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medical root words
medical dictionary online
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Many terms frequently used in science and medicine
are derived from latin words. By combining the root
words with, prefixes and suffixes many of the meanings
of the terms can be deciphered.
Use the following resources to better understand
medical terms:
Medical Roots or Stems
Prefixes commonly used
in medical terms
Suffixes commonly used
in medical terms
Glossary of Medical Root Words
| acanth |
spine |
| acou |
hear |
| acro |
extremity, sharp |
| acu |
sharp, abrupt sudden |
| adeno |
gland |
| adipo |
fat |
| aero |
air |
| algo |
pain |
| ambi |
both sides |
| amnio |
bowl |
| amph |
both sides |
| andro |
male |
| angio |
vessel |
| ankyl |
bent, crooked |
| anthro |
man, human |
| artero |
artery (vessel carrying blood away
from heart) |
| arthro |
joint |
| artic |
little joint |
| asthm |
sob, short of breath |
| atri |
entry chamber |
| axilla |
armpit |
| axo |
center |
| aud / aur / aus |
hear |
| auto |
self |
| aux |
make grow |
| bact |
rod |
| blast |
sprout |
| bleph |
eyelid |
| brachi |
arm |
| brady |
slow |
| bronch |
related to breathing |
| bucc |
cheeck |
| burs |
pocket |
| caes |
deep cut |
| calci |
limestone |
| calco |
heel, spur |
| calyc |
cup |
| campy |
bend |
| carbo |
charcoal, carbon |
| card(i) |
heart |
| carpo |
wrist |
| centesis |
puncture |
| centr |
center |
| ceph / cephal |
head |
| cept |
seize |
| cereb |
brain |
| cervic |
neck |
| chemo |
chemistry |
| chlor |
green |
| chol(e) |
bile |
| chondr |
cartilage |
| chron |
time |
| cise |
deep cut |
| cili |
eyelash |
| clast |
break |
| claustr |
barrier |
| coagul |
clot |
| cond |
hard knob |
| cox |
hip |
| corp |
physical body |
| crine |
secretion |
| cutis |
skin |
| cyan |
blue |
| cycl |
circle |
| cysto |
urinary, bladder |
| cyto |
cell |
| dacr |
tear |
| dacty |
fingers, digits |
| dens / dent |
tooth |
| derm |
skin |
| desis |
binding |
| dextro |
right |
| didym |
twin |
| digit |
finger, toes |
| dynia |
pain |
| echin |
spiny |
| ectasia |
dilation |
| edem(a) |
excess |
| enceph |
brain |
| entero |
intestine |
| erythro |
red |
| esthesia |
perception |
| fer |
carrying, bearing |
| flect / flex |
bend |
| fora / foro |
make a hole |
| fract / frag / fring |
break |
| gangl |
knot |
| gastr |
stomach |
| gen / genesis |
origin |
| genu |
knee |
| ger |
old |
| gest |
bring forth |
| gleno |
shoulder |
| glob |
sphere |
| gloss |
tongue |
| glute |
buttocks |
| gynec |
female |
| hem |
blood |
| hepat |
liver |
| hernia |
rupture |
| hidr |
sweat |
| histo |
tissue |
| hydro |
water |
| hypno |
sleep |
| hystero |
uterus |
| iatric |
healing |
| idio |
self |
| ject |
throw, send |
| junc / jug / jux |
join together |
| lachry |
tear |
| labio |
lip |
| lact(o) |
milk |
| latero |
side |
| lein |
spleen |
| levo |
left sided |
| liga |
bind together |
| lith |
stone |
| lumbo |
lower back |
| lysis |
breaking down |
| mal(i) |
bad |
| medulla |
soft inner part |
| mere |
part |
| manu |
hand |
| mast |
breast |
| melia |
limb |
| mnem / mnes |
memory |
| morb |
sick |
| morph |
shape |
| myo |
muscle |
| narco |
sleep |
| naso |
sleep |
| necro |
dead, decay |
| nephr |
kidney |
| neuro |
nerve |
| olfact |
smell |
| oma / onco |
tumor, lump, mass |
| op / opth |
eye |
| oro |
mouth |
| ortho |
straight |
| ost |
bone |
| partum |
birth |
| patho |
disease |
| pect |
chest |
| pes / ped |
foot |
| phage |
eat |
| phlebo |
vein |
| plantar |
sole of foot |
| pod |
foot |
| pre / pro |
before |
| procto |
rectum |
| pron |
face down |
| psyche |
spirit, mind |
| pulmo |
lung |
| punct |
prick, puncture |
| rhino |
nose |
| sang |
blood |
| sclero |
hard |
| sthen |
strength |
| stom |
mouth |
| tricho |
hair |
| trophy |
grow |
| vaso |
blood vessel |
| veno |
vein |
| vert |
turn |
| viscero |
innards |
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