How the Unit 6 Word List Was Built

Etymology Prefix1 Prefix2 "Pre-Root" Root Root "Post-Root" Suffix
Word End		 Word
Greek akoustikos "pertaining to hearing" acous tic acoustic
aer ot itis aerotitis
ad → af fer[re] ent afferent
a gnos ia agnosia
a kinet opsia akinetopsia
Greek amblys, "blunt" + ops, "sight" ambly op ia amblyopia
ampulla ampulla
a myo trophic amyotrophic
ana stom osis anastomosis
Greek aisthēsis, "feeling" an esthesi[o] a anesthesia
an esthesio logist anesthesiologist
Greek aneurysmos, "dilation" aneurysm[os] aneurysm
an irid ia aniridia
Greek orexis, "appetite, desire" an orex ia anorexia
an osm[e] ia anosmia
anti convuls[e] ant anticonvulsant
anti depress ant antidepressant
anti psycho tic antipsychotic
anxio lytic anxiolytic
a path y apathy
a phak ia aphakia
a phas ia aphasia
apo neur osis aponeurosis
arachn oid arachnoid
arterio scler osis arteriosclerosis
asthen opia asthenopia
a stigmat ism astigmatism
athero scler osis atherosclerosis
audio gram audiogram
audio logist audiologist
audio metry audiometry
audit ory auditory
aur al aural
Greek autos, "self" + –ism aut[os] ism autism
auto nom[y] ic autonomic
axo dendrit ic axodendritic
axon axon
axo secret ory axosecretory
axo soma tic axosomatic
basi[s] l + ar basilar
bin ocul ar binocular
bi pol[e] ar bipolar
blepharo edema blepharedema
blephar itis blepharitis
blephro conjunctiv itis blepharoconjunctivitis
blepharo plasty blepharoplasty
blepharo plegia blepharoplegia
blepharo ptosis blepharoptosis
blepharo pyo rrhea blepharopyorrhea
blepharo spasm blepharospasm
blepharo tomy blepharotomy
brain brain
Greek bous, "ox" + limos, "hunger" (literally, "ox-hunger", i.e. ravenous hunger) bulimia ia bulimia
Latin "waterfall" cataract cataract
cata ton[o] ia catatonia
caud[a] ate caudate
ceph algia cephalgia
cephalo dynia cephalodynia
cerebell[o] ar cerebellar
cerebell[o] itis cerebellitis
cereb ellum cerebellum
cerebr al cerebral
cerebro mening itis cerebromeningitis
cerebro pathy cerebropathy
cerebro spin al cerebrospinal
cerebro tomy cerebrotomy
cerebro vascul cerebrovascular
cerebr cerebrum
Coined 1741 from Latin cera, "wax" + [bit]umen cerumen cerumen
cerumino lysis ceruminolysis
cerumino lytic ceruminolytic
cerumin oma ceruminoma
cerumin osis ceruminosis
chemo receptor chemoreceptor
Greek khorion, "membrane enclosing the fetus" chor[ion] oid choroid
Greek klonos, "violent" clonus clonus
Latin cochlea, "snail shell" cochlear cochlear
cochle itis cochleitis
con duct ive conductive
Latin, short for membrana conjunctiva, because it forms a conjunction between the lids and the globe of the eye conjunctiva conjunctiva
conjunctiv itis conjunctivitis
Latin convulsus, "to pull this way and that" convuls[e] ion convulsion
corn[u] ea cornea
cortico spinal corticospinal
cranio scler osis craniosclerosis
syn cranio ost osis craniosynostosis
The ciliary body forms a ring, therefore cyclo cyclo kerat itis cyclokeratitis
cyclo pleg ia cycloplegia
cyclo tomy cyclotomy
Greek dákru, "tear[drop]" dacry/o aden algia dacryoadenalgia
dacry/o aden ectomy dacryoadenectomy
dacry/o aden itis dacryoadenitis
Greek dákru, "tear[drop]" + Greek kústis, "cyst", "anatomical sac" dacry/o cyst algia dacryocystalgia
dacry/o cyst ectomy dacryocystectomy
dacry/o cyst itis dacryocystitis
dacryo cysto rhino stomy dacryocystorhinostomy
dacry/o cysto tomy dacryocystotomy
dacry/o hemo rrhea dacryohemorrhea
dacry/o lith dacryolith
dacry/o lith iasis dacryolithiasis
dacry/o pyo rrhea dacryopyorrhea
dacry/o rrhea dacryorrhea
dacry/o stenosis dacryostenosis
