Here is a list of word parts. They may be at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of a medical word.
General Words Body Parts and Disorders Positions and Directions Numbers and Amounts Colors Physical Properties and Shapes Good and Bad Procedures, Diagnosis and SurgeryPart Definition -ac pertaining to andr-, andro- male auto- self bio- life chem-, chemo- chemistry cyt-, cyto- cell -blast-, -blasto, -blastic bud, germ -cyte, -cytic cell fibr-, fibro- fiber gluco-, glycol- glucose, sugar gyn-, gyno-, gynec- female hetero- other, different hydr-, hydro- water idio- self, one's own -ity pertaining to karyo- nucleus neo- new -ous pertaining to oxy- sharp, acute, oxygen pan-, pant-, panto- all or everywhere pharmaco- drug, medicine re- again, backward somat-, somatico-, somato- body, bodily Part Definition acous-, acouso- hearing aden-, adeno- gland adip-, adipo- fat adren-, adreno- gland angi-, angio- blood vessel ateri-, aterio- artery arthr-, arthro- joint blephar- eyelid bronch-, bronchi- bronchus (large airway that leads from the trachea (windpipe) to a lung) bucc-, bucco- cheek burs-, burso- bursa (a small, fluid-filled sac that acts as a cushion between a bone and other moving parts) carcin-, carcino- cancer cardi-, cardio- heart cephal-, cephalo- head chol- bile chondr- cartilage Coron- heart cost- rib crani-, cranio- brain cutane skin cyst-, cysti-, cysto- bladder or sac dactyl-, dactylo- digit (finger or toe) derm-, dermato- skin duodeno- duodenum (the first part of your small intestine, right after your stomach) -esthesio sensation gloss-, gloss- tongue gastr- stomach gnath-, gnatho- jaw grav- heavy hem, hema-, hemat-, hemato-, hemo- blood hepat-, hepatico-, hepato- liver hidr-, hidro- sweat hist-, histio-, histo- tissue hyster-, hystero- uterus ileo- ileum (the lower part of the small intestine) irid-, irido- iris ischi-, ischio- ischium (the lower and back part of the hip bone) -ium structure or tissue kerat-, kerato- cornea (eye or skin) lacrim-, lacrimo- tear (from your eyes) lact-, lacti-, lacto- milk laryng-, laryngo- larynx (voice box) lingu-, linguo- tongue lip-, lipo- fat lith-, litho- stone lymph-, lympho- lymph mamm, mast-, masto- breast mening-, meningo- meninges (the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord) muscul-, musclo- muscle my-, myo- muscle myel-, myelo- spinal cord OR bone marrow myring-, myringo- eardrum nephr-, nephro- kidney neur-, neuri-, neuron nerve oculo- eye odont-, odonto- tooth onych-, onycho- fingernail, toenail oo- egg, ovary oophor-, oophoro- ovary op-, opt- vision ophthalm-, ophthalmo- eye orchid-, orchido-, orchio- testis ossi- bone osseo- bony ost-, oste-, osteo- bone ot-, oto- ear ovari-, ovario-, ovi-, ovo- ovary phalang- phalanx (any bone in the fingers or toes) pharyng-, pharyngo- pharynx, throat phleb-, phlebo- vein phob-, phobia fear phren-, phreni-, phrenico-, phreno- diaphragm pleur-, pleura-, pleuro- rib, pleura (membrane that wraps around the outside of your lungs and lines the inside of your chest cavity) pneum-, pneuma-, pneumat-, pneumato- air, lung pod-, podo foot prostat- prostate psych-, psyche-, psycho- mind proct-, procto- anus, rectum pyel-, pyelo- pelvis rachi- spine rect-, recto- rectum ren-, reno- kidney retin- retina (of the eye) rhin-, rhino- nose salping-, salpingo- tube sial-, sialo- saliva, salivary gland sigmoid-, sigmoido- sigmoid colon splanchn-, splanchni-, splanchno- viscera (internal organ) sperma-, spermato-, spermo- sperm spirat- breathe splen-, spleno- spleen spondyl-, spondylo- vertebra stern- sternum (breastbone) stom-, stoma-, stomat-, stomato- mouth thel-, thelo- nipples thorac-, thoracico-, thoraco- chest thromb-, thrombo- blood clot