Latin and Greek terminology

Medical terminology and body word roots

Body structures, functions, descriptions, and procedures.

281 entries with source words, meanings, and examples. Search or filter this collection in the app.

Explore 55 additional body roots

General Words

• -ac — Pertaining to

  cardiac

• andr-, andro- — Male

  androgen

• auto- — Self

  autograft

• bio- — Life

  biology

• chem-, chemo- — Chemistry

  biochemistry

• cyt/o — Cell

  cytology

• -blast-, -blasto, -blastic — Bud, germ

  osteoblast

• -cyte, -cytic — Cell

  leukocyte

• fibr/o — Fiber

  fibrous

• gluco-, glycol- — Glucose, sugar

  glycolysis

• gyn-, gyno-, gynec- — Female

  gynecology

• hetero- — Other, different

  heterogeneous

• hydr-, hydro- — Water

  hydrocephalus

• idio- — Self, one's own

  idiopathic

• -ity — State or quality

  immunity

• karyo- — Nucleus

  karyotype

• neo- — New

  neonatal

• -ous — Pertaining to

  venous

• oxy- — Sharp, acute, oxygen

  oxygen

• pan-, pant-, panto- — All or everywhere

  pancytopenia

• pharmaco- — Drug

  pharmacology

• re- — Again, backward

  regeneration

• somat/o — Body

  somatic

Body Parts and Disorders

• acous/o — Hearing

  acoustic

• aden/o — Gland

  adenitis

• adip/o — Fat

  adipose

• adren/o — Adrenal gland

  adrenal

• angi/o — Vessel

  angiogram

• arteri/o — Artery

  arterial

• arthr/o — Joint

  arthritis

• blephar/o — Eyelid

  blepharitis

• bronch/o — Bronchus

  bronchitis

• bucc/o — Cheek

  buccal

• burs/o — Cushioning sac

  bursitis

• carcin-, carcino- — Cancer

  carcinoma

• cardi/o — Heart

  cardiac

• cephal/o — Head

  cephalic

• chol/e — Bile

  cholecystitis

• chondr/o — Cartilage

  chondrocyte

• coron- — Heart; crown-like arrangement

  coronary

• cost/o — Rib

  costal

• crani/o — Skull

  cranial

• cutane/o — Skin

  cutaneous

• cyst/o — Bladder or sac

  cystitis

• dactyl/o — Finger or toe

  polydactyly

• dermat/o — Skin

  dermatitis

• duoden/o — Duodenum

  duodenal

• esthesi/o — Sensation

  anesthesia

• gloss/o — Tongue

  glossitis

• gastr/o — Stomach

  gastric

• gnath/o — Jaw

  gnathic

• grav- — Heavy

  gravity

• hemat/o — Blood

  hematology

• hepat/o — Liver

  hepatic

• hidr/o — Sweat

  hyperhidrosis

• hist/o — Tissue

  histology

• hyster/o — Uterus

  hysteroscopy

• ile/o — Ileum

  ileal

• irid/o — Iris

  iriditis

• ischi-, ischio- — Ischium (the lower and back part of the hip bone)

  ischial

• -ium — Structure, tissue, or noun ending

  pericardium

• kerat/o — Cornea or horny tissue

  keratitis

• lacrim/o — Tear

  lacrimal

• lact/o — Milk

  lactation

• laryng/o — Voice box

  laryngeal

• lingu/o — Tongue

  lingual

• lip/o — Fat

  lipocyte

• lith-, litho- — Stone

  lithotripsy

• lymph/o — Lymph

  lymphocyte

• mamm, mast-, masto- — Breast

  mammary, mastitis

• mening/o — Brain and spinal membranes

  meningitis

• muscul/o — Muscle

  muscular

• my/o — Muscle

  myocyte

• myel/o — Spinal cord or bone marrow

  myelopathy

• myring/o — Eardrum

  myringitis

• nephr/o — Kidney

  nephritis

• neur/o — Nerve

  neural

• ocul/o — Eye

  ocular

• odont/o — Tooth

  odontogenic

• onych/o — Nail

  onycholysis

• oo- — Egg, ovary

  oocyte

• oophor/o — Ovary

  oophoritis

• opt/o — Vision

  optic

• ophthalm/o — Eye

  ophthalmic

• orchid/o — Testis

  orchiditis

• ossi- — Bone

  osseous

• osse/o — Bony

  osseous

• oste/o — Bone

  osteocyte

• ot/o — Ear

  otic

• ovari- / ov- — Ovary; egg in ov-/ovo- forms

  ovarian

• phalang- — Phalanx (any bone in the fingers or toes)

