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Med Term1
combining forms
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| abdomin/o- | abdomen |
| ablat/o- | take away; destroy |
| abort/o- | stop prematurely |
| abras/o- | scrape off |
| absorpt/o- | absorb; take in |
| access/o- | supplemental or contributing part |
| acetabulu/o- | acetabulum (hip socket) |
| acid/o- | acid (low ph) |
| acr/o- | extremely; highest point |
| aden/o- | gland |
| adip/o- | fat |
| adolesc/o- | the beginning of being an adult |
| affer/o- | bring toward the center |
| albin/o- | white |
| albumin/o- | albumin |
| alg/o- | pain |
| alges/o- | sensation of pain |
| align/o- | arranged in a straight line |
| alkal/o- | base (high ph) |
| all/o- | other; strange |
| alopec/o- | bald |
| alveol/o- | alveolus (air sac) |
| ambulat/o- | walking |
| amnes/o- | forgetfulness |
| amni/o- | amnion (fetal membrane) |
| amputat/o- | to cut off |
| amyl/o- | carbohydrate starch |
| an/o- | anus |
| anastom/o- | create an opening between two structures |
| andr/o- | male |
| aneurysm/o- | aneurysm (dilation) |
| angi/o- | blood vessel; lymphatic vessel |
| ankyl/o- | fused together; stiff |
| anter/o- | before; front part |
| aort/o- | aorta |
| apic/o- | apex (tip) |
| appendic/o- | appendix |
| appendicul/o- | limb; small attached part |
| arachn/o- | spider; spider web |
| areol/o- | small area around the nipple |
| arteri/o- | artery |
| arteriol/o- | arteriole |
| arthr/o- | joint |
| articul/o- | joint |
| aspir/o- | to breathe in; to suck in |
| asthen/o- | lack of strength |
| asthm/o- | asthma |
| astr/o- | starlike structure |
| atel/o- | incomplete |
| ather/o- | soft, fatty substance |
| athet/o- | without position or place |
| atri/o- | atrium (upper heart chamber) |
| audit/o- | sense of hearing |
| augment/o- | increase in size or degree |
| auscult/o- | listening |
| aut/o- | self |
| autonom/o- | independent |
| axi/o- | axis |
| axill/o- | axilla (armpit) |
| bacteri/o- | bacterium |
| balan/o- | glans penis |
| bas/o- | base of a structure; base; (alkaline) |
| bi/o- | living organisms |
| bi/o- | life; living organisms; living tissue |
| bili/o- | bile; gall |
| blast/o- | immature; embryonic |
| brachi/o- | arm |
| bronch/o- | bronchus |
| bronchiol/o- | bronchiole |
| buccinat/o- | cheek |
| bulb/o- | structure like a bulb |
| bunion/o- | bunion |
| burs/o- | bursa |
| calcane/o- | calcaneus (heel bone) |
| calcul/o- | stone |
| cali/o- | calyx |
| cancell/o- | lattice structure |
| cancer/o- | cancer |
| candid/o- | Candida (yeast) |
| capill/o- | hairlike structure; capillary |
| carcin/o- | cancer |
| cardi/o- | heart |
| carot/o- | stupor; sleep |
| carp/o- | wrist |
| cartilagin/o- | cartilage |
| catheter/o- | catheter |
| caud/o- | tail bone |
| caus/o- | burning |
| cav/o- | hollow space |
| cec/o- | cecum |
| celi/o- | abdomen |
| cellul/o- | cell |
| cephal/o- | head |
| cerebell/o- | cerebellum (posterior part of the brain) |
| cerebr/o- | cerebrum (largest part of the brain) |
| cervic/o- | neck; cervix |
| cheil/o- | lip |
| chez/o- | to pass feces |
| chol/e | bile; gall |
| cholangi/o- | bile duct |
| cholecyst/o- | gallbladder |
| choledoch/o- | common bile duct |
| chondr/o- | cartilage |
| chorion/o- | chorion (fetal membrane) |
| chrom/o- | color |
| chron/o- | time |
| circulat/o- | movement in a circular route |
| cirrh/o- | yellow |
| cis/o- | to cut |