Latin de + crescere, "to grow less" decrement[um] decrement
Latin decussare, "form the letter X" (related to "decade" through Roman numeral X=10) decussat[e] ion decussation
Latin for "to plow outside the furrow" i.e. "to go off tracks" de lir[a] ium delirium
Latin de– + ment, "mind", i.e. out of one's mind de ment ia dementia
derma tome dermatome
di encephal on diencephalon
dipl opia opia diplopia
dopa [a]mine dopamine
dura dura
dur[a] itis duritis
dys esthes ia dysesthesia
dys lex ia dyslexia
dys phas ia dysphasia
dys phor is dysphoria
echo encephalo graphy echoencephalography
ec trop ion ectropion
ef fer[re] ent efferent
electro encephalo graphy electroencephalography
electro physi ology electrophysiology
embol ism embolism
encephal[o] itis encephalitis
encephalo cele encephalocele
encephalo gram encephalogram
encephalo myel itis encephalomyelitis
encephal/o myel/o neur/o pathy encephalomyeloneuropathy
encephalo pathy encephalopathy
encephalo py osis encephalopyosis
end[o] arter ectomy endarterectomy
endo lymph endolymph
endo neur[o] ium endoneurium
end ophthalm itis endophthalmitis
endo vascul ar endovascular
en trop ion entropion
e nucle ation enucleation
Greek epénduma, "upper garment" ependym al ependymal
epi dur[a] al epidural
Latin lepsis, "seizure" epi leps y epilepsy
epi neur[o] ium epineurium
Greek eso– "within" + –tropos, "turn" eso trop ia esotropia
eu phor ia euphoria
ex ophthalmus exophthalmus
exo trop exotropia
Latin, "outside, outward" externus externa
extero ceptor exteroceptor
fasc icle fascicle
front al frontal
gangli oma ganglioma
ganglion ganglion
ganglion itis ganglionitis
Greek glaukommatos, "gray-eyed"; glaukoma, "cataract" glaucoma glaucoma
Greek glossa or glotta, "tongue" + Greek pharanx, "cleft, chasm, gully, trench" glosso pharyng eal glossopharyngeal
gustat[e] ion gustation
Greek gyros, "ring, circle" gyrus gyrus
hemat[o] oma hematoma
hemi an ops ia hemianopsia
hemi pares is hemiparesis
hemi pleg ia hemiplegia
hemo rrhag[e] hemorrhagic
Latin, "tiny human being produced artificially" homunculus homunculus
hydro cephal[o] us hydrocephalus
Greek ákousis, "hearing" hyper acusis hyperacusis
hyper esthes ia hyperesthesia
hyper op ia hyperopia
hyper polar ization hyperpolarization
hypno tic hypnotic
hypo acusis hypoacusis
hypo gloss al hypoglossal
Latin ictus, "strike, hit" ictus ictus
Greek idios, "one's own" idio path ic idiopathic
in somn[o] ia insomnia
insula insula
inter ict[us] al interictal
inter neuron interneuron
inter/o ceptor interoceptor
intra cerebr[o] al intracerebral
intra ocul ar intraocular
intra vitre al intravitreal
irid algia iridalgia
irid ectomy iridectomy
irid emia iridemia
irido cycl ectomy iridocyclectomy
irido cycl itis iridocyclitis
irido kerat itis iridokeratitis
irido pathy iridopathy
irido tomy iridotomy
Greek iris, "rainbow" iris iris
ir itis iritis
Greek iskhein, "to hold" + haima, "blood" (also spelled ischæmia) isch [h]em[e] ischemic
kerat algia keratalgia
kerat itis keratitis
kerato malacia keratomalacia
kerato pathy keratopathy
kerato plasty keratoplasty
kerato tomy keratotomy
labyrinth ectomy labyrinthectomy
labyrinth itis labyrinthitis
labyrintho tomy labyrinthotomy
lacrim ation lacrimation
ligand ligand
Latin lobus, "lobe" lobe lobe
lob[o] ectomy lobectomy
lobo tomy lobotomy
macro cephal[o] y macrocephaly
mechano receptor mechanoreceptor
medulla medulla
mening es meninges
meningi oma meningioma
mening[o] itis meningitis
meningo cele meningocele
meningo encephal itis meningoencephalitis
meningo pathy meningopathy
micro cephal[o] y microcephaly