thyr-, thyro- thyroid gland trache-, tracheo- trachea (windpipe) tympan-, tympano- eardrum ur-, uro- urine uri-, uric-, urico- uric acid -uria in the urine vagin- vagina varic-, varico- duct, blood vessel vasculo- blood vessel ven-, veno- vein vertebr- vertebra, spine vesic-, vesico- vesicle (cyst or pouch) Part Definition ab-, abs- away from ambi- both sides ante- before, forward circum- around cycl- circle, cycle dextr-, dextro- right side de- away from, ending dia- across, through ect-, ecto-, exo- outer; outside en- inside end-, endo-, ent- enter-, entero-, within; inner epi- Upon, outside of ex-, extra- beyond infra- beneath; below inter- between intra- within meso- middle meta- beyond, change para- alongside, abnormal per- through peri- around post- behind, after pre- before, in front retro- backward, behind sinistr-, sinistro- left, left side sub- under super- above supra- above, upon sy-. syl-, sym-, syn-, sys- together trans- across, through Part Definition bi- two brady- slow diplo- double hemi- half homo- same hyper- above, beyond, excessive hypo- under, deficient iso- equal, like macro- large, long, big meg-, mega-, megal-, megalo- great, large -megaly enlargement mic-, micro- small mon-, mono- one multi- many olig-, oligo- few, little poly- many, excessive quadri- four semi- half tachy- fast tetra- four tri- three uni- one Part Definition chlor-, chloro- green chrom-, chromato- color Cyano- blue erythr-, erythro- red leuk-, leuko- white melan-, melano- black xanth-, xantho- yellow Part Definition -cele bulge elect- electrical activity kin-, kine-, kinesi-, kinesio-, kino- movement kyph-, kypho- humped morph-, morpho- shape rhabd-, rhabdo- rod-shaped, striated scoli-, scolio- twisted cry-, cryo- cold phon-, phono- sound phos- light phot-, photo- light reticul-, reticulo- net therm-, thermo- heat tono- tone, tension, pressure Part Definition -alge-, -algesi pain a-, an- without; lacking anti- against contra- against dis- separation, taking apart -dynia pain, swelling dys- difficult, abnormal -eal, -ial pertaining to -ectasis expansion or dilation -emesis vomiting -emia blood condition -esis state or condition eu- good, well -ia condition -iasis condition, formation of -ism condition -ites, -itis inflammation -lysis, -lytic, lyso-, lys- break down, destruction, dissolving mal- bad, abnormal -malacia softening -mania morbid impulse towards an object/thing myc-, myco- fungus myx-, myxo- mucus necr-, necro- death normo- normal -odyn pain -oma tumor -oid resembling orth-, ortho- straight, normal, correct -osis condition, usually abnormal -pathy, patho-, path- disease -penia deficiency, lack of -phagia, phagy eating, swallowing -phasia speech -plasia, -plastic growth -plegia paralysis -pnea breathing -poiesis production -praxia movement pro- favoring, supporting pseudo- false pro- favoring, supporting -ptosis falling, drooping pyo- pus pyro- fever onco- tumor, bulk, volume -rrhage, -rrhagic bleeding -rrhea flow or discharge sarco- muscular, fleshlike schisto- split, cleft, division schiz-, schizo split, cleft sclera-, sclero- hardness -sclerosis hardening -sis condition -spasm muscle condition spasmo- spasm -stasis level, unchanging sten-, steno- narrowed, blocked -taxis movement -trophy growth Parts Definition -centesis surgical puncture to remove fluid -desis surgical binding -ectomy cut out, removal -gram, -graph, -graphy recording, written -meter device used for measuring -metry measurement of -opsy visual examination -ostomy opening -otomy Incision -pexy surgical fixation -plasty surgical reconstruction radio- radiation, radius -rrhaphy suture -scope, -scopy examine, for examining -stomy surgical opening -tomy cutting; incision -tripsy crushing
