How the Unit 1 Word List Was Built
Your responsibility is to learn the 21 prefixes, 25 roots, and 56 suffixes in the linked tables. With these 102 parts, you can build the 346 words you will learn in this Unit. If you want to see how those words are built, this optional table will show you how it was done.
“Missing” letters (i.e. letters that have been dropped to make the word sound “better”) are indicated in square brackets.
[h]em, for example, is the root hem (blood) with the h dropped.
Combining forms (i.e. word parts that have a letter, usually an “o”, to make the word sound “better”) are indicated with slashes.
ang
angi
angio
are combined to make “ang/i/o” in its entry in the root word table.
| Etymology | Prefix | Prefix | Root | Root | "Main" Root | Root | Suffix or Word Ending |
Suffix or Word Ending |
Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greek ourein Latin urine | ur ur/o urin |
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| Greek nephros, "kidney" | nephr nephr/o |
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| Greek mys, "muscle", "mouse" | my my/o my/s |
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| Greek kardia, "heart" | card card/i card/i/o |
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| Greek kytos, "hollow", "receptacle", "basket" | cyt cyt/o |
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| Greek gaster, "stomach", "paunch", "belly" | gastr gastr/o |
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| Latin lithus, "stone", "rock" | lith lith/o |
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| Greek neura, "nerve" | neur neur/o |
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| Greek derm, "skin", "hide", "leather" | derm derm/at derm/at/o derm/o |
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| Greek angeion, "case", "capsule", "vessel" | ang ang/i/o |
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| Greek arthron, "joint" | arthr arthr/o |
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| Greek sklēros, "hard" | scler scler/o |
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| Greek adēn, "gland" | aden aden/o |
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| Greek glykys, "sweet" | glyc glyc/o |
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| Greek osteon, "bone" | os os/t os/t/e osteo |
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| Greek haima, "blood" | hem hem/o hemat hemat/o |
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| Latin splen, "spleen" | splen splen/o |
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| Greek choler, "bile" (Greek khloazein means "green") | chol chol/e |
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| Greek tenon, "tendon", "sinew" | ten tend tendin tendon |
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| Greek thyreoeides, "shield-shaped" | thyroid thyroid/o |
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| Greek mastos, "woman's breast" | mast mast/o |
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| Greek orkhis, "orchid", "testicles" | orch orch/i orch/i/o orchid orchid/o |
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| Greek otos, "ear" | ot ot/o |
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| Latin vasa, "vessel" | vas vas/o |
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| this government website has a list of word parts | |||||||||
| aden | ec | tomy | adenectomy | ||||||
| aden | itis | adenitis | |||||||
| aden | oma | adenoma | |||||||
| aden | megaly | adenomegaly | |||||||
| aden | pathy | adenopathy | |||||||
| aden | osis | adenosis | |||||||
| a | mast | ia | amastia | ||||||
| my/o | trophic | amyotrophic | |||||||
