• ……/…/……

means: “ process to visually

exam ine a joint”

Root combining vowel suffix

(joint)) process to visually examine)

 • arthr/o/scopy
means: “ process to visually
exam ine a joint”

Root combining vowel suffix

(joint)) process to visually examine)

• ………../……..
means “benign tumor of cartilage”

root suffix
“cartilage ” ”tumor ”
• chondr/oma
means “benign tumor of cartilage”

root suffix
“cartilage ” ”tumor ”
 • ……../o/………/……
means: “ inflammation of a
rib and its
cartilage”

root root Suffix

(rib) (cartilage) (inflammation of)
 • Cost/o/chondr/itis
means: “ inflammation of a
rib and its
cartilage”

root root Suffix

(rib) (cartilage) (inflammation of)
 • ……./o/……

means: “ incision of the skull ”

root Suffix
(skull) (incision of)
 • crani/o/tomy

means: “ incision of the skull ”

root Suffix
(skull) (incision of)
 • …………/………

means: “pertaining to a ligament”

root Suffix
(ligament) (pertaining to)
 • ligament/ous

means: “pertaining to a ligament”

root Suffix
(ligament) (pertaining to)
 My/o muscle myosarcoma

muscle myositis
Myos/o

Muscul/o muscular
muscle
 • ……../o/……./oma
means: “ tumor (malignant) of a

muscle”

root root Suffix

(muscle) (flesh) (tumor)
 • my/o/sarc/oma
means: “ tumor (malignant) of a

muscle”

root root Suffix

(muscle) (flesh) (tumor)
 • ………/…….

means: “inflammation of a muscle”

root Suffix
(muscle) (inflammation of)
 • myos/itis

means: “inflammation of a muscle”

root Suffix
(muscle) (inflammation of)
 • ………./…..
means: “inflammation of a muscle”

Root Suffix
(muscle) (pertaining to)
 • muscul/ar
means: “inflammation of a muscle”

Root Suffix
(muscle) (pertaining to)
 • ……/o/……/plasia
means: “ abnormal function of
bone marrow”

root root Suffix

(bone marrow) (disease, abnormal) (formation)
 • myel/o/dys/plasia
means: “ abnormal function of
bone marrow”

root root Suffix

(bone marrow) (abnormal) (formation)
 • ……/o/myel/…….
means: “ inflammation of bone
and bone marrow”

root root Suffix

(bone) (bone marrow) (inflammation)
 • oste/o/myel/itis
means: “ inflammation of bone
and bone marrow”

root root Suffix

(bone) (bone marrow) (inflammation)
 • ……./…
means: “ pertaining to the
pelvis”

Root Suffix
(pelvis,hipbone) (pertaining to)
 • pelv/ic
means: “ pertaining to the
pelvis”

Root Suffix
(pelvis,hipbone) (pertaining to)
 ….……../……
means: “ abnormal condition of
a vertebra or vertebrae”

Root Suffix
(vertebra) (abnormal condition)
 spondyl/osis
means: “ abnormal condition of
a vertebra or vertebrae”

Root Suffix
(vertebra) (abnormal condition)
 • ……/……../…….
means: “ pertaining to between
two backbones”

prefix root Suffix

(between) (vertebra) (pertaining to)
 • inter/vertebr/al
means: “ pertaining to between
two backbones”

prefix root Suffix

(between) (vertebra) (pertaining to)
 • …./o/….....
means: “ suture of a tendon”

Root CV Suffix
(tendon) (suture of)
 • Ten/o/rraphy
means: “ suture of a tendon”

Root CV Suffix
(tendon) (suture of)
• …./O/……..

means “opening of the colon”

c.form suffix
“colon” ‘opening of”
• col/O/Stomy

means “opening of the colon”

c.form suffix
“colon” ‘opening of”
• ……../……..

means “inflammation of a

tendon”

root suffix
“tendon” ‘inflammation of”
• tendin/itis

means “inflammation of a

tendon”

root suffix
“tendon” ‘inflammation of”
……./….
means “opening of the
colon”

