Root Word/ Definition Medical Word
Combining Form
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
abdomin/o- abdomen abdominal
acanth/o- thorn, spine acanthoma, acanthaceous, acanthocyte
acetabul- hip socket acetabulum
acous/io- hearing acoustic, acoumeter, acoustician
acr/o- extremities, topmost acromion, acral, acromegaly
actin- ray, radius actinic
aden/o- relating to gland adenocarcinoma, adenology, adenotome
adenoid/o- adenoids adenoiditis
adip/o- relating to fat adipose tissue, adipocyte
adren/o- relating to adrenal gland adrenal artery
aer/o- air, gas anaerobic, aerate
albumin- albumin albuminuria
alge/si- pain analgesic
alge/si- pain analgesic
algi/o- pain myalgia
algesi/o- pain analgesia
alveoli/o- alveolus alveolitis
ambly/o- dull, dim amblyopia
amni/o- amnion amniocele
amnion/o- amnion amnionic
amyl/o- starch amylose
an/o- anus anus
andr/o- male androgen, andrology
angi/o- blood vessel angina, angiogram
anis/o- unequal, dissimilar anisothenic, anisocytosis, anisotropic
ankyl/o- crooked, bent, fused ankylosis
antr/o- cavity, chamber antrum
anter/o- front anterior
aort/o- aorta aortic
aponeur/o- aponeurosis aponeurotic
append/o- appendix appendicitis
arche/o first, beginning archecentric, archinephron
arteri/o pertaining to an artery arteriography,
arteri/o arteriole, small artery arteriolosclerosis, arterial
arthr/o pertaining to joints, limbs arthritis
articul/o joint articulation
atel/o incomplete, imperfect atelectasis, atelocardia
ather/o yellowish, fatty plaque atherosclerosis
atri/o atrium, chamber atrioventricular
aur/o pertaining to ear aural, auricle
aut/o self autoantibody, autoimmune
aux/o- increase, growth auxocardia
aux/o- increase, growth auxocardia
axill/o- pertaining to armpit axilla
azot- nitrogen compound azotemia, azothermia
bacteri/o- bacteria bacterial, bacteriophage
balan/o- glans penis, or glans clitoridis balanitis
bio- life biology
bil- bile biliary
blast/o- germ, developing cell blastoctye, blastomere
blephar/o- pertaining to eyelid blepharoplast
brachi/o- arm brachial artery
bronch/i- bronchus bronchitis
bronchiol- bronchiole bronchiole, bronchiolitis obliterans
bucc/o- pertaining to cheek buccal, buccolabial
burs/o- bursa, cavity bursitis
calc- calcium calcium
calcane/o- heel bone calcaneus
carcin/o- cancer carcinoma, carcinogenic
cardi/o- pertaining to heart cardiac, cardiology
carp/o- pertaining to wrist bone carpal tunnel, carpopedal
caud- tail, lower part caudal
cec- cecum cecal
celi- abdominal cavity celioenterotomy
cephal/o- pertaining to head cephalad, cephalic
cerat/o- pertaining to cornu, a horn ceratoid
cerat/o- pertaining to cornu, a horn ceratoid
cerebell/o- pertaining to cerebellum cerebellar
cerebr/o- pertaining to brain cerebromedullary, cerebroside
cerumin- cerumen, earwax ceruminal
cervic/o- neck cervical
chem/o- chemistry, drug chemotherapy
cheil- lip cheilitis
chir/o- pertaining to hand chirality, chiropractor
chlor/o- green color chlorophyll
chol/e/o- pertaining to bile, gall cholaemia
cholecyst/o- pertaining to gallbladder cholecystectomy
cholecyst/o- pertaining to gallbladder cholecystectomy
chondr/i/o- cartilage, granule, granular chondral, chondrocalcinosis
chori- chorion chorioretinal
chromat/o- color chromatogenous, hemochromatosis
claviculo- collar bone, clavicle clavicular
coccygo- tail bone coccygeal
colo- colon colonitis
colp/o- pertaining to vagina colposcopy
coron/o- crown coronitis
coni- dust coniosis
conjunctiv- conjunctiva conjunctivitis
cor- pupil corectasis
corne- cornea corneal
cortic- outer layer cortical
cost/o- pertaining to ribs costicervical
crani/o- relating to skull cranial
