5

Latin/Greek Roots and Affixation

SUFFIX

ROOT

PREFIXMEANINGTERMS AND DEFINITIONS

(SELF)-STUDY MATERIAL; (SELF)-EXAMINATION TEST

DIAGNOSTIC SUFFIXES AND COMPOUNDING ELEMENTS

- asthenweakness (a - neg. and sthen-strength)Neurasthenia: Nervous prostration

- emiabloodAnemia: Deficiency of red blood cells

- itisinflammationDermatitis: Inflammation of the skin

- omatumourCarcinoma: A malignant growth

- osisa condition, usually morbid also indicates an increasea. Neurosis: Functional disorder of the nervous system.b. Leucocytosis: Increased white cell count

- path- pathydisease, sufferingCardiopathy: Any disease of the heart

- phobiapersistent, abnormal fearClaustrophobia: Fear of being closed in

- ptosisdownward displacement, fallingGastroptosis: Downward displacement of the stomach

- rrhexisruptureHysterorrhexis Rupture of the uterus

- trophogrowthAtrophy: A wasting away

- tropicturning, changingCephalotropic: Having an affinity for (turning toward) brain tissue

OPERATIONAL SUFFIXES AND COMPOUNDING ELEMENTS

- centesispuncture or tappingCardiocentesis: Surgical puncture of the heart

- desisbinding or fixationArthrodesis: Surgical fixation of a joint

- ectomyexcision; a cutting outTansilectomy: Removal of tonsils

- ostomymaking an opening into (os-mouth)Colostomy: Making a more or less permanent opening into the colon

- otomyincision intoPhlebotomy: Opening into a vein (phlebos)

- oscopyinspection, examinationBronchoscopy: Examination of the bronchi with an endoscope

- pexyfixation, suspensionHysteropexy: Fixation of the uterus to the abdominal wall

- plastyplastic repair of; surgical correctionHernioplasty: Plastic repair of a hernia

SYMPTOMATIC SUFFIXES AND COMPOUNDING ELEMENTS

- algiapainOtalgia: Pain in the ear; earache

- odyniapainGastrodynia: Pain in the stomach

- genicproducingPathogenic: Giving origin to disease

- lysisbreaking down; dissolutionKeratolysis: Separation of the horny layer of the skin

- oidlikeFibroid: A tumour of fibrous tissue, resembling fibers

- peniadeficiency, decreaseLeucocytopenia: Decrease in number of white cells

- rheaflow or dischargeDiarrhea: Abnormal frequency and fluidity of stools

- rrhagiaexcessive flowHemorrhage: excessive bleeding

ROOTS

aden -glandAdenitis: Inflammation of a gland

angio -vesselAngiospasm: Spasmodic contraction of the blood vessels

arthr -jointArthritis: Inflammation of the joints

blephar -eyelidBlepharoplegia: Paralysis of an eyelid

bucca -cheekBuccolabial: Pertaining to the cheek and the lip

cardi -heartCardiodynia: Pain in the heart

cerebro -brainCerebral: Pertaining to the brain

cervi -neckCervical: Pertaining to the neck

cholebileCholangitis: Inflammation of the bile duct

cost -ribCostectomy: Excising or resecting a rib

crani -skullCranial: Pertaining to the skull

cysto -bladder; sacCystatrophia: Atrophy of the bladder

cyt -cellErythrocyte: Red blood cell

cut -skinCutaneous: Pertaining to the skin

dacry -tearDacryocystitis: Inflammation of the tear sac

denti -toothDentalgia: Toothache

derma -skinDermatosis: Disease affecting the true skin

encephal-brainEncephalitis: Inflammation of the brain

enter -intestineEnteroptosis: Downward displacement of the intestine

gastr -stomachGastric: Pertianing to the stomach

gloss -tongueGlossoplegia: Paralysis of the tongue

hem -bloodHyperemia: Excess of blood in any part of the body

hepat -liverHepatitis: Inflammation of the liver

hyster -uterusHysteropexy: Fixation of a displaced uterus by a surgical operation

gingiv -gumsGingivitis: Inflammation of the gums

laryng -larynxLaryngoscope: Instrument for ocular examination of the larynx

lip -fatLipoma: a fatty tumour

lith -stoneLithotomy: Removal of a stone by cutting into the bladder

myel -marrow (the spinal cord)Myelitis: Inflammation of the bone marrow or the spinal cord