micr ot ia microtia
mid brain midbrain
Greek myein "to shut the eyes" + –osis mi osis miosis
miot ic miotic
mono pares is monoparesis
mono pleg ia monoplegia
mono synap[se] tic monosynaptic
multi pol[e] ar multipolar
From Greek múdros, "mass of red hot material in a forge", maybe because of the eye glowing red when the pupil is dilated mydriasis asis mydriasis
mydriat ic mydriatic
myel[o] itis myelitis
myelo cele myelocele
myelo gram myelogram
myelo malacia myelomalacia
myelo meningo cele myelomeningocele
myelo pathy myelopathy
my op ia myopia
myo tatic myotatic
myring ectomy myringectomy
myring itis myringitis
myringo dermat itis myringodermatitis
myringo myc osis myringomycosis
myringo plasty myringoplasty
myringo tomy myringotomy
narco leps y narcolepsy
naso lacrim al nasolacrimal
neur algia neuralgia
neur[o] asthen ia neurasthenia
neur ectomy neurectomy
neur[o] itis neuritis
neuro arthro pathy neuroarthropathy
This term describes a "brain worm", a horrifying result of infection with tapeworms (commonly, the pork tapeworm Taenia solium). The tapeworm typically resides in a chamber made by the brain called a cysticercus, from the Greek words cyst/i–, "fluid-filled space" + –kérkos, "tall". neuro cysticerc[us] osis neurocysticercosis
neuro dynia neurodynia
neuro encephalo myelo pathy neuroencephalomyelopathy
neuro gen ic neurogenic
neuro glyco penia neuroglycopenia
neuro lysis neurolysis
neur[o] oma neuroma
Greek neura, "nerve" + –on neuron neuron
neuro pathy neuropathy
Neuro + Latin pharmacia, Greek pharmakeia, "herb, medicine, potion" neuro pharmaco logy neuropharmacology
neur/o phys/i/o logy neurophysiology
neuro plasty neuroplasty
neuro rrhaphy neurorrhaphy
neuro scler osis neurosclerosis
neur[o] osis neurosis
neur/o surgery neurosurgery
neuro tomy neurotomy
neuro transmit ter neurotransmitter
Latin nocere, "to hurt" noci [re]ceptor nociceptor
Greek "to nod away in sleep"; the drooping of the chin then snapping back into place while you are trying to listen to a boring lecture nystagmus nystagmus
occiput al occipital
oculo myc osis oculomycosis
oculo pathy oculopathy
oculo plasty oculoplasty
ophthalm algia ophthalmalgia
ophthalm ic ophthalmic
ophthalm itis ophthalmitis
ophthalmo logist ophthalmologist
ophthalm/o my itis ophthalmomyitis
ophthalmo pathy ophthalmopathy
ophthalmo plegia ophthalmoplegia
ophthalmo scope ophthalmoscope
opt ic optic
opto kinet ic optokinetic
opto metr ist optometrist
opto my/o meter optomyometer
Greek osmē, "smell, scent, odor" osmo receptor osmoreceptor
osteo acusis osteoacusis
ot algia otalgia
ot itis otitis
oto dynia otodynia
ot/o laryng/o logist otolaryngologist
oto liths otoliths
ot/o myc osis otomycosis
oto neuro logist otoneurologist
oto plasty otoplasty
ot/o py/o rrhea otopyorrhea
oto rhino laryngo logist otorhinolaryngologist
oto rrhea otorrhea
oto scler osis otosclerosis
oto scope otoscope
ot oste al otosteal
oto tox ic ototoxic
papill edema papilledema
para esthes ia paraesthesia
Greek & Latin paralysis, Greek lyein, "loosen" para lysis paralysis
para sym path[os] etic parasympathetic
Greek páresis, "letting go, paralysis" paresis paresis
pariet al parietal
peri lymph perilymph
peri neur[o] ium perineurium
Latin emulsionem, ex– + mulgere "to milk" (milk is an emulsion) phaco emulsif ication phacoemulsification
phaco malacia phacomalacia
phaco scler osis phacosclerosis
phaco scope phacoscope
phak itis phakitis
phon asthen ia phonasthenia
phot on photon
photo phob ia photophobia
photo + p ic photopic
photo receptor photoreceptor
plex us plexus
