Word Root

Definition

abdomin

abdomen

acanth

thorny, spiny

acetabul

acetabulum (hip socket)

acou

hearing

acr

extremities; height

actin

ray; radius

adenoid

adenoids

aden

gland

adrenal

adrenal gland

adren

adrenal gland

aer

air; gas

albumin

albumin

algesi

pain

alveol

alveolus

ambly

dull; dim

amni

amnion

amnion

amnion

amyl

starch

andr

male

angi

vessel

anis

unequal; dissimilar

ankyl

crooked; stiff; bent

antr

antrum

an

anus

aort

aorta

aponeur

aponeurosis

appendic

appendix

arche

first; beginning

arteri

artery

arteriol

arteriole (small artery)

arthr

joint

articul

joint

atel

imperfect; incomplete

ather

yellowish; fatty plaque

atri

atrium

aur

ear

aut

self

axill

armpit

azot

urea; nitrogen

bacteri

bacteria

balan

glans penis

bi

life

bil

bile

blast

developing cell

blephar

eyelid

brachi

arm

bronch

bronchus

bronchiol

bronchiole

bucc

cheek

burs

bursa (cavity)

calc

calcium

cancer

cancer

carcin

cancer

cardi

heart

carp

carpals (wrist bones)

caud

tail; toward the lower part of the body

cec

cecum

celi

abdomen (abdominal cavity)

cephal

head

cerebell

cerebellum

cerebr

cerebrum, brain

cerumin

cerumen (earwax)

cervic

cervix

cheil

lip

chir

hand

cholangi

bile duct

chol

gall; bile

choledoch

common bile duct

chondr

cartilage

chori

chorion

chrom

color

clavic

clavicle (collarbone)

clavicul

clavicle (collarbone)

col

colon

colp

vagina

coni

dust

conjunctiv

conjunctiva

core

pupil

corne

cornea

coron

heart

cortic

cortex (outer layer of body organ)

cor

pupil

cost

rib

crani

cranium (skull)

cry

cold

crypt

hidden

culd

culdesac

cutane

skin

cyan

blue

cyes

pregnancy

cyst

bladder; sac

cyt

cell

dacry

tear, tear duct

dactyl

fingers or toes

dent

tooth

dermat

skin

derm

skin

dextr

right

diaphor

sweat

diaphragmat

diaphragm

dipl

two; double

dips

thirst

disk

intervertebral disk

diverticul

diverticulum

dors

back (of the body)

duoden

duodenum

dur

hard; dura mater

dynam

power or strength

ech

sound

ectop

located away from usual place

electr

electricity, electrical activity

embry

embryo; to be full

emmetr

a normal measues

encephal

brain

endocrin

endocrine

enter

intestines

epididym

epididymis

epiglott

epiglottis

episi

vulva

epitheli

epithelium

erythr

red

esophag

esophagus

esthesi

sensation, sensitivity, feeling

eti

cause (of disease)

faci

face

femor

femur (upper leg bone)

fet

fetus; unborn child

fibr

fibrous tissue, fibers

fibul

fibula (lower leg)

gangli

ganglion

ganglion

ganglion

gastr

stomach

ger

old age; aged

geront

old age; aged

gingiv

gum

glomerul

glomerulus

gloss

tongue

gluc

sweetness; sugar

glyc

sugar

glycos

sugar

gnath

jaw

gnos

knowledge

gon

seed

gravid

pregnancy

gynec

woman

gyn

woman

hem

blood

hemat

blood

hepat

liver

herni

hernia

heter

other

hidr

sweat

hist

tissue

hom

same

home

sameness; unchanging

humer

humerus (upper arm bone)

hydr

water

hymen

hymen

hypn

sleep

hyster

uterus

iatr

medicine; physician

ichthy

fish

ile

ileum

ili

ilium

immun

immune

irid

iris

iri

iris

ischi

ischium

isch

deficiency; blockage

is

equal; same

jejun

jejunum

kal

potassium

kary

nucleus

kerat

cornea

kerat

horny tissue; hard

kin

movement

kinesi

movement; motion

kyph

hump

labi

lips

labyrinth

labyrinth

lacrim

tear duct, tear

lact

milk

lamin

lamina (thin; flat plate or layer)

