Medical word roots for medical assistants

126 medical word roots for medical assistants, with plain definitions and sources.

• abdomin/oAbdomen, the trunk region between the diaphragm and the pelvis.
• aden/oGland.
• adip/oFat.
• angi/oBlood vessel.
• aort/oAorta, the largest artery.
• append/o, appendic/oAppendix.
• arteri/oArtery.
• arthr/oJoint.
• ather/oFatty plaque or deposit.
• audi/oHearing or sound.
• brachi/oArm.
• bronch/oBronchus, a large airway leading from the trachea into a lung.
• bucc/oCheek.
• carcin/oCancer.
• cardi/oHeart.
• carp/oWrist (carpal bones).
• cephal/oHead.
• cerebr/oCerebrum; brain.
• cervic/oNeck, or the cervix of the uterus.
• chol/eBile or gall.
• cholecyst/oGallbladder.
• chondr/oCartilage.
• chrom/oColor.
• col/o, colon/oColon (large intestine).
• cost/oRib.
• crani/oSkull.
• cry/oCold.
• cutane/oSkin.
• cyan/oBlue.
• cyst/oUrinary bladder, or a sac containing fluid.
• cyt/oCell.
• dactyl/oFinger or toe.
• dent/i, odont/oTooth.
• derm/o, dermat/oSkin.
• duoden/oDuodenum, the first part of the small intestine.
• electr/oElectricity or electrical activity.
• encephal/oBrain.
• enter/oIntestine, usually the small intestine.
• erythr/oRed.
• esophag/oEsophagus, the tube from the throat to the stomach.
• gastr/oStomach.
• gingiv/oGums.
• gloss/o, lingu/oTongue.
• gluc/o, glyc/oGlucose or sugar.
• gyn/o, gynec/oWoman or female.
• hem/o, hemat/oBlood.
• hepat/oLiver.
• hidr/oSweat.
• hist/oTissue.
• hydr/oWater or fluid.
• hyster/o, uter/oUterus (womb).
• ile/oIleum, the last part of the small intestine.
• irid/oIris, the colored part of the eye.
• kerat/oCornea; also horny tissue of the skin.
• kinesi/oMovement.
• kyph/oHump.
• lacrim/oTears or the tear glands.
• lact/oMilk.
• laryng/oLarynx (voice box).
• leuk/oWhite.
• lip/oFat or lipid.
• lith/oStone or calculus.
• lord/oCurve or swayback.
• lymph/oLymph, the fluid of the lymphatic system.
• mamm/o, mast/oBreast.
• melan/oBlack or dark.
• mening/oMeninges, the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.
• morph/oShape or form.
• my/o, muscul/oMuscle.
• myc/oFungus.
• myel/oBone marrow or spinal cord.
• nas/o, rhin/oNose.
• necr/oDeath (of cells or tissue).
• nephr/o, ren/oKidney.
• neur/oNerve or nervous system.
• noct/iNight.
• ocul/o, ophthalm/oEye.
• onc/oTumor; cancer.
• onych/oNail of a finger or toe.
• oophor/o, ovari/oOvary.
• orchi/o, orchid/oTestis (testicle).
• oste/oBone.
• ot/oEar.
• path/oDisease.
• ped/oChild; in some words, foot.
• pharmac/oDrug or medicine.
• pharyng/oPharynx (throat).
• phleb/o, ven/oVein.
• phon/oSound or voice.
• phot/oLight.
• phren/oDiaphragm.
• pleur/oPleura, the membrane around the lungs and lining the chest cavity.
• pneum/o, pneumon/oLung or air.
• pod/oFoot.
• proct/oAnus and rectum.
• prostat/oProstate gland.
• psych/oMind.
• pulmon/oLung.
• py/oPus.
• pyel/oRenal pelvis, the funnel-shaped part of the kidney that collects urine.
• pyr/oFever or fire.
• rect/oRectum.
• retin/oRetina, the light-sensing layer at the back of the eye.
• salping/oTube, especially the fallopian (uterine) tube or the eustachian tube.
• sarc/oFlesh or connective tissue.
• scler/oHard; also the sclera (white of the eye).
• scoli/oCrooked or twisted.
• sial/oSaliva or salivary gland.
• spir/oBreathing.
• splen/oSpleen.
• spondyl/o, vertebr/oVertebra (bone of the spine).
• stern/oSternum (breastbone).
• stomat/oMouth.
• tend/o, tendin/oTendon.
• therm/oHeat or temperature.
• thorac/oChest.
• thromb/oBlood clot.
• thyr/o, thyroid/oThyroid gland.
• trache/oTrachea (windpipe).
• tympan/o, myring/oEardrum (tympanic membrane).
• ur/o, urin/oUrine or the urinary tract.
• ureter/oUreter, the tube that carries urine from a kidney to the bladder.
• urethr/oUrethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body.
• vagin/oVagina.
• vas/o, vascul/oVessel, usually a blood vessel.
• xanth/oYellow.