Medical Terminology: Root Words

• Root word: Acanth(o)
  Meaning: Spiny, thorny
  Example: acanthion - the tip of the anterior nasal spine
• Root word: Actin(o)
  Meaning: Light
  Example: Actinotherapy - ultraviolet light therapy used in dermatology
• Root word: Aer(o)
  Meaning: Air, gas
  Example: Aerosol - liquid or particulate matter dispersed in air, gas, or vapor form
• Root word: Alge, algesi, algio, algo
  Meaning: Pain
  Example: Analgesic - a pain reducing agent
• Root word: Amyl(o)
  Meaning: Starch
  Example: Amylolysis - hydrolysis of starch unto soluable products
• Root words: Andro
  Meaning: Masculine
  Example: Androsterone - a steroid metabolite found in male urine
• Root words: Athero
  Meaning: Plaque, fatty substance
  Example: Atheroembolism - cholesterol embolism originating from an atheroma
• Root qord: Bacill(i)
  Meaning: Bacilli, bacteria
  Example: Bacillemia - presence of bacilli in the blood
• Root word: Bacteri(o)
  Meaning: Bacteria
  Example: Bacteriocin - a protien toxin produced and released by bacteria
• Root word: Bar(o)
  Meaning: Weight, pressure
  Example: Bartaxis - reaction of living tissue to changes in pressure
• Root words: Bas(o), basi(o)
  Meaning: Base
  Example: Basoplasm - part of cytoplasm that stains readily with basic dyes
• Root words: Bio-
  Meaning: Life
  Example: Biopsy - sampling of tissue from living patients
• Root words: Blast(o)
  Meaning: Immature cells
  Example: blastoma - a neoplasm composed of immature cells
• Root words: Cac(o)
  Meaning: Bad, ill
  Example: cacomelia - congenital deformity of one or more limbs
• Root words: Calc(o), calci(o)
  Meaning: Calcium
  Example: Calcipenia - a condition of insufficient calcium
• Root words:Carcin(o)
  Meaning: Cancer
  Example: Carcinogen - cancer-producing substance
• Root words: Chem (o)
  Meaning: Chemical
  Example: Chemotherapy - the treatment of disease by the use of chemicals
• Root words: Chlor (o)
  Meaning: Chlorine, Green
  Example: Chloropenia - a deficiency in chloride
• Root words: Chondrio, Chondro
  Meaning: Cartilage, grainy, gritty
  Example: Chondropathy - ant diese of the cartilage
• Root words: Chore (o)
  Meaning: Dance
  Example: Choreoathetosis - abnormal body movements
• Root word: Chrom, Chromat, Chromo
  Meaning: Color
  Example: Chromatism - abnormal pigmentation
• Root word: Chrono
  Meaning: Time
  Example: Chonopharmicology - the study of the effects of drugs based on the timing of biological events and cycles.
• Root word: Chyl (o)
  Meaning: Chyle, digestive juice
  Example: Chylidrosis - sweating of milky fluid that resembles chyle
• Root word: Chym (o)
  Meaning: Chyme, semifluid produced of chyl and partially digested food
  Example: Chymorrhe - the flow of chyme
• Root word: Cine (o)
  Meaning: Movement
  Example: Cineradiography - the radiography of an organism on motion
• Root word: Coni (o)
  Meaning: Dust
  Example: Coniosis - any disease or morbid condition caused by dust
• Root word: Crin (o)
  Meaning: Secrete
  Example: Crinin - an old term for a substance that stimulates the production of secretion by specific glands
• Root word: Cry (o)
  Meaning: Cold
  Example: Cryospasm - movement of muscles caused by cold
• Root word: Crypt (o)
  Meaning: Hidden, Obscure
  Example: Cryptorchidism - failure of one or both testicals to descend
• Root word: Cyan (o)
  Meaning: Blue
  Example: Cyanosis - a darkblue or purplish color to the skin or mucous membranes
• Root word: Cycl (o)
  Meaning: Circle, Cycle, Cilliary body
  Example: Cyclectomy - excision of a portion of a ciliary body
• Root word: Cyst, Cyst (o)
  Meaning: Bladder, Cyst, Cystic duct
  Example: Cystitis - inflammation of the urinary bladder
• Root word: Cyt (o)
  Meaning: Cell
  Example: Cytocidal - causing the death of cells
• Root word: Dextr (o)
  Meaning: Right, toward right
  Example: Dexter - leaning toward or relating to the right side
• Root word: Dips (o)
  Meaning: Thirsty
  Example: Polydipsia - excessively thirsty
• Root word: Dors (o), dorsi
  Meaning: Back
  Example: Dorsolumbar - the lower back
• Root word: Dynamo
  Meaning: Force, energy
  Example: Dynamogenic - Power produced by muscular and neural activity
• Root word: Echo
  Meaning: Reflected sound
  Example: Echographer - an ultrasonographer
• Root word: Electro (o)
  Meaning: Electricity, electric
  Example: Electrolyte - A compound in body fluid that conducts electricity
• Root word:Eosin (o)
  Meaning: Red, rosy
  Example: Eosiniphobia - A morbid fear of the dawn
• Root word: Ergo
  Meaning: Work