  phalangeal

• pharyng/o — Throat

  pharyngeal

• phleb/o — Vein

  phlebitis

• phob-, phobia — Fear

  claustrophobia

• phren/o — Diaphragm

  phrenic

• pleur/o — Pleura

  pleuritis

• pneum- / pneumat- — Air or lung

  pneumonitis, pneumatic

• pod/o — Foot

  podiatry

• prostat/o — Prostate

  prostatic

• psych/o — Mind

  psychology

• proct/o — Anus and rectum

  proctitis

• pyel/o — Renal pelvis

  pyelitis

• rachi- — Spine

  rachial

• rect/o — Rectum

  rectal

• ren/o — Kidney

  renal

• retin/o — Retina

  retinal

• rhin/o — Nose

  rhinitis

• salping/o — Tube

  salpingitis

• sial/o — Saliva

  sialadenitis

• sigmoid-, sigmoido- — Sigmoid colon

  sigmoidoscopy

• splanchn-, splanchni-, splanchno- — Viscera (internal organ)

  splanchnic

• sperma-, spermato-, spermo- — Sperm

  spermatocyte

• spirat- — Breathe

  respiration

• splen/o — Spleen

  splenic

• spondyl/o — Vertebra

  spondylitis

• stern/o — Breastbone

  sternal

• stomat/o — Mouth

  stomatitis

• thel-, thelo- — Nipples

  polythelia

• thorac/o — Chest

  thoracic

• thromb/o — Blood clot

  thrombosis

• thyroid/o — Thyroid gland

  thyroiditis

• trache/o — Windpipe

  tracheal

• tympan/o — Eardrum

  tympanic

• ur/o — Urine or urinary tract

  urology

• uri-, uric-, urico- — Uric acid

  uricosuric

• -uria — In the urine

  hematuria

• vagin/o — Vagina

  vaginal

• varic-, varico- — Dilated vein

  varicose

• vascul/o — Vessel

  vascular

• ven/o — Vein

  venous

• vertebr/o — Vertebra

  vertebral

• vesic/o — Bladder or sac

  vesical

Positions and Directions

• ab-, abs- — Away from

  abduction

• ambi- — Both sides

  ambidextrous

• ante- — Before, forward

  antenatal

• circum- — Around

  circumoral

• cycl- — Circle, cycle

  cyclic

• dextr-, dextro- — Right side

  dextrocardia

• de- — Away from, ending

  dehydration

• dia- — Across, through

  dialysis

• ect-, ecto-, exo- — Outer; outside

  ectoderm

• en- — Inside

  encephalon

• end-, endo-, ent- — Within; inner

  endocardium

• epi- — Upon, outside of

  epidermis

• ex-, extra- — Beyond

  extracellular

• infra- — Beneath; below

  infraclavicular

• inter- — Between

  intercostal

• intra- — Within

  intravenous

• meso- — Middle

  mesoderm

• meta- — Beyond, change

  metaplasia

• para- — Alongside, abnormal

  parathyroid

• per- — Through

  percutaneous

• peri- — Around

  pericardial

• post- — Behind, after

  postnatal

• pre- — Before, in front

  prenatal

• retro- — Backward, behind

  retrosternal

• sinistr-, sinistro- — Left, left side

  sinistral

• sub- — Under

  subcutaneous

• super- — Above

  superficial

• supra- — Above, upon

  suprarenal

• sy-, syl-, sym-, syn-, sys- — Together

  syndactyly

• trans- — Across, through

  transdermal

Numbers and Amounts

• bi- — Two

  bilateral

• brady- — Slow

  bradycardia

• diplo- — Double

  diplopia

• hemi- — Half

  hemisphere

• homo- — Same

  homogeneous

• hyper- — Above, beyond, excessive

  hyperthermia

• hypo- — Under, deficient

  hypothermia

• iso- — Equal, like

  isometric

• macro- — Large, long, big

  macrocyte

• meg-, mega-, megal-, megalo- — Great, large

  megaloblast

• -megaly — Enlargement

  cardiomegaly

• mic-, micro- — Small

  microcyte

• mon-, mono- — One

  monocyte

• multi- — Many

  multicellular

• olig-, oligo- — Few, little

  oliguria

• poly- — Many, excessive

  polyuria

• quadri- — Four

  quadriceps

• semi- — Half

  semicircular

• tachy- — Fast

  tachypnea

• tetra- — Four

  tetraplegia

• tri- — Three

  tricuspid

• uni- — One

  unilateral

Color

• chlor-, chloro- — Green

  chlorophyll

• chrom-, chromato- — Color

  chromosome

• cyano- — Blue

  cyanosis

• erythr/o — Red

  erythrocyte

• leuk/o — White

  leukocyte

• melan-, melano- — Black

  melanin

• xanth-, xantho- — Yellow

  xanthoma

Physical Properties and Shapes