| clav/o- | clavicle (collar bone) |
| clavicul/o- | clavicle (collar bone) |
| cleid/o- | clavicle (collar bone) |
| clon/o- | rapid contracting and relaxing |
| coagul/o- | clotting |
| coccyg/o- | coccyx (tailbone) |
| cochle/o- | cochlea (of the inner ear) |
| coit/o- | sexual intercourse |
| col/o- | colon |
| colon/o- | colon |
| colp/o- | vagina |
| comminut/o- | break into small pieces |
| communic/o- | impart; transmit |
| compress/o- | press together |
| concept/o- | to conceive or form |
| concuss/o- | violent shaking or jarring |
| congenit/o- | present at birth |
| congest/o- | accumulation of fluid |
| constip/o- | compacted feces |
| constrict/o- | drawn together; narrowed |
| contin/o- | hold together |
| contract/o- | pull together |
| contus/o- | bruising |
| convuls/o- | seizure |
| coron/o- | structure that encircles like a crown |
| corpor/o- | body |
| cortic/o- | cortex (outer region) |
| cost/o- | rib |
| crani/o- | cranium (skull) |
| crin/o- | secrete |
| cry/o- | cold |
| crypt/o- | hidden |
| cutane/o- | skin |
| cyan/o- | blue |
| cyst/o- | bladder; fluid filled sac; semi-solid cyst |
| cyt/o- | cell |
| dactyl/o- | finger or toe |
| delt/o- | triangle |
| dendr/o- | branching structure |
| dent/o- | tooth |
| depress/o- | press down |
| derm/ o- | skin |
| dermat/o- | skin |
| dextr/o- | right |
| diaphor/o- | sweating |
| diaphys/o- | shaft of a bone |
| diastol/o- | dilating |
| didym/o- | testes (twin structure) |
| dietet/o- | foods ; diet |
| digest/o- | break down food ; digest |
| digit/o- | finger; toe |
| dilat/o- | dilate; widen |
| disk/o- | disk |
| dissect/o- | to cut apart |
| dist/o- | away from the center of point of origin |
| diverticul/o- | diverticulum |
| dors/o- | back; dorsum |
| duct/o- | bring; move; a duct |
| duoden/o | duodenum |
| dynam/o- | power; movement |
| ecchym/o- | blood in the tissues |
| ech/o- | echo (sound wave) |
| eclamps/o- | a seizure |
| ectop/o- | outside of a place |
| efface/o- | do away with; obliterate |
| effer/o- | to go out from the center |
| effus/o- | a pouring out |
| ejaculat/o- | to expel suddenly |
| elast/o- | flexing; stretching |
| electr/o- | electricity |
| embol/o- | embolus (occluding plug) |
| embryon/o- | embryo, immature form |
| emet/o- | vomiting |
| emiss/o- | to send out |
| encephala/o- | brain |
| enter/o- | intestine |
| enur/o- | to urinate |
| eosin/o- | eosin; (red acidic dye) |
| ependym/o- | cellular lining |
| epilept/o- | seizure |
| epiphys/o- | enlarged area at the end of a long bone |
| erect/o- | to stand up |
| erg/o- | activity; work |
| erythemat/o- | redness |
| erythr/o- | red |
| esophag/o- | esophagus |
| esthet/o- | sensation; feeling |
| estr/a- | female |
| eti/o- | cause of disease |
| etym/o- | word origin |
| ex/o- | away from; external; outward |
| exacerb/o- | increase or provoke |
| excis/o- | to cut out |
| excori/o- | to take out skin |
| excret/o- | removing from the body |
| express/o- | communicate |
| extens/o- | straightening |
| extern/o- | outside |
| exud/o- | oozing fluid |
| faci/o- | face |
| fallopi/o- | uterine (fallopian tube) |
| fasci/o- | fascia |
| fec/o- | feces; stool |
| femor/o- | femur (thigh bone) |
| fer/o- | to bear |
| fertil/o- | able to conceive a child |
| fet/o- | fetus |
| fibr/o- | fiber |
| fibrill/o- | muscle fiber; nerve fiber |
| fibul/o- | fibula (lower leg bone) |
| fiss/o- | splitting |
| fixat/o- | to make stable or still |
