Basic Medical Terminology - Stems

____ is a stem which means clot of blood.

Thrombo

Glossitis means inflammation of the __________.

Tongue

Lingual means pertaining to the __________.

Tongue

A person with dentalgia has a pain in the __________.

Tooth

____ is a stem which means upper windpipe or trachea.

Tracheo

A woman who has salpingitis has an inflammation of a __________.

Tube

____ and ____ are stems which refer to the eardrum.

Tympano/Myringo

A person with tracheitis has an inflammation of the __________ __________ or __________.

Upper windpipe/trachea

A person who has ureteritis has an inflammation of the __________.

Ureter

____ is a stem which means ureter.

Uretero

Urethritis is an inflammation of the ________.

Urethra

____ is a stem meaning urethra.

Urethro

Urophobia is a term which means fear of passing __________.

Urine

____ and ____ are stems which mean urine.

Uro/Uria

A woman who has had a hysterectomy, for example, has had her __________ removed.

Uterus

A phlebectomy is the surgical removal of a __________.

Vein

An angiogram is a series of X-ray film of a blood __________.

Vessel

An optometrist is a person who is trained to examine eyes in order to determine the presence of __________ problems.

Vision

Hyperemesis is a word which means excessive __________.

Vomiting

A phagocyte is a cell that _________ microorganisms.

eats

A person who has had a celiectomy has had a complete or partial removal of an organ of the __________.

Abdomen

A person who has a laparotomy has had an incision made into the _________ __________.

Abdominal Wall

____ is a stem which means extremity.

Acro

____ is a stem which means gland.

Adeno

Pneumonemia is the presence of ________ or gas in the blood vessel.

Air

____ and ____ are stems which mean vessel.

Angio/Vaso

A person who has arteriosclerosis has hardening of the __________.

Arteries

____ is a stem which means artery.

Arterio

The stem ____ means joint.

Arthro

A person who has cystitis has an inflammation of the __________.

Bladder

____ is a stem which means eyelid.

Blepharo

A hematoma is a tumor filled with __________.

Blood

A person who has osteo-arthritis, for example, has inflammation of the ____ and joint.

Bone

A person who has myelitis has an inflammation of the ____ or ____.

Bone marrow/Spine

The musculoskeletal system includes the ____, ____, and ____.

Bones, Muscles, and Joints

Encephalitis, for example, means inflammation of the __________.

Brain

Pneodynamics is the mechanism of __________.

Breathing

____ is a stem which means lower windpipe or bronchus.

Broncho

The stem ____ means heart.

Cardio

A person with chondritis has inflammation of the ____.

Cartilage

The stem ____ and ____ mean abdomen.

Celio/Abdomino

____ and ____ are stems which mean brain.

Cerebro/Encephalo

____ is a stem which means lip

Cheilo

The stem ____ means gallbladder.

Cholecysto

The stem ____ means cartilage.

Chondro

Thrombophlebitis is an inflammation of a vein with a __________ of __________.

Clot of blood

____ is a stem which means colon.

Colo

When a colostomy is performed, an incision is made into the _________.

Colon

A stem plus the combining vowel is known as the _____.

Combining Form

"Strat-o," "Therm-o," and "Speed-o" are all ____.

Combining Forms

Certain combinations of stems or root words are difficult to pronounce, making it necessary to insert a vowel called a ____.

Combining Vowel (often an "o")

Keratitis means inflammation of the __________.

Cornea

____ is a stem which means rib.

Costo

____ is a stem which means bladder.

Cysto

____ is a stem meaning cell.

Cyto

____ is a stem which means tear.

Dacryo

A necropsy is an autopsy or scientific inspection of a __________ body.

Dead

____ and ____ are stems which mean tooth.

Dento/Odonto

____ is a stem which means skin.

Derma

____ is a stem which pertains to the duodenum or first part of the small intestine.

Duodeno

A duodenal ulcer, for example, is an ulcer which is located in the __________ or ____________________________.

Duodenum/First part of the small intestine

Otoplasty, for example, means plastic repair of the __________.

Ear

A tympanoplasty means plastic repair of the __________.

Eardrum

____ is a stem which means vomit.

Emesis

____ is a stem which means intestine.

Entero

____ is a stem which means feeling or sensation.

Esthesia

Acromegaly is a disease characterized by enlargement of the bones of the __________.

Extremities

Ophthalmology is the science dealing with the _________ and its diseases.

Eye

Blepharitis means inflammation of the __________.

Eyelid

A lipoma is a tumor composed of __________.

Fat

A person with hydrophobia has a __________ of water.

Fear

____ is a stem which means fever.

Febri

Anesthesia means without __________ or __________.

Feeling/Sensation

A person who is afebrile is without __________.

Fever

Mycosis is any disease caused by a __________.

Fungus

A person who has had an operation called a cholecystectomy, for example, has had his _____________ removed (or excised).