  Example: Ergodynamograph - Used to record the degree of muscle force and the amount of work done by muscle contraction
• Root word: Erythro (o)
  Meaning: Red, redness
  Example: Erythrocatalysis - Phagocytosis of RBC
• Root word: Esthesio
  Meaning: Sedation, perception
  Example: Esthesiology - The study of sensory phenomenon
• Root word: Ethmo
  Meaning: Ethmoid bone
  Example: Ethmoiditis - Inflammation of the ethmoid sinuses
• Root word: Etio
  Meaning: Cause
  Example: Etiology - The study of the cause of diseases and their mode of operation
• Root word: Fibr (o)
  Meaning: Fiber
  Example: Fibroadipose - Relating to or containing both fibrous and fatty structures
• Root word: Fluor (o)
  Meaning: Light, luminous, fluorine
  Example: Fluorocyte - Term used for a reticulocyte that exhibits fluorescence
• Root word: Fungi
  Meaning: Fungus
  Example: Fungitoxic - Poisonous to the growth of fungus
• Root word: Galact (o)
  Meaning: Milk
  Example: Galactocele - Retention of cyst caused by a blocked or narrowing milk duct
• Root word: Gen (o)
  Meaning: Producing, being born
  Example: Genotoxic - A substance that damages DNA and causes in utero mutation or cancer
• Root word: Gero, geront (o)
  Meaning: Old age
  Example: Gerontotherapy - Treatment of disease in the aged
• Root word: Gluco
  Meaning: Glucose
  Example: Glucopenia - low blood sugar
• Root word: Glyco
  Meaning: Sugars
  Example: Glycolipid - A lipid with one or more covalently attached sugar
• Root word: Gonio
  Meaning: Angle
  Example: Gonioscope - A lens designed for the study of the angle of the anterior chamber of the eye
• Root word: Granulo
  Meaning: Granular
  Example: Granuloplastic - forming granules
• Root word: Gyn (o), gyne, gyneco
  Meaning: Women
  Example: Gynecology - The study of genitalia diseases, endocrinology, and reproductive physiology in women
• Root word: Home (o), homo
  Meaning: Same, constant
  Example: Homonuclear - A cell line that retains the original chromosome complement
• Root word: Hydro (o)
  Meaning: Hydrogen, water
  Example: Hydropenia - Reduction or deprivation of water
• Root word: Hypn (o)
  Meaning: Sleep
  Example: Hypnopompic - The occurrence of visions or dreams during a drowsy state following sleep
• Root word: Iatr (o)
  Meaning: Physician, treatment
  Example: Iatrogenic - The response to medical or surgical treatment, usually when response is unfavorable
• Root word: Ichthy (o)
  Meaning: Dry, scaly, fish
  Example: Ichthyism - Poisoning by eating stale fish
• Root word: Idio
  Meaning: Distinct, unknown
  Example: Idiopathic - Of unknown origin
• Root word: Immun (o)
  Meaning: Safe, immune
  Example: Immunosuppressant - An agent that weakens or suppress the immune system
• Root word: Kal (i)
  Meaning: Potassium
  Example: Hypokalemia - Too little potassium present in the blood
• Root word: Karyo
  Meaning: Nucleus
  Example: Karyoplast - A cell nucleus surrounded by a narrow band of cytoplasm and plasma membrane
• Root word: Ket (o), keton (o)
  Meaning: Ketone, acetone
  Example: Ketoacidosis - Acidosis, usually in diabetics or anorexics, caused by enhanced production of ketone bodies
• Root word: Kin (o), kine
  Meaning: Movement
  Example: Kinometer - An instrument used to measure movement
• Root word: Kinesi (o), kineso
  Meaning: Motion
  Example: Kinesthesia - The sense perception of movement
• Root word: Kyph (o)
  Meaning: Humpback
  Example: Kyphoplasty - Injection of bone cement into a compressed vertebra
• Root word: Lact (o), lacti
  Meaning: Milk
  Example: Lactate - To produce milk in the mammary glands
• Root word: Latero
  Meaning: Lateral, to one side
  Example: Laterotrusion - The movement of the jaw bone when chewing
• Root word: Lepto
  Meaning: Light, frail, thin
  Example: Leptocephalous - Having an abnormally tall, narrow cranium
• Root word: Leuk (o)
  Meaning: White
  Example: Leukocytosis - A condition of elevated WBC
• Root word: Lip (o)
  Meaning: Fat
  Example: Liposuction - Removal of unwanted fat by use of a suction cannulae
• Root word: Lith (o)
  Meaning: Stone
  Example: Ureterolithiasis - Formation of one or more calculi in one or both ureters
• Root word: Log (o)
  Meaning : Speech, words, thoughts
  Example: Logopathy - Speech disorder
• Root word: Lys (o)
  Meaning: Dissolution
  Example: Lysis - The destruction of RBC, bacteria, ect. by a specific lysin
• Root word: Macr (o)
  Meaning: Large, long
  Example: Macroscopic - Visible to the naked eye
• Root word: Medi (o)
  Meaning: Middle, medial place
  Example: Mediodorsal - Relating to the median and dorsal planes
