Medical
words are very easy to remember. Once you
learn how to form a medical word, it will become easier for you to know the
meaning of each medical word that you come across. Medical words are formed from word roots,
prefixes, suffixes, and combining forms.
Let’s
take the word hyperlipoproteinemia. It has prefix, word root, suffix, and
combining form, as shown below.
hyper- is the prefix, which means
excessive
lip is the root, which means fat
o
is the combining form (lip/o)
protein is the root
-emia is the suffix, which means blood
condition.
So,
hyperlipoproteinemia means excessive fat and protein in the blood.
Prefixes: Prefixes are added to the beginning of a word
to make a new word. E.g., hyper-, peri-,
brady-, etc.
Suffix: Suffixes are added to the end of a word to
complete a new word. E.g., -logy, algia,
-oma, etc.
Root: Root is the central part of a word. E.g., aden, cardi, etc.
Combining Form: Formation of a new term with a vowel attached
to the word root (word root + vowel) is called a combining form. The most common vowel used in the formation of
the combining form is the letter “o” added to the word root. E.g., aden/o, cardi/o, etc.
You
must have come across the suffix “-logy;”
-logy (suffix) means
study of or science of.
·
Biology:
Bi/o means life, so biology means study
of life.
·
Anthropology: Study of humankind (anthrop/o means
humankind).
·
Cardiology: Study of heart (cardi/o means heart).
·
Zoology: Study of animal life (zoo means animal or
animal life).
·
Psychology: Study of mind (psych/o means mind).
·
Dermatology: Study of skin (dermat/o means skin).
·
Ecology: Study of environment (ec/o means environment).
·
Etiology: Study of cause of disease (eti/o means cause
of disease).
·
Gastroenterology: Study of gastrointestinal tract (gastr/o
means stomach, enter/o means intestines).
·
Gynecology: Study of female genital organs (gynec/o means
female).
·
Andrology: Study of male genital organs (andr/o means
male).
-logist (suffix) means specialist.
·
Anthropologist: Specialist in the study of humankind.
·
Biologist: Specialist in the study of life.
·
Cardiologist: Specialist in the study of heart or heart
diseases.
·
Gastrologist: Specialist in the study of stomach.
-algia, -dynia (suffix) means pain.
·
Otalgia/otodynia: Pain in the ear; earache (ot or ot/o means
ear).
·
Odontalgia: Pain in the tooth or teeth; toothache (odont
or odont/o means tooth or teeth).
·
Cephalalgia: Pain in the head; headache (Cephal/o means
head).
·
Mastodynia: Pain in the breast (mast/o means breast).
·
Gastralgia: Pain in the stomach; stomach ache (gastr/o
means stomach).
·
Arthralgia: Pain in a joint (arthr or arthr/o means
joint).
-scopy (suffix) means to
examine; physicians usually use a scope (instrument).
·
Rhinoscopy: Visual examination of the nose (rhin/o means
nose).
·
Gastroscopy: Visual examination of the stomach, through an
endoscope.
·
Arthroscopy: Visual examination of the interior of a joint,
through an endoscope.
·
Otoscopy: Visual examination of the ear, especially
eardrum.
·
Ophthalmoscopy: Visual examination of the eye, especially the
fundus of the eye, through an ophthalmoscope.
-gram, -graphy (suffix) means record, usually done through an instrument; often
radiopaque contrast material is injected in the body.
·
Angiogram/angiography: Record of blood or lymph vessels (angi/o
means blood or lymph vessels).
·
Cardiogram/cardiography: Record of heart or heart muscles (cardi/o
means heart).
·
Cholangiogram/cholangiography: Record of bile duct (chole- means bile and
angi/0 means blood or lymph vessels)
·
Encephalogram/encephalography: Record of the brain (encephal/o means brain).
·
Mammogram/mammogram: Record of the breasts (mamm/o means breasts)
-itis (suffix) means
inflammation.
·
Arthritis: Inflammation of a joint.
·
Carditis: Inflammation of the heart.
·
Gastritis: Inflammation of the stomach.
·
Hepatitis: Inflammation of the liver.
·
Pancreatitis: Inflammation of the pancreas.
·
Rhinitis: Inflammation of the nose.
-osis (suffix) means
abnormal condition.
