40 CHAPTER 2• Body Structure
Word Elements
This section introduces word elements that describe a body structure. When these elements are
attached to positional prefixes or suffixes, they form words that describe a region or position in
the body. Review the following table and pronounce each word in the word analysis column
aloud before you begin to work in the frames.
Word Element Meaning Word Analysis
Combining Forms
abdomin/o abdomen abdomin/al (ăb-DŎM-ĭ-năl): pertaining to the abdomen
-al: pertaining to
cephal/o head cephal/ad (SĔF-ă-lăd): toward the head
-ad: toward
cervic/o neck; cervix cervic/al (SĔR-vĭ-kăl): pertaining to the neck of the body or the neck of the uterus
uteri (neck of -al: pertaining to
uterus)
crani/o cranium (skull) crani/al (KRĀ-nē-ăl): pertaining to the cranium or skull
-al: pertaining to
gastr/o stomach gastr/ic (GĂS-trĭk): pertaining to the stomach
-ic: pertaining to
ili/o ilium (lateral, ili/ac (ĬL-ē-ăk): pertaining to the ilium
flaring portion -ac: pertaining to
of hip bone)
inguin/o groin inguin/al (ĬNG-gwĭ-năl): pertaining to the groin
-al: pertaining to
lumb/o loins (lower lumb/ar (LŬM-băr): pertaining to the loin area or lower back
back) -ar: pertaining to
pelv/i* pelvis pelv/i/meter (pĕl-VĬM-ĕ-tĕr): instrument for measuring the pelvis
-meter: instrument for measuring
spin/o spine spin/al (SPĪ-năl): pertaining to the spine or spinal column
-al: pertaining to
thorac/o chest thorac/ic (thō-RĂS-ĭk): pertaining to the chest
-ic: pertaining to
umbilic/o umbilicus, navel peri/umbilic/al (pĕr-ē-ŭm-BĬL-ĭ-kăl): pertaining to the area around the umbilicus
peri-: around
-al: pertaining to*The iin pelv/i/meteris an exception to the rule of using the connecting vowel o.
Visit the Medical Terminology Simplifiedonline resource center at DavisPlus for an audio
exercise of the terms in this table. It will help you master pronunciations and meanings
of the selected medical terms.