Anatomy, Physiology, & Pathophysiology Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes
- a- without or absence of: (asepsis, avascular tissue)
- ab- away from: (abduction)
- acro- top or end: (acromion process)
- ad- to or towards: (adduction, adductor muscle)
- aesth – feeling: anesthesia)
- –algia pain: (neuralgia)
- ambi- both: (ambidexterous)
- amubl- walk: (ambulatory)
- an- without: (anaerobic respiration)
- ante- before, in front of: (antecerebellar)
- anti- against: (antibacterial, antibiotic, antidepressant)
- append- to hang something: (appendicular)
- -ase enzyme: (amylase, lipase, carboxypeptidase)
- aud- hear: (auditory)
- aug- increase: (augmentation)
- auto- self: (autoimmune disorder)
- bi- two: (bicuspid valve, bipolar disorder, bisexual)
- -blast budding:(osteoblasts, blastocyst)
- brady- slow: (bradycardia)
- bronch windpipe:(bronchus)
- carcin cancer: (carcinoma, carcinogen)
- cardi heart:(pericardium, cardiac)
- carp wrist:(carpals)
- -centesis surgical puncture :(amniocentesis, thoracentesis)
- cephal- head: (cephalic artery)
- -cidal killing : (gemacidal)
- -clast broken:(osteoclasts)
- cleav to divide:(cleavage)
- contra- against: (contraceptive device, contralateral)
- corpus – body: (corpus callosum)
- cut- skin:(subcutaneous)
- cyst- bladder : (cystoscopy)
- cyt- cell: (cytology)
- -cyte cell: (osteocyte, leukocyte, erythrocyte)
- dendr- tree:(dendrite)
- dent- tooth: (dentist, dentition)
- derm- skin:(dermis)
- di- two: (disaccharide)
- diastol- dilation:(diastole, diastolic)
- dis- to undo; free from: (dislocation, disorder)
- dors- back:(dorsal)
- dur- hard: (dura mater)
- ecto- outside: (ectopic pregnancy)
- -ectomy excision or surgical removal: (appendectomy, hysterectomy)
- embol- stopper:(embolism)
- -emia blood condition, something in the blood: (hypercholesterolemia)
- encephal- brain: (encephalitis, encephalogram)
- endo- within: (endoplasmic reticulum, endoderm)
- enter- intestines: (enterococcal infection)
- epi- upon: (epithelial tissue, epicardium, epidermal)
- erythr- red: (erythrocyte)
- exo- outside: (exocrine gland, exoskeleton)
- extra- outside: (extracellular)
- fiss- split: (fissure)
- flex- bend: (flexors)
- fol- leaf: (folate, folic acid)
- gangli- a swelling:(ganglion)
- gastr- stomach:(gastric gland, gastroscopy)
- -gen substances that produce or cause: (carcinogen, antigen)
- -genic producing or causing: (carcinogenic)
- germ- to bud or sprout: (germinal epithelium)
- gest- carry: (gestational)
- -glia glue:(neuroglia)
- glomer- cluster: (glomerulus)
- glot- language: (glottis, epiglottis)
- glyc- sweet: (glycogen, glycoprotein)
- gno- know: (diagnosis)
- -gram something written: (echocardiogram)
- gust- taste (gustatory nerve)
- gyn- woman: (gynecologist)
- hema- blood:(hematoma)
- hepat- liver:(hepatic duct, hepatitis, hepatocyte)
- homeo- same:(homeostasis)
- humor- fluid:(humoral, aqueous humor)
- hydr- water: (hydrostatic pressure, hydrocephaly)
- hyper- above: (hypertonic)
- hypo- below: (hypotonic)
- hyster- uterus: (hysterectomy)
- -ia condition of diseased or abnormal state: (ischemia)
- im- not: (imbalance, impotence)
- infra- under; below: (infraorbital foramen)
- inter- between: (interphase, intercostal muscle)
- intra- inside: (intramembranous ossification, intracellular fluid)
- -ism state of: (hyperthyroidism)
- iso- equal: (isotonic, isometric)
- -itis inflammation: (myocarditis)
- kal– potassium: (hyperkalemia)
- lact- milk: (lactation)
- lat- wide: (latissumus dorsi)
- leuko- white: (leukocyte)
- lig- bind: (ligament)
- lin- line: (linea alba)
- lip- fat:(lipids)
- -logy study of:(physiology, biology)
- macro- large: (macrobiotic, macrocephaly, macrophage)
- mal- bad: (malformation, malady)
- mand- place in hands: (mandible)
- -mania madness or insane desire: (egomania)
- mater- mother: (dura mater, pia mater, arachnoid mater)
- -megaly enlargement: (acromegaly)
- melan- black:(melanin, melanocyte)