·
Cirrhosis: Abnormal condition of the liver.
·
Psychosis: Abnormal condition of the mind.
·
Xerosis: Abnormal condition or dryness of the skin,
conjunctiva, or mucous membranes.
-al, -ic, -ar (suffix) means
pertaining to or relating to.
·
Abdominal: Pertaining to abdomen.
·
Cardiac: Pertaining to heart.
·
Hepatic: Pertaining to liver.
·
Cardiac: Pertaining to heart.
·
Pericardial: Pertaining to surrounding of the heart.
Peri- (prefix) means around,
surrounding, or near.
·
Periarterial: Pertaining to surrounding an artery.
·
Perihepatic: Pertaining to surrounding the liver.
·
Periadenitis: Inflammation of the tissues surrounding a
gland.
·
Perithyroiditis: Inflammation of the capsule or tissues
surrounding the thyroid gland.
·
Periureteritis: Inflammation of the tissues surrounding a
ureter.
Pre- (prefix) means
before, in front of, or anterior.
·
Precardiac: Pertaining to anterior part of the heart.
·
Prenatal: Pertaining to before birth.
·
Preoral: In front of the mouth.
·
Prepatellar:
Pertaining to anterior to the patella.
·
Preauricular:
Pertaining to anterior to the auricle of the ear.
Brady- (prefix) means
slow.
·
Bradycardia: Pertaining to slow heartbeat.
·
Bradypepsia: Pertaining to slowness of digestion.
·
Bradypnea: Abnormal slowness of respiration.
·
Bradyuria: Pertaining to slow micturition (urination).
Tachy- (prefix) means
rapid or quick.
·
Tachycardia: Pertaining to rapid heartbeat.
·
Tachypnea: Rapid breathing.
Dys- (prefix) means
difficult or painful.
·
Dysphagia: Difficulty in swallowing.
·
Dysuria: Difficulty or pain in urination.
·
Dysmenorrhea:
Difficult and painful menstruation.
·
Dyspnea: Difficulty in breathing.
·
Dyslexia: Difficulty in or impaired reading ability.
Given
below is a list of most common prefixes, suffixes, and roots. Once you learn this, it will become easier
for you to form and remember medical words.
PREFIXES
|
MEANING
|
a-,
an-
|
without,
lacking
|
ante-
|
before,
in front
|
bi-
|
two
|
brady-
|
slow
|
contra-
|
against
|
cry-
|
cold
|
dys-
|
difficult,
painful
|
ex-,
exo-
|
outer
or outside
|
end-,endo-
|
within
or inner
|
epi-
|
above
or upon
|
eu-
|
normal
or good
|
hemi-
|
half
|
hyper-
|
excessive
|
hyp-,
hypo-
|
deficient
or below
|
infra-
|
below
or beneath
|
inter-
|
between
|
intra-
|
within
|
mal-
|
bad
|
micro-
|
small
|
multi-
|
many
|
neo-
|
new
|
nulli-
|
none
|
pan
|
total,
all
|
para-
|
around,
beside or along
|
peri-
|
around
|
poly-
|
many
|
pre-
|
before,
in front of
|
retro-
|
back
or behind
|
semi-
|
half
|
sub-
|
under
|
super-
|
over,
above
|
supra-
|
above
|
tachy-
|
fast
or rapid
|
trans-
|
through
|
tetra-
|
four
|
ultra-
|
beyond
or excess
|
uni-
|
one
|
ROOT WORD with combing form
|
MEANING
|
Aden/o
|
gland
|
Blephar/o
|
eyelid
|
cardi/o
|
heart
|
derm/o
or dermat/o
|
skin
|
gastr/o
|
stomach
|
lingu/o
|
tongue
|
phob/o
|
fear
|
thorac/o
|
chest
|
abdomin/o
|
abdomen