| ang/i/o | card | itis | angiocarditis | ||||||
| ang/i/o | card | itis | angiocarditis | ||||||
| ang/i/o | gram | angiogram | |||||||
| ang/i/o | graphy | angiography | |||||||
| ang/i/o | lith | angiolith | |||||||
| ang/i | oma | angioma | |||||||
| ang/i/o | plasty | angioplasty | |||||||
| ang/i/o | poiesis | angiopoiesis | |||||||
| ang/i/o | rrhaphy | angiorrhaphy | |||||||
| ang/i/o | scler | osis | angiosclerosis | ||||||
| ang/i/o | scope | angioscope | |||||||
| an | orchid | ism | anorchidism | ||||||
| anti | arthr | it[is] | ic | antiarthritic | |||||
| an | ur | ia | anuria | ||||||
| arter/i/o | scler | osis | arteriosclerosis | ||||||
| arthr | algia | arthralgia | |||||||
| arthr | ec | tomy | arthrectomy | ||||||
| arthr | itis | arthritis | |||||||
| arthr/o | cele | arthrocele | |||||||
| arthr/o | centesis | arthrocentesis | |||||||
| arthr/o | desis | arthrodesis | |||||||
| arthr/o | dynia | arthrodynia | |||||||
| arthr/o | gram | arthrogram | |||||||
| arthr/o | graphy | arthrography | |||||||
| arthr/o | lysis | arthrolysis | |||||||
| arthr/o | pathy | arthropathy | |||||||
| arthr/o | plasty | arthroplasty | |||||||
| arthr/o | scopic | arthroscopic | |||||||
| arthr/o | scopy | arthroscopy | |||||||
| arthr/o | tomy | arthrotomy | |||||||
| a | splen | ia | asplenia | ||||||
| brady | card | ia | bradycardia | ||||||
| card | ia | cardia | |||||||
| card | iac | cardiac | |||||||
| card/i/o | gram | cardiogram | |||||||
| card/i/o | logist | cardiologist | |||||||
| card/i/o | logy | cardiology | |||||||
| card/i/o | megaly | cardiomegaly | |||||||
| card/i/o | my/o | pathy | cardiomyopathy | ||||||
| card/i/o | my/o | tomy | cardiomyotomy | ||||||
| card/i/o | vascul | ar | cardiovascular | ||||||
| card | itis | carditis | |||||||
| cholangio | gastr/o | stomy | cholangiogastrostomy | ||||||
| chol | ang/i/o | gram | cholangiogram | ||||||
| chol | ang/i/o | graphy | cholangiography | ||||||
| chol | ang/i/o | oma | cholangioma | ||||||
| chol | ang | itis | cholangitis | ||||||
| chol/e | cyst | algia | cholecystalgia | ||||||
| chol/e | cyst | ec | tomy | cholecystectomy | |||||
| chol/e | cyst | itis | cholecystitis | ||||||
| chol/e | cyst/o | gram | cholecystogram | ||||||
| chol/e | lith | cholelith | |||||||
| chol/e | cholelithiasis | ||||||||
| chol/e | lith/o | tomy | cholelithotomy | ||||||
| Greek kystis, "bladder", "pouch" | cyst cyst/o |
cyst/o | |||||||
| cyst | algia | cystalgia | |||||||
| cyst | ec | tomy | cystectomy | ||||||
| cyst | ic | cystic | |||||||
| inflammation (–itis) of the bladder (–cyst) | cyst | itis | cystitis | ||||||
| cyst/o | cele | cystocele | |||||||
| cyst/o | dynia | cystodynia | |||||||
| cyst/o | gram | cystogram | |||||||
| cyst/o | graphy | cystography | |||||||
| cyst/o | lith | cystolith | |||||||
| cyst/o | lith | ec | tomy | cystolithectomy | |||||
| cyst | oma | cystoma | |||||||
| cyst/o | ptosis | cystoptosis | |||||||
| cyst/o | rrhexis | cystorrhexis | |||||||
| cyst/o | scopy | cystoscopy | |||||||
| cyst/o | spasm | cystospasm | |||||||
| cyst/o | stomy | cystostomy | |||||||
| cyst/o | tomy | cystotomy | |||||||
| the name ureter is from ancient Greece and means "the tube leading from the kidney to the bladder" | cyst/o | ureter | itis | cystoureteritis | |||||
| cyst/o | urethr/o | cele | cystourethrocele | ||||||
| cyst/o | urethr/o | gram | cystourethrogram | ||||||
| derm/at | algia | dermatalgia | |||||||
| derm/at | itis | dermatitis | |||||||
| derm/at/o | dynia | dermatodynia | |||||||
| derm/at/o | logy | dermatology | |||||||
| derm/at/o | lysis | dermatolysis | |||||||
| derm/at/o | scope | dermatoscope | |||||||
| derm/at/o | scopy | dermatoscopy | |||||||