Root Suffix
(duodenum) (pertaining to)
duoden/al
means “opening of the
colon”

Root Suffix
(duodenum) (pertaining to)
 ……../e/….

means “opening of the colon”

c. form Suffix
(esophagus) (pertaining to)
 Esopheg/e/al

means “opening of the colon”

c. form Suffix
(esophagus) (pertaining to)
• …../O/…….
means “opening of the ileum”

c.form suffix
“ileum” ‘opening of”
• ile/O/Stomy
means “opening of the ileum”

c.form suffix
“ileum” ‘opening of”
 ……../……./………

surgical opening between

the stomach and the
jejunum
 Gastro/jejun/ostomy

surgical opening between

the stomach and the
jejunum
 • …./…..

Means: “Pertaining to the mouth”

root Suffix
(mouth) (pertaining to)
 • or/al

Means: “Pertaining to the mouth”

root Suffix
(mouth) (pertaining to)
 ……./…..
Means: “inflammation of the
mouth”

root Suffix
(mouth) (inflammation of)
 stomat/itis
Means: “inflammation of the
mouth”

root Suffix
(mouth) (inflammation of)
 • …../o/……

means: “process to visually examine the

anus and the rectum”

root suffix
(Anus, rectum) (process to visually examine)
 • Proct/o/scopy

means: “process to visually examine the

anus and the rectum”

root suffix
(Anus, rectum) (process to visually examine)
 • ………./….

Means: “inflammation of the pancreas”

root Suffix
(pancreas) (inflammation of)
 • pancreat/itis

Means: “inflammation of the pancreas”

root Suffix
(pancreas) (inflammation of)
 ………/……

means: “Inflammation in the bronchioles”

Root suffix
“bronchioles ” “inflammation”
 brochiol/itis

means: “Inflammation in the bronchioles”

Root suffix
“bronchioles ” “inflammation”
• ………/……..

means “bluish discoloration of the skin”

root suffix
“blue ” ‘abnormal condition ”
• cyan/osis

means “bluish discoloration of the skin”

root suffix
“blue ” ‘abnormal condition ”
 ………./…….

Means: “Inflammation in the epiglottis”

Root suffix
“ epiglottis” “inflammation of”
 epiglott/itis

Means: “Inflammation in the epiglottis”

Root suffix
“ epiglottis” “inflammation of”
……../e/……
means: “pertaining to the larynx”

c.form suffix
“larynx” ‘ pertaining to”
Laryng/e/al
means: “pertaining to the larynx”

c.form suffix
“larynx” ‘ pertaining to”
• ……/…..
means: “pertaining to the nose”

root suffix
“nose” ‘pertaining to”
• nas/al
means: “pertaining to the nose”

root suffix
“nose” ‘pertaining to”
……./o/……
means: “discharge from the nose”

root suffix
“nose” ‘flow, discharge ”
Rhin/o/rrhea
means: “discharge from the nose”

root suffix
“nose” ‘flow, discharge ”
………./……
Means: “Inflammation in the pharynx”

Root suffix
“ pharynx” “inflammation of”
pharyng/itis
Means: “Inflammation in the pharynx”

Root suffix
“ pharynx” “inflammation of”
• ……./…..

means: “pertaining to the diaphragm”

root suffix
“diaphragm” ‘pertaining to ”
• phren/ic

means: “pertaining to the diaphragm”

root suffix
“diaphragm” ‘pertaining to ”
…………./………..
means: “Removal of a lung”

Root suffix
“lung” “removal of”
pneumon/ectomy
means: “Removal of a lung”

Root suffix
“lung” “removal of”
• ………../……..

means: “pertaining to the lungs”

root suffix
“lung” “pertaining to ”
• pulmon/ary

means: “pertaining to the lungs”

root suffix
“lung” “pertaining to ”
• ………/o/……..

means: “opening of the trachea”

root suffix
“lung” ‘ opening ”
• Trache/o/stomy

means: “opening of the trachea”

root suffix
“lung” ‘ opening ”
• ……../……..

means: “tumor (benign) of a gland”

root suffix
“gland” “tumor ”
• aden/oma

means: “tumor (benign) of a gland”

root suffix
“gland” “tumor ”
 ……../……
Means: “Inflammation of a joint”

Root suffix
“joint” “inflammation of”
 arthr/itis
Means: “Inflammation of a joint”

Root suffix
“joint” “inflammation of”
• Looking for the “O” in the medical terms
will help you divide the term into its parts.

