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Medical Terminology
Medical Terms
Root | Meaning |
---|---|
gastro | stomach |
cutis | skin |
dent | teeth |
derma | skin |
hapsia | touch |
odont | teeth |
onco | tumor |
onychia | nail bed |
pedicular | lice |
prurigo | itching |
psora | itch |
sarvo | flesh |
sclero | hard |
squama | scaly |
tricho | hair |
chole | bile, gallbladder |
colon | large intestine |
emesis | vomiting |
entero | intestine |
glosso | tongue |
hepat | liver |
ile | ilieum |
laparo | abdomen |
myxo | mucus |
procto | anus, rectum |
pyloro | pylorus, gate keeper |
stoma | opening, mouth |
viscero | body organs |
adeno | gland |
calculi | stone |
cele | tumor, cyst; hernia |
cyto | cell |
glyco | sweet, sugar |
homeo, homo | similar, same, like |
lingua | tongue |
lip | fat |
lith | stone |
madaro | falling hair |
psych | mind |
pyo | pus |
radi | rays |
thermic | heat |
arthro | joint |
carpo | wrist |
chondro | cartilage |
costa | rib |
cranio | skull |
dactyl | finger |
ili | hip |
manus | hand |
myel | bone marrow |
myo | muscle |
ortho | straighten |
osteo | bone |
pedi | foot |
spondyl | vertabra |
angio | vessel |
aortal | aorta, main artery |
arterio | artery |
cardio | heart |
emboli | vessel obstruction |
emia | blood |
hema hemo | blood |
phleb | vein |
thrombo | blood clot |
varico | varicose veins |
vaso | blood vessel |
vena | vein |
ventricu | heart cavity |
broncho | bronchi, airway |
cili | hairlike processes |
ectasis | expansion |
laryngo | larynx, voice box |
naso | nose |
oro | mouth |
oxy | oxygen, keen |
pector | breast, chest |
pleura | rib side |
pneumo | lung |
ptysis | to spit |
pulmo | lungs |
rhin | nose |
tracheo | trachea, windpipe |
creatinine | a waste material in urine |
cysto | bladder |
glomerulo | nephron part; little ball |
nephro | kidney |
peritoneo | lining of abdominal organs |
pyelo | pelvis |
reni | kidney |
uretero | ureter |
urethro | urethra |
uri | urine |
uric | pertaining to urine |
urina | urine |
uro | urine |
bulbo | bulblike; bulbourethral gland |
cervi | neck; uterus |
galacto | milk |
genito | reproductive system |
hyster | uterus |
lactin | milk |
mast | breast |
metr | uterus |
natal | born |
oophoro | ovary |
orchido | testicle |
ova, ovi, ovo | egg |
salping | tube; fallopian |
sperma spermato | seed |
vas | duct, vessel |
audio | sound |
cerebro | brain |
encephalo | brain |
esthesia | sensation |
anesthesia | without sensation |
medulla | brain middle |
meningo | membranes; spinal cord |
neuro | nerves |
occiput | back of skull |
oculo | eye |
ophthalmo | eye |
oto | ear |
parietes | parietel; wall part |
pons | bridges |
tempora | temporal |
a, an | without, -anonymous |
ab | away from, -abduction |
ad | toward, -adventure |
algia | pain |
ante | before; wall part, -antepartum |
anti | against, -antifreeze |
bi | two, double, -bilateral |
brady | slow, -bradycardia (slow heartbeat) |
circum | around, -circumcision |
co, con | together, -coexist |
de | down, away from, -dehydrate |
desis | binding, fixation of, -arthrodesis (surgical fixation of a joint) |
dia | through, -diagonal |
dys | difficult, abnormal, -dysfunctional |
ecto | outside, -ectocornea (outer layer of the cornea) |
ectomy | excision, -tonsillectomy |
endo | within, -endogastric |
epi | outer, on top of, over, -epicurean (top of the line) |
exo | away from, -exotic |
extra | outside, beyond, -extrasensory (beyond senses) |
fero | iron, -ferrokinetics (study of iron metabolism) |
fore | before, -forehead |
form | shape of, -renoform (kidney shaped) |
graphy | writing, record, |
hemi | half, -hemisphere (half circle) |
hydra, hydro | water, -hydrophobia (fear of) |
hyper | above, -hypertension |
hypo | below, -hypothermia |
iasis | condition of |
iatric | medicine -pediatric |
ic | pertaining to, -enteric (pertaining to the small intestines), hispanic |
inter | between, -intercostal, intermission |
intra | within, -intra-aortic |
isis, asis | condition of, -metastasis (condition of change in location or spreading) |
itis | inflamation, -gastritis, gingivitis |
juxta | near |
kinesis | movement, -metakinesis (moving apart) |
kypho | humped, -kyphosis (humpbacked) |
logia, logy | science of, -cardiology (logic) |
lysis | disintegration, -analysis (breakdown of information) |
macro | large, long |
malacia | softening, -chondromalacia (soft cartilage) |
med, medi, medio | middle, -mediate |
mega, megaly | enlarged |
micro | small |
mono | single, one, -single cell mononucleosis |
multi | many |
neo | new |
ob | against |
oid | like, shape; resemble, -android (human like) |
oliga | few |
ology | study of |
oma | tumor |
osis | condition, -pediculosis (condition of lice infestation) |
otomy | incision, -craniotomy (skull incision) |
ectomy | removal |
pachy | thick |
para | near; departure from the norm |
