Glossary of Exploring Medical Language
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- puerper/o
(combining form)
- childbirth
- pseud/o
(combining form)
- false
- chori/o
(combining form)
- chorion
The outermost of the two female membranes - the amnion is the inner most - which together surround the embryo
- lact/o
(combining form)
- milk
- peri
(prefix)
- surrounding (outer)
- embry/o
(combining form)
- embryo, to be full
- -partum
(suffix)
- childbirth, labor
- prim/i
(combining form)
- first
- par/o
(combining form)
- bear, give birth to, labor, childbirth
- part/o
(combining form)
- bear, give birth to, labor, childbirth
- amni/o
(combining form)
- amnion
A thin membrane surrounding the fetus during pregnancy
- esophag/o
(combining form)
- esophogus
The tube that connects the pharynx (throat) with the stomach
- cervic/o
(combining form)
- cervix
The lower narrow part of the uterus forming a canal into the vagina which leads to the outside of the body
- gravid/o
(combining form)
- pregnancy
- -tocia
(suffix)
- birth, labor
- culd/o
(combining form)
- cul-de-sac
A blind pouch or cavirty that is closed on one end
- pylor/o
(combining form)
- pylorus, pyloric sphincter
The outlet of the stomach
- colp/o
(combining form)
- vagina
- nat/o
(combining form)
- birth
- spermat/o
(combining form)
- spermatozoa, sperm
- gynec/o
(combining form)
- woman
- perine/o
(combining form)
- perineum
The area between the anus and the scrotum (in men) or the vulva (in women)
- -amnios
(suffix)
- amnion, amniotic fluid
- splen/o
(combining form)
- spleen
- metr/o, metr/i
(combining form)
- uterus
- cardi/o
(combining form)
- heart
- arche/o
(combining form)
- first, beginning
- mamm/o
(combining form)
- breast
- ile/o
(combining form)
- ileum
The lowest part of the small intestine, located beyond the duodenum and jejunum, just before the large intestine (the colon)
- plasm/o
(combining form)
- plasma
The liquid part of the blood and lymphatic fluid, which makes up about half of its volume
- phleb/o
(combining form)
- vein
- lymph/o
(combining form)
- An almost colorless fluid that travels through vessels called lymphatics in the lymphatic system and carries cells that help fight infection and disease
- valv/o
(combining form)
- valve
- electr/o
(combining form)
- electricity, electrical activity
- thym/o
(combining form)
- thymus gland
A lymphoid organ situated in the center of the upper chest just behind the sternum (breastbone)
- colon/o
(combining form)
- colon
The part of the large intestine that runs from the cecum to the rectum as a long hollow tube
- arteri/o
(combining form)
- artery
- peritone/o
(combining form)
- peritoneum
The membrane that lines the abdominal cavity and covers most of the abdominal organs
- thromb/o
(combining form)
- clot
- -sclerosis
(suffix)
- hardening
- -penia
(suffix)
- abnormal reduction in number
- gastr/o
(combining form)
- stomach
- ech/o
(combining form)
- sound
- tachy-
(prefix)
- fast, rapid
- -graph
(suffix)
- instrument used to record
- arther/o
(combining form)
- yellowish, fatty plaque
- therm/o
(combining form)
- heat
- atri/o
(combining form)
- atrium
One of the two smaller chambers of the heart
- pelv/i, pelv/o
(combining form)
- pelvis, pelvic bone
The lower part of the abdomen located between the hip bones
- valvul/o
(combining form)
- valve
- isch/o
(combining form)
- deficiency, blockage
- -salpinx
(suffix)
- fallopian tube
- ventricul/o
(combinging form)
- ventricle
A chamber of an organ
- cephal/o
(combining form)
- head
- omphal/o
(combining form)
- umbilicus, navel
- fet/o, fet/i
(combining form)
- fetus, unborn child
- ven/o
(combining form)
- vein
- rect/o
(combining form)
- rectum
The last 6 to 8 inches of the large intestine
- -poiesis
(suffix)
- formation
- angi/o
(combining form)
- vessel
- -atresia
(suffix)
- absence of a normal opening, occlusion, closure
- -ial
(suffix)
- pertaining to
- lapar/o
(combining form)
- abdomen
- col/o
(combining form)
- colon
The part of the large intestine that runs from the cecum to the rectum as a long hollow tube
- sial/o
(combining form)
- saliva
- diverticul/o
(combining form)
- diverticulum
A small bulging sac pushing outward from the colon wall