• Root word: Meg (a), megal (o)
  Meaning: Large, million
  Example: Megalocardia - Enlarged heart
• Root word: Melan (o)
  Meaning: Black, dark
  Example: Melanuria - Excretion of dark colored urine
• Root word: Mes (o)
  Meaning: Middle, median
  Example: Mesocardia - Atypical location of the heart in the central thorax
• Root word: Micr (o)
  Meaning: Small, one-millionth, tiny
  Example: Microscopic - Visible only with the aid of a microscope; of minute size.
• Root word: Mio
  Meaning: Smaller, less
  Example: Miosis - Contraction of the pupil
• Root word: Morph (o)
  Meaning: Structure, shape
  Example: Morphosis - Mode of development of a part
• Root word: Narco
  Meaning: Sleep, numbness
  Example: Narcolepsy - Sleep disorder causing frequent day sleep and interrupted night sleep
• Root word: Necr (o)
  Meaning: Death, dying
  Example: Necrosis - Pathological death of one or more cells, tissue, or organs with irreversible changes
• Root word: Noct (i)
  Meaning: Night
  Example: Nocturnal - pertaining to the hours of darkness
• Root word: Norm (o)
  Meaning: Normal
  Example: Normobaric - The barometric pressure equivalent to the pressure at sea level
• Root word: Nucle
  Meaning: Nucleus
  Example: Nucleon - One of the subatomic partials of anomic partials, ex. Proton
• Root word: Nyct (o)
  Meaning: Night
  Example: Nyctophobia - Morbid fear of night time or darkness
• Root word: Oncho, onco
  Meaning: Tumor
  Example: Oncology - The study of neoplastic growths
• Root word: Orth (o)
  Meaning: Straight, normal
  Example: Orthodontics - Dental specialty concerned with the correction of tooth placement
• Root word: Oxy
  Meaning: Sharp, acute, oxygen
  Example: Oxyphonia - Shrill or high pitch of the voice
• Root word: Pachy
  Meaning: Thick
  Example: Pachyblepharon - Thickening of the tarsal boarder of the eyelid
• Root word: Path (o)
  Meaning: Disease
  Example: Pathogen - Disease causing substance
• Root word: Phago
  Meaning: Eating, devouring, swallowing
  Example: Phagocyte - A cell that ingests bacteria and other intruders
• Root word: Pharmaco
  Meaning: Drugs, medicine
  Example: Pharmacology - The study of drugs
• Root word: Phon (o)
  Meaning: Sound, voice, speech
  Example: Phonetics - The science of speech and pronunciation
• Root word: Phot (o)
  Meaning: Light
  Example: Photogen - A microorganism that produced luminescence
• Root word: Physic, physio
  Meaning: Physical, natural
  Example: Physiotherapeutic - Pertaining to physical therapy
• Root word: Physo
  Meaning: Air, gas, growing
  Example: Physocele - Herniated sac distended with gas
• Root word: Phyt (o)
  Meaning: Plant
  Example: Phytodermatitis - Dermatitis caused by skin contacting and reacting to specific plants
• Root word: Plasma, plasmo
  Meaning: Formative, plasma
  Example: Plasmoschisis - The splitting of protoplasm into fragments
• Root wrd: Poikilo
  Meaning: Varied, irregular
  Example: Poikiloblast - A nucleated RBC of irregular shape
• Root word: Pseud (o)
  Meaning: False
  Example: Pseudoapraxia - A condition of exaggerated awkwardness in which an individual make wrong use of objects
• Root word: Pyo
  Meaning: Pus
  Example: Pyuria - Pus in the urine
• Root word: Pyreto
  Meaning: Fever
  Example: Pyretogenesis - The origin of a fever
• Root word: Pyro
  Meaning: Fever, fire, heat
  Example: Pyrolysis - Decomposition of a substance by heat
• Root word: Radio
  Meaning: Radiation, x-ray, radius
  Example: Radiologist - A physician trained in diagnostic / therapeutic use of x-ray and radionuclides
• Root word: Salping (o)
  Meaning: Tube
  Example: Salpingoophorectomy - Removal of the ovary and it’s uterine tube
• Root word: Schisto
  Meaning: Split
  Example: Schisocelia - Congenital fissure of the abdominal wall
• Root word: Schiz (o)
  Meaning: Split, division
  Example: Schizotonia - Division of the distribution of tone in the muscle
• Root word: Scler (o)
  Meaning: Hardness, hardening
  Example: Scleroblastema - The embryonic tissue entering into the formation of bone
• Root word: Scolio
  Meaning; Cooked, bent
  Example: Scoliosis - Condition of abnormal lateral and rotational spine curvature
• Root word: Scoto
  Meaning: Darkness
  Example: Scotopic - Referring to low illumination in which the eye is dark adapted
• Root word: Sidero
  Meaning: Iron
  Example: Siderocyte - An erythrocyte containing granules of free iron
• Root word: Sito
  Meaning: Food, grain
  Example: Sitosterol - A plant-derived chemical similar to cholesterol, commonly found in wheat germ, soy beans, and corn oil.
