How the Unit 12 Word List Was Built
Etymology | Prefix1 | Prefix2 | "Pre-Root" | "Pre-Root" | Root Root | "Post-Root" | Suffix1 Word End |
Suffix2 Word End |
Word |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
abort/i | facient | abortifacient | |||||||
From Latin abortionem, "miscarriage" or "abortion" | abort | ion | abortion | ||||||
Latin abruptionem, "sudden breaking off" + placentæ | abruptio | placentae | abruptio placentae | ||||||
Latin abstinentia, literally ab– + tenere "to hold off" | abstinence | abstinence | |||||||
a | mast | amastia | |||||||
a | men/o | rrhea | amenorrhea | ||||||
amnio | centesis | amniocentesis | |||||||
Greek amnion, "membrane around a fetus" | amnion | amnion | |||||||
amnio | rrhea | amniorrhea | |||||||
amnio | rrhexis | amniorrhexis | |||||||
amnio | scope | amnioscope | |||||||
amnio | scopy | amnioscopy | |||||||
amnio | tomy | amniotomy | |||||||
From Greek anōmalos meaning "uneven" or "irregular" | anomaly | anomaly | |||||||
an | orchid | ism | anorchidism | ||||||
Latin ante partum, "before birth", with space removed | ante | partum | antepartum | ||||||
Greek antron, "a cave" | antr[on] | al | antral | ||||||
shortening of Latin areola papillaris, "small area around a nipple" | areola | areola | |||||||
a | sperm | ia | aspermia | ||||||
Greek zoian, "animal" (hence, alive) | a | zoo | sperm | ia | azoospermia | ||||
Greek balanus, "glans of the penis"; from bálanos, "acorn" | balan | itis | balanitis | ||||||
balan/o | plasty | balanoplasty | |||||||
balan/o | rrhea | balanorrhea | |||||||
first described 1677 by Caspar Bartholin the Younger | Bartholin | glands | Bartholin glands | ||||||
blast/o | cele | blastocele | |||||||
blast/o | cyst | blastocyst | |||||||
brady | toc | ia | bradytocia | ||||||
bulb/o | urethr | al | bulbourethral | ||||||
card/i/o | toco | graph | cardiotocograph | ||||||
cephal/o | pelv | cephalopelvic | |||||||
cervic | ectomy | cervicectomy | |||||||
cervic | itis | cervicitis | |||||||
cervic/o | colp | itis | cervicocolpitis | ||||||
cervic/o | dynia | cervicodynia | |||||||
cervic/o | graphy | cervicography | |||||||
cervic/o | vagin | itis | cervicovaginitis | ||||||
cervix | cervix | ||||||||
Likely refers to Roman law that required a child to be cut from the mother's womb if the mother died in childbirth | Cæserean | section | cesarean section | ||||||
Greek "military cloak", because of its ability to cloak itself inside of cells as a vacuole | Chlamydia | Chlamydia | |||||||
chorio | amnion | itis | chorioamnionitis | ||||||
chorio | angi | oma | chorioangioma | ||||||
chorio | carcin | oma | choriocarcinoma | ||||||
chorion | chorion | ||||||||
chorion | itis | chorionitis | |||||||
Latin circumcisionem, made from circum–, "around" + cædere, "cut" | circumcision | circumcision | |||||||
clitoris | clitoris | ||||||||
coitus | coitus | ||||||||
Greek kolpos "bay, gulf of the sea" (i.e. vagina) | colp | itis | colpitis | ||||||
colp/o | cyst | itis | colpocystitis | ||||||
colp/o | pexy | colpopexy | |||||||
colp/o | plasty | colpoplasty | |||||||
colp/o | ptosis | colpoptosis | |||||||
colp/o | scope | colposcope | |||||||
colp/o | scopy | colposcopy | |||||||
colp/o | sten | osis | colpostenosis | ||||||
Latin conceptionem, "to take in and hold; become pregnant" (con– + capere, "to take") | conception | conception | |||||||
condom | condom | ||||||||
con | genit[us] | al | congenital | ||||||
contra | [con]ception | contraception | |||||||
Latin contractionem, "to draw together" or "shorten" | con | contrac[t] | tion | contraction | |||||
corpora | cavernosum | corpora cavernosum | |||||||
Latin albicans, "becoming white" | corpus | albicans | corpus albicans | ||||||