- mening- membrane:(meninges)
- meso- middle: (mesoderm)
- meta- after: (metacentric chromosome, metacarpals)
- micro- small: (microbiology, microvilli)
- mict- to pass urine:(micturition)
- mono- one: (monosaccharide)
- morb- illness: (morbidity)
- morph- shape or form: (polymorhic neutrophils)
- mort- death: (mortal wound, mortuary science, mortician)
- multi- many: (multifactorial, multinucleate cells)
- mut- change: (mutation, mutagen)
- myo- muscle:(myofibril, myoglobin)
- necr- death: (necrotic tissue)
- neo- new: (neonatal)
- nephr- kidney:(nephron)
- neur- nerve: (neuron, neurohypophysis)
- noct– night: (nocturia)
- ocul- eye: (ocular nerve)
- olfact- to smell:(olfactory bulbs)
- oligo- few: (oligodendrites)
- -ologist one who studies and practices: (cardiologist, gynecologist)
- -oma tumor or swelling: (carcinoma)
- oo- egg or ovum: (oocyte)
- -opia vision: (myopia)
- -opsy to view: (autopsy)
- opthalm- eye: (ophthalmologist)
- -orrhea flow excessive discharge: (amenorrhea, gonorrhea)
- ortho- correct: (orthopedics)
- -osis abnormal increase in production:(leukocytosis)
- oss- bone:(osseous tissue)
- oste- bone: (osteoblasts)
- -ostomy creation of an artificial opening: (ileostomy)
- -otomy cut into or incision: (appendectomy)
- -oxia oxygen: (anoxia)
- palp- feel or touch: (palpate)
- para- beside: (parathyroid glands)
- patho- disease: (pathogen, pathology,pathophysiology)
- -pathy disease: (cardiomyopathy)
- pector- chest: (pectoralis major)
- pedi- child: (pediatrician)
- ped- foot: (pedicle)
- peri- surrounding: (pericardial, perianal, periaortic)
- phag- to eat: (Phagocytosis, phagocyte)
- phil- love or tendency toward: (hydrophilic)
- phleb- vein: (phlebitis, phlebotomy)
- phys- nature: (physician)
- pino- to drink:(Pinocytosis)
- plasm- substance: (cytoplasm)
- pleur- rib:(pleural membrane, pleural fluid)
- pneum- breath: (pneumonia)
- pod- foot: (podiatrist)
- poly- many: (polyunsaturated, polydactyly)
- post- after: (posttraumatic stress, postnasal drip)
- pre- before: (premature, prenatal)
- proct- rectum: (proctological exam, proctologist)
- pseudo- false: (pseudostratified epithelium, pseudodementia)
- psych- mind: (psychiatrist)
- pylor- gatekeeper:(pyloric sphincter)
- pyr– fever or fire: (pyrogens)
- rect- straight: (abdominus rectus)
- ren– kidney: (renal failure, renin)
- retro- back or behind: (retro-virus, retrosternal)
- rhea- flow or gush: (amenorrhea, galactorrhea)
- rupt- burst: (ruptured appendix)
- sacchar- sugar:(monosaccharides)
- sarco- flesh:(sarcoplasm, sarcolemma)
- sat- enough: (saturated)
- scend- climb: (ascend, descend)
- scler- hard:(sclera, sclerotic veins, scleroderma)
- -sclerosis hardening: (multiple sclerosis)
- -scope instrument used for visual examination: (gastroscope)
- –scopy visual examination: (colonoscopy)
- sect- cut: (dissect, transect, bisect)
- semi- half: (semilunar valves, semicircular canal)
- -sepsis infection: (urosepsis)
- sept – poison, from rot: (septic, septicemia)
- somat– body: (somatic cells)
- -spasm sudden involuntary muscle contraction: (muscle spasm)
- spir- breathe: (respiration, spirometer)
- squam- scale:(squamous epithelium)
- stasis- standing still:(homeostasis)
- strat- layer:(pseudostratified columnar epithelium)
- sub- under or below: (subarachnoid space, subclavian artery)
- super- over or above: (superior vena cava)
- syn- together or joined:(synthesis, syndrome)
- systol- contraction: (systole, systolic pressure)
- tachy- rapid:(tachycardia)
- tact- touch: (tactile)
- tend- stretch: (tendon)
- tetra- four: (tetracycline, tetraiodothyronine)
- thromb- clot:(thrombocyte, thrombolitic agent)
- thyr- thyroid gland: (thyroidectomy)
- -tomy cutting:(anatomy, appendectomy)
- tox- poison: (toxicology)
- trans- through, across, beyond: (transfusion, transmission)
- tri- three: (triglyceride, triiodothyronine)
- uni- one: (unipolar neurons)
- ventr- belly or stomach:(ventricle, ventral view)
- vill- hair:(villi, microvilli)