| derm/at | osis | dermatosis | |||||||
| derm | is | dermis | |||||||
| derm | oid | dermoid | |||||||
| derm/o | pathy | dermopathy | |||||||
| derm/o | scopy | dermoscopy | |||||||
| pertaining to (–esis) throughput (dia–) of urine (ur) | di[a] | ur | esis | diuresis | |||||
| inducing or promoting urination | di[a] | ur | etic | diuretic | |||||
| dys | ur | ia | dysuria | ||||||
| endo | card | itis | endocarditis | ||||||
| endo | card | ium | endocardium | ||||||
| endo | my/s | ium | endomysium | ||||||
| endo | neur | ium | endoneurium | ||||||
| epi | card | ium | epicardium | ||||||
| epi | derm | al | epidermal | ||||||
| epi | derm | is | epidermis | ||||||
| epi | ic | epigastric | |||||||
| epi | my/s | ium | epimysium | ||||||
| epi | neur | ium | epineurium | ||||||
| algia | gastralgia | ||||||||
| ec | tomy | gastrectomy | |||||||
| gastr | ic | gastric | |||||||
| itis | gastritis | ||||||||
| gastr/o | dynia | gastrodynia | |||||||
| gastr/o | malac | ia | gastromalacia | ||||||
| gastr/o | pexy | gastropexy | |||||||
| gastr/o | plasty | gastroplasty | |||||||
| gastr/o | scope | gastroscope | |||||||
| glyc | emia | glycemia | |||||||
| glyc | emic | glycemic | |||||||
| glyc/o | lysis | glycolysis | |||||||
| glyc/o | penia | glycopenia | |||||||
| glyc/o/s | ur | ia | glycosuria | ||||||
| hem | arthr | osis | hemarthrosis | ||||||
| hemato | logy | hematology | |||||||
| hemat | oma | hematoma | |||||||
| hemato | poiesis | hematopoiesis | |||||||
| hem/at | ur | ia | hematuria | ||||||
| hemi | nephr | ec | tomy | heminephrectomy | |||||
| –ectomy (Greek) means "cutting out of" | hemi | nephr/o | ureter | ec | tomy | heminephroureterectomy | |||
| hem/o | lysis | hemolysis | |||||||
| hem/o | rrhage | hemorrhage | |||||||
| hem/o | rrhagic | hemorrhagic | |||||||
| hyper | glyc | emia | hyperglycemia | ||||||
| hyper | mast | ia | hypermastia | ||||||
| hyper | nephr | oma | hypernephroma | ||||||
| hyper | splen | ism | hypersplenism | ||||||
| hyper | thyroid | ism | hyperthyroidism | ||||||
| hypo | derm | ic | hypodermic | ||||||
| hypo | derm | is | hypodermis | ||||||
| hypo | glyc | emia | hypoglycemia | ||||||
| hypo | glyc | emic | hypoglycemic | ||||||
| hypo | mast | ia | hypomastia | ||||||
| hypo | thyroid | ism | hypothyroidism | ||||||
| intra | derm | al | intradermal | ||||||
| lith | ec | tomy | lithectomy | ||||||
| lith | iasis | lithiasis | |||||||
| lith/o | cyst/o | tomy | lithocystotomy | ||||||
| lith/o | nephr | itis | lithonephritis | ||||||
| lith/o | nephr/o | tomy | lithonephrotomy | ||||||
| macro | cyt | osis | macrocytosis | ||||||
| macro | mast | ia | macromastia | ||||||
| macro | ot | ia | macrotia | ||||||
| mast | algia | mastalgia | |||||||
| mast | ec | tomy | mastectomy | ||||||
| mast | itis | mastitis | |||||||
| mast | oid | algia | mastoidalgia | ||||||
| mast | oid | ectomy | mastoidectomy | ||||||
| mast | oid | itis | mastoiditis | ||||||
| mast | oid/o | centesis | mastoidocentesis | ||||||
| mast/o | pexy | mastopexy | |||||||
| middle, intermediate, halfway | meso | nephr | ic | mesonephric | |||||
| micro | cyt | osis | microcytosis | ||||||
| micro | mast | ia | micromastia | ||||||
| micro | ot | ia | microtia | ||||||
| my/o | card | ial | myocardial | ||||||
| my/o | card | itis | myocarditis | ||||||
| my/o | card | ium | myocardium | ||||||
| my/o | cele | myocele | |||||||
| my/o | des | is | myodesis | ||||||
| my/o | dynia | myodynia | |||||||
| my/o | graphy | myography | |||||||
| my/o | lysis | myolysis | |||||||
| my | oma | myoma | |||||||
| my/o | malac | ia | myomalacia | ||||||
| my | om[a] | ectomy | myomectomy | ||||||
| my/o | metr | itis | myometritis | ||||||
