Appendix B – AFA/EMR Medical Terminology

Word Section	Meaning
a-, an-	without, lacking
ab-, abs-	away from
-ac	pertaining to
acous-, acouso-	hearing
aden-, adeno-	gland
adip-, adipo-	fat
adren-, adreno-	gland
-alge-, -algesi	pain
ambi-	both sides
andr-, andro-	male
angi-, angio-	blood vessel
ante-	before, forward
anti-	against
arthr-, arthro-	joint
ateri-, aterio-	artery
auto-	self
bi-	two
bio-	life
-blast-, -blasto, -blastic	bud, germ
blephar-	eyelid
brady-	slow
bronch-, bronchi-	bronchus
bucc-, bucco-	cheek
burs-, burso-	bursa
carcin-, carcino-	cancer
cardi-, cardio-	heart
-cele	bulge
-centesis	surgical puncture to remove fluid
cephal-, cephalo-	head
chem-, chemo-	chemistry
chlor-, chloro-	green
chol-	bile
chondr-	cartilage
chrom-, chromato-	colour
circum-	around
contra-	against

Word Section	Meaning
coron-	heart
cost-	rib
crani-, cranio-	brain
cry-, cryo-	cold
cutane	skin
cyano-	blue
cycl-	circle, cycle
cyst-, cysti-, cysto-	bladder or sac
cyt-, cyto-	cell
-cyte, -cytic	cell
dactyl-, dactylo-	digit (finger or toe)
de-	away from, ending
derm-, dermato-	skin
-desis	surgical binding
dextr-, dextro-	right side
dia-	across, through
diplo-	double
dis-	separation, taking apart
duodeno-	duodenum
-dynia	pain, swelling
dys-	difficult, abnormal
-eal, -ial	pertaining to
ect-, ecto-, exo-	outer, outside
-ectasis	expansion or dilation
-ectomy	cut out, removal
elect-	electrical activity
-emesis	vomiting
-emia	blood condition
en-	inside
end-, endo-, ent- enter-, entero-,	within, inner
epi-	upon, outside of
erythr-, erythro-	red
-esis	state or condition
-esthesio	sensation
eu-	good, well
ex-, extra-	beyond
fibr-, fibro-	fiber

Word Section	Meaning
gastr-	stomach
gloss-	tongue
gluco-, glycol-	glucose, sugar
gnath-, gnatho-	jaw
-gram, -graph, -graphy	recording, written
grav-	heavy
gyn-, gyno-, gynec-	female
hem, hema-, hemat-, hemato-, hemo-	blood
hemi-	half
hepat-, hepatico-, hepato-	liver
hetero-	other, different
hidr-, hidro-	sweat
hist-, histio-, histo-	tissue
homo-	same
hydr-, hydro-	water
hyper-	above, beyond, excessive
hypo-	under, deficient
hyster-, hystero-	uterus
-ia	condition
-iasis	condition, formation of
idio-	self, one’s own
ileo-	ileum (the lower part of the small intestine)
infra-	beneath, below
inter-	between
intra-	within
irid-, irido-	iris
ischi-, ischio-	ischium (the lower and back part of the hip bone)
-ism	condition
iso-	equal, like
-ites, -itis	inflammation
-ity	pertaining to
-ium	structure or tissue
karyo-	nucleus
kerat-, kerato-	cornea (eye or skin)

Word Section	Meaning
kin-, kine-, kinesi-, kinesio-, kino-	movement
kyph-, kypho-	humped
lacrim-, lacrimo-	tear (from your eyes)
lact-, lacti-, lacto-	milk
laryng-, laryngo-	larynx (voice box)
leuk-, leuko-	white
lingu-, linguo-	tongue
lip-, lipo-	fat
lith-, litho-	stone, mineral concretion
lymph-, lympho-	lymph
-lysis, -lytic, lyso-, lys-	break down, destruction, dissolving
macro-	large, long, big
mal-	bad, abnormal
-malacia	softening
mamm, mast-, masto-	breast
-mania	morbid impulse towards an object/thing
meg-, mega-, megal-, megalo-	great, large
-megaly	enlargement
melan-, melano-	black
mening-, meningo-	meninges (the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord)
meso-	middle
meta-	beyond, change
-meter	device used for measuring
-metry	measurement of
mic-, micro-	small
mon-, mono-	one
morph-, morpho-	shape
multi-	many
muscul-, musclo-	muscle
my-, myo-	muscle
myc-, myco-	fungus
myel-, myelo-	spinal cord OR bone marrow
myring-, myringo-	eardrum
myx-, myxo-	mucus

