Medical Terminology & Word Parts

Without, absence of

Example: apnea

Breakdown: a- (without) + -pnea (breathing) = absence of breathing

Slow

Example: bradycardia

Breakdown: brady- (slow) + cardi (heart) + -ia (condition) = slow heart rate

Fast, rapid

Example: tachypnea

Breakdown: tachy- (fast) + -pnea (breathing) = rapid breathing

Excessive, above normal

Example: hypertension

Breakdown: hyper- (high) + tens (pressure) + -ion = high blood pressure

Below normal, deficient

Example: hypoglycemia

Breakdown: hypo- (low) + glyc (sugar) + -emia (blood) = low blood sugar

Difficult, painful, abnormal

Example: dyspnea

Breakdown: dys- (difficult) + -pnea (breathing) = labored breathing

Normal, good

Example: eupnea

Breakdown: eu- (normal) + -pnea (breathing) = normal breathing

Many, much

Example: polyuria

Breakdown: poly- (much) + -uria (urine) = excessive urination

Few, scanty

Example: oliguria

Breakdown: olig- (scanty) + -uria (urine) = low urine output

Against

Example: antipyretic

Breakdown: anti- (against) + pyret (fever) + -ic = fever reducer

Around

Example: pericarditis

Breakdown: peri- (around) + card (heart) + -itis = inflammation around the heart

Within

Example: intravenous

Breakdown: intra- (within) + ven (vein) + -ous = within a vein

Between

Example: intercostal

Breakdown: inter- (between) + cost (ribs) + -al = between the ribs

Under, below

Example: sublingual

Breakdown: sub- (under) + lingu (tongue) + -al = under the tongue

Above

Example: supraventricular

Breakdown: supra- (above) + ventricul (ventricle) + -ar = above the ventricles

After

Example: postoperative

Breakdown: post- (after) + operative = after surgery

Before

Example: prenatal

Breakdown: pre- (before) + nat (birth) + -al = before birth

Heart

Example: cardiology

Breakdown: cardi/o (heart) + -logy (study of) = study of the heart

Lung

Example: pulmonary

Breakdown: pulmon/o (lung) + -ary (pertaining to) = pertaining to the lungs

Liver

Example: hepatitis

Breakdown: hepat/o (liver) + -itis (inflammation) = inflammation of the liver

Kidney

Example: nephrectomy

Breakdown: nephr (kidney) + -ectomy (removal) = surgical removal of a kidney

Stomach

Example: gastritis

Breakdown: gastr (stomach) + -itis (inflammation) = inflammation of the stomach

Intestine

Example: enteritis

Breakdown: enter (intestine) + -itis = inflammation of the intestine

Colon (large intestine)

Example: colonoscopy

Breakdown: col/o (colon) + -scopy (visual exam) = visual exam of the colon

Bone

Example: osteoporosis

Breakdown: oste/o (bone) + por (pore) + -osis = porous-bone condition

Joint

Example: arthritis

Breakdown: arthr (joint) + -itis = joint inflammation

Muscle

Example: myalgia

Breakdown: my (muscle) + -algia (pain) = muscle pain

Nerve

Example: neuropathy

Breakdown: neur/o (nerve) + -pathy (disease) = nerve disease

Brain

Example: encephalitis

Breakdown: encephal (brain) + -itis = inflammation of the brain

Blood

Example: hematuria

Breakdown: hemat (blood) + -uria (urine) = blood in the urine

Cell

Example: cytology

Breakdown: cyt/o (cell) + -logy = study of cells

Skin

Example: dermatitis

Breakdown: dermat (skin) + -itis = inflammation of the skin

Sugar, glucose

Example: hyperglycemia

Breakdown: hyper- + glyc (sugar) + -emia (blood) = high blood sugar

Fever, heat

Example: antipyretic

Breakdown: anti- + pyret (fever) + -ic = fever reducer

Bladder, sac

Example: cystitis

Breakdown: cyst (bladder) + -itis = bladder inflammation

Lung, air

Example: pneumonia

Breakdown: pneum (lung) + -ia (condition) = lung infection/condition

Inflammation

Example: bronchitis

Breakdown: bronch (bronchi) + -itis = inflammation of the bronchi

Condition of the blood

Example: anemia

Breakdown: an- (without) + -emia (blood) = deficiency of red blood cells

Condition of the urine

Example: polyuria

Breakdown: poly- (much) + -uria = excessive urination

Pain

Example: neuralgia

Breakdown: neur (nerve) + -algia = nerve pain

Surgical removal

Example: appendectomy

Breakdown: append (appendix) + -ectomy = removal of the appendix

Cutting into, incision

Example: tracheotomy

Breakdown: trache (trachea) + -otomy = incision into the trachea

Creation of an opening

Example: colostomy

Breakdown: col (colon) + -ostomy = surgical opening into the colon

Visual examination

Example: endoscopy

Breakdown: endo- (within) + -scopy = visual exam of an interior

Surgical repair

Example: angioplasty

Breakdown: angi (vessel) + -plasty = surgical repair of a vessel

Disease

Example: cardiomyopathy

Breakdown: cardi (heart) + my (muscle) + -pathy = disease of heart muscle

Study of

Example: cardiology

Breakdown: cardi/o (heart) + -logy = study of the heart

Abnormal condition

Example: cyanosis

Breakdown: cyan (blue) + -osis = bluish discoloration

Tumor, mass

Example: carcinoma

Breakdown: carcin (cancer) + -oma = cancerous tumor

Enlargement

Example: hepatomegaly

Breakdown: hepat (liver) + -megaly = enlarged liver

Breathing

Example: dyspnea

Breakdown: dys- (difficult) + -pnea = labored breathing

Flow, discharge

Example: diarrhea

Breakdown: dia- (through) + -rrhea (flow) = frequent watery stools

Bursting forth (bleeding)

Example: hemorrhage

Breakdown: hem (blood) + -rrhage = excessive bleeding

Condition

Example: tachycardia

Breakdown: tachy- (fast) + cardi (heart) + -ia = fast heart rate