| Term | Definition |
| a-, an, non | without, not
ex. apnea (not breathing)
Anurial (without urine)
nonstriated (muscle not striated) |
| ab-, ef- | away
ex. Abductor Muscle (muscle pulling away from midline- deltoid)
Efferent Neuron (carrying info away from brain) |
| ad-, af- | toward
ex. Afferent neuron (carrying info toward brain)
Adductor Muscle (muscle pulling toward midline- groin) |
| adi-, lip(o) | fat
ex. Adipose (fat tissue)
Liposuction (removing fat from body through suction) |
| alg | pain
ex. Neuralgia (nerve pain)
Fibromyalgia (muscle pain) |
| ana- | up
ex. Anabolic Reaction (building up molecules- bonding amino acids together to make proteins) |
| ang(i) | vessel
ex. Angiogenesis (making of a new blood vessel)
Vasodialator (medicines that widen a vessel) |
| ante-, pre-, pro- | before
ex. Prenatal (before birth)
Antebrachial (before the upper arm)
Promonocyte (before the monocyte is mature) |
| anti-, contra- | against, resisting
ex. Antibody (resisting a foreign body -pathogen)
Contraception (against conception- egg and sperm) |
| aqua(e)-, hydr- | water
ex. Aqueous (water solution)
Hydrocephalus (water- cerebral spinal fluid (CSF)- on the brain) |
| anthr(o), artic- | joint
ex. Arthritis (joint inflammation)
Articulation (joint where 2 points meet) |
| -ase | enzyme
ex. Maltase (enzyme breaking down maltose)
Lipase (enzyme breaking down lipids/fats) |
| audi- | hear
ex. Auditory Nerve (nerve connecting the ear to the brain) |
| aut(o)- | self
ex. Autoimmunity (self immunity- when one's antibodies attack it's own cells/tissues) |
| bi-, di-, diplo | two
ex. Bicuspid (2 pointed- tooth or heart valve)
Diencephalon (2 parts within the brain)
Diplococcus (2 round bacteria) |
| brachy-, brev(i)- | short
ex. Brachydactyly (short digits- toes/fingers)
Fibularis Brevis (short muscle in lower leg) |
| brady- | slow
ex. Bradycardia (slower than normal heart rate) |
| bronch- | airway
ex. Bronchitis (airway [bronchus] tube entering lungs- inflammation) |
| card- | heart
ex. Cardiology (study of the heart) |
| cat- | down
ex. Catabolic Reaction (breaking down molecules- protein bonds being broken to form amino acids) |
| hepat- | liver
ex. Hepatitus (inflammation of the liver (usually caused by viral infection)) |
| hex- | Six
ex. Hexose (a sugar containing 6 carbons (glucose=C6H12O)) |
| hist- | Tissue
ex. Histology (study of tissues) |
| hyper- | Over, Excessive
ex. Hypertonic (greater solute concentration)
Hyperesthesia (excessive _______ sensitivity) |
| hypo, infra-, infer, sub- | Under, Below, Less
ex. Hypotonic (lesser solute concentration)
Infraorbital (below eye)
Submandibular (under the jaw) |
| hyster- , metr- | Uterus
ex. Hysterectomy (cutting out of uterus)
Endometrium (inner lining of uterus (lost each month in females)) |
| -iasis, -osis | Condition of
ex. Cholelithiasis (having gallstones)
Nephrosis (kidney disorder) |
| itis | Inflammation of
ex. Appendicitis (inflammation (swelling, redness, warmth, and pain ) of the appendix) |
| inter- | Between
ex. Interstitial Fluid (an extracellular fluid found between cells) |
| kilo- , milli- | 1000, 1000th
ex. Kilogram (1000 grams)
Milligram (1000th of a gram) |
| hemi- , semi- | Half
ex. Cerebral Hemisphere (one half of the brain (left or right cerebral hemisphere)) |
| hem- | Blood
ex. Hemothorax (blood that has leaked into chest cavity) |
| -graphy | ... |
| -graph | Writing Apparatus
ex. Electrocardiograph (apparatus/machine used to make an electrocardiogram) |
| -gram | Something Written
ex. Electrocardiogram- ECG (print-out of the electrical cavity of the heart) |
| gyn | Women
ex. Gynecologist (doctor specializing in the treatment of females and their reproductive system) |
| gluc- , gly , -ose | Sugar
ex. Glucose (monosaccharide of carbohydrates (sugars)
Glycogen (big molecule made of glucose) |
| gloss/tt, lingu | Tongue
ex. Hypoglossal (cranial nerve connected under the tongue)
Sublingual (salivary gland under tongue) |
| glom | Ball
ex. Glomerulus (ball of capillaries in kidney where metabolic waste is filtered) |
| ger (o,i) | Aging, Old
ex. Gerontology (study of aging)
Geriatrics (branch of medicine dealing with older patients) |
| -gen, poie- , blast | Create, Form
ex. Oogensis (create an egg)
Hemopoiesis (form new blood cells)
Osteoblast (make new bone cells) |
| gastr- | Stomach
ex. Gastric Bypass Surgery (surgery for obese patients to dramatically reduce stomach size) |
| ex- , ecto- | Outside