| flatul/o- | flatus; gas |
| flex/o- | bending |
| foli/o- | leaf |
| follicul/o- | follicle (small sac) |
| fract/o- | break up |
| front/o- | front |
| fund/o- | fundus (part farthest from the opening) |
| fung/o- | fungus |
| galact/o- | milk |
| gastr/o- | stomach |
| gen/o- | arising from; produced by |
| gene/o- | gene |
| gene/o- | gene |
| gener/o- | production; creation |
| gener/o- | production; creation |
| genit/o- | genitalia |
| ger/o- | old age |
| gestat/o- | from conception to birth |
| glen/o- | socket of a joint |
| gli/o- | cells that provide support |
| glob/o- | shaped like a globe; comprehensive |
| glomerul/o- | glomerulus |
| gloss/o- | tongue |
| glycos/o- | glucose (sugar) |
| gnos/o- | knowledge |
| gon/o- | seed (ovum or spermatozoon) |
| gonad/o- | gonads (ovaries and testes) |
| gustat/o- | the sense of taste |
| gynec/o- | female; woman |
| hal/o- | breathe |
| hem/o- | blood |
| hemat/o- | blood |
| hepat/o- | liver |
| heredit/o- | genetic inheritance |
| herni/o- | hernia |
| hidr/o- | sweat |
| hil/o- | hilum (indentation in an organ) |
| hirsut/o- | hairy |
| humer/o- | humerus (upper arm bone) |
| hydr/o- | water; fluid |
| hyper/o- | above; more than normal |
| hyster/o- | uterus (womb) |
| iatr/o- | physician; medical treatment |
| ict/o- | seizure |
| idi/o- | unknown individual |
| ile/o- | ileum (intestine) |
| ili/o- | ilium (hip bone) |
| immun/o- | immune response |
| incarcer/o- | to imprison |
| incis/o- | to cut into |
| induct/o- | a leading in |
| infarct/o- | area of dead tissue |
| infect/o- | disease within |
| inflammat/o- | redness and warmth |
| inguin/o- | groin |
| inhibit/o- | block; hold back |
| inject/o- | insert; put in |
| insert/o- | to put in; introduce |
| inspect/o- | looking at |
| integu/o- | to cover |
| integument/o- | skin |
| intern/o- | inside |
| interstiti/o- | spaces within tissue |
| intestin/o- | intestine |
| isch/o- | keep back; block |
| ischi/o- | ischium (hip bone) |
| jaund/o- | yellow |
| jejun/o- | jejunum |
| kary/o- | nucleus |
| kerat/o- | cornea (of the eye); hard, fibrous protein |
| kin/o- | movement |
| kines/o- | movement |
| kyph/o- | bent; humpbacked |
| labi/o- | lip; labium |
| lacer/o- | a tearing |
| lacrim/o- | tears |
| lact/o- | milk |
| lapar/o- | abdomen |
| laryng/o- | larynx (voicebox) |
| later/o- | side |
| lei/o- | smooth |
| leuk/o- | white |
| lev/o- | left |
| lex/o- | word |
| lingu/o- | tongue |
| lip/o- | lipid (fat) |
| lipid/o- | fat |
| lith/o- | stone |
| lob/o- | lobe of an organ |
| log/o- | word; the study of |
| lord/o- | swayback |
| lumb/o- | lower back; area between ribs & pelvis |
| lumen/o- | opening |
| lun/o- | moon |
| lymph/o- | lymph; lymphatic system |
| lys/o- | break down |
| macr/o- | large |
| malac/o- | softening |
| mamm/o- | breast |
| mandibul/o- | mandible (lower jaw) |
| masset/o- | chewing |
| mast/o- | breast; mastoid process |
| mastic/o- | chewing |
| maxill/o- | maxilla (upper jaw) |
| medi/o- | middle |
| medic/ o- | physician ; medicine |
| medull/o- | medulla (inner region) |
| meg/a- | large |
| melan/o- | black |
| men/o- | month |
| mening/o- | meninges |
| menstru/o- | monthly discharge of blood |
| ment/o- | mind |
| metr/o- | measurement |
| metri/o- | uterus (womb) |
| micturi/o- | making urine |
| morph/o- | shape |
| muc/o- | mucus |
| mucos/o- | mucous membrane |
| mult/i- | many |
| muscul/o- | muscle |
| my/o- | muscle |
| myc/o- | fungus |