- palat/o
(combining form)
- palate
The roof of the mouth. The front portion is bony (hard palate), and the back portion is muscular (soft palate)
- aort/o
(combining form)
- aorta
The largest artery in the body
- -apheresis
(suffix)
- removal
- -ac
(suffix)
- pertaining to
- cheil/o
(combining form)
- lip
- duoden/o
(combining form)
- duodenum
The first part of the small intestine
- choledoch/o
(combining form)
- common bile duct
- appendic/o
(combining form)
- appendix
A small outpouching from the beginning of the large intestine (the ascending colon)
- or/o
(combining form)
- mouth
- chol/e
(combining form)
- gall, bile
- gloss/o
(combining form)
- tongue
- sigmoid/o
(combining form)
- sigmoid colon
the lower colon (the lower portion of the large bowel)
- gingiv/o
(combining form)
- gum
- abdomin/o
(combining form)
- abdomen
The belly, that part of the body that contains all of the structures between the chest and the pelvis
- hepat/o
(combining form)
- liver
- herni/o
(combining form)
- hernia
A general term referring to a protrusion of a tissue through the wall of the cavity in which it is normally contained
- cec/o
(combining form)
- cecum
The cecum (also spelled caecum), the first portion of the large bowel, situated in the lower right quadrant of the abdomen
- enter/o
(combining form)
- intestines
- an/o
(combining form)
- anus
The opening of the rectum to the outside of the body
- jejun/o
(combining form)
- jejunum
Part of the small intestine. It is half-way down the small intestine between its duodenum and ileum sections
- antr/o
(combining form)
- antrum
A general term for cavity or chamber which may have specific meaning in reference certain organs or sites in the body
- uvul/o
(combining form)
- uvula
The small piece of soft tissue that can be seen dangling down from the soft palate over the back of the tongue
- lingu/o
(combining form)
- tongue
- celi/o
(combining form)
- abdomen
The belly, that part of the body that contains all of the structures between the chest and the pelvis
- -pepsia
(suffix)
- digestion
- dipl/o
(combining form)
- two, double
- -crit
(suffix)
- to separate
- proct/o
(combining form)
- rectum
The last 6 to 8 inches of the large intestine
- ton/o
(combining form)
- tension, pressure
- cholangi/o
(combining form)
- bile duct
- polyp/o
(combining form)
- small growth
- pancreat/o
(combining form)
- pancreas
A fish-shaped spongy grayish-pink organ about 6 inches long that stretches across the back of the abdomen, behind the stomach
- core/o
(combining form)
- pupil
The opening of the iris
- stomat/o
(combining form)
- mouth
- retin/o
(combining form)
- retina
The retina is the nerve layer that lines the back of the eye, senses light, and creates impulses that travel through the optic nerve to the brain
- coren/o
(combining form)
- cornea
The clear front window of the eye that transmits and focuses light into the eye
- -plegia
(suffix)
- paralysis
- blephar/o
(combining form)
- eyelid
- phot/o
(combining form)
- light
- lacrim/o
(combining form)
- tear duct, tear
- -phobia
(suffix)
- abnormal fear of or aversion to specific objects of things
- dacry/o
(combining form)
- tear, tear duct
- iri/o
(combining form)
- iris
The iris is the circular, colored curtain of the eye
- pupill/o
(combining form)
- pupil
The opening of the iris
- scler/o
(combining form)
- sclera
The tough white outer coat over the eyeball that covers approximately the posterior five-sixths of its surface
- cry/o
(combining form)
- cold
- cor/o
(combining form)
- pupil
- opt/o
(combining form)
- vision
- kerat/o
(combining form)
- cornea
The clear front window of the eye that transmits and focuses light into the eye
Can also mean horny tissue
- arthr/o
(combining form)
- joint
- -opia
(suffix)
- vision (condition)
- tympan/o
(combining form)
- eardrum, middle ear
- labyrinth/o
(combining form)
- labyrinth, inner ear
- irid/o
(combining form)
- iris
The iris is the circular, colored curtain of the eye
- ocul/o
(combining form)
- eye
- ophthalm/o
(combining form)
- eye
- oste/o
(combining form)
- bone
- lamin/o
(combining form)
- lamina, thin flat plate or layer
- myring/o
(combining form)
- tympanic membrane (eardrum)
- aur/i, aur/o
