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Roots, Combining Forms, Prefixes and Suffixes

Many terms used in the biological sciences are compound words; that is, words made up of one or
more word roots and appropriate prefixes and/or suffixes. Less than 400 roots, prefixes, and suffixes
make up more than 90% of the medical vocabulary. These combining forms are most often derived
from the ancient Latin or Greek. Prefixes are placed before the root term and suffixes are added after.
The following list includes the most common forms used in anatomy, physiology and medicine and an
example for each. This list, and the word origin information found throughout your anatomy text book,
is intended to facilitate the learning of this important vocabulary. The provided list is a learning tool
and the entries are intentionally made brief. If you know these you will find your progress in learning
anatomy and physiology to be swift, steady, and strong (the three ses of success).

a-

without, lack of

Asymptomatic (absence of symptoms)

ab-

away from

abstinence (to hold back from)

acou-

hearing

acoustics (science of sound)

-ac, -al

pertaining to

cardiac (the heart), myocardial (heart muscle)

ad-

to, toward, near to

adduction (move toward the midline)

aden-, adeno-

gland

adenoma (tumor of a gland)

af-

toward

afferent (moving toward)

albi-

white

albinuria (passing of pale or white urine)

-algia

painful condition

myalgia (muscle pain)

an-

without, lack of

anesthesia (absence of pain)

andro-

male

androgens (male hormones)

angi-, angio-

vessel

angiopathy (disease of blood vessels)

ante-

before

antepartum (before birth)

anti-

against

anticoagulant (prevents blood clotting)

apo-

separated from, off

apodia (congenital absence of feet)

arthr-, arthro-

joint

arthritis (inflammation of a joint)

-ary

associated with

urinary (associated with urine)

-asis, -asia

condition or state of

homeostasis (state of metabolic balance)

audio-

hearing

auditory (belonging to the hearing sense)

auri-

ear

auricle (ear-shaped structure)

auto-

self

autolysis (self breakdown)

baro-

weight, pressure

baroreceptor (receptor for pressure changes)

bi-

twice, double

bicuspid (two cusps)

-blast

germ, bud

chondroblast (cartilage-producing cell)

brachi-

arm

brachial (of the arm)

brady-

slow

bradycardia (slow heart rate)

bucc-

cheek

buccal cavity (inside cheek region)

carcin-

cancer

carcinogenic (causing cancer)

cardio-

heart

cardiology (study of the heart)

caud-

tail

caudal (by the tail)

cephal-

head

cephalic (by the head)

cerebro-

brain

cerebrospinal (of the brain and spinal cord)

chondro-

cartilage

chondrocyte (cartilage cell)

-cide

kill

spermicide (agent that kills sperm)

circum-

around

circumduction (movement forming a circle)

-clast

break

osteoclast (cell that breaks down bone)

co-, com-

with, together

cooperate, gray commissure (connects rt/lt horns)

contra-

against, opposite

contralateral (opposite side)

cost-

rib

intercostals (between the ribs)

crani-

skull

cranial cavity (where the brain is located)

cune-

wedge

cuneiform (wedge shaped)

cuti-

skin

subcutaneous (under the skin)

cyan-

blue color

cyanosis (bluish discoloration of skin)

cysti-, cysto-

sac, bladder

cystoscope (instrument for examining inside of

bladder)

-cyte, cyto-

cell

erythrocyte (red blood cell), cytology (study of cells)

demi-

half

costal demifacet (half-moon facet on vertebra for rib

articulation)
di, diplo-

two

diploid (two sets of chromosomes)

duct-, -duct

lead, draw

ovarian duct, adduct (toward midline of body)

dur-

hard

dura mater (tough menix of CNS)

dys-

painful, difficult, bad

dysuria (painful urination)

e-, ec-, ef-, ex-

out, from

efferent (carries away from), excretion (eliminate)

ecto-

outside, outer

ectocardia (displacement of heart)

-ectomy

to cut out

appendectomy (removal of appendix)

ede-, -edem

swelling

myoedemia (muscle swelling)

-el, -elle

small

organelle (tiny structure that performs cell function)

endo-

within

endocardium (lining within heart chambers)

entero-

intestine

enteritis (inflammation of intestines)

epi-

above, on

epicardium (membrane covering heart)

ex-, exo

outside

exhale (breathe out); exocrine (gland the secretes

to the outside)

extra-

outside

extracellular (outside the cell)

-ferent

carry

afferent (carries toward)

-form

resembling, shape of

fusiform (spindle-shaped)

gastr-, gastro-

stomach

gastric ulcer (stomach ulcer)

-genesis, -genic

produce, origin

gluconeogenesis (glucose from another molecule),

carcinogenic (causes cancer)

gloss-, glosso-

tongue

hypoglossal (under the tongue)

glyco-

sugar, sweet

glycolysis

gyn-

female, woman

gynecology (treatment of female reproductive organs)

haplo-

single

haploid (single set of chromosomes)

hem-, hemato-

blood

hematology (study of blood)

hepato-

liver

hepatitis (inflammation of the liver)

hetero-

different

heterosexual (involving different sexes)

hist-, histo-

tissue

histology (study of tissues)

homo-, homeo-

same

homeostasis (constancy of body parameters)

hydro-

water

hydroadipsia (absence of thirst for water)

hyper-

above, over

hypertrophy (overgrowth of cells or part)

hypo-

under, below

hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)

idio-

self, distinct

idiopathic (disease of unknown cause)

infra-

below

infraspinatus (below the spine of scapula)

inter-

between

interosseous (between two bones)

intra-

within

intracellular (within the cell)

