Medical TERMINOLOGY - A thru Z

GlobalRPh Medical Terminology Section- Letter P

[Medical Terminology References]*Alphabetical listing of med terms*Quiz yourself - Speed learning*Prefixes denoting numbers*Prefixes denoting position and/or direction*Prefixes denoting measurement*Common Prefixes*Negative prefixes*Medical Terminology Noun Suffixes*Adjective Suffixes*Common suffixesWord Building Reference [POPULAR REFERENCE]**Combining forms for color*Instruments, surgical, and diagnostic*Specialties and specialists med terms*Whole body Medical Terminology Medical Terminology Exams

Medical terminology is used to precisely describe the human body components, processes, illnesses, medical procedures, and pharmacology. Medical terms are used in the field of medicine, and clinical settings. This section deals with all med terms beginning with the letter P, and features medical roots, prefixes and suffixes. Introduction to Medical Terminology.

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Medical Terminology - Letter P 

Quiz yourself / speed learning

 

pachy-

heavy; thick

-pagus

conjoined twins

palat/o

palate (roof of mouth)

pale/o

old

pali-

recurrence, repetition

palliat/o

to soothe, relieve

palpebr/o

eyelid

palp/o, palpat/o

to touch gently

palpit/o

flutter, throbbing

pan-

all

pancreat/o

pancreas

pant/o

all, whole

papill/o

nipple-like; optic disc

papul/o

papule, pimple

par-

other than; abnormal

para-

near; beside; abnormal; apart from; along the side of

-para

to bear, bring forth (live births)

-parous

to bear, bring forth

parasit/o

parasite

parathyroid/o

parathyroid glands

-paresis

weakness

-pareunia

sexual intercourse

-partum

birth; labor

patell/a

patella

patell/o

patela

path/o

disease

-pathy

disease; emotion

pector/o

chest

pedicul/o

louse

ped/o

child; foot

pelv/i

pelvis; hip region

pelv/o

pelvis; hip region

pend/o

to hang

-penia

deficiency

-pepsia

digestion

per-

through

percuss/o

to tap

peri-

surrounding

perine/o

perineum

peritone/o

peritoneum

per/o

deformed, maimed

perone/o

fibula

perspir/o

breathe through

petr/o

stone, petrous region of temporal bone

-pexy

fixation; to put in place

phac/o

lens of eye

phag/o

eat; swallow

-phage

eat; swallow

-phagia

eating; swallowing

phak/o

lens of eye

phalang/o

phalanges (of fingers and toes)

phall/o

penis

phaner/o

visible, apparent

pharmac/o

drug

pharmaceut/o

drug

pharyng/o

throat (pharynx)

phas/o

speech

-phasia

speech

phe/o

dusky; dark

-pheresis

removal

phil/o

like; love; attraction to

-phil

attraction for

-philia

attraction for

phim/o

muzzle

phleb/o

vein

phob/o

fear

-phobia

fear

phon/o

voice; sound

-phonia

voice; sound

-phor/o

to bear

-phoresis

carrying; transmission

-phoria

to bear, carry; feeling (mental state)

phosphat/o

phosphate

phot/o

light

phren/o

diaphragm; mind

-phthisis

wasting away

-phylaxis

protection

phyl/o

race, species, type

physi/o

nature; function

physic/o

physical, natural

-physis

to grow

phys/o

air, gas

phyt/o

plant

-phyte

plant

picr/o

bitter

pies/i, -piesis

pressure

pil/o

hair

pimel/o

fat, fatty

pineal/o

pineal gland

pin/o

to drink

pituitar/o

pituitary gland

-plakia

plaque

plan/o

flat, level, wandering

plant/o

sole of the foot

plas/o

development; formation

-plasia

development; formation

-plasm

formation; structure

-plastic

pertaining to formation

-plasty

surgical repair

platy-

broad, flat

ple/o

more; many

-plegia

paralysis; palsy

-plegic

paralysis; palsy

pleur/o

pleura

plex/o

plexus; network (of nerves)

-pnea

breathing

pneum/o

lung; air; gas

pneumon/o

lung; air; gas

pod/o

foot

-poiesis

formation

-poietin

substance that forms

poikil/o

varied; irregular

pol/o

extreme

polio-

gray matter (of brain or spinal cord)

poly-

many; much

polyp/o

polyp; small growth

pont/o

pons ( a part of the brain)

por/o, -pore

opening, passageway

-porosis

condition of pores (spaces)

-posia

drinking

posit/o

arrangement, place

post-

after; behind

poster/o

back (of body); behind

-prandial

meal

-praxia

action

pre-

before; in front of

presby/o

old age

primi-

first

pro-

before; forward

proct/o

anus and rectum

pros-

before; forward

pros/o

forward, anterior

prosop/o

face

prostat/o

prostate gland

prot/o

first

prote/o

protein

proxim/o

near

prurit/o

itching

psamm/o

sand, sand-like material

pseudo-

false

psor/o

itching

psych/o

mind

psychr/o

cold

-pterygium

abnormality of the conjunctiva

-ptosis

droop; sag; prolapse; protrude

ptyal/o

saliva

-ptysis

spitting

pub/o

pubis (anterior part of hip bone)

pulmon/o

lung

puls/o, pulsat/o

to beat, beating

-puncture

to pierce a surface

pupill/o

pupil (dark center of eye)

purpur/i

purple

purul/o

pus

py/o

pus

pycn/o

thick, dense

pyel/o

renal pelvis

pyl/e

portal vein

pylor/o

pylorus; pyloric sphincter

pyr/o

fever; fire

pyret/o

fever

pyrex/o

fever

 

 

Word Building and Medical Terms beginning with the letter P

Quiz yourself / speed learning

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P

More content is on its way... Check out the resources below.

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Increasing your understanding of medical terminology

Additional references:

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Word Building Reference- This resource strengthens your understanding of medical terminology. See how common medical terms are created using the various prefixes, suffixes, and root words.

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Medical Terminology Intuitive Section This section was developed for 'speed learning' of medical terminology. Start by reviewing the meanings for a block of medical terms, and then go back and choose a previous term randomly and try to recall the meaning of that particular medical term before hovering over the term to determine the answer. These frequent mini-tests will accelerate the learning process and in a relatively short period of time, you will be able to quickly recall the meaning of all of the listed medical terms. This method of learning is superior to flash cards because of the frequent exposure and testing of your recall.

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