(combining form)
- ear
- mastoid/o
(combining form)
- mastoid
The rounded protrusion of bone just behind the ear once thought to look like the breast
- scoli/o
(combining form)
- crooked, curved
- ten/o
(combining form)
- tendon
The tissue by which a muscle attaches to bone
- clavicul/o
(combining form)
- clavicle (collarbone)
- tibi/o
(combining form)
- tibia
The larger of the two bones in the leg (the smaller one being the fibula). The tibia is familiarly known as the shinbone
- staped/o
(combining form)
- stapes
A stirrup-shaped bone in the middle ear
- stern/o
(combining form)
- sternum (breastbone)
Anatomic name for the breast bone, the long flat bone in the upper middle of the front of the chest
- lord/o
(combining form)
- bent forward
- sacr/o
(combining form)
- sacrum
The large heavy bone at the base of the spine, which is made up of fused sacral vertebrae
- conjunctiv/o
(combining form)
- conjunctiva
A thin clear moist membrane that coats the inner surfaces of the eyelids and the outer surface of the eye
- burs/o
(combining form)
- bursa (cavity)
- myos/o
(combining form)
- muscle
- lumb/o
(combining form)
- loin (lumbar region of the spine)
Referring to the 5 lumbar vertebrae which are situated below the thoracic vertebrae and above the sacral vertebrae in the spinal column
- acou/o
(combining form)
- hearing
- cost/o
(combining form)
- rib
- maxill/o
(combining form)
- maxilla (upper jawbone)
- vertebr/o
(combining form)
- vertebra
A vertebra is one of 33 bony segments that form the spinal column of humans
- femor/o
(combining form)
- femur (upper leg bone)
- myel/o
(combining form)
- spinal cord (myel/o also means bone marrow)
- carp/o
(combining form)
- carpals (wrist bones)
- sym-
(prefix)
- together, joined
- syn-
(prefix)
- together, joined
- pub/o
(combining form)
- pubis
The front center portion of the pelvis
- tars/o
(combining form)
- tarsals (ankle bones)
- scapul/o
(combining form)
- scapula (shoulder blade)
- menisc/o
(combining form)
- meniscus (cresent)
- ili/o
(combining form)
- ilium
The upper part of the bony pelvis which forms the receptacle for the head of the femur at the hip joint
- fibul/o
(combining form)
- fibula (lower leg bone)
The lateral (outside) and smaller of the two long bones in the lower leg between the knee and ankle
- tendin/o
(combining form)
- tendon
The tissue by which a muscle attaches to bone. A tendon is somewhat flexible, but fibrous and tough
- clavic/o
(combining form)
- clavicle (collarbone)
- patell/o
(combining form)
- patella (kneecap)
- mandibul/o
(combining form)
- mandible (lower jaw bone)
- petr/o
(combining form)
- stone
- phalang/o
(combining form)
- phalanges, finger or toe bones
- audi/o
(combining form)
- hearing
- rachi/o
(combining form)
- spine, vertebral column
- kinesi/o
(combining form)
- movement, motion
- ischi/o
(combining form)
- ischium
Bone making up the lower down back part of the pelvis
- chondr/o
(combining form)
- cartilage
Firm, rubbery tissue that cushions bones at joints
- synovi/o
(combining form)
- synovia, synovial membrane
The fluid that lubricates joints
- tend/o
(combining form)
- tendon
- kyph/o
(combining form)
- hump
- spondyl/o
(combining form)
- vertebra
- radi/o
(combining form)
- radius (lower arm bone)
- aponeur/o
(combining form)
- A sheetlike fibrous membrane, resembling a flattened tendon, that serves as a fascia to bind muscles together or as a means of connecting muscle to bone
- uln/o
(combining form)
- ulna (lower arm bone)
- crani/o
(combining form)
- cranium, skull
- humer/o
(combining form)
- humerus (upper arm bone)
- -asthenia
(suffix)
- weakness
- mon/o
(combining form)
- one
- gangli/o
(combining form)
- ganglion
an aggregation of nerve cell bodies
- cerebell/o
(combining form)
- cerebellum
The portion of the brain in the back of the head between the cerebrum and the brain stem
- ankyl/o
(combining form)
- crooked, stiff, bent
- disk/o
(combining form)
- intervertebral disk
A pad of cartilage between two vertebrae that acts as a shock absorber
- dur/o
(combining form)
- hard, dura mater
The outermost, toughest, and most fibrous of the three membranes (meninges) covering the brain and the spinal cord
- psych/o
