Medical Terminology
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Prefixes, roots, suffixes
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Prefix: A prefix is placed at the beginning of a
word to modify or change its meaning. Pre means "before." Prefixes
may also indicate a location, number, or time.
Root: central part of a word.
Suffix: The ending part of a word that modifies the
meaning of the word. Example: homeless. Root = 'home' and the suffix
is 'less'. It can also refer to a condition, disease, disorder, or
procedure. |
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Term
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Meaning
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| macro- |
large |
| mal- |
bad |
| -malacia |
softening |
| malleol/o |
malleolus |
| mamm/o |
breast |
| mandibul/o |
mandible (lower jaw bone) |
| -mania |
obsessive preoccupation |
| mast/o |
breast |
| mastoid/o |
mastoid process (behind the ear) |
| maxill/o |
maxilla (upper jaw bone) |
| meat/o |
meatus (opening) |
| medi/o |
middle |
| mediastin/o |
mediastinum |
| medull/o |
medulla (inner section); middle; soft, marrow |
| mega- |
large |
| -megaly |
enlargement |
| melan/o |
black |
| men/o |
menses; menstruation |
| mening/o |
meninges (membranes covering the spinal cord & brain) |
| meningi/o |
meninges |
| ment/o |
mind; chin |
| meso- |
middle |
| meta- |
change; beyond |
| metacarp/o |
metacarpals (hand bones) |
| metatars/o |
metatarsals (foot bones) |
| -meter |
measure |
| metr/o |
uterus (womb); measure |
| metri/o |
uterus (womb) |
| mi/o |
smaller; less |
| micro- |
small |
| -mimetic |
mimic; copy |
| -mission |
to send |
| mon/o |
one; single |
| morph/o |
shape; form |
| mort/o |
death |
| -mortem |
death |
| -motor |
movement |
| muc/o |
mucus |
| mucos/o |
mucous membrane (mucosa) |
| multi- |
many |
| mut/a |
genetic change |
| mutagen/o |
causing genetic change |
| my/o |
muscle |
| myc/o |
fungus |
| mydr/o |
wide |
| myel/o |
spinal cord; bone marrow |
| myocardi/o |
myocardium (heart muscle) |
| myom/o |
muscle tumor |
| myos/o |
muscle |
| myring/o |
tympanic membrane (eardrum) |
| myx/o |
mucus |
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Term
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Meaning
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| narc/o |
numbness; stupor; sleep |
| nas/o |
nose |
| nat/i |
birth |
| natr/o |
sodium |
| necr/o |
death |
| nect/o |
to bind, tie, connect |
| neo- |
new |
| nephr/o |
kidney |
| neur/o |
nerve |
| neutr/o |
neither; neutral; neutrophil |
| nid/o |
nest |
| noct/o |
night |
| norm/o |
rule; order |
| nos/o |
disease |
| nucle/o |
nucleus |
| nulli- |
none |
| nyct/o |
night |
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