path | disease |
pathology | study of disease |
penia | deficiency |
peri | around, -perimeter (border) |
systolic | high number |
diastolic | low number |
pexy | fixation, suspension, -retinopexy (surgical repair of a detached retina) |
phobia | fear of |
phoresis | transmission |
plasty | plastic surgical correction |
plegia | paralysis; stroke, -paraplegia (paralysis from the waist down) |
poly | many, -polyarthritis (arthritis in numerous joints) |
post | after |
pre | before |
pro | in front of; on behalf of |
psuedo | false |
ptosis | falling |
re | back, again, -reaction, reflex |
retro | backward |
rrhaphy | suture |
rhexis | rupture |
scopy | exam |
semi | half |
sphygmo | pulse |
sub | below |
super, supra | above |
sym, syn | together |
tachy | swift, fast |
tele | distance |
toxo | poison |
trans | across |
tri | three |
ultra | above |
uni | one |
xeno | foreign |
xero | dry, -xerochilia (chapped lips) |
albus | white |
chloro | green |
chrom | color, -chrome (shiny) |
cirrhosis | yellow condition |
cyano | blue |
erythr | red |
leuko | white |
melano | black |
polio | gray |
purpura | purple; porphyria |
rhodo | rose |
rubeo | red |
xantho | yellow |
a | before |
aa | of each |
abd | abdomen |
a.c. | before meals |
ADL | activity of daily living |
ad lib | as desired |
a.m. | morning |
amt | amount |
AROM | active range of motion |
AX | axillary (under arm) |
BID | two times a day |
BRP | bathroom privileges |
C* | celsius |
c with line over it | with (water) |
cal | calorie |
cath | catheter |
CBR | complete bedrest |
cc | cubic centimeter |
CHF | congestive heart failure |
cm | centimeter |
CN | charge nurse |
CNS | central nervous system |
c/o | complains of |
DC | discontinue |
D O N | director of nurses |
DX | diagnosis |
F | farenheit |
fx | fracture |
GI | gastrointentinal |
gtt | drop |
GU | genitoury |
h | hour |
HOH | hard of hearing |
HOB | head of bed |
HS | hour of sleep |
I/O | intake and output |
kg | kilogram |
L | liter |
LE/LLE/LUE | lower extremity, lower left extremity, lower upper extremity |
Lt | left |
MI | myocardial infarction (heart attack) |
mm | milimeter |
noc | at night (nocturnal) |
NPO | nothing by mouth |
N/V | nausea and vomiting |
O.D. | right eye |
O.S. | left eye |
OOB | out of bed |
O.U. | both eyes |
p with line above it | after |
P | pulse |
p.c. | after meals |
PO | by mouth |
prn | as needed |
PROM | passive range of motion |
pt. | patient |
qd | every day |
qh | every hour |
q2h | every 2 hours |
qid | 4 times a day |
qod | every other day |
QNS | quantity not sufficient |
QS | quantity sufficient |
R with circle around it (registered trademark) | rectal |
R | respirations (breaths per minute) |
RE/RUE/RLE | right extremity, right upper extremity, right left extremity |
ROM | range of motion |
Rx | prescription (recipe of prescription) |
S with a line over | without |
sig | write, to be labeled (Rx sig) |
SOB | shortness of breath |
ss | half (solo semi) |
SSE | soap suds enema (colonoscopy) |
staph | staphylococcus |
stat | immediately |
strep | streptococcus |
syr | syrup |
T | temperature |
tab | tablet |
tid | three times a day |
TO | telephone order |
TPR | temperature, pulse, and respirations |
UP | universal precautions |
UTI | urinary tract infection |
URI | upper respiratory infection |
v.o. | verbal order |
v.s. | vital signs |
W/C | wheelchair |
wt. | weight |
CCU | coronary care unit |
ICU | intensive care unit |
CS | central supply |
EENT | eyes, ears, nose, throat |
ER | emergency room |
GI | gastrointestinal lab |
lab | laboratory |
MICU | medical intensive care unit |
NICU | neuro intensive care unit; neonatal intensive care unit) |
OR | operating room |
pedi, peds | pediatric |
PT, RT | physical and respiratory therapy |
SICU | surgical intensive care unit |
ABG | arterial blood gas |
ACP | acute care panel |
BUN | blood urea nitrogen |
C&S | culture and sensitivity |
CBC | complete blood count |
chem | chemistry |
CSF | cerebral spinal fluid |
CXR | chest xray |
DPT | diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus |
FBS | fasting blood sugar |
HCT | hematocrit |
Hgb | hemoglobin |
lytes | electrolytes |
O&P | ova and parasites |
O2 | oxygen |
RBC | red blood cells |
TB | tuberculosis |
UA | urinalysis |
WBC | white blood cells |
Ca | calcium |
Cl | chloride |
CRE | creatinine |
Fe | iron |
Glu | glucose |
K+ | potassium |
Na | sodium |
NaHCO3 | sodium bicarbonate |
anterior | front side |
distal | farthest point away |
dorsal | backside |
high fowlers | sitting at a 90° angle |
inferior | below |
lateral | side of |
medial | middle |
peripheral | on the edge of or outside of |
posterior | rear or back of |
prone | lie on the front side facedown |
proximal | nearest |
superior | above |
supine | lie on back |
transverse | across |
ventral | to the belly |