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Medical TERMINOLOGY   -   A thru Z

Prefixes, roots, suffixes

Prefix: A prefix is placed at the beginning of a word to modify or change its meaning. Pre means "before." Prefixes may also indicate a location, number, or time.    Root: central part of a word.   Suffix:  The ending part of a word that modifies the meaning of the word. Example: homeless. Root = 'home' and the suffix is 'less'. It can also refer to a condition, disease, disorder, or procedure.
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P
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Term
Meaning
pachy- heavy; thick
-pagus conjoined twins
palat/o palate (roof of mouth)
pale/o old
pali- recurrence, repetition
palliat/o to soothe, relieve
palpebr/o eyelid
palp/o, palpat/o to touch gently
palpit/o flutter, throbbing
pan- all
pancreat/o pancreas
pant/o all, whole
papill/o nipple-like; optic disc
papul/o papule, pimple
par- other than; abnormal
para- near; beside; abnormal; apart from; along the side of
-para to bear, bring forth (live births)
-parous to bear, bring forth
parasit/o parasite
parathyroid/o parathyroid glands
-paresis weakness
-pareunia sexual intercourse
-partum birth; labor
patell/a patella
patell/o patela
path/o disease
-pathy disease; emotion
pector/o chest
pedicul/o louse
ped/o child; foot
pelv/i pelvis; hip region
pelv/o pelvis; hip region
pend/o to hang
-penia deficiency
-pepsia digestion
per- through
percuss/o to tap
peri- surrounding
perine/o perineum
peritone/o peritoneum
per/o deformed, maimed
perone/o fibula
perspir/o breathe through
petr/o stone, petrous region of temporal bone
-pexy fixation; to put in place
phac/o lens of eye
phag/o eat; swallow
-phage eat; swallow
-phagia eating; swallowing
phak/o lens of eye
phalang/o phalanges (of fingers and toes)
phall/o penis
phaner/o visible, apparent
pharmac/o drug
pharmaceut/o drug
pharyng/o throat (pharynx)
phas/o speech
-phasia speech
phe/o

dusky; dark

-pheresis removal
phil/o like; love; attraction to
-phil attraction for
-philia attraction for
phim/o muzzle
phleb/o vein
phob/o fear
-phobia fear
phon/o voice; sound
-phonia voice; sound
-phor/o to bear
-phoresis carrying; transmission
-phoria to bear, carry; feeling (mental state)
phosphat/o phosphate
phot/o light
phren/o diaphragm; mind
-phthisis wasting away
-phylaxis protection
phyl/o race, species, type
physi/o nature; function
physic/o physical, natural
-physis to grow
phys/o air, gas
phyt/o plant
-phyte plant
picr/o bitter
pies/i, -piesis pressure
pil/o hair
pimel/o fat, fatty
pineal/o pineal gland
pin/o to drink
pituitar/o pituitary gland
-plakia plaque
plan/o flat, level, wandering
plant/o sole of the foot
plas/o development; formation
-plasia development; formation
-plasm formation; structure
-plastic pertaining to formation
-plasty surgical repair
platy- broad, flat
ple/o more; many
-plegia paralysis; palsy
-plegic paralysis; palsy
pleur/o pleura
plex/o plexus; network (of nerves)
-pnea breathing
pneum/o lung; air; gas
pneumon/o lung; air; gas
pod/o foot
-poiesis formation
-poietin substance that forms
poikil/o varied; irregular
pol/o extreme
polio- gray matter (of brain or spinal cord)
poly- many; much
polyp/o polyp; small growth
pont/o pons ( a part of the brain)
por/o, -pore opening, passageway
-porosis condition of pores (spaces)
-posia drinking
posit/o arrangement, place
post- after; behind
poster/o back (of body); behind
-prandial meal
-praxia action
pre- before; in front of
presby/o old age
primi- first
pro- before; forward
proct/o anus and rectum
pros- before; forward
pros/o forward, anterior
prosop/o face
prostat/o prostate gland
prot/o first
prote/o protein
proxim/o near
prurit/o itching
psamm/o sand, sand-like material
pseudo- false
psor/o itching
psych/o mind
psychr/o cold
-pterygium abnormality of the conjunctiva
-ptosis droop; sag; prolapse; protrude
ptyal/o saliva
-ptysis spitting
pub/o pubis (anterior part of hip bone)
pulmon/o lung
puls/o, pulsat/o to beat, beating
-puncture to pierce a surface
pupill/o pupil (dark center of eye)
purpur/i purple
purul/o pus
py/o pus
pycn/o thick, dense
pyel/o renal pelvis
pyl/e portal vein
pylor/o pylorus; pyloric sphincter
pyr/o fever; fire
pyret/o fever
pyrex/o fever
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