myo -muscleMyalgia: Painful muscle

myring -ear drum (membrana tympani)Myringitis: Inflammation of the ear drum

nephr -kidneyNephrotoxic: Toxic or destructive to the kidney

neuro -nerveNeurasthenia: Nervous exhaustion

ophthalm-eyeOphthalmic: Pertaining to the eye

opt -vision or sightOptometer: A device for measuring the power and range of vision

os -(or -)mouthOral: Pertaining to the mouth

ot -earOtitis: Inflammation of the ear

osteo -boneOsteomalacia: Softening of the bone

palpebr -eyelidPalpebration: The act of winking

pharyng -throatPharyngoplasty: Plastic operation on the pharynx

phleb -veinPhlebitis: Inflammation of a vein

phren -(1) the mind;

(2) the diaphragm1) Schizophrenia: Disturbance of the mental functions; 2) Phrenohepatic: Pertaining to the diaphragm and the liver

- pneabreathingDyspnea: Difficult breathing

pneumo -lung; also air or breathingPneumothorax: Accumulation of the air or gas in the pleural cavity

pulmo -lungPulmonary: Pertaining to the lungs

pyel -pelvis (of the kidney)Pyelonephritis: Inflammation of the kidney and its pelvis

pyo -pusPyoderma: Any skin discharge characterized by pus formation

rhin -noseRhinitis: Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the nose

salping -tubeSalpingoscopy: Examination of the Eustachian tube

stomo -mouth; openingColostomy: Surgical formation of an opening into the colon

thoraco -chestThoracic: Pertaining to the chest

trache -neckTrachelocystitits: Inflammation of the neck of the bladder

viscer -organ (especially abdominal)Visceral: Pertaining to the internal organs

PREFIXES AND COMPOUNDING ELEMENTS

a, anwithout; notAsthenia: Without strength

ab -away from; offAbduct: To draw away from

ad -near; towardAdrenal: Near the kidney; adduct: to draw toward

ana -upward; bacward; again; excessiveAnaphylaxis: Unusual or exaggerated reaction to foreign protein; analysis: breaking down into component parts

ante -before (time or place)Antepartum: Before childbirth

anti -againstAntipruritic: Relieving or preventing itching

brady -slowBradysphygmia: Abnormal slowness of the pulse

co -, con -together, withCongenital: Born with; hereditary

contra -against; oppositeContraceptive: Anything used to prevent conception

dys -difficult, painful, badDyspnea: Painful breathing

ecto -outsideEctopic: Out of the normal place

endo -withinEndocrine: pertaining to internal secretion

epi -on, uponEpidermis: Outermost layer of the skin

erythro -redErythrocyte: Red blood cell

ex -away from, outside, withoutExpire: To breathe out

hyper -above, excessiveHypertension: Blood pressure above normal; high blood pressure

hypo -beneath, deficientHypodermic: Under the skin

hemi -halfHemiplegia: Paralysis of one half of the body

infra -belowInfratracheal: Beneath the trachea

inter -betweenIntermuscular: Situated between muscles

intra -withinIntracutaneous: Within the skin

leuko -leuco -whiteLeukocyte: A white blood corpuscle

mega -megalo -huge; very largeMegalocyte: An extremely large erythrocyte

neo -newNeonatal: Pertaining to the first four weeks of life

necro -relating to a dead bodyNecroscopy: A postmortem examination

oligo -scanty; fewOliguria: Diminished urine secretion

ortho -straight; normal; correctOrthopedic: Pertaining to the correction of deformities

para -beside; around; near; abnormalParanoia: A mental disease

patho -relating to diseasePathognomonic: Characteristic of a disease

peri -aroundPericardium: Membrane enclosing the heart

pro -in front of; forwardProlapse: Downward displacement of an organ

retro -backward; behindRetroversion: The tipping backward of an entire organ

sub -under; beneathSubcutaneous: Under the skin

supra -super -above, beyond; superiorSupraoccipital: Situated above the back part of the skull

syn -sym -with, together, besideSymphysis: The line of junction and fusion between bones

tachy -rapid, swiftTachypnea: Excessive rapidity of respiration

trans -across, overTransection: Incision across the long axis; a cross section