• -cele — Bulge

  cystocele

• elect- — Electrical activity

  electrocardiogram

• kin-, kine-, kinesi-, kinesio-, kino- — Movement

  kinesiology

• kyph-, kypho- — Humped

  kyphosis

• morph-, morpho- — Shape

  morphology

• rhabd-, rhabdo- — Rod-shaped, striated

  rhabdomyolysis

• scoli-, scolio- — Twisted

  scoliosis

• cry-, cryo- — Cold

  cryotherapy

• phon-, phono- — Sound

  dysphonia

• phos- — Light

  phosphene

• phot-, photo- — Light

  photoreceptor

• reticul-, reticulo- — Net

  reticular

• therm-, thermo- — Heat

  thermometer

• tono- — Tone, tension, pressure

  hypotonia

Good and Bad

• -alge-, -algesi — Pain

  analgesia

• a-, an- — Without; lacking

  anuria

• anti- — Against

  antibody

• contra- — Against

  contraindication

• dis- — Separation, taking apart

  dislocation

• -dynia — Pain

  gastrodynia

• dys- — Difficult, abnormal

  dysphagia

• -eal, -ial — Pertaining to

  bronchial

• -ectasis — Expansion or dilation

  bronchiectasis

• -emesis — Vomiting

  hematemesis

• -emia — Blood condition

  glycemia

• -esis — State or condition

  diuresis

• eu- — Good, well

  eupnea

• -ia — Condition

  anemia

• -iasis — Condition, formation of

  nephrolithiasis

• -ism — Condition

  metabolism

• -ites, -itis — Inflammation

  dermatitis

• -lysis, -lytic, lyso-, lys- — Break down, destruction, dissolving

  hemolysis

• mal- — Bad, abnormal

  malformation

• -malacia — Softening

  osteomalacia

• -mania — Intense or abnormal preoccupation

  kleptomania

• myc-, myco- — Fungus

  mycology

• myx-, myxo- — Mucus

  myxoid

• necr-, necro- — Death

  necrosis

• normo- — Normal

  normothermia

• -odyn — Pain

  odynophagia

• -oma — Tumor

  lipoma

• -oid — Resembling

  ovoid

• orth-, ortho- — Straight, normal, correct

  orthodontics

• -osis — Condition, usually abnormal

  cyanosis

• -pathy, patho-, path- — Disease

  neuropathy

• -penia — Deficiency, lack of

  leukopenia

• -phagia, phagy — Eating, swallowing

  dysphagia

• -phasia — Speech

  aphasia

• -plasia, -plastic — Growth

  hyperplasia

• -plegia — Paralysis

  paraplegia

• -pnea — Breathing

  apnea

• -poiesis — Production

  hematopoiesis

• -praxia — Movement

  apraxia

• pro- — Favoring, supporting

  probiotic

• pseudo- — False

  pseudocyst

• -ptosis — Falling, drooping

  blepharoptosis

• pyo- — Pus

  pyuria

• pyro- — Fever

  pyrogen

• onco- — Tumor, bulk, volume

  oncology

• -rrhage, -rrhagic — Bleeding

  hemorrhage

• -rrhea — Flow or discharge

  rhinorrhea

• sarc/o — Flesh

  sarcolemma

• schisto- — Split, cleft, division

  schistocyte

• schiz-, schizo — Split, cleft

  schizocyte

• sclera-, sclero- — Hard; also the sclera of the eye

  scleroderma

• -sclerosis — Hardening

  arteriosclerosis

• -sis — Condition

  stasis

• -spasm — Involuntary muscle contraction

  bronchospasm

• spasmo- — Spasm

  spasmodic

• -stasis — Level, unchanging

  hemostasis

• sten-, steno- — Narrowed, blocked

  stenosis

• -taxis — Movement

  chemotaxis

• -trophy — Growth

  hypertrophy

Procedures, Diagnosis and Surgery

• -centesis — Surgical puncture to remove fluid

  amniocentesis

• -desis — Surgical binding

  arthrodesis

• -ectomy — Cut out, removal

  appendectomy

• -gram, -graph, -graphy — Recording, written

  electrocardiogram

• -meter — Device used for measuring

  spirometer

• -metry — Measurement of

  spirometry

• -opsy — Visual examination

  biopsy

• -ostomy — Opening

  colostomy

• -otomy — Incision

  tracheotomy

• -pexy — Surgical fixation

  nephropexy

• -plasty — Surgical reconstruction

  rhinoplasty

• radio- — Radiation, radius

  radiography

• -rrhaphy — Suture

  herniorrhaphy

• -scope, -scopy — Examine, for examining

  endoscopy

• -stomy — Surgical opening

  tracheostomy

• -tomy — Cutting; incision

  laparotomy

• -tripsy — Crushing

  lithotripsy