungus
|
| myel/myelo-
|
bone marrow, spinal cord
|
| myring/myringo-
|
eardrum
|
| myx/myxo-
|
mucus
|
| necr/necro-
|
death
|
| neo-
|
new
|
| nephr/nephro-
|
kidney
|
| neur/neuri/neuro-
|
nerve
|
| normo-
|
normal
|
| oculo-
|
eye
|
| odont/odonto-
|
tooth
|
| odyn/odyno-
|
pain
|
| –oesophageal/oesophago-
|
(UK) gullet
|
| –oid
|
resemblance to
|
| olig/oligo-
|
few, little
|
| –oma
|
tumor
|
| –omata
|
plural of -oma
|
| onco-
|
tumor, bulk, volume
|
| onych/onycho-
|
fingernail, toenail
|
| oo-/ovo-/ovulo-
|
egg, ovary
|
| oophor/oophoro-
|
ovary
|
| ophthalm/ophthalmo-
|
eye
|
| orchi/orchido/orchio-
|
testis
|
| orth/ortho-
|
straight, normal, correct
|
| –osis
|
a condition,disease or increase
|
| osseo-
|
bony
|
| ossi-
|
bone
|
| ost/oste/osteo-
|
bone
|
| ot/oto-
|
ear
|
| –ous
|
pertaining to
|
| ovari/ovario/ovi/ovo-
|
ovary
|
| oxo-
|
addition of oxygen
|
| oxy-
|
sharp, acid, acute, oxygen
|
| pachy-
|
thick
|
| pan/pant/panto-
|
all, entire
|
| para-
|
alongside of, abnormal
|
| –paresis
|
slight paralysis
|
| path/patho-
|
disease
|
| –pathy
|
disease
|
| pelv/pelvi/pelvo-
|
hip bone
|
| –penia
|
deficiency
|
| per-
|
through
|
| peri-
|
around, about
|
| –pexy
|
fixation
|
| phaco-
|
lens-shaped
|
| –phage/phagia
|
eating, devouring
|
| phago-
|
eating, devouring
|
| –phagy
|
eating, devouring
|
| pharmaco-
|
drug, medicine
|
| pharyng/pharyngo-
|
pharynx
|
| –phil/philia
|
attraction for
|
| phleb/phlebo-
|
vein
|
| phob/phobo-
|
exaggerated fear, sensitivity
|
| phon/phono-
|
sound
|
| phos-
|
light
|
| phot/photo-
|
light
|
| phren/phreni-
|
diaphragm
|
| phrenico/phreno-
|
diaphragm
|
| –plasia
|
formation, development
|
| plasty
|
surgical repair, reconstruction
|
| –plegia
|
paralysis
|
| pleur/pleura/pleuro-
|
rib, pleura
|
| pneum/pneuma-
|
air, lung
|
| pneumat/pneumato-
|
air, lung
|
| pod/podo-
|
foot
|
| –poiesis
|
production
|
| poly-
|
multiplicity
|
| por/poro-
|
pore, pourous
|
| post-
|
after, behind, posterior
|
| pre-
|
anterior, before
|
| presby/presbyo-
|
old age
|
| pro-
|
before, forward
|
| proct/procto-
|
anus, rectum
|
| psych/psyche/psycho-
|
mind
|
| –ptosis
|
falling, downward placement
|
| pyel/pyelo-
|
pelvis
|
| pyo-
|
pus
|
| pyro-
|
fever
|
| rachi/rachio
|
spine
|
| radio-
|
radiation, radius
|
| re-
|
again, backward
|
| rect/recto-
|
rectum
|
| ren/reno-
|
kidney
|
| reticul/reticulo-
|
net
|
| retro-
|
backward, behind
|
| rhabd/rhabdo-
|
rod shaped, striated
|
| rhin/rhino-
|
nose
|
| –rrhage
|
burst forth
|
| –rrhagia
|
discharge
|
| –rrhaphy
|
surgical suturing
|
| –rrhea
|
flowing, discharge
|
| –rrhexis
|
rupture
|
| salping/salpingo-
|
tube
|
| sarco-
|
muscular, fleshlike, meatlike
|
| schisto-
|
split, cleft
|
| schiz/schizo-
|
split, cleft, division
|
| scler/sclero-
|
hardness
|
| scoli/scolio-
|
twisted
|
| –scope
|
instrument for viewing
|
| –scopy
|
use of instrument for viewing
|
| semi-
|
one-half, partly
|
| sial/sialo-
|
saliva, salivary gland
|
| sigmoid/sigmoido-
|
sigmoid, sigmoid colon
|
| sinistr/sinistro-
|
left, left side
|
| –sis
|
condition of
|
| sito-
|
food, grain
|
| somat- somatico- somato-
|
body, bodily
|
| spasmo-
|
spasm
|
| sperma- spermato- spermo-
|
semen, spermatozoa
|
| splanchn- splanchni- splanchno-
|
viscera
|
| splen/spleno-
|
spleen
|
| spondyl/spondylo-
|
vertebra
|
| –stasis
|
stop, stand
|
| –staxis
|
dripping, trickling
|
| steno-
|
narrowness, constriction
|
| stheno-
|
strength, force, power
|
| stom/stoma-
|
mouth
|
| stomat/stomato-
|
mouth
|
| –stomy
|
creation of opening
|
| sub-
|
beneath
|
| super-
|
in excess, above, superior
|
| supra-
|
above, excessive
|
| sy/syl-
|
together
|
| sym-
|
together
|
| syn-
|
together
|
| sys-
|
together
|
| tachy-
|
fast
|
| –tension/–tensive
|
pressure (of blood)
|
| thel/thelo-
|
nipples
|
| therm/thermo-
|
heat
|
| thorac/thoracico/thoraco-
|
chest, thorax
|
| thromb/thrombo-
|
blood clot
|
| thyr/thyro-
|
thyroid gland
|
| –tic
|
pertaining to
|
| toco-
|
childbirth
|
| –tome
|
cutting instrument
|
| –tomy
|
cutting operation
|
| tono-
|
tone, tension, pressure
|
| –tony
|
tension
|
| top/topo-
|
place, topical
|
| tox/toxi/toxico/toxo-
|
toxin, poison
|
| trache/tracheo-
|
trachea
|
| trans-
|
across, through, beyond
|
| trich/trichi/trichia/tricho-
|
hair, hairlike structure
|
| –tripsy
|
crushing
|
| –trophy
|
growth
|
| tympan/tympano-
|
eardrum
|
| –ula/ule
|
small
|
| ultra-
|
beyond, excessive
|
| uni-
|
one
|
| uri/uric/urico-
|
uric acid
|
| ur/uro-
|
urine
|
| varic/varico-
|
vein
|
| vas-/vaso-
|
duct, blood vessel
|
| vasculo-
|
blood vessel
|
| vesic/vesico-
|
vesicle
|
| viscer-
|
organ
|
| xanth/xantho-
|
yellow, yellowish
|
| xer-/xero-
|
dryness
|
| –y
|
condition or process of
|
