Common Medical Root Words

The root of a word is its main part and core meaning. These common medical root words give you a general idea of what you’re dealing with or specify a body part.

• Abdomin/o: Abdomen

  
  



• Aden/o: Gland

  
  



• Anter/o: Front

  
  



• Arteri/o: Artery

  
  



• Audi/o: Hearing

  
  



• Bio: Life

  
  



• Brachi/o: Arm

  
  



• Bronch/i, bronch/o: Bronchus

  
  



• Carcin/o: Cancer

  
  



• Cardi/o: Heart

  
  



• Col/o: Colon

  
  



• Cyt/o: Cell

  
  



• Derm/a, derm/o, dermat/o: Skin

  
  



• Dors/i, dors/o: Back or posterior

  
  



• Encephal/o: Brain

  
  



• Gastr/o: Stomach

  
  



• Gynec/o: Female

  
  



• Hemat/o: Bl ood

  
  



• Hist/o, histi/o: Tissue

  
  



• Intestin/o: Intestine

  
  



• Lapar/o: Abdomen, loin or flank

  
  



• Lymph/o: Lymph vessels

  
  



• My/o: Muscle

  
  



• Neur/o: Nerve

  
  



• Ocul/o: Eye

  
  



• Ophthalm/o: Eyes

  
  



• Optic/o, opt/o: Seeing, sight

  
  



• Or/o: Mouth

  
  



• Ot/o: Ear

  
  



• Path/o: Disease

  
  



• Pharmac/o: Drug

  
  



• Pulmon/o: Lungs

  
  



• Sept/o: Infection

  
  



• Thorac/o: Chest/thorax

  
  



• Thyr/o: Thyroid gland

  
  



• Trachel/o: Neck or necklike

  
  



• Trich/o: Hair or hairlike

  
  



• Ventr/i, ventr/o: Front of body

  
  



• Viscer/o: Viscera (internal organs)

  
  

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