Word Section	Meaning
myring-, myringo-	eardrum
myx-, myxo-	mucus
necr-, necro-	death
neo-	new
nephr-, nephro-	kidney
neur-, neuri-, neuron	nerve
normo-	normal
oculo-	eye
odont-, odonto-	tooth
-odyn	pain
-oid	resembling
olig-, oligo-	few, little
-oma	tumor
onco-	tumor, bulk, volume
onych-, onycho-	fingernail, toenail
oo-	egg, ovary
oophor-, oophoro-	ovary
op-, opt-	vision
ophthalm-, ophthalmo-	eye
-opsy	visual examination
orchid-, orchido-, orchio-	testis
orth-, ortho-	straight, normal, correct
-osis	condition, usually abnormal
osseo-	bony
ossi-	bone
ost-, oste-, osteo-	bone
-ostomy	opening
ot-, oto-	ear
-otomy	incision
-ous	pertaining to
ovari-, ovario-, ovi-, ovo-	ovary
oxy-	sharp, acute, oxygen
pan-, pant-, panto-	all or everywhere
para-	alongside, abnormal

Word Section	Meaning
-pathy, patho-, path-	disease
-penia	deficiency, lack of
per-	through
peri-	around
-pexy	surgical fixation
-phagia, phagy	eating, swallowing
phalang-	phalanx (any bone in the fingers or toes)
pharmaco-	drug, medicine
pharyng-, pharyngo-	pharynx, throat
-phasia	speech
phleb-, phlebo-	vein
phob-, phobia	fear
phon-, phono-	sound
phos-	light
phot-, photo-	light
phren-, phreni-, phrenico-, phreno-	diaphragm
-plasia, -plastic	growth
-plasty	surgical reconstruction
-plegia	paralysis
pleur-, pleura-, pleuro-	rib, pleura (membrane that wraps around the outside of your lungs and lines the inside of your chest cavity)
-pnea	breathing
pneum-, pneuma-, pneumat-, pneumato-	air, lung
pod-, podo	foot
-poiesis	production
poly-	many, excessive
post-	behind, after
-praxia	movement
pre-	before, in front
pro-	favouring, supporting
proct-, procto-	anus, rectum
prostat-	prostate

Word Section	Meaning
pseudo-	false
psych-, psyche-, psycho-	mind
-ptosis	falling, drooping
pyel-, pyelo-	pelvis
pyo-	pus
pyro-	fever
quadri-	four
rachi-	spine
radio-	radiation, radius
re-	again, backward
rect-, recto-	rectum
ren-, reno-	kidney
retin-	retina (of the eye)
retro-	backward, behind
rhabd-, rhabdo-	rod-shaped, striated
rhin-, rhino-	nose
-rrhage, -rrhagic	bleeding
-rrhaphy	suture
-rrhea	flow or discharge
salping-, salpingo-	tube
sarco-	muscular, flesh-like
schisto-	split, cleft, division
schiz-, schizo	split, cleft
sclera-, sclero-	hardness
-sclerosis	hardening
scoli-, scolio-	twisted
-scope, -scopy	examine, for examining
semi-	half
sial-, sialo-	saliva, salivary gland
sigmoid-, sigmoido-	sigmoid colon
sinistr-, sinistro-	left, left side
-sis	condition
somat-, somatico-, somato-	body, bodily
-spasm	muscle condition
spasmo-	spasm

Word Section	Meaning
sperma-, spermato-, spermo-	sperm
spirat-	breath, breathing
splanchn-, splanchni-, splanchno-	viscera (internal organ)
splen-, spleno-	spleen
spondyl-, spondylo-	vertebra
-stasis	level, unchanging
sten-, steno-	narrowed, blocked
stern-	sternum (breastbone)
stom-, stoma-, stomat-, stomato-	mouth, opening
-stomy	surgical opening
sub-	under
super-	above
supra-	above, upon
sy-, syl-, sym-, syn-, sys-	together
tachy-	fast
-taxis	movement
tetra-	four
thel-, thelo-	nipples
therm-, thermo-	heat
thorac-, thoracico-, thoraco-	chest
thromb-, thrombo-	blood clot
thyr-, thyro-	thyroid gland
-tomy	cutting; incision
tono-	tone, tension, pressure
trache-, tracheo-	trachea (windpipe)
trans-	across, through
tri-	three
-tripsy	crushing
-trophy	growth
tympan-, tympano-	eardrum

Word Section	Meaning
uni-	one
ur-, uro-	urine
uri-, uric-, urico-	uric acid
-uria	in the urine
vagin-	vagina
varic-, varico-	duct, blood vessel
vasculo-	blood vessel
ven-, veno-	vein
vertebr-	vertebra, spine
vesic-, vesico-	vesicle (cyst or pouch)
xanth-, xantho-	yellow

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