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Appendix:Medical prefixes, suffixes, and combining forms in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
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This glossary shows medical prefixes, suffixes, and combining forms.
A
Prefix/Suffix
|
Meaning
|
a-, an-
|
not, without, less
|
ab
|
away from
|
–ac
|
pertaining to
|
acous/acouso-
|
hearing
|
acr/acro-
|
extremity, topmost
|
–acusis
|
hearing condition
|
–ad
|
toward, in the direction of
|
ad-
|
increase, adherence, motion toward, very
|
aden/adeno-
|
gland
|
adip/adipo-
|
fat
|
adren/adreno-
|
gland
|
–aemia
|
(UK) blood condition
|
aer/aero-
|
air, gas
|
aesthesio-
|
(UK) sensation
|
–al
|
pertaining to
|
alge/algesi-
|
pain
|
–algia
|
pain
|
algio/algo-
|
pain
|
ambi-
|
around, on all sides, both
|
an-
|
not, without
|
an/o
|
anus
|
angi-
|
blood vessel
|
ankyl/ankylo-
|
crooked, stiff
|
ante-
|
before
|
anti-
|
against, opposed to
|
apo-
|
separated from, derived from
|
arteri/arterio-
|
artery
|
arthr/arthro-
|
joint, articulation
|
articul/articulo-
|
joint
|
–ary
|
pertaining to
|
–ase
|
enzyme
|
–asthenia
|
weakness
|
–ation
|
process
|
auri-
|
ears (aural)
|
aut/auto-
|
self, same
|
B
bacteri/bacterio-
|
bacteria
|
bi-
|
twice, double
|
bio-
|
life
|
blast/blasto-
|
germ or bud, baby/embryo
|
bleph/blepharo-
|
eyelid
|
brachi/brachio-
|
arm
|
brady-
|
slow
|
bronch/bronchi-
|
bronchus
|
bucc/bucco-
|
cheek
|
burs/burso-
|
bursa
|
C
carcin/carcino-
|
cancer
|
cardi/cardio-
|
heart, esophageal opening of stomach
|
cata-
|
down
|
–cele
|
pouching, hernia
|
–centesis
|
surgical puncture for aspiration
|
cephal/cephalo-
|
head
|
chem/chemo-
|
chemistry, drug
|
chlor/chloro-
|
green
|
chol-
|
bile
|
chondrio/chondro-
|
cartilage, gristle, granule, granular
|
chrom/chromato-
|
color
|
–cidal/cide
|
killing, destroying
|
circum-
|
around
|
cis-
|
on this side
|
co-
|
with, together, in association
|
col/colo/colono-
|
colon
|
com-
|
with, together
|
contra
|
against
|
cor-
|
with, together
|
costo
|
ribs
|
crani/cranio-
|
cranium, skull
|
cry/cryo-
|
cold
|
cycl-
|
circle, cycle
|
cyst/cysti/cysto-
|
bladder or sac
|
cyt/cyto-
|
cell
|
–cyte
|
cell
|
D
dacrio-
|
tear
|
dactyl/dactylo-
|
digit (finger or toe)
|
de-
|
away from, cessation
|
derm/dermis/dermato-
|
skin
|
–desis
|
binding
|
dextr/dextro-
|
right, on the right side
|
di-
|
separation, two
|
dif-
|
separation
|
diplo-
|
double
|
dis-
|
separation, taking apart
|
duodeno-
|
duodenum
|
dynamo-
|
force, energy
|
–dynia
|
pain
|
dys-
|
bad, difficult
|
E
–eal
|
pertaining to
|
ec-
|
out, away
|
ect-
|
outer, outside
|
–ectasis
|
expansion, dilation
|
ecto-
|
outer, outside
|
–ectomy
|
excision, removal
|
edopotra-
|
stiff
|
–emesis
|
vomit
|
–emia
|
(US)blood condition
|
–encephal/encephalo-
|
brain
|
endo-
|
internal
|
enter/entero-
|
small intestine
|
epi-
|
upon
|
erythr/erythro-
|
red
|
–esophageal/esophago-
|
(US) gullet
|
esthesio-
|
(US)sensation
|
eu-
|
good, well
|
ex-
|
out of, away from
|
exo-
|
exterior, outward
|
extra-
|
outside
|
F
fibr/fibro-
|
fiber
|
–form
|
in the form or shape of
|
G
–galact/galacto-
|
milk
|
gastr/gastro-
|
stomach
|
–gen
|
origin or production
|
geo-
|
earth
|
gloss/glosso-
|
tongue
|
glott/glotto-
|
variant form of gloss/glosso-, language
