Medical Terminology For Medical Assistants Part 1

Front 1

a-

Back 1

MEANING:
without
EXAMPLE:
asepsis [ā-SĚP-sĭs], without living organisms

Front 2

ab-, abs-

Back 2

MEANING:
away from (opposite of ad)
EXAMPLE:
abduct [ăb-DŬKT], to draw away from a position

Front 3

ad-

Back 3

MEANING:
toward, to (opposite of ab)
EXAMPLE:
adduct [ă-DŬKT], to draw toward the body, as a limb

Front 4

ambi-

Back 4

MEANING:
both, around
EXAMPLE:
ambidextrous [ăm-bē-DĚKS-trŭs], having ability on both the right and left sides (said of the hands)

Front 5

ante-

Back 5

MEANING:
before
EXAMPLE:
antemortem [ĂN-tē-mŏr-těm], before death

Front 6

anti-

Back 6

MEANING:
against
EXAMPLE:
antibacterial [ĂN-tē-băk-TĒR-ē-ăl], preventing the growth of bacteria

Front 7

dys-

Back 7

MEANING:
abnormal; difficult
(opposite of eu)
EXAMPLE:
dysfunctional [dĭs-FŬNK-shŭn-ăl], functioning abnormally

Front 8

end-

Back 8

MEANING:
within
EXAMPLE:
endoabdominal [ĒN-dō-ăb-DŎM-ĭ-năl], within the abdomen

Front 9

epi-

Back 9

MEANING:
over
EXAMPLE:
epicondyle [ěp-ĭ-KŎn-dīl], projection over or near the condyle

Front 10

eu-

Back 10

MEANING:
well, good, normal
(opposite of dys)
EXAMPLE:
eupepsia [yū-PĚP-sē-ă], normal digestion

Front 11

ex-

Back 11

MEANING:
out of, away from
EXAMPLE:
exhale [ĚXS-hāl], breath out

Front 12

exo-

Back 12

MEANING:
external, on the outside
EXAMPLE:
exogenous [ěks-ŎJ-ě-nŭs], produced outside of the organism

Front 13

hemi-

Back 13

MEANING:
half
EXAMPLE:
hemiplegia [hěm- ĭ-PLĒ-jē-ă], paralysis on one side of the body

Front 14

hyper-

Back 14

MEANING:
above normal; overly
(opposite hypo)
EXAMPLE:
hyperactive [hī-pěr-ĂK-tĭv], abnormally restless and inattentive

Front 15

hypo-

Back 15

MEANING:
below normal
(opposite of hyper)
EXAMPLE:
hypoglycemia [hī-pō-glī-Sē-mē-ă], low blood sugar

Front 16

inter-

Back 16

MEANING:
between
(don't confuse with intra)
EXAMPLE:
interdental [ĭn-těr-DĚN-tăl], between the teeth

Front 17

intra-

Back 17

MEANING:
within
(don’t confuse with inter)
EXAMPLE:
intramuscular [ĬN-tră-MŬS-kyū- lăr], within the substance of the muscles

Front 18

iso-

Back 18

MEANING:
equal, same
EXAMPLE:
isometric [i-sō-MĚT-rĭk], of the same dimensions

Front 19

mal-

Back 19

MEANING:
bad; inadequate
EXAMPLE:
malabsorption [măl-ăb-SŎRP-shŭn], inadequate absorption

Front 20

meg(a)-, megal(o)

Back 20

MEANING:
large
EXAMPLE:
megacephaly [měg-ă-SĚF-ă-lē], abnormal enlargement of the head

Front 21

mes-

Back 21

MEANING:
middle, median
EXAMPLE:
mesoderm [MĚS-ō-děrm], the middle layer of skin

Front 22

meta-

Back 22

MEANING:
after
EXAMPLE:
metacarpus [MĚT-ă-ĂR-pŭs], bones attached to the carpus

Front 23

micr(o)-

Back 23

MEANING:
small, microscopic
EXAMPLE:
microplasia [Mī-krō-PLĀ-zhē-ă], stunted growth, as in dwarfism

Front 24

mon(o)-

Back 24

MEANING:
single
EXAMPLE:
monomania [mŏn-ō-MĀ-nē-ă], obsession with a single thought or idea

Front 25

multi-

Back 25

MEANING:
many
EXAMPLE:
multiarticular [MŬL-tē-ăr-TĬK-yū- lăr], involving many joints

Front 26

pan-, pant(o)-

Back 26

MEANING:
all, entire
EXAMPLE:
panarthritis [păn-ăr-THRĪ-tĭs], arthritis involving all joints