lapar

abdomen

laryng

larynx

later

side

lei

smooth

leuk

white

lingu

tongue

lip

fat

lith

stone; calculus

lob

lobe

lord

bent forward

lymph

lymph

macr

abnormal largeness

mamm

breast

mandibul

mandible (lower jawbone)

mast

breast

mastoid

mastoid

maxill

maxilla (upper jawbone)

meat

meatus (opening)

melan

black

mening

meninges

menisc

meniscus (crescent)

men

menstruation

ment

mind

metr

uterus

mon

one

morph

form; shape

muc

mucus

myc

fungus

myel

bone marrow; spinal cord

myelon

bone marrow

myos

muscle

myring

eardrum

my

muscle

narc

stupor

nas

nose

nat

birth

necr

death (cells; body)

nephr

kidney

neur

nerve

noct

night

nyct

night

nyctal

night

ocul

eye

olig

scanty; few

omphal

umbilicu; navel

onc

tumor

onych

nail

oo

egg; ovum

oophor

ovary

ophthalm

eye

opt

vision

orchid

testis; testicle

orchi

testis; testicle

orch

testis; testicle

organ

organ

or

mouth

orth

straight

oste

bone

ot

ear

ov

egg

ox

oxygen

pachy

thick

palat

palate

pancreat

pancreas

papill

nipple

parathyroid

parathyroid gland

par

bear; give birth to; labor

patell

patella (kneecap)

path

disease

part

bear; give birth to; labor

pector

chest

ped

child; foot

pelv

pelvis; pelvic bone

perine

perineum

peritone

peritoneum

petr

stone

phac

lens of the eye

phag

eat; swallow

phak

lens of the eye

phalang

pharynx

phas

speech

phleb

vein

phot

light

phren

mind

physi

nature

plasm

plasma

pleur

pleura

pneumat

lung; air

pneum

lung; air

pneumon

lung; air

pod

foot

poli

gray matter

poikil

varied; irregular

polyp

polyp; small growth

poster

back (of body)

prim

first

proct

rectum

prostat

prostate gland

pseud

fake; false

psych

mind

pub

pubis

puerper

childbirth

pulmon

lung

pupill

pupil

pyel

renal pelvis

pylor

pylorus (pyloric sphincter)

py

pus

pyr

fever; heat

quadr

four

rachi

vertebra; spinal or vertebral column

radic

nerve root

radicul

nerve root

radi

radius (lower arm bone)

rect

rectum

ren

kidney

retin

retina

rhabd

rodshaped, striated

rhin

nose

rhytid

wrinkles

rhiz

nerve root

salping

fallopian (uterine) tube

sarc

flesh; connective tissue

scapul

scapula (shoulder bone)

scler

sclera

scoli

crooked, curved

seb

sebum (oil)

sept

septum

sial

saliva

sigmoid

sigmoid

sinus

sinus

somat

body

somn

sleep

son

sound

spermat

spermatozoan; sperm

sperm

spermatozoan; sperm

sphygm

pulse

spir

breathe; breathing

splen

spleen

spondyl

vertebra; spinal or vertebral column

staped

stapes (middle ear bone)

staphyl

grapelike clusters

stern

sternum (breastbone)

steth

chest

stomat

mouth

strept

twisted chains

synovi

synovia; synovial membrane

system

system

tars

tarsals (ankle bones)

tars

edge of eyelid; tarsal (instep of foot)

tendin

tendon

tend

tendon

ten

tendon

test

testis; testicle

therm

heat

thorac

thorax (chest)

thromb

clot

thym

thymus gland

thyroid

thyroid gland

thyr

thyroid gland

tibi

tibia (lower leg bone)

tom

cut; section

ton

tension, pressure

tonsill

tonsils

top

place

toxic

poison

trachel

neck; necklike

trache

trachea

trich

hair

tympan

eardrum; middle ear

uln

ulna (lower arm bone)

ungu

nail

ureter

ureter

urethr

urethra

urin

urine; urinary tract

ur

urine; urinary tract

uter

uterus

uvul

uvula

vagin

vagina

valv

valve

valvul

valve

vas

vessel; duct

ven

vein

ventricul

ventricle

vertebr

vertebra; spinal or vertebral column

vesic

bladder; sac

vesicul

seminal vesicles

viscer

internal organs

vulv

vulva

xanth

yellow

xer

dry