-issimus

greatest

latissimus (widest)

iso-

equal, same

isotonic (same concentration)

-itis

inflammation

neuritis (inflammation of nerve)

juxta-

near

juxtaglomerular (near the glomerulus)

labi-

lip

labia major (thickened folds of skin in female

external genitalia)

lacto-

milk

lactose (milk sugar)

leuko-

white

leukocyte (white blood cell)

lip-

fat

liposuction (removal of fat from an area)

-ology

study of

urology (study of urinary system

-lysis

breaking up, dissolve

hemolysis (breaking up erythrocytes)

macro-

large

macrophage (certain large leukocyte)

mamm-, mast-

breast

mammary glands, mastectomy (breast removal)

medi-

middle

medial (towards the midline)

melano-

black

melanocyte (dark pigment-producing cell)

-mers, -meres

parts

polymers (larger molecules made of monomers)

meta-

after, beyond

metastasis (beyond the original position)

micro-

small

microorganism (very small organism)

mono-

single, one

monomer (a single part); monosaccharide (a simple

or single sugar)

morph-

form, shape

morphology (study of shape)

myo-

muscle

myometrium (muscular wall of uterus)

necro-

dead

necrotic (dead tissue)

neo-

new

neonatal (newborn)

nephro-

kidney

nephrology (study of kidneys)

neuro-

nerve

neurilemma (nerve cell membrane)

oculo-, ophthalm-

eye

oculomotor (movement of eye), ophthalmology (study

of the eye)

odonto-

tooth

odontoid (shaped like a tooth)

-ole

little

arteriole (small artery-like vessel)

oligo-

few, little, deficient

oliguria (little urine output)

-oma

tumor

carcinoma (cancerous tumor), osteoma (benign bone

tumor)

oo-

egg

oocyte (egg cell)

-osis

condition of

osteoporosis (having bones that are porous)

osse-, osteo

bone

osteoblast (bone-forming cell)

oto-

ear

otogenic (originating within the ear)

para-

near, beside

paranasal (by the nose)

-pathy

disease

neuropathy (nerve disease)

pelv-

basin

renal pelvis (collection area in kidney)

-penia

deficiency

leucopenia (deficiency of leukocytes)

peri-

around

periosteum (membrane covering bones)

phag-

eat

phagocytosis (cellular eating)

phil-

have an affinity for

lipophilic (associates with fat)

-plegia

paralyze, stroke

paraplegia (paralysis of lower extremities)

pneumo-

air, gas, lungs

pneumothorax (air in the pleural cavity)

-poiesis

make, formation of

erythropoietin (hormone that stimulates erythrocyte

production)

poly-

many

polycythemia (excess erythrocytes)

post-

after

postnatal (after birth)

pre-

before in time, place

prenatal (before birth)

pro-

before in time, place

prosect (to cut for demonstration)

pseudo-

false

pseudostratified (not truly layered)

quad-

fourfold

quadriceps femoris (4-headed muscle of anterior thigh

rami-

branch

ramus (primary division of a nerve)

rect-

straight

rectus abdominis (straight muscle of abdomen)

reno-

kidney

renal (of the kidney)

retro-

backward, behind

retroperitoneal (posterior to the peritoneum)

sclera-

hard

arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries)

semi-

half

semilunar (half-moon shaped)

serrate-

saw-edged

serratus anterior (muscle of thorax)

somato-

body

somatotropin (growth hormone)

steno-

narrow

stenosis (narrowing of opening)

sterno-

breast, chest

sternum (bone over heart and medial to ribs)

stria-

stripe

striated (showing stripes or lines)

sub-

under

subcutaneous (under the skin)

super-, supra-

above, upper

supercilia (upper brows), suprarenal (superior to the

kidney)

sym-, syn-

together, with

symphysis (growing together, synapse (where

neurons, or neuron and muscle fiber, meet)

tachy-

fast

tachycardia (rapid heart rate)

therm-

heat

thermometer (tool to measure temperature)

thorac-

chest

thoracic cavity (body cavity containing heart, lungs)

thrombo-

blood clot

thrombocyte (platelet)

-tomy

cut, incise

appendectomy (removal of appendix)

topo-

place, position

ectopic (being out of position)

trans-

across

transdermal (across the skin)

tri-

three

triceps brachii (three-headed muscle)

-tropic

influencing

gonadotropic (effecting the gonads)

tunica-

layer, coat

tunica interna (inner part of blood vessel)

ultra-

beyond, excess

utlradian (more than every 24 hours)

uni-

one

unicellular (single cell)

-uria

urine

polyuria (excess urine)

vas-

vessel

vasodilation (widening of lumen of blood vessel)

vertebra-

spine

vertebrae (bones of the spine)

villo-

hair

microvilli (minute projections of cell membrane)

viscer-

internal organ

visceral (of the internal organs)

zyg-

yoked, paired, union

azygos (unpaired anatomical structure)