COMMON MEDICAL WORD

OBJECTIVES:

TO UNDERSTAND THE MEANING OF

A MEDICAL WORD BY STUDYING ITS
PREFIX,ROOT AND SUFFIX
1. ABDOMINAL
PREFIX:
PREFIX DEFINITION:
1ST ROOT WORD: ABDOMIN/O
1ST ROOT DEFINITION: ABDOMEN
2ND ROOT WORD:
2ND ROOT WORD DEFINITION:
SUFFIX: -AL
SUFFIX DEFINITION: PERTAINING TO
DEFINITION: PERTAINING TO THE ABDOMEN
2. ABDUCTION
PREFIX: AB-
PREFIX DEFINITION: AWAY FROM
1ST ROOT WORD: DUCT/O
1ST ROOT DEFINITION: TO LEAD; CARRY
2ND ROOT WORD:
2ND ROOT WORD DEFINITION:
SUFFIX: -ION
SUFFIX DEFINITION: PROCESS
Definition: process of leading or carrying away from
3. ABNORMAL
PREFIX: AB-
PREFIX DEFINITION: AWAY FROM
1ST ROOT WORD: NORM/O
1ST ROOT DEFINITION: RULE; ORDER
2ND ROOT WORD:
2ND ROOT WORD DEFINITION:
SUFFIX: -AL
SUFFIX DEFINITION: PERTAINING TO

Definition: pertaining to rule; being away from order

4. ACANTHOMA
PREFIX:
PREFIX DEFINITION:
1ST ROOT WORD: ACANTH/O
1ST ROOT DEFINITION: SPINY THORNY
2ND ROOT WORD:
2ND ROOT WORD DEFINITION:
SUFFIX: -OMA
SUFFIX DEFINITION: TUMOR; MASS; FLUID COLLECTION

Definition: tumor; mass being spiny; thorny

5. ACHONDROPLASIA
PREFIX: A-
PREFIX DEFINITION: NO; NOT; WITHOUT
1ST ROOT WORD: CHONDR/O
1ST ROOT DEFINITION: CARTILAGE
2ND ROOT WORD:
2ND ROOT WORD DEFINITION:
SUFFIX: -PLASIA
SUFFIX DEFINITION: DEVELOPMENT; FORMATION

Definition: no development; formation of cartilage

6. ACOUSTOMETER
PREFIX:
PREFIX DEFINITION:
1ST ROOT WORD: ACOUST/O
1ST ROOT DEFINITION: HEARING; SOUND
2ND ROOT WORD:
2ND ROOT WORD DEFINITION:
SUFFIX: -METER
SUFFIX DEFINITION: MEASURE

Definition: measuring hearing; sound

7. ACROMEGALY
PREFIX:
PREFIX DEFINITION:
1ST ROOT WORD: ACR/O
1ST ROOT DEFINITION: EXTREMITIES; TOP; EXTREME POINT
2ND ROOT WORD:
2ND ROOT WORD DEFINITION:
SUFFIX: -MEGALY
SUFFIX DEFINITION: ENLARGEMENT

Definition: enlargement of the extremities

8. ADDUCTION
PREFIX: AD-
PREFIX DEFINITION: TOWARD
1ST ROOT WORD: DUCT/O
1ST ROOT DEFINITION: TO LEAD; CARRY
2ND ROOT WORD:
2ND ROOT WORD DEFINITION:
SUFFIX: -ION
SUFFIX DEFINITION: PROCESS

Definition: process of leading; carrying toward

something
9. ADENOCARCINOMA
PREFIX:
PREFIX DEFINITION:
1ST ROOT WORD: ADEN/O
1ST ROOT DEFINITION: GLAND
2ND ROOT WORD: CARCIN/O
2ND ROOT WORD DEFINITION: CANCEROUS; CANCER
SUFFIX: -OMA
SUFFIX DEFINITION: TUMOR; MASS; FLUID COLLECTION

Definition: cancerous tumor originating from glandular

tissue
10. ADENOHYPOPHYSEAL
PREFIX:
PREFIX DEFINITION:
1ST ROOT WORD: ADEN/O
1ST ROOT DEFINITION: GLAND
2ND ROOT WORD: HYPOPHYS/O
2ND ROOT WORD DEFINITION: PITUITARY GLAND
SUFFIX: -EAL
SUFFIX DEFINITION: PERTAINING TO