Greek polios, "gray"; named because of the inflammation of the spinal cord polio myel[o] itis poliomyelitis
poly neur[o] itis polyneuritis
poly neuro pathy polyneuropathy
post central postcentral
post ganglion ic postganglionic
post ict[us] al postictal
post synap[se] tic postsynaptic
pre central precentral
pre front al prefrontal
pre ganglion ic preganglionic
pre ict[us] al preictal
pre motor premotor
presby acusis presbycusis
presby op ia presbyopia
pre synap[se] tic presynaptic
Latin pro– + pag, "to fasten"; reproduce one's kind pro pag ate propagate
propri[us] [re]ceptor proprioceptor
Greek prosopon, "face" + a, "not" + gnosis, "knowing" a prosop gnos ia prosopagnosia
pseud esthes ia pseudesthesia
psych iatrist psychiatrist
psych iatry psychiatry
psycho gen ic psychogenic
psycho logist psychologist
the mind is not separate from the brain, but this terminology dates from a time in history when psychology and neurology were thought to be separate sciences psycho logy psychology
psycho pathy psychopathy
psycho pharmaco logy psychopharmacology
psych[o] osis psychosis
psycho somat ic psychosomatic
psycho trop ic psychotropic
quadri pleg ia quadriplegia
Latin refractarius, "obstinate, stubborn" refract ory refractory
re polar ization repolarization
the eye is divided into three concentric layers, or tunics; the retina is the innermost, net-like (Latin rete) tunic retina retina
retin al retinal
retin itis retinitis
retino pathy retinopathy
retino pexy retinopexy
retino scope retinoscope
retin osis retinosis
saccule saccule
sciatica sciatica
sclera sclera
Greek éktasis, "stretched out", "dilated" scler ectas[is] ia sclerectasia
scler itis scleritis
sclero malacia scleromalacia
sclero tomy sclerotomy
Greek skotos, "darkness" scot oma scotoma
scot op ic scotopic
segment al segmental
sensori neur al sensorineural
somn ambul ism somnambulism
somno graphy somnography
stimulus stimulus
Latin, "to squint" strabismus
sub arachn oid subarachnoid
sub dur[o] al subdural
Latin sulcus, "furrow, trench, ditch" sulcus sulcus
sym path[os] etic sympathetic
Greek, "cut off" syncope
syn esthes ia synesthesia
tastant tastant
tempor al temporal
thermo receptor thermoreceptor
Thromb[us], "clot" + embol, "plug" + –ism. Used more to indicate a condition. thrombo embol ism thromboembolism
Thromb[us], "clot" + embol, "plug" + –us. Used more to indicate an abnormal structure. thrombo embol us thromboembolus
thrombo lytic thrombolytic
thromb osis thrombosis
Latin, "to ring or jingle" tinnitus
Greek toxicon, "poison to use on arrows", from Scythian toxon, "bow"; this may be the only Scythian word found in Medical English tox ic toxic
trans cran ial transcranial
Latin trans– + ducere, "to lead" trans duct ion transduction
trans ient transient
Latin geminus, "twins" (as in the constellation Gemini) tri gemin al trigeminal
tympan[um] ic tympanic
tympano centesis tympanocentesis
tympano metry tympanometry
tympano plasty tympanoplasty
tympan/o scler osis tympanosclerosis
tympano stomy tympanostomy
uni pol[e] ar unipolar
Latin ūter, "leather bag" + diminutive suffix –icle utricle utricle
varicos[e] ity varicosity
Latin, "to whirl around" vertigo vertigo
vestibul ar vestibular
vestibul itis vestibulitis
vestibulo cochlear vestibulocochlear
vestibulo tomy vestibulotomy
vitr ectomy vitrectomy
Latin, "glass-like" vitre ous vitreous
xer[o] ophthalm ia xerophthalmia

License

Icon for the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

Medical English Copyright © by Jim Hutchins is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book