• The combining vowel + root called

combining form.

• E.g. ELECTR/O

CARDI/O
……….../O/…….../O/……..

root root suffix

“stomach” “ intestines” “study of”

c.vowel c.vowel
GASTR/O/ENTER/O/LOGY

root root suffix

“stomach” “ intestines” “study of”

c.vowel c.vowel
• The entire word (reading from the suffix,
back to the beginning of the term, and
across) means;

study of the stomach& intestines

………./O/………
means “instrument to visually
examine the stomach”

c.form suffix
“stomach” ‘instrument to visually
examine”
GASTR/O/SCOPE
means “instrument to visually
examine the stomach”

c.form suffix
“stomach” ‘instrument to visually
examine”
• ……../…. means pertaining to the
stomach

Root suffix
(stomach) (pertaining to)

**Notice; the combining vowel is dropped when

the suffix (-ic) begins with a vowel. Words
ending in- ic are adjectives and mean
“pertaining”
• Gastr/ic means pertaining to the
stomach

Root suffix
(stomach) (pertaining to)

**Notice; the combining vowel is dropped when

the suffix (-ic) begins with a vowel. Words
ending in- ic are adjectives and mean
“pertaining”
• ………/…….
means: “Pertaining to the
heart”

Root suffix
(heart) (pertaining to)

Notice; Again, the combining vowel is

dropped when the suffix(-AC) begins with
a vowel. Words ending in –AC are
adjectives and mean (pertaining)
• CARDI/AC
means: “Pertaining to the
heart”

Root suffix
(heart) (pertaining to)

Notice; Again, the combining vowel is

dropped when the suffix(-AC) begins with
a vowel. Words ending in –AC are
adjectives and mean (pertaining)
• ………/……
means: “Inflammation of the
Intestine”

Root suffix
(Intestine) (Inflammation of)

Notice; Again that the combining vowel is

dropped because the suffix (-IT IS) begins
with a vowel.
• ENTER/ITIS
means: “Inflammation of the
Intestine”

Root suffix
(Intestine) (Inflammation of)

Notice; Again that the combining vowel is

dropped because the suffix (-IT IS) begins
with a vowel.
 PREFIX
• Is a word part attached to the
beginning of the term.

• It can change the meaning

 …../………/……
means: “pertaining to
below the stomach”

PREFIX ROOT suffix

“BELOW” “STOMACH” “pertaining to”
 SUB/GASTR/IC
means: “pertaining to
below the stomach”

PREFIX ROOT
“BELOW” “STOMACH”
SUBGASTRIC
……../………/…..
mean “pertaining to across the
stomach”

Prefix
“ACROSS”
TRANS/GASTR/IC
mean ‘pertaining
to across the stomach”

Prefix
“ACROSS”
TRANSGASTRIC
• ……../………./……

means: “pertaining
to behind the stomach”

prefix
“behind”
• RETRO/GASTR/IC

means: “pertaining
to behind the stomach”

prefix
“behind”
RETROGASTRIC
 Important Word
Parts
1.Root-gives the essential meaning of the
term.
2. Suffix-is the word ending.
3. Prefix-is a small part added to the
beginning of the term.
4. Combining Vowel-connects suffixs&
roots.
5. Combining Form+root+ c.vowel.
 Important rules
1. Read the meaning of medical terms from suffix
to the beginning of the word and then across.

2. Drop the combining vowel before a suffix that

starts with a vowel.

3. Keep the combining vowel between word

roots, even if the root begins with a vowel.