Front 27

per-

Back 27

MEANING:
through, intensely
EXAMPLE:
peraxillary [pěr-ĂK-sĭ-lār-ē], through the axilla

Front 28

peri-

Back 28

MEANING:
around, about, near
EXAMPLE:
periappendicitis [ PĚR-ē-a-pěn-dĭ-SĪtĭs], inflammation of the tissue surrounding the appendix

Front 29

poly-

Back 29

MEANING:
many
EXAMPLE:
polyarteritis [pŏl-ē-ăr-těr-Ī-tĭs], inflammation of a number of arteries

Front 30

post-

Back 30

MEANING:
after, following
EXAMPLE:
postmortem [pŏst-MŎR-těm], after death

Front 31

pre-

Back 31

MEANING:
before
EXAMPLE:
prenatal [prē-NĀ-tăl], before birth

Front 32

pro-

Back 32

MEANING:
before, foward
EXAMPLE:
prodrome [PRŌ-drōm], a symptom or group of symptoms that occurs before a disease shows up

Front 33

sub-

Back 33

MEANING: less than, under, inferior
(opposite of super)
EXAMPLE:
subcutaneous [sŭb-kyū-TĀ-nē-ŭs]; beneath the skin

Front 34

super-

Back 34

MEANING:
more than, above, superior
(opposite of sub)
EXAMPLE:
superacute [sŭ-pěr-ă-KYŪT], more acute

Front 35

supra-

Back 35

MEANING:
above, over
EXAMPLE:
supramaxillary [sŭ-pră-MĂK-sĭ- lār-ē], above the maxilla

Front 36

tachy-

Back 36

MEANING:
fast
EXAMPLE: tachycardia [TĂK- i-KAR-de-a], rapid heartbeat

Front 37

-ad

Back 37

MEANING:
toward
EXAMPLE: cephalad [SĚF-ă-lăd], toward the head

Front 38

-algia

Back 38

MEANING:
pain
EXAMPLE:
neuralgia [nŭr-ăs-THĒ-ně-ă], condition with vague symptoms, such as weakness

Front 39

-crine

Back 39

MEANING:
secreting
EXAMPLE: endocrine [ĚN-dō-krĭn], gland that secretes
hormones into the bloodstream

Front 40

-cyte

Back 40

MEANING:
cell
EXAMPLE: Thrombocyte [THRŎM-bō-sīt], blood platelet

Front 41

- cytosis

Back 41

MEANING:
condition of cells
EXAMPLE:
Erythrocytosis [ě-RĬTH-rō-sī-tō-sĭs], condition with an abnormal number of red blood cells in the blood

Front 42

-derma

Back 42

MEANING:
condition of cells
EXAMPLE: scleroderma [sklēr-ō-DĚR-mă], hardening of the skin

Front 43

-dynia

Back 43

MEANING:
pain
EXAMPLE:
neurodynia [nūr-ō- DĬN-ă], nerve pain

Front 44

-ectasia

Back 44

MEANING:
expansion, dilation
EXAMPLE: neurectasia [nūr-ěk-TĀ-zhē-ă], operation with dilation of a nerve

Front 45

-ectomy

Back 45

MEANING:
removal of
EXAMPLE:
appendectomy [ăp-ěn-DĚK-tō-mē], removal of obstructed lymph nodes

Front 46

-edema

Back 46

MEANING:
swelling
EXAMPLE: lymphedema [lĭmf-ěDĒ-mă], swelling as a result of obstructed lymph nodes

Front 47

-ema

Back 47

MEANING:
condition
EXAMPLE: empyema [ ěm-pī-Ē-mă], pus in a body cavity

Front 48

-emesis

Back 48

MEANING:
vomiting
EXAMPLE: Hematemesis [hē-mă-TEM-ě-sĭs], vomiting of blood

Front 49

-emia

Back 49

MEANING:
blood
EXAMPLE: uremia [yū-RĒ-mē-ă], excess urea in the blood

Front 50

-emic

Back 50

MEANING:
relating to blood
EXAMPLE: uremic [yū-Rē-mĭk], having excess urea in the blood

Front 51

-gram

Back 51

MEANING:
a recording
EXAMPLE: encephalogram [ěn-SĚF-ă-lŏ-grăm], brain scan

Front 52

-graph

Back 52

MEANING:
recording instrument
EXAMPLE: encephalograph [ěn-SĚF-ă-lō-grăf], instrument for measuring brain activity

Front 53

-graphy

Back 53

MEANING:
process of recording
EXAMPLE: echocardiography [ĚK-ō-kăr-dē-ŎG-ră-fě], use of ultrasound to examine the heart

