536 Prefixes, Combining Word Roots, and Suffixes Used in Medical Terminologyendo-within (endocardium: the innermost layer of the
heart wall)
enter/o-intestine (enterotoxin: a toxin that affects the intes-
tine and causes diarrhea)
epi- on, over, upon (epidermis: the outer layer of the
skin)
erythr/o-red (erythrocyte: red blood cell)
eu-normal, good (eupnea: normal breathing)
ex-out of (excise: to cut out or remove surgically)
exo-without, outside of (exophthalmia: protrusion of the
eyeballs)
extra-outside of, in addition to, beyond (extraembryonic
membranes: the membranes that surround the embryo-
fetus)fasci-band (fascia: a fibrous connective tissue membrane)
fore-before, in front (forehead: the front of the head)gastro/o-stomach (gastric juice: the digestive secretions of
the stomach lining)
gluco-, glyco-sugar (glycosuria: glucose in the urine)
gyn/o-, gyne/co-woman, female (gynecology: study of the
female reproductive organs)haplo-single, simple (haploid: a single set, as of chromo-
somes)
hema-, hemato-, hemo-blood (hemoglobin: the protein of
red blood cells)
hemi-half (cerebral hemisphere: the right or left half of the
cerebrum)
hepat/o-liver (hepatic duct: the duct that takes bile out of
the liver)
hetero-different (heterozygous: having two different genes
for a trait)
hist/o-tissue (histology: the study of tissues)
homeo-unchanged (homeostasis: the state of body stability)
homo-same (homozygous: having two similar genes for a
trait)
hydr/o-water (hydrophobia: fear of water)
hyper-excessive, above (hyperglycemia: high blood glucose
level)
hypo-beneath, under, deficient (hypodermic: below the
skin)idio- distinct, peculiar to the individual (idiopathic: of
unknown cause, as a disease)
inter-between, among (interventricular septum: the wall
between the ventricles of the heart)
intra-within (intracellular: within cells)
is/o-equal, the same (isothermal: having the same tempera-
ture)kinesi/o-movement (kinesthetic sense: muscle sense)labi-lip (herpes labialis: cold sores of the lips)
lacri-tears (lacrimal glands: tear-producing glands)
lact/o-milk (lactation: milk production)
leuc/o, leuk/o-white (leukocyte: white blood cell)
lip/o-fat (liposuction: removal of fat with a suctioning
instrument)macr/o-large (macromolecule: a large molecule such as a
protein)
mal-poor, bad (malnutrition: poor nutrition)
medi-middle (mediastinum: a middle cavity, as in the chest)
mega-large (megacolon: abnormally dilated colon)
meta-next to, beyond (metatarsal: bone of the foot next to
the ankle)
micr/o-small (microcephaly: small head)
mon/o-one (monozygotic twins: identical twins, from one
egg)
morph/o-shape, form (amorphous: without definite shape)
multi-many (multicellular: made of many cells)
my/o-muscle (myocardium: heart muscle)narco-sleep (narcotic: a drug that produces sleep)
nat/a-birth (neonate: a newborn infant)
neo-new (neoplasty: surgical restoration of parts)
nephr/o-kidney (nephrectomy: removal of a kidney)
neur/o-nerve (neuron: nerve cell)
non-not (non-communicable: unable to spread)ocul/o-eye (oculomotor nerve: a cranial nerve for eye
movement)
olig/o-few, scanty (oliguria: diminished amount of urine)
oo-egg (oogenesis: production of an egg cell)
ophthalmo-eye (ophthalmoscope: instrument to examine
the eye)
orth/o-straight, normal, correct (orthostatic: related to
standing upright)
oste/o-bone (osteocyte: bone cell)
ot/o-ear (otitis media: inflammation of the middle ear)
ovi-, ovo-egg (oviduct: duct for passage of an egg cell, fal-
lopian tube)path/o-disease (pathology: the study of disease)
ped/ia-child (pediatric: concerning the care of children)
per-through (permeate: to pass through)
peri-around (pericardium: membranes that surround the
heart)
phag/o-eat (phagocyte: a cell that engulfs pariculate matter)
phleb/o-vein (phlebitis: inflammation of a vein)
pleuro-, pleura-rib (pleurisy: inflammation of the pleural
membranes of the chest cavity)
pneumo-lung (pneumonia: lung infection)
pod-foot (pseudopod: false foot, as in ameboid movement)
poly-many (polysaccharide: a carbohydrate made of many
monosaccharides)28Scanlon(p3) App-F 8/17/06 11:07 AM Page 536