corpus | hemorrhagicum | corpus hemorrhagicum | |||||||
Latin luteus, "yellow" (lutum is a weed used by the Romans to dye fabric yellow) | corpus | luteum | corpus luteum | ||||||
Latin for "spongy body" | corpus | spongiosum | corpus spongiosum | ||||||
cremaster | cremaster | ||||||||
crypt | orchid | ism | cryptorchidism | ||||||
Congenital CMV can cause long-term health problems | cyt/o | megal/o | virus | cytomegalovirus | |||||
From Greek dartós, "flayed, skinned" | dartos | dartos | |||||||
Latin dēciduus, "falling down or off" | decidua | decidua | |||||||
derm | oid | dermoid cyst | |||||||
di | zygot[e] | ic | dizygotic | ||||||
dys | men/o | rrhea | dysmenorrhea | ||||||
dys– + Greek páreunos, "lying beside, lying with" (a medical term for intercourse) | dys | pareun | ia | dyspareunia | |||||
dys | plasia | dysplasia | |||||||
dys | toc | dystocia | |||||||
Greek eklampsis, "shining forth" or "to burst forth violently", apparently because of sudden onset | eclampsia | eclampsia | |||||||
ecto | derm | ectoderm | |||||||
ec | top | ic | ectopic | ||||||
Latin eiaculatus, "to shoot out" | ejacula | tion | ejaculation | ||||||
Greek embryon, "a young one" (en– + bryein, "to swell") | embryo/n | ic | embryonic | ||||||
endo | cervic | itis | endocervicitis | ||||||
endo | derm | endoderm | |||||||
endo | metri | osis | endometriosis | ||||||
endo | metr | itis | endometritis | ||||||
endo | metr | ium | endometrium | ||||||
epididym | ectomy | epididymectomy | |||||||
Greek epi + didymos, "testicle" (literally, "double"; "two-fold"); probably coined by the Greek anatomist Herophilus | epi | didymis | epididymis | ||||||
epididym | itis | epididymitis | |||||||
epididym/o | orch | itis | epididymo-orchitis | ||||||
epididym/o | tomy | epididymotomy | |||||||
Greek epision, "the pubic region" | episio[n] | rrhaphy | episiorrhaphy | ||||||
episio[n] | stenosis | episiostenosis | |||||||
episio[n] | tomy | episiotomy | |||||||
French érectile, from Latin erect "to raise or set up" | erectile | ||||||||
eu | toc | ia | eutocia | ||||||
extra | embryo/n | ic | extraembryonic | ||||||
Latin fertilis, "fruitful, productive" from ferre, "to bear" | fertil[e] | iz[e] | ation | fertilization | |||||
fertil[e] | iz[e] | ed | fertilized | ||||||
fet[us]/o | metry | fetometry | |||||||
Latin, "fringe, border, threads" | fimbria | fimbria | |||||||
fraternal | fraternal | ||||||||
gastr | ula | tion | gastrulation | ||||||
Latin gestationem, "carrying" (it used to mean "riding around on horseback") | gest | ation | gestation | ||||||
Latin glans, "acorn" | glans | glans | |||||||
Coined from Greek gonos, "child, offspring, seed" | gonad | gonad | |||||||
gonad/o | trop | in | gonadotropin | ||||||
gono | rrhea | gonorrhea | |||||||
granulosa | granulosa | ||||||||
Latin gravidus, "loaded, full, swollen" | gravida | gravida | |||||||
Latin gravidarum, "pregnant [woman]" | gravidarum | gravidarum | |||||||
gravidity | gravidity | ||||||||
French gynécologie, from Latinish-Greek gynaiko– (ultimately from Greek gynē, "woman") | gyneco | logist | gynecologist | ||||||
gyneco | logy | gynecology | |||||||
gynec/o | mast | ia | gynecomastia | ||||||
hem/at/o | salpinx | hematosalpinx | |||||||
hem/o | rrhag[e] | icum | hemorrhagicum | ||||||
Hermaphroditus was the two-sexed child of Hermes and Aphrodite | hermaphrodite | hermaphrodite | |||||||
Greek herpes, the name for the disease shingles (herpes zoster inflammation of the skin); Greek herpein, "to creep" same as herpetology | herpes | herpes | |||||||
hydr/o | cele | hydrocele | |||||||
hydr/o | cel[e] | ectomy | hydrocelectomy | ||||||
hydro | salpinx | hydrosalpinx | |||||||
hymen | hymen | ||||||||
hyper | mast | hypermastia | |||||||