Front 54

-ic

Back 54

MEANING:
pertaining to
EXAMPLE:
gastric [GĂS-trĭk], relating to the stomach

Front 55

-itis (pl.,-itides)

Back 55

MEANING:
inflamation
EXAMPLE:
nephritis [ně-FRĪ-tĭs], kidney inflammation; neuritides [nū-RĬT- ĭ-dēz], inflammations of nerves

Front 56

-kinesis

Back 56

MEANING:
movement
EXAMPLE: hyperkinesis [hī-pěr-kĭ-NĒ-sĭs], excessive muscular movement

Front 57

-logist

Back 57

MEANING:
one who practices
EXAMPLE:
dermatologist [děr-mă-TŎL-ō-jĭst], one who practices dermatology

Front 58

-logy

Back 58

MEANING:
study, practice
EXAMPLE:
dermatology [děr-mă-TŎL-ō-jē], study and treatment of skin disorders

Front 59

- megaly

Back 59

MEANING:
enlargement
EXAMPLE:
cephalomegaly [SĚF-ă-lō-MĚG-ă-lē], abnormal enlargement of the head

Front 60

-meter

Back 60

MEANING:
measuring device
EXAMPLE:
ophthalmometer [ŏf-thăl-ŎM-ě-těr], device for measuring cornea cuvature

Front 61

-metry

Back 61

MEANING:
measurement
EXAMPLE:
optometry [ŏp-TŎM-ě-trē], specialty concerned with measurement of eye function

Front 62

-opsy

Back 62

MEANING:
view of
EXAMPLE: biopsy [BĪ-ŏp-sē], cutting from living tissue to be viewed

Front 63

-ostomy

Back 63

MEANING:
opening
EXAMPLE:
colostomy [kō-LŎS-tō-mē], surgical opening in the colon

Front 64

-pathy

Back 64

MEANING:
disease
EXAMPLE: osteopathy [ŏs-tē-ŎP-ă-thē], bone disease

Front 65

-pepsia

Back 65

MEANING:
digestion
EXAMPLE:
dyspepsia [dĭs-PĚP-sē-ă], impaired digestion

Front 66

-pexy

Back 66

MEANING:
fixation, usually done surgically
EXAMPLE: nephropexy [NĚF-rō-pěk-sē], surgical fixation of a floating kidney

Front 67

-phobia

Back 67

MEANING:
ear
EXAMPLE:
acrophobia [ăk-rō-FŌ-bē-ă], fear of heights

Front 68

-plasty

Back 68

MEANING:
surgical repair
EXAMPLE:
rhinoplasty [RĪ-nō-plăs-tē], plastic surgery of the nose

Front 69

-plegia

Back 69

MEANING:
paralysis
EXAMPLE:
quadriplegia [KWĂH-drĭ-PLĒ-jē-ă], paralysis of all four limbs

Front 70

-rrhage

Back 70

MEANING:
discharging heavily
EXAMPLE:
hemorrhage [HĚM-ō-răj], to bleed profusely

Front 71

-rrhagia

Back 71

MEANING:
heavy discharge
EXAMPLE:
tracheorrhagia [trā-kē-ō-RĀ-jē-ă], hemorrhage from the trachea

Front 72

-rrhaphy

Back 72

MEANING:
surgical suturing
EXAMPLE:
herniorrhaphy [HĚR-ně-ŌR-ă-fē], surgical repair of a hernia

Front 73

-rrhea

Back 73

MEANING:
a flowing, a flux
EXAMPLE:
dysmenorrheal [dĭs-měn-ŌR-ē-ă], difficult menstrual flow

Front 74

-rrhexis

Back 74

MEANING:
rupture
EXAMPLE:
cardiorrhexis[kăr-dě-ō-RĚK-sĭs], rupture of the heart wall

Front 75

-scope

Back 75

MEANING:
instrument (especially one used for observing or measuring)
EXAMPLE:
microscope [MĪ-krō-skōp], instrument for viewing small objects

Front 76

-scopy

Back 76

MEANING:
use of an instrument for observing
EXAMPLE:
microscopy [mī-KRŎS-kō-pē], use of microscopes

Front 77

-stenosis

Back 77

MEANING:
narrowing
EXAMPLE:
stenostenosis [STĚN-ō-stě-NŌ-sĭs], narrowing of the parotid duct

Front 78

-stomy

Back 78

MEANING:
opening
EXAMPLE:
colostomy [kō-LŎS-tō-mē], surgical opening in the colon

Front 79

-tomy

Back 79

MEANING:
cutting operation
EXAMPLE:
laparotomy [LĂP-ă-RŎT-ō-mē], incision in the abdomen