Intro to nursing Module 4

• Body Positions, Directions, Size Prefixes and Suffixes

  • ab-, abs- away from
  • ambi- both sides
  • ante- before, forward
  • brady- slow
  • circum- around
  • cycl- circle, cycle
  • dextr-, dextro- right side
  • de- away from, ending
  • dia- across, through
  • ect-, ecto-, exo- outer; outside
  • en- inside
  • end-, endo-, ent- enter-, entero-, within; inner
  • epi- upon, outside of
  • ex-, extra- beyond
  • Hyper- above normal
  • Hypo- below normal
  • infra- beneath; below
  • inter- between
  • intra- within
  • macro - large
  • Megalo- or megaly- large
  • meso- middle
  • meta- beyond, change
  • micro - small
  • para- alongside, abnormal
  • per- through
  • peri- around
  • post- behind, after
  • pre- before, in front
  • retro- backward, behind
  • sinistr-, sinistro- left, left side
  • sub- under
  • super- above
  • supra- above, upon
  • sy-. syl-, sym-, syn-, sys- together
  • tachy- fast
  • trans- across, through
• Numbers and Amounts Prefixes and Suffixes

  • bi- two
  • brady- slow
  • diplo- double
  • hemi- half
  • homo- same
  • hyper- above, beyond, excessive
  • hypo- under, deficient
  • iso- equal, like
  • macro- large, long, big
  • meg-, mega-, megal-, megalo- great, large
  • -megaly enlargement
  • mic-, micro- small
  • mon-, mono- one
  • multi- many
  • olig-, oligo- few, little
  • poly- many, excessive
  • quadri- four
  • semi- half
  • tachy- fast
  • tetra- four
  • tri- three
  • uni- one
• Procedures, Diagnosis, Surgery Prefixes and Suffixes

  • -centesis surgical puncture to remove fluid
  • -desis surgical binding
  • -ectomy cut out, removal
  • echo- using ultrasonic waves
  • -gram, -graph, -graphy recording, written
  • -meter device used for measuring
  • -metry measurement of
  • -opsy visual examination
  • -ostomy opening
  • -otomy Incision
  • -pexy surgical fixation
  • -plasty surgical reconstruction
  • rrhaphy suture
  • -scope, -scopy examine, for examining
  • -stomy surgical opening
  • -tomy cutting; incision
  • -tripsy crushing
• Color Prefixes


  • chlor-, chloro- green
  • chrom-, chromato- color
  • Cyano- blue
  • erythr-, erythro- red
  • leuk-, leuko- white
  • melan-, melano- black
  • xanth-, xantho- yellow
• Specialties


  • -ology study of part of the body
  • -ologist person working with a specific part of body or disease
  • -iatry medical treatment
  • -iatrist person provided specific treatment
• General Medical Prefixes and Suffixes


  • a-, an- without; lacking
  • anti- against
  • auto- self
  • bio- life
  • -blast-, -blasto, -blastic bud, germ
  • cephal-, cephalo- head
  • contra- against
  • cyst-, cysti-, cysto- bladder or sac
  • chem-, chemo- chemistry
  • cyt-, cyto- cell
  • -cyte, -cytic cell
  • dis- separation, taking apart
  • dys- difficult, abnormal
  • -eal, -ial pertaining to
  • -ectasis expansion or dilation
  • -esis state or condition
  • eu- good
  • fibr-, fibro- fiber
  • hetero- other, different
  • hydr-, hydro- water
  • -ia, ism condition
  • idio- self, one's own
  • -ites, -itis inflammation
  • -ity pertaining to
  • karyo- nucleus
  • lith-, litho- stone
  • -lysis, -lytic, lyso-, lys- break down, destruction, dissolving
  • mal- bad, abnormal
  • necr-, necro- death
  • neo- new
  • -oid resembling
  • -osis condition, usually abnormal
  • -ous pertaining to
  • oxy- sharp, acute, oxygen
  • pan-, pant-, panto- all or everywhere
  • -pathy, patho-, path- disease
  • -penia deficiency, lack of
  • pyo- pus
  • pyro- fever
  • -rrhage, -rrhagic bleeding
  • -rrhea flow or discharge
  • -sis condition
  • -stasis level, unchanging
  • somat-, somatico-, somato- body, bodily
  • vesic-, vesico- vesicle (cyst or pouch)
• Physical Properties and Shapes

