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 | ||||||
| an | ov[a] | ula | tion | anovulation | |||||
| 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 | ||||||
| French chancre, "cancer"; same etymology as "canker sore" | chancre | chancre | |||||||
| 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 | |||||||
| Greek, ektopos, literally "out of place", from ek– + –topos | 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 fēcundus, "fertile, productive". Among the words that come from the same Latin root are: felare, "to suck"; femina, "woman, she who suckles"; felix, "happy, auspicious, fruitful"; fetus, "pregnancy"; filia/filius, "daughter/son" | fecund | fecund | |||||||
| fecund | ability | fecundability | |||||||
| 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 | arche | gonadarche | |||||||
| 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 | andr/o | gen | ism | hyperandrogenism | |||||
| 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 | fertile | ||||||||
| 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 nulli– + –parous | null/i | par[us] | ous | nulliparous | |||||
| 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 | ||||||
| Literally, "nipple tumor", from Latin papilla, "nipple", diminutive of papula, "swelling" + –oma. The related word "pap" is thought to be from the sound an infant makes when asking for a nipple. | papill[a] | oma | papilloma | ||||||
| Latin parire, "bring forth, produce"; para is the feminine form of parire | 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 | |||||||
| pub | arche | pubarche | |||||||
| pub | ic | pubic | |||||||
| Latin pubes means "adult, full-grown, manly"; this gives us "os pubis" (pubic bone) which gives us "pubis" | pub | is | pubis | ||||||
| pub/o | cervic | al | 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 | |||||||
| Fibrous connective tissue of an organ, from Latin stroma, "bed covering, mattress; something to sit or lie on" | stroma | stroma | |||||||
| 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 | |||||||
| test/o | toxic | osis | testotoxicosis | ||||||
| Greek tókos, “childbirth” | toco | dyna | graph | tocodynagraph | |||||
| toco | graph | tocograph | |||||||
| toco | graphy | tocography | |||||||
| toco | lytic | tocolytic | |||||||
| Latin tortio, "torture, torment" from torquere, "to twist or torture" | torsion | torsion | |||||||
| 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 | ||||||
| Latin term which means, literally, "white coat", which gives a new meaning to the "white coat ceremony" held by most medical schools | tunica | albuginea | tunica albuginea | ||||||
| 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 |