| my/o | metr | ium | myometrium | ||||||
| my/o | pathy | myopathy | |||||||
| my/o | plasty | myoplasty | |||||||
| my/o | rrhaphy | myorrhaphy | |||||||
| my/o | scler | osis | myosclerosis | ||||||
| my/o/s | itis | myositis | |||||||
| my/o | spasm | myospasm | |||||||
| my/o | tomy | myotomy | |||||||
| nephr | algia | nephralgia | |||||||
| nephr | ec | tomy | nephrectomy | ||||||
| nephr/o | cele | nephrocele | |||||||
| nephr/o | gram | nephrogram | |||||||
| nephr/o | graphy | nephrography | |||||||
| nephr/o | hyper | trophy | nephrohypertrophy | ||||||
| nephr/o | lith | iasis | nephrolithiasis | ||||||
| nephr/o | lith/o | tomy | nephrolithotomy | ||||||
| nephr/o | logist | nephrologist | |||||||
| nephr/o | logy | nephrology | |||||||
| nephr | oma | nephroma | |||||||
| nephr/o | malac | ia | nephromalacia | ||||||
| nephr/o | megaly | nephromegaly | |||||||
| nephr | on | nephron | |||||||
| nephr/o | pathy | nephropathy | |||||||
| nephr/o | pexy | nephropexy | |||||||
| nephr/o | ptosis | nephroptosis | |||||||
| nephr/o | rrhaphy | nephrorrhaphy | |||||||
| nephr/o | scler | osis | nephrosclerosis | ||||||
| nephr/o | scopy | nephroscopy | |||||||
| nephr | osis | nephrosis | |||||||
| nephr/o | son/o | graphy | nephrosonography | ||||||
| nephr/o | splen/o | pexy | nephrosplenopexy | ||||||
| nephr/o | stomy | nephrostomy | |||||||
| nephr/o | tomy | nephrotomy | |||||||
| nephr/o | ureter | ec | tomy | nephroureterectomy | |||||
| neur | algia | neuralgia | |||||||
| neur | ec | tomy | neurectomy | ||||||
| neur | itis | neuritis | |||||||
| neur/o | arthr/o | pathy | neuroarthropathy | ||||||
| neur/o | dynia | neurodynia | |||||||
| neur/o | glyc/o | penia | neuroglycopenia | ||||||
| neur/o | logist | neurologist | |||||||
| neur/o | logy | neurology | |||||||
| neur/o | lysis | neurolysis | |||||||
| neur | oma | neuroma | |||||||
| neur | on | neuron | |||||||
| neur/o | pathy | neuropathy | |||||||
| neur/o | plasty | neuroplasty | |||||||
| neur/o | rrhaphy | neurorrhaphy | |||||||
| neur/o | scler | osis | neurosclerosis | ||||||
| neur | osis | neurosis | |||||||
| neur/o | tomy | neurotomy | |||||||
| oligo | cyt | [h]emia | oligocythemia | ||||||
| olig[o] | ur | ia | oliguria | ||||||
| orchid | algia | orchidalgia | |||||||
| orchid | ec | tomy | orchidectomy | ||||||
| orchid | itis | orchiditis | |||||||
| orchid/o | pexy | orchidopexy | |||||||
| orchid/o | tomy | orchidotomy | |||||||
| orch/i | ec | tomy | orchiectomy | ||||||
| orch/i/o | dynia | orchiodynia | |||||||
| orch/i/o | pathy | orchiopathy | |||||||
| orch/i/o | pexy | orchiopexy | |||||||
| orch/i/o | plasty | orchioplasty | |||||||
| orch | itis | orchitis | |||||||
| os/t | algia | ostalgia | |||||||
| os/t | ec | tomy | ostectomy | ||||||
| os/t/e | itis | osteitis | |||||||
| os/t/e/o | arthr | itis | osteoarthritis | ||||||
| osteo | dynia | osteodynia | |||||||
| osteo | lysis | osteolysis | |||||||
| osteo | malac | ia | osteomalacia | ||||||
| osteo | pathy | osteopathy | |||||||
| osteo | penia | osteopenia | |||||||
| osteo | plasty | osteoplasty | |||||||
| os/t/e/o | scler | osis | osteosclerosis | ||||||
| osteo | tomy | osteotomy | |||||||
| ot | algia | otalgia | |||||||
| ot | itis | otitis | |||||||
| ot/o | dynia | otodynia | |||||||
| ot/o | lith | otolith | |||||||
| ot/o | neur/o | logist | otoneurologist | ||||||
| ot/o | plasty | otoplasty | |||||||
| ot/o | rrhea | otorrhea | |||||||
| ot/o | scler | osis | otosclerosis | ||||||
| ot/o | scope | otoscope | |||||||
| ot | os/t/e | al | otosteal | ||||||
| pan | cyt/o | penia | pancytopenia | ||||||
| para | meso | nephr | ic | paramesonephric | |||||
| Greek "beside, near" | para | urethr | al | paraurethral | |||||