Gallbladder

____ is a stem which means stomach.

Gastro

____ is a stem which means gums.

Gingivo

Adenectomy is a word meaning surgical removal of a __________.

Gland

____ and ____ are stems which mean sugar.

Gluco/Glyco

A person with gingivitis has an inflammation of the __________.

Gums

The cardiovascular system includes the blood vessels and the __________.

Heart

____ and ____ are stems which mean blood.

Hema/Hemato

The stem ____ means liver.

Hepato

____ and ____ are stems which mean uterus or womb.

Hystero/Metro

____ is a stem which pertains to the ileum or third part of the small intestine.

Ileo

Ileitis means inflammation of the __________ or ___________________.

Ileum/Third part of the small intestine

A person with gastroenteritis has inflammation of the stomach and __________.

Intestine

____ is a stem which pertains to the jejunum or second part of the small intestine.

Jejuno

A jejunectomy, for example, is an excision of a part of or all of the __________ or __________.

Jejunum/Second part of the small intestine

Arthrodesis means fixation of a ____ by fusion.

Joint

____ is a stem which means cornea.

Kerato

A person who has had a nephrectomy has had a __________ removed.

Kidney

____ is a stem meaning abdominal wall

Laparo

____ is a stem meaning larynx or voice box.

Laryngo

A laryngoscopy is an examination of the interior of the ____.

Larynx

____ and ____ are stems which mean tongue.

Lingua/Glossa

A cheiloplasty is the surgical repair of a defect of the __________.

Lip

____ is a stem which means fat.

Lipo

____ is a stem which means stone.

Lith

A person with hepatitis has an inflammation of the __________.

Liver

A person with bronchitis has inflammation of the __________ __________ or __________.

Lower windpipe/bronchus

A person with pneumonia has an inflammation of the __________.

Lungs

Pulmonary, for example, means concerning or involving the __________.

Lungs

A lymphocyte is a _________ cell.

Lymph

____ is a stem which means lymph.

Lympho

Pyromania, for example, means fire __________.

Madness

____ is a stem which means madness.

Mania

Psychology is the science that studies the __________.

Mind

A person who has stomatitis, for example, has inflammation of the __________.

Mouth

A myospasm, for example, is an involuntary contraction of a ____.

Muscle

____ is a stem which means fungus.

Myco

The stem ____ means bone marrow or spine.

Myelo

____ is a stem which means muscle.

Myo

Onychectomy means surgical removal of the _________of a finger or toe.

Nail

____ is a stem which means dead.

Necro

____ and ____ are stems which mean kidney.

Nephro/Rena

Polyneuritis means inflammation of many __________.

Nerves

____ is a stem which means nerve.

Neuro

A person who has rhinitis has inflammation of the ____.

Nose

____ is a stem which means nail.

Onycho

____ is a stem which means ovary.

Oophoro

____ and _____ are stems which mean eye.

Ophthalmo/Oculo

____ is a stem which means vision.

Opto

____ is a stem which means testes.

Orchio

____ is a stem which means "bone."

Osteo

____ is a stem which means ear.

Oto

A woman who has had an oophorectomy has had her __________ removed.

Ovary

____ is a stem which means to eat.

Phago

____ and ____ are stems which mean vein.

Phlebo/Veno

____ is a stem which means fear.

Phobia

____ is a stem which means breath or breathing.

Pneo

____ is a stem which also means air.

Pneumo

The part of the word which comes before the stem and modifies or augments the meaning of the stem is called the ____.

Prefix

Medical Terms can be broken down into word parts. The three word parts you are concerned with are:

Prefix, Stem (Root), and Suffix

____ and ____ are stems which mean rectum or anus.

Procto/Ano

____ and ____ are stems which mean mind.

Psycho/Mento

____ and ____ are stems which mean lung.

Pulmo/Pneumo

The word pyogenic means producing __________.

Pus

____ is a stem meaning pus.

Pyo

Proctitis means inflammation of the ________ or _________.

Rectum/Anus

____ and ____ are stems which mean nose.

Rhino/Naso

The intercostal space, for example, refers to the space between the ____.

Ribs

____ is a stem which means tube.

Salpingo

A person with dermatophytosis, for example, has a fungus condition of the ____.

Skin

A person who has had a splenectomy has had an excision of the __________.

Spleen

____ is a stem which means spleen.

Spleno

The part of the word which gives the basic meaning to the term is the ____.

Stem (Root)

The stem ____ means mouth.

Stoma

A gastrectomy is the surgical removal of the __________.

Stomach

Nephrolithiasis is the formation of renal __________.

Stones

The part of the word which comes after the stem and modifies or augments the meaning of the root word is called the ____.

Suffix

A person with glucosuria has ____ in the urine.

Sugar

A person with dacryocystitis has inflammation of the __________ sac.

Tear

____ is a stem which means tendon.

Tendo

A person with tend-initis has inflammation of a ____.

Tendon

Orchiopexy means fixation of the ___________.

Testes