GlobalRPh Medical Terminology Section- Letter S
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 S, and features medical roots, prefixes and suffixes. Introduction to Medical Terminology.
Medical Terminology - Letter S
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sacchar/o
sugar
sacr/o
sacrum
salping/o
fallopian tube; auditory (eustachian) tube
-salpinx
fallopian tube; oviduct
sangu/i
blood
sanit/a
health
sapr/o
rotten, decay
sarc/o
flesh (connective tissue)
scapul/o
scapula; shoulder blade
-schisis
to split
schist/o
split, cleft
schiz/o
split
sinistr/o
left
scint/i
spark
scirrh/o
hard
scler/o
sclera (white of eye)
-sclerosis
hardening
scolec/o
worm
scoli/o
crooked; bent
-scope
instrument for visual examination
-scopy
visual examination
scot/o
darkness
seb/o
sebum
sebace/o
sebum
sect/o
to cut
semi-
half
semin/i
semen; seed
-sepsis
putrefaction
seps/o
infection
sept/o
partition
ser/o
serum, serous
seven
hepta-, sept-, septi-
sial/o
saliva
sialaden/o
salivary gland
sider/o
iron
sigmoid/o
sigmoid colon
silic/o
glass
sinus/o
sinus
-sis
state of; condition
sit/o
food
six
hex-, hexa-, sex-
skelet/o
skeleton
-sol
solution
somat/o
body
-some
body
somn/o
sleep
-somnia
sleep
son/o
sound
-spadia
to tear; cut
span/o
scanty, scarce
-spasm
sudden contraction of muscles
spectr/o
image, spectrum
sperm/o
spermatozoa; sperm cells
spermat/o
spermatozoa; sperm cells
sphen/o
wedge; sphenoid bone
spher/o
globe-shaped; round
sphygm/o
pulse
-sphyxia
pulse
splanchn/o
viscera (internal organs)
spin/o
spine (backbone)
spir/o
to breathe
splen/o
spleen
spondyl/o
vertebra (backbone)
squam/o
scale
-stalsis
contraction
staped/o
stapes (middle ear bone)
staphyl/o
clusters; uvula
-stabile
stable, fixed
-stalsis
contraction
staped/o
stapes
-stasis
to stop; control; place
-stat
device/instrument for keeping something stationary
-static
pertaining to stopping; controlling
steat/o
fat; sebum
sten/o
narrowed, constricted
-stenosis
tightening; stricture
ster/o
solid structure; steroid
stere/o
solid; three-dimensional
stern/o
sternum (breastbone)
steth/o
chest
-sthenia
strength
stich/o
rows
stigmat/o
mark, point
-stitial
to set; pertaining to standing or positioned
stomat/o
mouth
-stomia
condition of the mouth
-stomy
new opening (to form a mouth)
strept/o
twisted chains
-stroma
supporting tissue of an organ
styl/o
pole or stake
sub-
under; below
submaxill/o
mandible (lower jaw bone)
succ/o
juice
sud/o
sweat
super-
above, beyond
-suppression
to stop
supra-
above; upper
sym-
together; with
symptom/o
occurrence
syn-
together; with
synaps/o, synapt/o
point of contact, to join
syncop/o
to cut off, cut short; faint
syndesm/o
ligament
synov/o
synovia; synovial membrane; sheath around a tendon
syring/o
tube
system/o
system
systol/o
contraction
Word Building and Medical Terms beginning with the letter S
Quiz yourself / speed learning
S
More content is on its way... Check out the resources below.
Increasing your understanding of medical terminology
Additional references:
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.
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.