crin/o- secretion endocrine
cry/o- cold cryotherapy, cryoablation
crypt- hidden cryptic
cutane/o- skin subcutaneous
cyan/o- blue color cyanotic, cyanopsia
cyes- pregnancy cyesis
cyph/o- bent cyphosis
cyph/o- bent cyphosis
cyst/o- bladder, sac cystic, cystotomy
cyt/o- cell cytology, cytokine
dacry/o- tears, tear duct dacryoadenitis
dactyl/o- pertaining to finger, toe dactylolysis
dent/o- tooth dentition
derm/o- pertaining to skin dermis
dermat/o- pertaining to skin dermatology
dextr/o- right side ambidextrous, dextrocardia
diaphor- sweat diaphoresis
diaphragmat- diaphragm diaphragmatitis
dipl/o- two, double diplopia
dips/o- thirst dipsosis, polydipsia
disk- intervertebral disk diskectomy
diverticul- diverticulum diverticulitis
dors/o- pertaining to back dorsal
duoden/o- duodenum duodenal
dur/o- dura mater dural
dynam/o- power, energy, force dynamogenic
ech/o- sound echocardiogram
ect/o- outer, outside ectoblast, ectoderm
ect/o- outer, outside ectoblast, ectoderm
ectop- located away ectopic pregnancy
electr/o- electricity electrocardiogram
embry- embryo, to be full embryonic
emmetr- normal measures emmetropia
encephal/o- pertaining to brain encephalitis, encephalogram
endocrin- endocrin eendocrinosis
eosin/o- red eosinophil granulocyte
eosin/o- red eosinophil granulocyte
enter/o- pertaining to intestine enteritis, gastroenterology
epididym- epididymis epididymal
epiglott- epiglottis epiglottiditis
episi/o- pubic region, loins episiotomy
epitheli/o- epithelium epithelial
erythr/o- red erythematous, erythrocyte
esophag/o- esophagus esophagocele
esthesi/o- sensation, sensitivity anesthesia
eti/o- cause etiology
faci/o- pertaining to face facioplasty, facioplegic
femur/o- femur, thigh bone femoral
fet- fetus, unborn child fetal
ferro/o- iron ferritin
fibr/o- fiber, fibrous tissue fibroma, fibroblast
fibul/o- fibula, lower leg bone fibular
gangli- ganglion ganglia
galact/o- milk galacturia, galactorrhea
gastr/o- pertaining to stomach gastritis
ger/o- old age geriatric
geront/o- old age gerontology
gingiv/o- gum gingivitis
glauc/o- grey or bluish-grey colour glaucoma
glauc/o- grey or bluish-grey colour glaucoma
glomerul/o- glomerulus glomerulonephritis
gloss/o- pertaining to tongue glossopharyngeal, glossology
glott/o- pertaining to tongue epiglottis
glott/o- pertaining to tongue epiglottis
gluc/o- glucose glucose
glyc/o- sugar glycerin
glycos/o- sugar glycosamine
gnath/o- pertaining to jaw orthognathia, gnathodynamometer
gnos/o- knowledge gnosis
gon/o- seed, semen gonad, gonorrhea
gravid/o- pregnancy gravida
gyn/o- female gynopathic
gynec/o- female gynecology, gynecomastia
hem/o/a- blood hemoglobin
hemat/o- blood hematocrit
hepat/o- liver hepatitis
herni/o- hernia herniated
heter- other heterosexual
hidr/o- sweat hidradenoid
hist/o- or histi/o- tissue histology
hom/o- same homogeneous
humer- humerus, upper arm bone humerus
hydr/o- water hydrate
hymen- hymen hymen
hypn/o- sleep hypnogenic
hume/o- humerus humeral
hydr/o- water hydrate, dehydrate
hymen- hymen hymen
hypophys/o- pituitary gland hypophyseal
hyster/o- uterus hysterectomy
iatr/o- treatment, medicine iatrogenic
ichthy/o- fish ichthyoid
ile/o- ileum ileotomy
ili/o- ilium iliosacral
immune- immune immunodeficiency
Iri/o- iris iritoectomy
Irid/o- iris iritis
Is/o- equal, same isocellular
Isch- deficiency; blockage ischemia
Ischi- ischium ischiorectal
inguin/o- groin inguinal
jejun/o- jejunum jejunotomy
kal/o- potassium hypokalemia
kary- nucleus karyon
kerat/o- cornea keratotomy
kerat- horny tissue; hard keratosis
kin/o- move, movement kinesis
kinesi/o- motion, movement kinesiology
