Medical Terminology Simplified

Glossary of Medical Word Elements • APPENDIX A 549

Medical Word Medical Word

Element Meaning Element Meaning

-ate having the form of, possessing

atel/o incomplete; imperfect

ather/o fatty plaque

-ation process (of)

atri/o atrium

audi/o hearing

audit/o hearing

aur/o ear

auricul/o ear

auto- self, own

ax/o axis, axon

azot/o nitrogenous compounds

B

bacteri/o bacteria (singular, bacterium)

balan/o glans penis

bas/o base (alkaline, opposite of acid)

bi- two

bi/o life

bil/i bile, gall

-blast embryonic cell

blast/o embryonic cell

blephar/o eyelid

brachi/o arm

brachy- short

brady- slow

bronch/o bronchus (plural, bronchi)

bronchi/o bronchus (plural, bronchi)

bronchiol/o bronchiole

bucc/o cheek

C

calc/o calcium

calcane/o calcaneum (heel bone)

-capnia carbon dioxide (CO 2 )

carcin/o cancer

cardi/o heart

-cardia heart condition

carp/o carpus (wrist bones)

cata- down

caud/o tail

cauter/o heat, burn

cec/o cecum

-cele hernia, swelling

-centesis surgical puncture

cephal/o head

-ceps head

-ception conceiving

cerebell/o cerebellum

cerebr/o cerebrum

cervic/o neck; cervix uteri (neck of the

uterus)

chalic/o limestone

cheil/o lip

chem/o chemical; drug

chlor/o green

chol/e bile, gall

cholangi/o bile vessel

cholecyst/o gallbladder

choledoch/o bile duct

chondr/o cartilage

chori/o chorion

choroid/o choroid

chrom/o color

chromat/o color

-cide killing

cine- movement

circum- around

cirrh/o yellow

-cision a cutting

-clasia to break; surgical fracture

-clasis to break; surgical fracture

-clast to break; surgical fracture

clavicul/o clavicle (collar bone)

-cleisis closure

clon/o clonus (turmoil)

-clysis irrigation, washing

coccyg/o coccyx (tailbone)

cochle/o cochlea

col/o colon

colon/o colon

colp/o vagina

condyl/o condyle

coni/o dust

conjunctiv/o conjunctiva

-continence to hold back

contra- against, opposite

cor/o pupil

Continued

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