hypo | mast | hypomastia | |||||||
hyster | algia | hysteralgia | |||||||
hyster | ectomy | hysterectomy | |||||||
hyster/o | cele | hysterocele | |||||||
hyster/o | dynia | hysterodynia | |||||||
hyster/o | graphy | hysterography | |||||||
hyster/o | pexy | hysteropexy | |||||||
hyster/o | ptosis | hysteroptosis | |||||||
hyster/o | rrhexis | hysterorrhexis | |||||||
hyster/o | salping | ectomy | hysterosalpingectomy | ||||||
hyster/o | salping/o | gram | hysterosalpingogram | ||||||
hyster/o | scope | hysteroscope | |||||||
hyster/o | scopy | hysteroscopy | |||||||
hyster/o | tomy | hysterotomy | |||||||
French implantation, "the action of inserting or engrafting" | implantation | implantation | |||||||
Latin, "in glass" (i.e. in a glass dish or tube) | in | vitro | in vitro | ||||||
in | fertil[e] | ity | infertility | ||||||
Latin inhibere, "to keep back" | inhib[it] | in | inhibin | ||||||
inter | sex | intersex | |||||||
intra | epi | thel[e] | ial | intraepithelial | |||||
intra | partum | intrapartum | |||||||
intra | uterine | intrauterine | |||||||
labia | majora | labia majora | |||||||
labia | minora | labia minora | |||||||
labio | scrot | al | labioscrotal | ||||||
lact | ation | lactation | |||||||
lact/o | genic | lactogenic | |||||||
lact/o | rrhea | lactorrhea | |||||||
"smooth muscle tumor" | lei/o | my | oma | leiomyoma | |||||
leuko | rrhea | leukorrhea | |||||||
Latin ligatus, "bound" | ligat[e] | ion | ligation | ||||||
macro | mast | macromastia | |||||||
macro | som | macrosomia | |||||||
Latin mamma, "breast" (and, not coincidentally, what babies in many cultures call mothers, "ma + ma"), probably because "ma" is one of the first sounds babies make | mammo | gram | mammogram | ||||||
mammo | plasty | mammoplasty | |||||||
mast | algia | mastalgia | |||||||
mast | ectomy | mastectomy | |||||||
mast | itis | mastitis | |||||||
masto | pexy | mastopexy | |||||||
mast/o | ptosis | mastoptosis | |||||||
German menarche from Greek men–, "month" + Greek arkhē, "beginning" | men | arche | menarche | ||||||
men/o | pause | menopause | |||||||
men/o | rrhag[e] | ia | menorrhagia | ||||||
men/o | rrh[age] | algia | menorrhalgia | ||||||
men/o | rrhea | menorrhea | |||||||
menstru[s] | ation | menstruation | |||||||
meso | derm | mesoderm | |||||||
meso | nephr[os] | ic | mesonephric duct | ||||||
metr/o | colp/o | cele | metrocolpocele | ||||||
metr/o | men/o | rrhagia | metromenorrhagia | ||||||
metr/o | phleb | itis | metrophlebitis | ||||||
metr/o | rrhagia | metrorrhagia | |||||||
micro | cephal | us | microcephalus | ||||||
micro | mast | micromastia | |||||||
mono | zygot[e] | ic | monozygotic | ||||||
my/o | epithel[e] | ium | myoepithelial | ||||||
my/o | metr | itis | myometritis | ||||||
my/o | metr | ium | myometrium | ||||||
neo | nat | al | neonatal | ||||||
neo | nat/o | logist | neonatologist | ||||||
neo | nat/o | logy | neonatology | ||||||
neo | plasia | neoplasia | |||||||
Latin obstetricus, "pertaining to a midwife", literally "one who stands opposite [the woman giving birth]: ob– "opposite" + stare, "stands" | ob | stet/r | ic | obstetric | |||||
ob | stet/r | ic | ian | obstetrician | |||||
oligo | hydr | amnios | oligohydramnios | ||||||
oligo | men/o | rrhea | oligomenorrhea | ||||||
oligo | sperm | ia | oligospermia | ||||||
oo | cyte | oocyte | |||||||
oo | gon | ia | oogonia | ||||||
oophor | ectomy | oophorectomy | |||||||
oophor | itis | oophoritis | |||||||
oophor/o | cyst | ectomy | oophorocystectomy | ||||||
oophor/o | cyst | osis | oophorocystosis | ||||||
oophor | oma | oophoroma | |||||||
oophor/o | tomy | oophorotomy | |||||||
orchid | algia | orchidalgia | |||||||
orchid | ectomy | orchidectomy | |||||||
orchid | itis | orchiditis | |||||||