Definition: pertaining to the pituitary gland

11. ADENOLOGY
PREFIX:
PREFIX DEFINITION:
1ST ROOT WORD: ADEN/O
1ST ROOT DEFINITION: GLAND
2ND ROOT WORD:
2ND ROOT WORD DEFINITION:
SUFFIX: -LOGY
SUFFIX DEFINITION: STUDY (PROCESS OF)

Definition: process of studying glands

12. ADENOMA
PREFIX:
PREFIX DEFINITION:
1ST ROOT WORD: ADEN/O
1ST ROOT DEFINITION: GLAND
2ND ROOT WORD:
2ND ROOT WORD DEFINITION:
SUFFIX: -OMA
SUFFIX DEFINITION: TUMOR; MASS; FLUID COLLECTION
Definition: benign tumor of epithelial tissue with
glandular origin
13. ADENOTOME
PREFIX:
PREFIX DEFINITION:
1ST ROOT WORD: ADEN/O
1ST ROOT DEFINITION: GLAND
2ND ROOT WORD:
2ND ROOT WORD DEFINITION:
SUFFIX: -TOME
SUFFIX DEFINITION: INSTRUMENT TO CUT
Definition: instrument used to cut glands
14. ADIPOCYTE
PREFIX:
PREFIX DEFINITION:
1ST ROOT WORD: ADIP/O
1ST ROOT DEFINITION: FAT
2ND ROOT WORD:
2ND ROOT WORD DEFINITION:
SUFFIX: -CYTE
SUFFIX DEFINITION: CELL
Definition: cells that store fat
15. ADRENAL
PREFIX:
PREFIX DEFINITION:
1ST ROOT WORD: ADREN/O
1ST ROOT DEFINITION: ADRENAL GLAND
2ND ROOT WORD:
2ND ROOT WORD DEFINITION:
SUFFIX: -AL
SUFFIX DEFINITION: PERTAINING TO

Definition: pertaining to the adrenal gland

16. AEROSINUSITIS
PREFIX:
PREFIX DEFINITION:
1ST ROOT WORD: AER/O
1ST ROOT DEFINITION: AIR
2ND ROOT WORD: SINUS/O
2ND ROOT WORD DEFINITION: SINUS
SUFFIX: -ITIS
SUFFIX DEFINITION: INFLAMMATION
Definition: inflammation of the sinus due to difference
in air pressure
17. AGEUSIA
PREFIX: A-
PREFIX DEFINITION: NO; NOT; WITHOUT
1ST ROOT WORD:
1ST ROOT DEFINITION:
2ND ROOT WORD:
2ND ROOT WORD DEFINITION:
SUFFIX: -GEUSIA
SUFFIX DEFINITION: TASTE

Definition: without; no taste

18. ALLOPATHY
PREFIX:
PREFIX DEFINITION:
1ST ROOT WORD: ALL/O
1ST ROOT DEFINITION: OTHER
2ND ROOT WORD:
2ND ROOT WORD DEFINITION:
SUFFIX: -PATHY
SUFFIX DEFINITION: DISEASE; EMOTION
Definition: uses other practices to cure diseases
19. AMBIDEXTROUS
PREFIX: AMBI-
PREFIX DEFINITION: AROUND; ON BOTH SIDES; ABOUT
1ST ROOT WORD: DEXTR/O
1ST ROOT DEFINITION: RIGHT
2ND ROOT WORD:
2ND ROOT WORD DEFINITION:
SUFFIX: -OUS
SUFFIX DEFINITION: PERTAINING TO
Definition: pertaining to the use of both right and left hands
equally
20. AMNESIA
PREFIX: A-
PREFIX DEFINITION: NO; NOT; WITHOUT
1ST ROOT WORD:
1ST ROOT DEFINITION:
2ND ROOT WORD:
2ND ROOT WORD DEFINITION:
SUFFIX: -MNESIA
SUFFIX DEFINITION: MEMORY

Definition: no memory
PREFIXES SUFFIXES -tome=instrument to
-al = pertaining to cut
a- no; not; without -ion= process -cyte=cell
an- not; not; without -oma=tumor -it is= inflammation
ab- away from -plasia=development -geusia=taste
ad- toward -pathy=disease
-meter=measure
-megaly=enlargement -ous=pertaining to
-ion=process -mnesia=memory