| peri | card | ial | pericardial | ||||||
| peri | card/i/o | centesis | pericardiocentesis | ||||||
| peri | card/i/o | tomy | pericardiotomy | ||||||
| peri | card | itis | pericarditis | ||||||
| peri | card | ium | pericardium | ||||||
| peri | my/s | ium | perimysium | ||||||
| peri | neur | ium | perineurium | ||||||
| peri | ost | eum | periosteum | ||||||
| poly | aden/o | pathy | polyadenopathy | ||||||
| poly | cyst | ic | polycystic | ||||||
| poly | cyt | [h]emia | polycythemia | ||||||
| poly | my/o/s | itis | polymyositis | ||||||
| poly | neur | itis | polyneuritis | ||||||
| poly | neur/o | pathy | polyneuropathy | ||||||
| poly | ur | ia | polyuria | ||||||
| scler | a | sclera | |||||||
| scler | itis | scleritis | |||||||
| scler/o | derm/at | itis | sclerodermatitis | ||||||
| scler/o | malac | ia | scleromalacia | ||||||
| scler/o | tomy | sclerotomy | |||||||
| splen | algia | splenalgia | |||||||
| splen | ec | tomy | splenectomy | ||||||
| splen | itis | splenitis | |||||||
| splen/o | dynia | splenodynia | |||||||
| splen/o | lysis | splenolysis | |||||||
| splen/o | malac | ia | splenomalacia | ||||||
| splen/o | megaly | splenomegaly | |||||||
| splen/o | pathy | splenopathy | |||||||
| splen/o | rrhexis | splenorrhexis | |||||||
| tachy | card | ia | tachycardia | ||||||
| ten | algia | tenalgia | |||||||
| tend | ec | tomy | tendectomy | ||||||
| tendin | itis | tendinitis | |||||||
| tend/o | desis | tendodesis | |||||||
| tend/o | lysis | tendolysis | |||||||
| tend | on | tendon | |||||||
| declawing a cat is a tendonectomy | tendon | ectomy | tendonectomy | ||||||
| tendon | itis | tendonitis | |||||||
| tend/o | plasty | tendoplasty | |||||||
| ten/o | dynia | tenodynia | |||||||
| ten/o | lysis | tenolysis | |||||||
| ten/o | plasty | tenoplasty | |||||||
| ten/o | rrhaphy | tenorrhaphy | |||||||
| ten/o | tomy | tenotomy | |||||||
| thyr/o | cele | thyrocele | |||||||
| thyroid | ec | tomy | thyroidectomy | ||||||
| thyroid | itis | thyroiditis | |||||||
| thyroid/o | tomy | thyroidotomy | |||||||
| thyr/o | megaly | thyromegaly | |||||||
| trans | derm | al | transdermal | ||||||
| trans | urethr | al | transurethral | ||||||
| ur | [h]em | ia | uremia | ||||||
| ureter | algia | ureteralgia | |||||||
| ureter | ec | tomy | ureterectomy | ||||||
| ureter | itis | ureteritis | |||||||
| ureter/o | cele | ureterocele | |||||||
| ureter/o | lith | iasis | ureterolithiasis | ||||||
| ureter/o | nephr | ec | tomy | ureteronephrectomy | |||||
| ureter/o | plasty | ureteroplasty | |||||||
| ureter/o | rrhaphy | ureterorrhaphy | |||||||
| ureter/o | scopy | ureteroscopy | |||||||
| the word urethra, coined by Hippocrates, means "the tube leading from the bladder to the outside world" | urethr | a | urethra | ||||||
| urethr | ec | tomy | urethrectomy | ||||||
| urethr/o | plasty | urethreoplasty | |||||||
| urethr | itis | urethritis | |||||||
| urethr/o | cele | urethrocele | |||||||
| urethr/o | cyst | itis | urethrocystitis | ||||||
| urethr/o | dynia | urethrodynia | |||||||
| urethr/o | gram | urethrogram | |||||||
| urethr/o | pexy | urethropexy | |||||||
| urethr/o | rrhea | urethrorrhea | |||||||
| urethr/o | scope | urethroscope | |||||||
| urethr/o | scopy | urethroscopy | |||||||
| urethr/o | spasm | urethrospasm | |||||||
| urethr/o | tomy | urethrotomy | |||||||
| ur/i/n | ary | urinary | |||||||
| ur/o | dynia | urodynia | |||||||
| ur/o | logist | urologist | |||||||
| ur/o | logy | urology | |||||||
| ur/o | pathy | uropathy | |||||||
| ur/o | poiesis | uropoiesis | |||||||
| ur/o | stomy | urostomy | |||||||
| vas/o | spasm | vasospasm | |||||||
| vasectomy reversal | vas/o | vas/o | stomy | vasovasostomy |