orchid/o | pexy | orchidopexy | |||||||
orchid/o | ptosis | orchidoptosis | |||||||
orchid/o | tomy | orchidotomy | |||||||
orch/i | ectomy | orchiectomy | |||||||
orch/i | epididym | itis | orchiepididymitis | ||||||
orch/i/o | dynia | orchiodynia | |||||||
orch/i/o | pathy | orchiopathy | |||||||
orch/i/o | pexy | orchiopexy | |||||||
orch/i/o | pexy | orchioplasty | |||||||
orch | itis | orchitis | |||||||
organ/o | genesis | organogenesis | |||||||
orifice | orifice | ||||||||
ovar | algia | ovaralgia | |||||||
ovar/i | algia | ovarialgia | |||||||
ovar/i | ovarian | ||||||||
ovar/i/o | centesis | ovariocentesis | |||||||
ovar/i/o | cyesis | ovariocyesis | |||||||
ovar/i/o | rrhexis | ovariorrhexis | |||||||
ovar/i/o | stomy | ovariostomy | |||||||
ovar | itis | ovaritis | |||||||
ovar | y | ovary | |||||||
ov[um] | ula | tion | ovulation | ||||||
ovum | ovum | ||||||||
oxy | toc[ic] | in | oxytocin | ||||||
Named after the inventor of the procedure, Dr. Georgios Papanicolaou | Pap[anicolaou] | smear | Pap smear | ||||||
papill[a] | oma | papilloma | |||||||
para | para | ||||||||
Also called Müllerian ducts; in males anti-Müllerian hormone stops this development, but the absence of this hormone (or a response to it) results in formation of female genitalia regardless of genetic makeup | para | meso | nephr[os] | ic | paramesonephric ducts | ||||
Also called Skene's glands; these are near the urethra, and during sexual arousal they swell with blood and secrete fluid | para | urethr[a] | al | paraurethral glands | |||||
parity | parity | ||||||||
pelv | pelvic | ||||||||
pelv/i | cephal/o | metry | pelvicephalometry | ||||||
pelv/i | metry | pelvimetry | |||||||
penis | penis | ||||||||
peri | metr | itis | perimetritis | ||||||
peri | metr | ium | perimetrium | ||||||
peri | nat | al | perinatal | ||||||
peri | nato | logist | perinatologist | ||||||
peri | nato | logy | perinatology | ||||||
perine/o | cele | perineocele | |||||||
perine/o | plasty | perineoplasty | |||||||
perine/o | rrhaphy | perineorrhaphy | |||||||
perine/o | tomy | perineotomy | |||||||
Greek perinaion, "space between the anus and scrotum" | perine | um | perineum | ||||||
Placenta first condition in which placenta is attached near the cervix | placenta | previa | placenta previa | ||||||
Early separation of the placenta from the lining of the uterus before the second stage of labor | placental | abruption | placental abruption | ||||||
poly | hydr | amnios | polyhydramnios | ||||||
poly | men/o | rrhea | polymenorrhea | ||||||
poly | sperm | y | polyspermy | ||||||
post | nat | postnatal | |||||||
post | partum | postpartum | |||||||
pre | eclampsia | preeclampsia | |||||||
pre | nat | prenatal | |||||||
French, from Latin præputium, "foreskin" | prepuce | prepuce | |||||||
From ancient Greek minor fertility god named Priapos who is always shown with a permanently erect penis | Priap[os] | ism | priapism | ||||||
pro | lapse | prolapse | |||||||
pro | nucleus | pronucleus | |||||||
prostate | prostate | ||||||||
prostat | ectomy | prostatectomy | |||||||
prostat | itis | prostatitis | |||||||
prostat/o | cyst | itis | prostatocystitis | ||||||
prostat/o | lith | prostatolith | |||||||
prostat/o | lith/o | tomy | prostatolithotomy | ||||||
prostat/o | megaly | prostatomegaly | |||||||
prostat/o | rrhea | prostatorrhea | |||||||
prostat/o | vesicul | ectomy | prostatovesiculectomy | ||||||
prostat/o | vesicul | itis | prostatovesiculitis | ||||||
Latin pseudo– + Greek kúēsis, "pregnancy" | pseudo | cyesis | pseudocyesis | ||||||
pseudo | hermaphrodite | pseudohermaphrodite | |||||||
pubo | cervical | pubocervical ligament | |||||||
py/o | salpinx | pyosalpinx | |||||||
