Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology

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APPENDIX F

Prefixes, Combining Word Roots, and

Suffixes Used in Medical Terminology

PREFIXES AND COMBINING

WORD ROOTS

a-, an-absent, without (amenorrhea: absence of menstrua-

tion)

ab-away from (abduct: move away from the midline)

abdomin/o-abdomen (abdominal aorta: the portion of the

aorta in the abdomen)

acou-hearing (acoustic nerve: the cranial nerve for hearing)

ad-toward, near, to (adduct: move toward the midline)

aden/o-gland (adenohypophysis: the glandular part of the

pituitary gland)

af-to, toward (afferent: toward a center)

alba-white (albino: an animal lacking coloration)

alg-pain (myalgia: muscle pain)

ana-up, back (anabolism: the constructive phase of metab-

olism)

angi/o-vessel (angiogram: imaging of blood vessels, as in

the heart)

ante-before (antenatal: before birth)

anti-against (antiemetic: an agent that prevents vomiting)

arthr/o-joint (arthritis: inflammation of a joint)

atel-imperfect, incomplete (atelectasis: incomplete expan-

sion of a lung)

auto-self (autoimmune disease: a disease in which immune

reactions are directed against part of one’s own body)

bi-two, twice (biconcave: concave on each side, as a red

blood cell)

bio-life (biochemistry: the chemistry of living organisms)

blasto- growth, budding (blastocyst: a rapidly growing

embryonic stage)

brachi/o- arm (brachial artery: the artery that passes

through the upper arm)

brachy-short (brachydactyly: abnormally short fingers or

toes)

brady-slow (bradycardia: slow heart rate)

bronch-air passage (bronchioles: small air passages in the

lungs)

carcin/o-cancer (carcinogen: cancer-causing substance)

cardi/o-heart (cardiopathy: heart disease)

carp/o-wrist (carpals: bones of the wrist)

cata-down (catabolism: the breaking down phase of metab-

olism)

caud-tail (cauda equina: the spinal nerves that hang below

the end of the spinal cord and resemble a horse’s tail)

celi/o-abdomen (celiac artery: a large artery that supplies

abdominal organs)

cephal/o-head (cephaledema: swelling of the head)

cerebr/o-brain (cerebrum: the largest part of the human

brain)

cervic-neck (cervical nerves: the spinal nerves from the

neck portion of the spinal cord)

chem/o-chemical (chemotherapy: the use of chemicals to

treat disease)

chondr/o-cartilage (chondrocyte: cartilage cell)

circum-around (circumoral: around the mouth)

co-, com-,with, together (congenital: born with)

con-, contra-opposite, against (contraception: the preven-

tion of conception)

cost/o- ribs (intercostal muscles: muscles between the

ribs)

crani/o-skull, head (cranial nerves: the nerves that arise

from the brain)

cut-skin (cutaneous: pertaining to the skin)

cyan/o-blue (cyanosis: bluish discoloration of the skin due

to lack of oxygen)

cyst-bladder, sac (cystic duct: duct of the gallbladder)

cyt/o-cell (hepatocyte: cell of the liver)

dactyl/o-digits, fingers or toes (polydactyly: more than five

fingers or toes)

de-down, from (dehydration: loss of water)

derm-skin (dermatologist: a specialist in diseases of the

skin)

di-two, twice (disaccharide: a sugar made of two monosac-

charides)

diplo-double (diplopia: double vision)

dis-apart, away from (dissect: to cut apart)

duct-lead, conduct (ductus arteriosus: a fetal artery)

dys-difficult, diseased (dyspnea: difficult breathing)

ecto-outside (ectoparasite: a parasite that lives on the body

surface)

edem-swelling (edematous: affected with swelling)

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