kyph- hump kyphosis
labi- lips labium
labyrinth- labyrinth labyrinthitis
lacrim/o- tears, tear duct lacrimal
lact/i/o- milk lactation
lamin- lamina, thin, flat plate laminar
lapar/o- abdomen laparoscopy
laryng/o- larynx laryngitis
later/o- lateral, side lateral
lei/o- smooth leiomyoma
leuk/o- white leukemia
lingu/o- tongue lingual
lip/o- fat lipid
lith/o- stone, calculus lithotripsy
lob- lobe lobular
lord- bent forward lordosis
lymph/o- lymph lymphoma
lys/o- dissolution lysis
macr/o- large macrocyte
mamm/o- breast mammary
mast/o- breast mammary
mandibul- mandible, lower jaw mandibular
mastoid- mastoid mastoidotomy
maxxill/o- jaw, upper jaw maxillary
meat/o- meatus meatus
megal/o- large megaloblasts
melan/o- black melanoma
men/o- menses menstrual, menstruation
mening/o- meninges meningitis
meninge/o- meninges meningitis
menisci- meniscus meniscus
ment/o- mind mental
ment/o hyoid bone submental
metr/o- uterus metroptosis
metacarp/o- wrist bone metacarpals
metatars/o- foot bone metatarsals
mon/o- one monoparesis
morph/o- form, shape morphology
mucu/o- mucus mucosal
muscul/o- muscles myasthenia
my/o- muscle myofibrils
myc/o- fungus mycete
myel/o- bone marrow myeloma, myelonic
myring/o- ear drum myringoplasty
narc/o- stupor narcotic
nas/o- nose nasal bone
nat/o- birth prenatal
necr/o- death, dead cells necrosis
nephr/o- kidney nephritis
neur/i/o- nerve neuropathy
noct/o- night nocturnal
nyct- night nycterine
norm/o- normal normotensive
nos/o- disease nosocomial
obstetr/o- pregnancy obstetrics
ocul/o- eye ocular
odont/o- teeth odontogenic
odyn/o- pain odynophagia
olig/o- scanty, few, little oliguria
omphal- umbilicus, navel omphaloma
onc/o- tumor oncology
onych/o- nail onychogenic
o/o- egg, ovum oocyte
oophor/o- ovary oophorectomy
ophthalm/o- eye ophthalmology
opt/o- vision, eye optical
or/o- mouth oral
orch/i/o- testis, testicle orchilytic, orchiectomy
orth/o- correct orthopnea
organ/o- organ organic
osm/o- osmosis osmotic pressure
osse/o- bone osseointegration
oste/o- bone osteoporosis
ot/o- ear otitis
ov- egg ovum
ovari/o, ovi/o- ovary ovarian cyst
ox/o- oxygen oxidation
pachy/o- thick pachycephalic
palat/o- palate palatoplegia
pancreat/o- pancreas pancreatic
path/o- disease pathology
papill/o- nipple papillary
par/o- bear, give birth para
parathyroid- parathyroid gland parathyroidoma
part- bear, labor postpartum
patell/o- patella, knee-cap patellar reflex
pector/o- chest pectoral girdle
ped/o- child pediatrics
ped/o- foot pedal
pelv/i/o- hip bone, pelvis pelvic bone
perine- perineum perineum
peritone- peritoneum peritoneal
petr- stony, hard petrous part
phac/o- lens of the eye phacolysis
phag/o- eat, swallow phagocytosis, dysphagia
phak/o- lens of the eye phakomatosis
phalang/o- pharynx phalangeal
phas- speech aphasia
pharmac/o- drug pharmacology
pharyng/o- pharynx pharyngitis
phleb/o- vein phlebitis
phob/o- fear agoraphobia
phon/o- sound phonology
phot/o- light photokinetic
phren/i/o- diaphragm diaphragmatic breathing
phren/o- mind phrenology
physi- nature physiology
plasm- plasma plasmacyte
plasm- plasma plasmacyte
plasi/o- formation, growth achondroplasia
plesi/o- near, close plesiomorphic
pleur/o- pleura pleuracentesis
pneum/o- air, lung pneumogastric, pneumonia
pneumat/o- air, lung pneumathemia
pod/o- foot podiatry
poikil/o- varied, irregular poikiloblast
poli/o- gray matter poliodystrophia
polyp/o- small growth polypoid
poster/o- behind, back posterior
prim/o- first primary
presby/o- old, old age presbyacusis
proct/o- rectum proctology
prostate/o- prostate gland prostatitis
pseud/o- fake, false pseudopolyp
psych/o mind psychiatry
pub/o- pubis pubic