  • -cele bulge
  • elect- electrical activity
  • kin-, kine-, kinesi-, kinesio-, kino- movement
  • kyph-, kypho- humped
  • morph-, morpho- shape
  • rhabd-, rhabdo-rod- shaped, striated
  • scoli-, scolio- twisted
  • cry-, cryo- cold
  • phon-, phono- sound
  • phos-, phot, photo- light
  • reticul-, reticulo- net
  • therm-, thermo- heat
  • tono- tone, tension, pressure
  • -trophy growth
• Cardiovascular System


  • angi-, angio- blood vessel
  • ateri-, aterio- artery
  • ather/o- fatty plaque
  • cardi-, cardio- heart
  • Coron- heart
• Cardiovascular Conditions


  • Atherosclerosis (hardening and narrowing of the artery)
  • Bradycardia (slow heart beat)
  • Cardiomyopathy (enlarged heart disorder)
  • Hypertension (high blood pressure)
  • Tachycardia (fast heart rate)
  • Angioplasty (surgical repair of the blood vessel)
  • Electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG – recording to measure the heart)
• Cancer


  • -oma tumor
  • carcin-, carcino- cancer
  • onco- tumor, bulk, volume
  • -plasia, -plastic growth
• Cancer Terms


  • Adenocarcinoma (cancerous tumor of the glands)
  • Carcinoma (cancerous tumor)
  • Lumpectomy (removal of a lump)
  • Neoplasm (new growth)
  • Neutropenia (low neutrophil count)
  • Oncology (study/treatment of tumors)
• Endocrine System


  • adren-, adreno- gland
  • gluco-, glycol- glucose, sugar
  • lymph-, lympho- lymph
  • sial-, sialo- saliva, salivary gland
  • thyr-, thyro- thyroid gland
• Endocrine Conditions


  • Endocrinology (the study of endocrine glands)
  • Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
  • Glycosuria (abnormal glucose in the urine)
  • Parathyroidectomy (removal of parathyroid gland/s)
  • Polyuria (excessive urination)
• Gastrointestinal System

  • chol- bile
  • duodeno- duodenum
  • -emesis vomiting
  • gastr- stomach
  • gloss-, gloss- tongue
  • hepat-, hepatico-, hepato- liver
  • ileo- ileum
  • laryng-, laryngo- larynx
  • lingu-, linguo- tongue
  • -phagia, phagy eating, swallowing
  • pharyng-, pharyngo- pharynx, throat
  • proct-, procto- anus, rectum
  • rect-, recto- rectum
  • sigmoid-, sigmoido- sigmoid colon
  • stom-, stoma-, stomat-, stomato- mouth
  • trache-, tracheo- trachea
  • splen-, spleno- spleen
• Gastrointestinal Procedures

  • Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (examine the lining of your esophagus, stomach, and duodenum)
  • Colonoscopy (scope of the colon)
  • Colostomy (opening of the colon)
  • Enteropathy (disease of the intestine)
  • Esophagitis (inflammation of the esophagus)
  • Pharyngotonsillitis (inflammation of the pharynx and tonsils)
• Hematological System

  • -emia blood condition
  • Hem-, hema-, hemat-, hemato-, hemo- blood
  • phleb-, phlebo- vein
  • thromb/o- blood clot
  • varic-, varico- duct, blood vessel
  • vasculo- blood vessel
  • ven-, veno- vein
• Hematological Conditions

  • Leukemia (white blood condition)
  • Lymphadenopathy (disease of the lymph nodes)
  • Lymphocytes (white blood cell)
  • Neutropenia (low neutrophil count)
  • Phlebitis (inflammation of the vein)
• Integumentary System

  • adip-, adipo- fat
  • cutane skin
  • derm-, dermato- skin
  • hist-, histio-, histo- tissue
  • -ium structure or tissue
  • lip-, lipo- fat
  • odont-, odonto- tooth
  • onych-, onycho- fingernail, toenail
• Integumentary Conditions