• Root word: Somat (o)
  Meaning: Body
  Example: Somatalgia - Pain in the body
• Root word: Sono
  Meaning: Sound
  Example: Ultrasonography - containing few or no echoes of sound waves
• Root word: Spasmo
  Meaning: Spasm
  Example: Spasmogen - A substance causing a smooth muscle to contract
• Root word: Sphere (o)
  Meaning: Round, spherical
  Example: Sphereocytosis - The presence of sheric RBCs in the blood
• Root word; Spir (o)
  Meaning: Breath, breathe
  Example: Spiroscope - A device for measuring air capacity in the lungs
• Root word: Squamo
  Meaning: Scale, squamous
  Example: Squamocellular - Relating to or having squamous epithelium
• Root word: Staphyl (o)
  Meaning: Grapelike cluster
  Example:Staphylococcus - Common species that is the cause of a variety of infections
• Root word: Steno
  Meaning: Narrowness
  Example: Stenosis - A narrowing or stricture of any canal or orifice
• Root word: Stere (o)
  Meaning: Three-dimensional
  Example: Stereology - A study of three-dimensional aspects of a cell or microscopic structure
• Root word: Strepto
  Meaning: Twisted chains, streptococci
  Example: Streptococcus - A common organism that causes various infections
• Root word: Styl (o)
  Meaning: Peg-shaped
  Example: Stylomastoid - Relating to the styloid and mastoid processes of the temporal bone
• Root word: Syring (o)
  Meaning:
  Example: Syringe - An instrument used for injecting or withdrawing fluid
• Root word: Tel (o), tele (o)
  Meaning: Distant, end, complete
  Example: Teletherapy - Radiation treatment administered with the source at a distance from the body
• Root word: Terato
  Meaning: Monster (as in malformed fetus)
  Example: Teratogen - An agent that causes a malformed fetus
• Root word: Therm (o)
  Meaning: Heat
  Example: Thermometer - An instrument used to measure temperature
• Root word: Tono
  Meaning: Tension, pressure
  Example: Tonometry - Measurement of tension ex. Blood pressure
• Root word: Top (o)
  Meaning: Place, topical
  Example: Topophobia - A neurotic dread of a particular place
• Root word:Tox (i), toxico, toxo
  Meaning: Poison, toxin
  Example: Toxicoid - Having an action like that of a poison
• Root word: Tropho
  Meaning: Food, nutrition
  Example: Trophodynamics - The dynamics of nutrition or the metabolism (nutritional energy)
• Root word: Vivi
  Meaning: Life
  Example: Vivisection - Any cutting operation on a living animal for purposes of experimentation
• Root word: Xanth (o)
  Meaning: Yellow
  Example: Xanthoma - A yellow nodule or plaque
• Root word: Xeno
  Meaning: Stranger
  Example: Xenograft - A graft transfer from one species to another
• Root word: Xer (o)
  Meaning: Dry
  Example: Xerochilia - Dryness of the lips
• Root word: Xiph (o)
  Meaning: Sword, xiphoid
  Example: Xiphopagus - Conjoined twins united in the region of the xiphoid process
• Root word: Zo (o)
  Meaning: Life
  Example: Zoograft - A graft from an animal to a human
• Root word: Zym (o)
  Meaning: Fermentation, enzyme
  Example: Zygote - Diploid cell resulting from the union of a sperm and a secondary oocyte