| myel/o- | bone marrow; spinal cord; myelin |
| myelin/o- | myelin |
| narc/o- | stupor; sleep |
| nas/o- | nose |
| nat/o- | birth |
| ne/o- | new |
| necr/o- | dead cells, tissue, or body |
| nephr/o- | kidney; nephron |
| nerv/o- | nerve |
| neur/o- | nerve |
| noct/o- | night |
| nosocomi/o- | hospital |
| nuch/o- | neck |
| nucle/o- | nucleus (of an atom) |
| nutrit/o- | nourishment |
| o/o- | ovum (egg) |
| obstetr/o- | preganancy & childbirth |
| obstip/o- | severe constipation |
| obstruct/o- | blocked by a barrier |
| occipit/o- | occiput; (back of the head) |
| ocul/o- | eye |
| olfact/o- | the sense of smell |
| olig/o- | scanty; few |
| omphal/o- | umbilicus; navel |
| onc/o- | tumor; mass |
| onych/o- | nail (fingernail or toenail) |
| oophor/o- | ovary |
| ophthalm/o- | eye |
| or/o- | mouth |
| orbicul/o- | small circle |
| orchi/o- | testis |
| orchid/o- | testis |
| orex/o- | appetite |
| orth/o- | straight |
| osse/o- | bone |
| ossificat/o- | changing into bone |
| oste/o- | bone |
| ot/o- | ear |
| ov/i- | ovum (egg) |
| ovari/o- | ovary |
| ox/i-; ox/o-; ox/y- | oxygen |
| palat/o- | palate |
| palliat/o- | reduce the severity of |
| pancreat/o- | pancreas |
| pareun/o- | sexual intercourse |
| pariet/o- | wall of a cavity |
| part/o- | childbirth |
| parturit/o- | to be in labor |
| patell/o- | patella (knee cap) |
| path/o- | disease |
| paus/o- | cessation |
| pector/o- | chest |
| ped/o- | child |
| pedicul/o- | lice |
| pelv/o- | pelvis (hip bone; renal pelvis) |
| pen/o- | penis |
| peps/o- | digestion |
| pept/o- | digestion |
| percuss/o- | tapping |
| perfor/o- | to have an opening |
| perine/o- | perineum |
| peripher/o- | outer aspects |
| peritone/o- | peritoneum |
| perone/o- | fibula (lower leg bone) |
| phag/o- | eating; swallowing |
| phalang/o- | phalanx (finger or toe) |
| phall/o- | penis |
| pharmac/o- | medicine; drug |
| pharyng/o- | pharynx (throat) |
| phil/o- | attraction to; fondness for |
| phim/o- | closed tight |
| phleb/o- | vein |
| phob/o- | fear |
| phot/o- | light |
| phren/o- | diaphragm; mind |
| phylact/o- | guarding; protecting |
| physi/o- | physical function |
| physic/o- | body |
| pil/o- | hair |
| placent/o- | placenta |
| plast/o- | growth; formation |
| pleg/o- | paralysis |
| pleur/o- | pleura (lung membrane) |
| pne/o- | breathing |
| pneum/o- | lung; air |
| pneumon/ o- | lung ; air |
| poplite/o- | back of the knee |
| por/o- | small openings; pores |
| poster/o- | back part |
| pregn/o- | being with child |
| priap/o- | persistent erection |
| prim/i- | first |
| proct/o- | rectum |
| product/o- | produce |
| pronat/o- | face down |
| prostat/o- | prostate gland |
| prosthet/o- | artificial part |
| protein/o- | protein |
| proxim/o- | near the center of the point of origin |
| psych/o- | mind |
| pub/o- | pubis (hip bone) |
| pulmon/o- | lung |
| punct/o- | hole; perforation |
| purul/o- | puss |
| py/o- | puss |
| pyel/o- | renal pelvis |
| pylor/o- | pyloris |
| pyr/o- | fire; burning |
| quadr/o- | four |
| radi/o- | radius(forearm bone); xrays; radiation |
| radicul/o- | spinal nerve root |
| recept/o- | receive |
| rect/o- | rectum |
| relax/o- | relax |
| ren/o- | kidney |
| resect/o- | to cut out; remove |
| resuscit/o- | revive; raise up again |
| retard/o- | slow down; delay |
| retent/o- | keep; hold back |
| rhabd/o | rod shaped |
| rheumat/o- | watery discharge |
| rhin/o- | nose |
| rhiz/o- | spinal nerve root |