ex. Extracellular Fluid (solute/fluid located outside of cells) |
| foram- | Opening
ex. Infraorbital Foramen (an opening in the bone below the eye for nerves and vessels to pass) |
| fasci- | Bundle
ex. Muscle or Nerve Fascicle (a bundle r grouping of muscle or nerve cells) |
| -esthe | Sensation
ex. Anesthesia (with sensation or feeling) |
| erythr- | Red
ex. Erythrocyte (red blood cell) |
| equi- , homo- , iso- | Same, Equal, Balanced
ex. Homeostasis (constant internal balance (of body function))
Isotonic (equal solute (ICF and ECF)) |
| epi- | Upon, Over, Above
ex. Epidermis (layer of skin over epidermis)
Epididymis (coiled tubes above testes) |
| en- , endo- , intra- | Inside, Within
ex. Endosteum (cavity/space inside a bone)
Intraocular (inside the orbit or eye socket) |
| -emia | Blood Condition
ex. Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) |
| -emesis | Vomiting
ex. Hyperemesis (excessive vomiting) |
| edem- | Swelling
ex. Lymphedema (swelling of tissues due to accumulation of lymph) |
| ectop- | Displaced
ex. Ectopic Pregnancy (displaced pregnancy (embryo implant outside uterus- usually oviduct)) |
| -ectomy , -tom , -sect | Cut, Cut out
ex. Appendectomy (cut out appendix)
Lobotomy (cut out cerebral (brain) lobes)
Dissect (cut in two) |
| dys- , mal- | Bad, Painful, Difficult
ex. Dyspnea (difficult breathing)
Malnutrition (bad nutrition/diet)
Malabsorption (poor nutrient absorption) |
| dia- , per- , trans | Through, Separate, Across
ex. Diarrhea (flow through intestines)
Permeable (across a membrane)
Transcutaneous (across skin) |
| dent , dont | Tooth, Teeth
ex. Dentalgia (tooth pain)
Orthodontist (doctor that straightens teeth) |
| dec (k) | 10, 1/10th
ex. Decade (10 years)
Dekagram (10 grams)
Deciliter (1/10th of a liter) |
| dactyl, digit | Finger or Toe
ex. Syndactyly (fingers or toes that are together (webbed)) |
| -cyte | Cell
ex. Leukocyte (white blood cell) |
| cyan- | Blue
ex. Cyanosis (condition causing skin to turn blue (due to low oxygen levels)) |
| cut , derm | Skin
ex. Subcutaneous (below the skin)
Dermatitus (skin inflammation) |
| -crine | Secrete, Release
ex. Endocrine Gland (glands that secrete hormones into bloodstream) |
| corp- , soma- | Body
ex. Corpus Luteum (yellow body (former follicle in ovary))
Somatic Cell (body cell (all non-sex cells)) |
| coel- , sinu- | Cavity, Space
ex. Coelom (body cavity)
Frontal Sinus (space in the frontal bone) |
| co- , con- , sym , syn , sys- | Together, With
ex. Congenital (born with)
Synthesis (put together)
System (organs working together) |
| -clast | Osteoclast (bone breaker (cells that destroy cells, thus shaping a bone) |
| circ- , peri- | Around
ex. Circumcision (cut around)
Periodontal (around the teeth) |
| -cide | Kill
ex. Spermacide (sperm killer) |
| chondr- | Cartilage
ex. Chondrocyte (cartilage cell) |
| chol- , cystic | Gall Bladder
ex. Cholecystokinin (hormone causing gallbladder contraction)
Cystic Duct (tube (for bile) from gallbladder) |
| cephal- , -ceps | Head
ex. Hydrocephalus (water in the brain (in the head))
Biceps Femoris (2-headed (2 tendons) muscle by femur)) |
| -centesis | Puncture
ex. Amniocentesis (puncture to aspirate (remove) amniotic fluid from amniotic sac) |
| cent- | 100, 100th
ex. century (100 years)
Centigram (1/100th of a gram) |
| mnem- | Memory
ex. Amnesia (loss of memory) |
| mono- , uni- | One
ex. Monozygotic (twins coming from the same zygote (twins))
Unicellular (one-celled organism) |
| morph, -plasty | Shape
ex. Morphology (differentiating/distinguishing by shape)
Rhinoplasty (nose shaping (surgical repair)) |
| mort, necr | Death
ex. Post Mortem (after death)
Necrotic Tissue (dead tissue) |
| multi- , poly- | Many
ex. Multinucleate (many nuclei (ie. skeletal muscles))
Polysaccharide (many monosaccharides) |
| mut- | Change
ex. Mutation (any change in the sequence of DNA) |
| myo- | Muscle
ex. Myopathy (muscle disease)
Myofibril (skeletal muscle cell) |
| nas- , rhin | Nose
ex. Nasal Septum (division/wall in nasal cavity)
Rhinovirus (virus frequently infecting the nose) |
| nat- | Birth
ex. Prenatal (before birth) |
| neo- | New
ex. Neonatal (newborn) |
| nephr- , ren | Kidney
ex. Nephrosclerosis (hardening of the kidney)
Renal Vein (vessel carrying blood away from the kidney) |
| o(o), ovi | Egg
ex. Oophorectomy (removal of ovary (egg maker))
Oviduct (tube transporting egg to uterus) |
| oct | Eight
ex. Octet Rule (atom's desire to fill its outer shell with 8 electrons which allows bonding) |