|
gluco-
|
glucose
|
glyc/glyco-
|
sugar
|
gnath/gnatho-
|
jaw
|
–gram
|
recording
|
–graph
|
recording instrument
|
–graphy
|
process of recording
|
gyn/gyno- gynae/gynaeco- gyne/gyneco-
|
woman, also: (UK) (US)
|
H
haem/haema/haemat/haemato/haemo–
|
blood (BrE)
|
hem/hema/hemat/hemato-
|
(US) blood
|
hemi-
|
one-half
|
hemo-
|
(US) blood
|
hepat/hepatico/hepato-
|
liver
|
hidr/hidro-
|
sweat
|
hist/histio/histo-
|
tissue
|
hydr/hydro-
|
water
|
hyper-
|
above normal, excessive
|
hypo-
|
below normal, deficient
|
hyster/hystero-
|
uterus
|
I
–ia/iasis
|
condition
|
–iatrics
|
treatment
|
iatr/iatro-
|
treatment, physician
|
–iatry
|
treatment
|
–ic
|
pertaining to
|
–icle
|
small
|
–ics
|
organized knowledge, treatment
|
idio-
|
self, one's own
|
ileo-
|
ileum
|
infra-
|
below
|
inter-
|
between, among
|
intra-
|
within
|
irid/irido-
|
iris
|
ischi/ischio-
|
ischium
|
–ism
|
condition, disease
|
–ismus
|
spasm, contraction
|
is/iso-
|
equal, like
|
–ist
|
one who specializes in
|
–ite
|
the nature of, resembling
|
–itis
|
inflammation
|
–ium
|
structure, tissue
|
K
karyo-
|
nucleus
|
kerat/kerato-
|
cornea (eye or skin)
|
kin/kine/kinesi/kinesio-
|
movement
|
kino-
|
movement
|
kyph/kypho-
|
humped
|
L
lacrim/lacrimo-
|
tear
|
lact/lacti/lacto-
|
milk
|
laryng/laryngo-
|
larynx
|
latero-
|
lateral
|
lei/leio-
|
smooth
|
–lepsis/lepsy
|
seizure
|
lepto-
|
light, slender
|
leuk/leuko-
|
white
|
linguo-
|
tongue
|
lip/lipo-
|
fat
|
lith/litho-
|
stone, calculus
|
log-
|
speech
|
–logist
|
one who specializes in study or treatment of
|
logo-
|
speech
|
–logy
|
study of
|
lymph/lympho-
|
lymph
|
lys-/lyso-
|
dissolution
|
–lytic
|
dissolution
|
M
macr/macro-
|
large, long
|
–malacia
|
softening
|
mal-
|
bad
|
mast/masto-
|
breast
|
meg/mega-
|
large
|
megal/megalo-
|
large
|
–megaly
|
large
|
melan/melano-
|
black
|
mening/meningo-
|
meninges
|
mes/meso-
|
middle
|
meta-
|
after, behind
|
–meter
|
instrument for measuring
|
–metry
|
process of measuring
|
micr/micro-
|
smallness, one-millionth
|
mon/mono-
|
single
|
morph/morpho-
|
form, shape
|
muscul/musculo-
|
muscle
|
my/myo-
|
muscle
|
myc/myco-
|
fungus
|
myel/myelo-
|
bone marrow, spinal cord
|
myring/myringo-
|
eardrum
|
myx/myxo-
|
mucus
|
N
necr/necro-
|
death
|
neo-
|
new
|
nephr/nephro-
|
kidney
|
neur/neuri/neuro-
|
nerve
|
normo-
|
normal
|
O
oculo-
|
eye
|
odont/odonto-
|
tooth
|
odyn/odyno-
|
pain
|
–oesophageal/oesophago-
|
(UK) gullet
|
–oid
|
resemblance to
|
olig/oligo-
|
few, little
|
–oma
|
tumor
|
–omata
|
plural of -oma
|
onco-
|
tumor, bulk, volume
|
onych/onycho-
|
fingernail, toenail
|
oo-/ovo-/ovulo-
|
egg, ovary
|
oophor/oophoro-
|
ovary
|
ophthalm/ophthalmo-
|
eye
|
orchi/orchido/orchio-
|
testis
|
orth/ortho-
|
straight, normal, correct
|
–osis
|
a condition,disease or increase
|
osseo-
|
bony
|
ossi-
|
bone
|
ost/oste/osteo-
|
bone
|
ot/oto-
|
ear
|
–ous
|
pertaining to
|
ovari/ovario/ovi/ovo-
|
ovary
|
oxo-
|
addition of oxygen
|
oxy-
|
sharp, acid, acute, oxygen
|
P
pachy-
|
thick
|
pan/pant/panto-
|
all, entire
|
para-
|
alongside of, abnormal
|
–paresis
|
slight paralysis
|
path/patho-
|
disease
|
–pathy
|
disease
|
pelv/pelvi/pelvo-
|
hip bone
|
–penia
|
deficiency
|
per-
|
through
|
peri-
|
around, about
|
–pexy
|
fixation
|
phaco-
|