| rhytid/o- | wrinkle |
| rotat/o- | rotate |
| rrhag/o- | excessive flow or discharge |
| rrhythm/o- | rhythm |
| rub/o- | red |
| sacr/o- | sacrum |
| sagitt/o- | going from front to back |
| saliv/o- | saliva |
| salping/o- | uterine (fallopian tube) |
| saphen/o- | clearly visible |
| sarc/o- | connective tissue |
| scapul/o- | scapula (shoulder blade) |
| schiz/o- | split |
| scler/o- | hard; sclera (white of the eye) |
| scoli/o- | curved; crooked |
| scop/o- | examine with an instrument |
| scrot/o- | scrotum |
| seb/o- | sebum (oil) |
| sebace/o- | sebum (oil) |
| secret/o- | produce; secrete |
| sens/o- | sensation |
| sensitiv/o- | affected by; sensitive to |
| sept/o- | septum (dividing wall) |
| septic/o- | infection |
| sial/o- | saliva |
| skelet/o- | skeleton |
| somat/o- | body |
| somn/o- | sleep |
| son/o- | sound |
| spast/o- | spasm |
| sperm/o- | sperm |
| spin/o- | spine; backbone |
| spir/o- | breathe; coil |
| splen/o- | spleen |
| spondyl/o- | vertebra |
| stal/o- | contraction |
| stat/o- | standing still; staying in one place |
| steat/o- | fat |
| sten/o- | narrowness; constriction |
| stern/o- | sternum (breast bone) |
| steroid/o- | steroid |
| steth/o- | chest |
| stomat/o- | mouth |
| sudor/i- | sweat |
| super/o- | above |
| supinat/o- | lying on the back |
| surg/o- | operative procedure |
| suspens/o- | hanging |
| symptomat/o- | collection of symptoms |
| synov/o- | synovium (membrane) |
| system/o- | body as a whole |
| systol/o- | contracting |
| tars/o- | (ankle) |
| tax/o- | coordination |
| tempor/o- | temple (side of the head) |
| ten/o- | tendon |
| tendin/o- | tendon |
| tens/o- | pressure; tension |
| termin/o- | end; boundary |
| test/o- | testis; testicle |
| testicul/o- | testis; testicle |
| tetr/a- | four |
| thalam/o- | thalamus |
| theli/o- | cellular layer |
| then/o- | thumb |
| therap/o- | treatment |
| therapeut/o- | treatment |
| thorac/o- | thorax; chest |
| thromb/o- | thrombus (blood clot) |
| thym/o- | thymus; rage |
| thyroid/o- | thyroid gland |
| tibi/o- | tibia (shin bone) |
| toc/o- | labor and childbirth |
| ton/o- | pressure; tone |
| tonsill/o- | tonsil |
| topic/o- | a specific area |
| tox/o- | poison |
| trache/o- | trachea (windpipe) |
| tract/o- | pulling |
| transplant/o- | move something to another place |
| trich/o- | hair |
| troph/o- | development |
| tub/o- | tube |
| tubercul/o- | nodule; tuberculosis |
| tubul/o- | tube; small tube |
| tuss/o- | cough |
| uln/o- | ulna; forearm bone |
| umbilic/o- | umbilicus; navel |
| ungu/o- | nail (fingernail or toenail) |
| ur/o- | urine; urinary system |
| ureter/o- | ureter |
| urethr/o- | urethra |
| urin/o- | urine; urinary system |
| uter/o- | uterus (womb) |
| vaccin/o- | giving a vaccine |
| vag/o- | wondering; vagus nerve |
| vagin/o- | vagina |
| valv/o- | valve |
| valvul/o- | valve |
| varic/o- | varix; varicose vein |
| vas/o- | blood vessel; vas deferens |
| vascul/o- | blood vessel |
| ven/o- | vein |
| venere/o- | sexual intercourse |
| ventil/o- | movement of air |
| ventr/o- | front; abdomen |
| ventricul/o- | ventricle (lower heart chamber; chamber in the brain) |
| vers/o- | to travel; to turn |
| vertebr/o- | vertebra |
| vesic/o- | bladder; fluid filled sac |
| vir/o- | virus |
| vis/o- | sight; vision |
| viscer/o- | large internal organs |
| vulv/o- | vulva |
| xanth/o- | yellow |
| xen/o- | foreign |
| xer/o- | dry |
| xiph/o- | sword |