|
andr/o
|
male
|
Algesi/o
|
pain
|
Arteri/o
|
artery
|
Arthr/o
|
joint
|
Articul/o
|
joint
|
Atri/o
|
atrium
|
Aur/o
|
ear
|
Aut/o
|
self
|
Bi/o
|
life
|
blephar/o
|
eyelid
|
Brachi/o
|
arm
|
Bronch/o
|
bronchus
|
Bucc/o
|
cheek
|
Burs/o
|
bursa
(cavity)
|
Carcin/o
|
cancer
|
Cardi/o
|
heart
|
Celi/o
|
abdomen
|
Cephal/o
|
head
|
cervic/o
|
cervix
|
cheil/o
|
lip
|
chir/o
|
hand
|
cholangi/o
|
bile
duct
|
choledoch/o
|
common
bile duct
|
chondr/o
|
cartilage
|
col/o
|
colon
|
conjunctiv/o
|
conjunctiva
|
corne/o
|
cornea
|
coron/o
|
heart
|
cost/o
|
rib
|
crani/o
|
cranium
(skull)
|
cyst/o
|
bladder;
sac
|
dent/o
|
tooth
|
dermat/o
|
skin
|
diaphor/o
|
sweat
|
dipl/o
|
two
or double
|
dips/o
|
thirst
|
encephal/o
|
brain
|
enter/o
|
intestines
|
esophag/o
|
esophagus
|
esthesi/o
|
sensation,
sensitivity, feeling
|
eti/o
|
cause
(of disease)
|
gastr/o
|
stomach
|
gingiv/o
|
gum
|
glyc/o
|
sugar
|
gravid/o
|
pregnancy
|
gynec/o
|
woman
|
gyn/o
|
woman
|
hem/o
|
blood
|
hemat/o
|
blood
|
Hepat/o
|
liver
|
Herni/o
|
hernia
|
Leuk/o
|
white
|
mast/o
|
breast
|
men/o
|
menstruation
|
olig/o
|
scanty
or few
|
ocul/o
|
eye
|
ophthalm/o
|
eye
|
oste/o
|
bone
|
orth/o
|
straight
|
ot/o
|
ear
|
path/o
|
disease
|
phalang/o
|
pharynx
|
phas/o
|
speech
|
phleb/o
|
vein
|
phot/o
|
light
|
phren/o
|
mind
|
pneumon/o
|
lung
or air
|
polyp/o
|
polyp;
small growth
|
pseudo/o
|
fake;
false
|
psych/o
|
mind
|
ren/o
|
kidney
|
retin/o
|
retina
|
rhin/o
|
nose
|
somat/o
|
body
|
somn/o
|
sleep
|
ur/o
|
urine
or urinary tract
|
SUFFIXES
|
MEANING
|
-agra
|
excessive
pain
|
-algia,
-dynia
|
pain
|
-cele
|
hernia
or protrusion
|
-centesis
|
surgical
puncture to remove fluid
|
-desis
|
surgical
fixation; fusion
|
-ectasis
|
stretching
out; dilatation; expansion
|
-ectomy
|
cut
out, excision
|
-ectopia
|
displacement
|
-emesis
|
vomiting
|
-emia
|
blood
condition
|
-gram,
-graphy
|
record
|
-ism
|
state
of
|
-ites,
-itis
|
inflammation
|
-lepsy
|
seizure
|
-lysis
|
loosening;
dissolution; separating
|
-malacia
|
softening
|
-mania
|
madness;
insane desire
|
-megaly
|
enlargement
|
-meter
|
instrument
used to measure
|
-metry
|
measurement
|
-morph
|
form
or shape
|
-odia
|
smell
|
-odynia
|
pain
|
-oid
|
resembling
|
-logist
|
specialist
|
-logy
|
study
of
|
-oma
|
tumor
|
-opia
|
vision
|
-opsy
|
to
view
|
-rrhaphy
|
suturing
or repairing
|
-rrhea
|
flow
or excessive discharge
|
-osis
|
abnormal
condition
|
-tomy
|
cut
into or incision
|
-paresis
|
paralysis
|
-pathy
|
disease
|
-penia
|
deficiency,
lack of
|
-pepsia
|
digestion
|
-phobia
|
fear
|
-phonia
|
sound
or voice
|
-phoria
|
feeling
|
-pnea
|
breathing
|
-ptosis
|
dropping,
sagging or prolapse
|
-rrhaphy
|
suture
|
-oma
|
tumor
|
-scope
|
instrument
used for visual examination
|
-scopy,
-scopic
|
to examine
|
-stomy
|
surgical
opening
|
-tome
|
instrument
used to cut
|
-tomy
|
cutting;
incision
|