recto | cele | rectocele | |||||||
relax | in | relaxin | |||||||
rete | testis | rete testis | |||||||
salping | ectomy | salpingectomy | |||||||
salping | itis | salpingitis | |||||||
salping/o | cele | salpingocele | |||||||
salping/o | cyesis | salpingocyesis | |||||||
salping/o | oophor | ectomy | salpingo-oophorectomy | ||||||
salping/o | oophor | itis | salpingo-oophoritis | ||||||
salping/o | pexy | salpingopexy | |||||||
salping/o | scope | salpingoscope | |||||||
semen | semen | ||||||||
semin | al | seminal vesicles | |||||||
Compare etymology of the Carboniferous Period | semin | iferous | seminiferous tubules | ||||||
semin | oma | seminoma | |||||||
som/ato | mammo | trop | in | somatomammotropin | |||||
sono | hyster/o | graphy | sonohysterography | ||||||
Latin for "reflector, looking-glass, mirror" | speculum | speculum | |||||||
spermatid | spermatid | ||||||||
sperm/at/o | cele | spermatocele | |||||||
sperm/at/o | cyte | spermatocyte | |||||||
sperm/at/o | genesis | spermatogenesis | |||||||
sperm/at/o | genic | spermatogenic cells | |||||||
sperm/at/o | gon | ia | spermatogonia | ||||||
sperm/at/o | lysis | spermatolysis | |||||||
sperm/at/o | zoa | spermatozoa | |||||||
sperm/at/o | zoon | spermatozoon | |||||||
sperm/i | cide | spermicide | |||||||
sperm/o | lytic | spermolytic | |||||||
suckl[e] | ing | suckling | |||||||
Also called Sertoli cells | sustentacul[um] | ar | sustentacular cells | ||||||
Derived from a poem from 1500s called "Syphilis, or the French Disease" telling the story of a shepherd named Syphilis who supposedly had the disease | syphilis | syphilis | |||||||
Greek teratos, "belonging to a marvel, sign, wonder, monster" | terat/o | gen | teratogen | ||||||
terat/o | gen | ic | teratogenic | ||||||
terat/o | logy | teratology | |||||||
terat | oma | teratoma | |||||||
testes | testes | ||||||||
testicle | testicle | ||||||||
testic | ul[e] | ar | testicular | ||||||
testis | testis | ||||||||
test | itis | testitis | |||||||
Greek tókos, “childbirth” | toco | dyna | graph | tocodynagraph | |||||
toco | graph | tocograph | |||||||
toco | graphy | tocography | |||||||
toco | lytic | tocolytic | |||||||
Coined 1909 in French from Greek toxon, "bow, arch" from the organism's shape + plasma | Toxoplasm[a] | osis | toxoplasmosis | ||||||
trans | vagin | al | transvaginal | ||||||
From parasite Trichomonas vaginalis, a common sexually transmitted disease (STD) | Trichomon[as] | iasis | trichomoniasis | ||||||
ecto | derm | tropho | trophoectoderm | ||||||
urethr | a | urethra | |||||||
urethr/o | cele | urethrocele | |||||||
uter | ine | uterine | |||||||
Latin, "womb, belly" from PIE udero– | uter | us | uterus | ||||||
vagin | a | vagina | |||||||
vagin | itis | vaginitis | |||||||
vagin/o | dynia | vaginodynia | |||||||
vagin/o | myc | osis | vaginomycosis | ||||||
vagin/o | perine/o | plasty | vaginoperineoplasty | ||||||
vagin/o | perine/o | rrhaphy | vaginoperineorrhaphy | ||||||
vagin/o | perine/o | tomy | vaginoperineotomy | ||||||
vagin/o | plasty | vaginoplasty | |||||||
vagin/o | scope | vaginoscope | |||||||
vagin | osis | vaginosis | |||||||
varico | cele | varicocele | |||||||
Latin, "carrying away vessel" | vas | deferens | vas deferens | ||||||
vas | ectomy | vasectomy | |||||||
vaso | vaso | stomy | vasovasostomy | ||||||
vesico | vagin | vesicovaginal | |||||||
vesicul | ectomy | vesiculectomy | |||||||
vesicul | itis | vesiculitis | |||||||
vesicul/o | tomy | vesiculotomy | |||||||
vulva | vulva | ||||||||
vulv[a] | itis | vulvitis | |||||||
vulv/o | dynia | vulvodynia | |||||||
vulv/o | vagin | itis | vulvovaginitis | ||||||
From Greek zygōtos, "yoked"; the sperm and egg are yoked together to form a zygote | zygote | zygote |