(combining form)
- mind
- quadr/i
(combining form)
- four
- ganglion/o
(combining form)
- an aggregation of nerve cell bodies
- -schisis
(suffix)
- split, fissure
A cleft or groove. A fissure can be normal or abnormal
- -desis
(suffix)
- surgical fixation, fusion
- esthesi/o
(combining form)
- sensation, sensitivity, feeling
- encephal/o
(combining form)
- brain
- mening/o, mening/i
(combining form)
- meninges
The three membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord
- cerebr/o
(combining form)
- cerebrum, brain
The largest part of the brain
- -iatrist
(suffix)
- specialist, physician
- -paresis
(suffix)
- slight paralysis
- phas/o
(combining form)
- speech
- phren/o
(combining form)
- mind
- -ictal
(suffix)
- seizure, attack
- -iatry
(suffix)
- treatment, specialty
- radicul/o
(combining form)
- nerve root
- radic/o
(combining form)
- nerve root
- calc/i
(combining form)
- calcium
- ment/o
(combining form)
- mind
- poli/o
(combining form)
- gray matter
- adrenal/o
(combining form)
- adrenal gland
One of a pair of small glands, each of which sits on top of one of the kidneys
- kal/i
(combining form)
- potassium
- adren/o
(combining form)
- adrenal gland
One of a pair of small glands, each of which sits on top of one of the kidneys
- dips/o
(combining form)
- thirst
- endocrin/o
(combining form)
- endocrine
Pertaining to hormones and the glands that make and secrete them into the bloodstream through which they travel to affect distant organs
- rhiz/o
(combining form)
- nerve root
- aden/o
(combining form)
- gland
- thyroid/o
(combining form)
- thyroid gland
- thyr/o
(combining form)
- thyroid gland
A gland that makes and stores hormones that help regulate the heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and the rate at which food is converted into energy
- acr/o
(combining form)
- extremities, height
- parathyroid/o
(combining form)
- parathyroid gland
A gland that regulates calcium, located behind the thyroid gland in the neck
- natr/o
(combining form)
- sodium
- cortic/o
(combining form)
- cortex
The outer portion of an organ
- -drome
(suffix)
- run, running
- -ologist
(suffix)
- one who studies and treats (specialist, physician)
- -stasis
(suffix)
- control, stop, standing
- -plasm
(suffix)
- a growth, substance formation
- -genesis
(suffix)
- origin, cause
- -gen
(suffix)
- substance or agent that produces or causes
- hist/o
(combining form)
- tissue
- chrom/o
(combining form)
- color
- lip/o
(combining form)
- fat
- cyan/o
(combining form)
- blue
- sarc/o
(combining form)
- flesh, connective tissue
- system/o
(combining form)
- system
- cyt/o
(combining form)
- cell
- path/o
(combining form)
- disease
- adenocarcinoma
- cancerous tumor of glandular tissue
- andenoma
- tumor composed of glandular tissue
- carcinoma
- cancerous tumor
- chloroma
- tumor of green color
- epithelioma
- tumor composed of epithelium
- fibroma
- tumor composed of fiber
- fibrosarcoma
- malignant tumor composed of fiber
- leiomyoma
- tumor composed of smooth muscle
- leiomyosarcoma
- malignant tumor of smooth muscle
- lipoma
- tumor composed of fat
- liposarcoma
- malignant tumor of fat
- melanocarcinoma
- cancerous black tumor
- myoma
- tumor composed of muscle
- neuroma
- tumor composed to nerve
- rhabdomyoma
- tumor composed of striated muscle
- rhabdomyoscarcoma
- malignant tumor of striated muscle
- sarcoma
- tumor of connective tissue
- cytogenic
- producing cells
- dysplasia
- abnormal development
- epithelial
- pertaining to the epithelium
- erythrocyte
- red blood cell
- erythrocytosis
- increase in number of red blood cells
- histology
- the study of tissue
- hyperplasia
- excessive development
- hypoplasia
- incomplete development
- karyocyte
- cell with a nucleus
- karyoplasm
- substance of a nucleus
- leukocyte
- white blood cell
- leukocytosis
- increase in the number of white blood cells
- myopathy
- disease of the muscle
- neuroid
- resembling a nerve
- somatic
- pertaining to the body
- somatogenic
- originating in the body
- somatopathy
- disease of the body
- somatoplasm
- body substance
- systemic
- pertaining to a system
- visceral
- pertaining to internal organs
- visceral
- pertaining to internal organs