puerper- childbirth puerperal
pulmon/o- lung pulmonary
pupil- pupil pupillary reflex
py/o- pus empyema
pyel/o- pelvis pyelogram
pylor- pyloric sphincter pylorostomy
pyr/o- fever, heat pyrogenic
quadr- four quadruplets
rachi/o- spine, vertebra rachiocentesis
radi/o- lower arm bone radius
radi/o- x-ray radiography
radic- nerve root radiculopathy
radic- nerve root radiculopathy
rect/o- rectum rectocele
ren/o- kidney renal
reticul/o- net reticulum
retin/o- retina retinosis
rhabd/o- rod shaped, striated rhabditis
rhin/o- nose rhinitis
rhiz/o- nerve root rhizoneure
rheumat/o- flux that flows, a stream rheumatism
rhytid- wrinkles rhytidoplasty
sacr/o- sacrum sacroiliac
salping/o- fallopian tube salpingitis
sarc/o- flesh, connective tissue sarcocele
scapul/o- scapula, shoulder bone scapular
schist/o- split, cleft schisophrenic
schiz/o- division, split schizencephaly
schiz/o- division, split schizencephaly
scler/o- sclera sclerectomy
scoli/o- curvature, twisted scoliokyphosis
seb- sebum, oil sebaceous
sept/o- septum, partition septum
septic/o- decay, rot antiseptic
sial/o- saliva salivary
sigmoid- sigmoid sigmoidoscopy
sinus- sinus aerosinusitis
sit/o- food, eating antiparasitic
somat/o- body somatometry
somn- sleep insomnia
son- sound sonogram
sperm/o- semen, sperm spermiduct
spermat/o- spermatozoan, sperm spermatorrhea
sphygm- pulse sphygmomenometer
spir- breathe, breathing transpiration
splanchn/o- viscera, intestines splanchnic
spleen- spleen spleen
spin/o- spine, thorn, prickle, brain cerebrospinal
spondyl/o- vertebra, spinal, vertebral column spondylosis
spondyl/o- vertebra, spinal, vertebral column spondylosis
splen/o- spleen spleen
spondyl/o- vertebra perispondylitis
staped- stapes, middle ear bone stapedial
staphyl/o- clusters, grapelike clusters staphylococcus
staphyl/o- clusters, grapelike clusters staphylococcus
stern/o- sternum, breast bone sternal
steth- chest stethoscope
stom/o- mouth stomatitis
stomat/o- mouth stomatoplasty
strept/o- twisted chains streptococcus
tars- tarsals, ankle bones metatarsal
tars/o- edge of eyelid, tarsal tarsitis
ten- tendon tendon
tend/o- tendon tendotomy
tendin/o- tendon tendinitis
test- testis, testicle testicular
therm/o- heat thermal
thorac- thorax, chest thoracic
thel/o- nipples thelarche
therm/o- heat thermometer
thorac/o- chest, thorax pneumothorax
thromb/o- clot, lump thrombus, thrombectomy
thym/o- thymus gland thymolysis
thyr/o- thyroid gland thyroid
tibi/o- tibia, lower leg bone tibial
tom/o- cut, section tomography
toc/o- child atocia
ton/o- tension, pressure tonicity
tonsil/o- tonsils tonsillitis
top/o- place topographic
tox/i/o- poison toxin
trache/o- trachea tracheobronchial
trachel/o- neck, neck like trachelitis
trich/i/o- hair trichoid
troph/o- food, nutrition abiotrophic
tympan/o- eardrum, middle ear tympanic membrane
uln/o- ulna, lower arm bone ulnar
ungu/o- nail ungual
ur/o- urine, urinary tract urinary
ureter/o- ureter ureteroplasy
urethr/o- urethra urethrectomy
uter/o- uterus intrauterine
urin/o- urine, urinary tract urinalysis
uvul- uvula uvuloptosis
vagin/o- vagina vaginal
valv/o- valve valvula
valvul- valve valvuloplasty
vas/o- vessel, duct vasectomy
vascul/o- vessel, tubes, ducts avascular
ven/o- vein venous
ventricul/o- ventricle ventricular
venul/o- venules, small veins venular
vertebr/o- vertebra, spinal column costovertebral
vesic/o- bladder, sac vesical
vesicul/o- seminal vesicles vesiculation
viscer/o- internal organs viscera
vulv/o- vulva vulvitis
xanth/o- yellow xanthoma
xer/o- dry xerosis, xerophthalmia
zo/o- animal, living beings azoospermia
zym/o- enzyme, ferment enzymatic, lysozyme
