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Medical Word Parts Quick Reference
Search common prefixes, roots, combining forms, and suffixes with an example and a plain-English explanation.
44 entries
| Type | Part | Meaning | Example | Plain English |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| prefix | a-/an- | without, not | anemia | without enough blood (red cells) |
| prefix | anti- | against | antibiotic | works against microbes |
| prefix | brady- | slow | bradycardia | slow heart rate |
| prefix | tachy- | fast | tachycardia | fast heart rate |
| prefix | dys- | difficult, painful | dysphagia | difficult swallowing |
| prefix | hyper- | high, above | hypertension | high blood pressure |
| prefix | hypo- | low, below | hypoglycemia | low blood sugar |
| prefix | inter- | between | intercostal | between the ribs |
| prefix | intra- | within | intravenous | within a vein |
| prefix | peri- | around | pericardium | membrane around the heart |
| prefix | post- | after | postoperative | after surgery |
| prefix | pre- | before | preoperative | before surgery |
| prefix | sub- | under | sublingual | under the tongue |
| prefix | supra- | above | suprapubic | above the pubic bone |
| root | cardi(o) | heart | cardiology | study of the heart |
| root | pulmon(o) | lung | pulmonology | study of the lungs |
| root | gastr(o) | stomach | gastritis | inflammation of the stomach |
| root | hepat(o) | liver | hepatitis | inflammation of the liver |
| root | nephr(o) | kidney | nephrology | study of the kidneys |
| root | neur(o) | nerve | neuropathy | nerve disease |
| root | oste(o) | bone | osteoporosis | condition of porous bone |
| root | arthr(o) | joint | arthritis | inflammation of a joint |
| root | derm(a/o) | skin | dermatitis | inflammation of the skin |
| root | hemat(o) | blood | hematology | study of blood |
| root | my(o) | muscle | myalgia | muscle pain |
| root | enter(o) | intestine | enteritis | inflammation of the intestine |
| root | cyst(o) | bladder / sac | cystitis | inflammation of the bladder |
| root | rhin(o) | nose | rhinorrhea | runny nose |
| root | ophthalm(o) | eye | ophthalmology | study of the eye |
| root | ot(o) | ear | otitis | inflammation of the ear |
| suffix | -itis | inflammation | tonsillitis | inflammation of the tonsils |
| suffix | -ectomy | surgical removal | appendectomy | removal of the appendix |
| suffix | -otomy | incision, cutting into | tracheotomy | incision into the trachea |
| suffix | -ostomy | surgical opening | colostomy | surgical opening in the colon |
| suffix | -algia | pain | neuralgia | nerve pain |
| suffix | -emia | blood condition | hyperglycemia | high blood sugar |
| suffix | -oma | tumor / mass | lipoma | fatty tumor |
| suffix | -osis | condition (often abnormal) | scoliosis | abnormal curvature of the spine |
| suffix | -pathy | disease | cardiomyopathy | heart-muscle disease |
| suffix | -plasty | surgical repair | rhinoplasty | surgical repair of the nose |
| suffix | -scopy | visual examination | colonoscopy | visual exam of the colon |
| suffix | -uria | urine condition | hematuria | blood in the urine |
| suffix | -ology | study of | cardiology | study of the heart |
| suffix | -megaly | enlargement | hepatomegaly | enlarged liver |
Want the full method? Read Medical Terminology Decoder.