  • Dermatology (the study of the skin)
  • Diaphoresis (excessive sweating)
  • Epidermis (above the skin)
  • Pyoderma (pus in the skin)
  • Subcutaneous (pertaining to beneath the skin)
• Musculoskeletal System


  • arthr-, arthro- joint
  • burs-, burso- bursa
  • carp/o wrist
  • brachi/o arm
  • chondr- cartilage
  • cost/o- rib
  • dactyl-, dactylo- digit (finger or toe)
  • dorsa- back
  • ischi-, ischio- ischium
  • muscul-, musclo- muscle
  • my-, myo- muscle
  • orth-, ortho- straight, normal, correct
  • ossi-, ost-, oste-, osteo- bone
  • osseo- bony
  • phalang- phalanx
  • pod/o or ped/o foot
  • -praxia movement
  • pyel-, pyelo- pelvis
  • sarco- muscular
  • scapu- shoulder
  • spondyl-, spondylo- vertebra
  • -spasm muscle condition
  • spasmo- spasm
  • stern- sternum
  • -taxis movement
  • thorac-, thoracico-, thoraco- chest
• Musculoskeletal Conditions


  • Arthroscopy (visualization of the joint)
  • Atrophy (without nourishment and decrease in size)
  • Epiphysis (growth above bone)
  • Osteoclast (cell breaks down bone)
  • Tendinitis (inflammation of the tendon)
• Neurological System


  • -alge-, -algesi pain
  • crani-, cranio- brain
  • mening-, meningo- meninges
  • myel-, myelo- spinal cord or bone marrow
  • neur-, neuri-, neuron nerve
  • -phasia speech
  • -plegia paralysis
  • -ptosis falling, drooping
• Neurological Conditions


  • Bradykinesia (slow body movements)
  • Dystonia (poor muscle tone)
  • Hemiparesis (half of the body paralyzed)
  • Myasthenia (muscle weakness)
  • Quadriplegia (paralyzed in all four extremities)
• Reproductive System


  • andr-, andro- male
  • gyn-, gyno-, gynec- female
  • hyster-, hystero- uterus
  • lact-, lacti-, lacto- milk
  • mamm, mast-, masto- breast
  • oo- egg, ovary
  • oophor-, oophoro- ovary
  • orchid-, orchido-, orchio- testis
  • ovari-, ovario-, ovi-, ovo- ovary
  • salping-, salpingo- tube
  • sperma-, spermato-, spermo- sperm
• Reproductive Conditions


  • Endometrial (pertaining to the lining of the uterus)
  • Orchidoptosis (downward displacement of the testes)
  • Mastectomy (removal of the breast)
  • Salpingoplasty (surgical repair of fallopian tube)
  • Varicocele (swelling /hernia of a dilated vein)
• Respiratory System


  • bronch-, bronchi- bronchus
  • myx-, myxo- mucus
  • pneumo- or pleuro- lung
  • phren-, phreni-, phrenico-, phreno- diaphragm
  • pleur-, pleura-, pleuro- rib, pleura
  • -pnea breathing
  • pneum-, pneuma-, pneumat-, pneumato- air, lung
• Respiratory Conditions


  • Bronchiectasis (dilation of the bronchi)
  • Bronchitis (inflammation of the bronchi)
  • Bronchoscopy – (scope the bronchi)
  • Laryngitis (inflammation of the larynx)
  • Pneumothorax (air between the lung and check wall)
  • Rhinitis (inflammation of mucous membranes of the nose)
  • Tonsillitis (inflammation of the tonsils)
• Sensory and Perception


  • acous-, acouso- hearing
  • blephar- eyelid
  • irid-, irido- iris
  • kerat-, kerato- cornea (eye or skin)
  • lacrim-, lacrimo- tear (from your eyes)
  • myring-, myringo- eardrum
  • oculo- eye
  • op-, opt- vision
  • ophthalm-, ophthalmo- eye
  • ot-, oto- ear
  • retin- retina
  • rhin-, rhino- nose
  • tympan-, tympano- eardrum