lens-shaped
|
–phage/phagia
|
eating, devouring
|
phago-
|
eating, devouring
|
–phagy
|
eating, devouring
|
pharmaco-
|
drug, medicine
|
pharyng/pharyngo-
|
pharynx
|
–phil/philia
|
attraction for
|
phleb/phlebo-
|
vein
|
phob/phobo-
|
exaggerated fear, sensitivity
|
phon/phono-
|
sound
|
phos-
|
light
|
phot/photo-
|
light
|
phren/phreni-
|
diaphragm
|
phrenico/phreno-
|
diaphragm
|
–plasia
|
formation, development
|
plasty
|
surgical repair, reconstruction
|
–plegia
|
paralysis
|
pleur/pleura/pleuro-
|
rib, pleura
|
pneum/pneuma-
|
air, lung
|
pneumat/pneumato-
|
air, lung
|
pod/podo-
|
foot
|
–poiesis
|
production
|
poly-
|
multiplicity
|
por/poro-
|
pore, pourous
|
post-
|
after, behind, posterior
|
pre-
|
anterior, before
|
presby/presbyo-
|
old age
|
pro-
|
before, forward
|
proct/procto-
|
anus, rectum
|
psych/psyche/psycho-
|
mind
|
–ptosis
|
falling, downward placement
|
pyel/pyelo-
|
pelvis
|
pyo-
|
pus
|
pyro-
|
fever
|
Q
R
rachi/rachio
|
spine
|
radio-
|
radiation, radius
|
re-
|
again, backward
|
rect/recto-
|
rectum
|
ren/reno-
|
kidney
|
reticul/reticulo-
|
net
|
retro-
|
backward, behind
|
rhabd/rhabdo-
|
rod shaped, striated
|
rhin/rhino-
|
nose
|
–rrhage
|
burst forth
|
–rrhagia
|
discharge
|
–rrhaphy
|
surgical suturing
|
–rrhea
|
flowing, discharge
|
–rrhexis
|
rupture
|
S
salping/salpingo-
|
tube
|
sarco-
|
muscular, fleshlike, meatlike
|
schisto-
|
split, cleft
|
schiz/schizo-
|
split, cleft, division
|
scler/sclero-
|
hardness
|
scoli/scolio-
|
twisted
|
–scope
|
instrument for viewing
|
–scopy
|
use of instrument for viewing
|
semi-
|
one-half, partly
|
sial/sialo-
|
saliva, salivary gland
|
sigmoid/sigmoido-
|
sigmoid, sigmoid colon
|
sinistr/sinistro-
|
left, left side
|
–sis
|
condition of
|
sito-
|
food, grain
|
somat- somatico- somato-
|
body, bodily
|
spasmo-
|
spasm
|
sperma- spermato- spermo-
|
semen, spermatozoa
|
splanchn- splanchni- splanchno-
|
viscera
|
splen/spleno-
|
spleen
|
spondyl/spondylo-
|
vertebra
|
–stasis
|
stop, stand
|
–staxis
|
dripping, trickling
|
steno-
|
narrowness, constriction
|
stheno-
|
strength, force, power
|
stom/stoma-
|
mouth
|
stomat/stomato-
|
mouth
|
–stomy
|
creation of opening
|
sub-
|
beneath
|
super-
|
in excess, above, superior
|
supra-
|
above, excessive
|
sy/syl-
|
together
|
sym-
|
together
|
syn-
|
together
|
sys-
|
together
|
T
tachy-
|
fast
|
–tension/–tensive
|
pressure (of blood)
|
thel/thelo-
|
nipples
|
therm/thermo-
|
heat
|
thorac/thoracico/thoraco-
|
chest, thorax
|
thromb/thrombo-
|
blood clot
|
thyr/thyro-
|
thyroid gland
|
–tic
|
pertaining to
|
toco-
|
childbirth
|
–tome
|
cutting instrument
|
–tomy
|
cutting operation
|
tono-
|
tone, tension, pressure
|
–tony
|
tension
|
top/topo-
|
place, topical
|
tox/toxi/toxico/toxo-
|
toxin, poison
|
trache/tracheo-
|
trachea
|
trans-
|
across, through, beyond
|
trich/trichi/trichia/tricho-
|
hair, hairlike structure
|
–tripsy
|
crushing
|
–trophy
|
growth
|
tympan/tympano-
|
eardrum
|
U
–ula/ule
|
small
|
ultra-
|
beyond, excessive
|
uni-
|
one
|
uri/uric/urico-
|
uric acid
|
ur/uro-
|
urine
|
V
varic/varico-
|
vein
|
vas-/vaso-
|
duct, blood vessel
|
vasculo-
|
blood vessel
|
vesic/vesico-
|
vesicle
|
viscer-
|
organ
|
X
xanth/xantho-
|
yellow, yellowish
|
xer-/xero-
|
dryness
|
Y
–y
|
condition or process of
|
Z