Common Roots
abdomin

abdomen

femor

femur (upper leg bone)

par

bear; give birth to; labor

acanth

thorny, spiny

fet

fetus; unborn child

patell

patella (kneecap)

acetabul

acetabulum (hip socket)

fibr

fibrous tissue; fibers

path

disease

acou

hearing

fibul

fibula (lower leg)

part

bear; give birth to; labor

acr

extremities; height

gangli

ganglion

pector

chest

actin

ray; radius

ganglion

ganglion

ped

child; foot

adenoid

adenoids

gastr

stomach

pelv

pelvis; pelvic bone

aden

gland

ger

old age; aged

perine

perineum

adrenal

adrenal gland

geront

old age; aged

peritone

peritoneum

adren

adrenal gland

gingiv

gum

petr

stone

aer

air; gas

glomerul

glomerulus

phac

lens of the eye

albumin

albumin

gloss

tongue

phag

eat; swallow

algesi

pain

gluc

sweetness; sugar

phak

lens of the eye

alveol

alveolus

glyc

sugar

phalang

pharynx

ambly

dull; dim

glycos

sugar

phas

speech

amni

amnion

gnath

jaw

phleb

vein

amnion

amnion

gnos

knowledge

phot

light

amyl

starch

gon

seed

phren

mind

andr

male

gravid

pregnancy

physi

nature

angi

vessel

gynec

woman

plasm

plasma

anis

unequal; dissimilar

gyn

woman

pleur

pleura

ankyl

crooked; stiff; bent

hem

blood

pneumat

lung; air

antr

antrum

hemat

blood

pneum

lung; air

an

anus

hepat

liver

pneumon

lung; air

aort

aorta

herni

hernia

pod

foot

aponeur

aponeurosis

heter

other

poli

gray matter

appendic

appendix

hidr

sweat

poikil

varied; irregular

arche

first; beginning

hist

tissue

polyp

polyp; small growth

arteri

artery

hom

same

poster

back (of body)

arteriol

arteriole (small artery)

home

sameness; unchanging

prim

first

arthr

joint

humer

humerus (upper arm bone)

proct

rectum

articul

joint

hydr

water

prostat

prostate gland

atel

imperfect; incomplete

hymen

hymen

pseud

fake; false

ather

yellowish; fatty plaque

hypn

sleep

psych

mind

atri

atrium

hyster

uterus

pub

pubis

aur

ear

iatr

medicine; physician

puerper

childbirth

aut

self

ichthy

fish

pulmon

lung

axill

armpit

ile

ileum

pupill

pupil

azot

urea; nitrogen

ili

ilium

pyel

renal pelvis

bacteri

bacteria

immun

immune

pylor

pylorus (pyloric sphincter)

balan

glans penis

irid

iris

py

pus

bi

life

iri

iris

pyr

fever; heat

bil

bile

ischi

ischium

quadr

four

blast

developing cell

isch

deficiency; blockage

rachi

vertebra; spinal or vertebral column

blephar

eyelid

is

equal; same

radic

never root

brachi

arm

jejun

jejunum

radicul

nerve root

bronch

bronchus

kal

potassium

radi

radius (lower arm bone)

bronchiol

bronchiole

kary

nucleus

rect

rectum

bucc

cheek

kerat

cornea

ren

kidney

burs

bursa (cavity)

kerat

horny tissue; hard

retin

retina

calc

calcium

kin

movement

rhabd

rodshaped; striated

cancer

cancer

kinesi

movement; motion

rhin

nose

carcin

cancer

kyph

hump

rhytid

wrinkles

card

heart

labi

lips

rhiz

nerve root

carp

carpals (wrist bones)

labyrinth

labyrinth

salping

fallopian (uterine) tube

caud

tali; toward the lower part of the body

lacrim

tear duct; tear

sarc

flesh; connective tissue

cec

cecum

lact

milk

scapul

scapula (shoulder bone)

celi

abdomen (abdominal cavity)

lamin

lamina (thin; flat plate or layer)

scler

sclera

cephal

head

lapar

abdomen

scoli

crooked; curved

cerebell

cerebellum

laryng

larynx

seb

sebum (oil)

cerebr

cerebrum; brain

later

side

sept

septum

cerumin

cerumen (earwax)

lei

smooth

sial

saliva

cervic

cervix

leuk

white

sigmoid

sigmoid

cheil

lip

lingu

tongue

sinus

sinus

chir

hand

lip

fat

somat

body

cholangi

bile duct

lith

stone; calculus

somn

sleep

chol

gall; bile

lob

lobe

son

sound

choledoch

common bile duct

lord

bent forward

spermat

spermatozoan; sperm

chondr

cartilage

lymph

lymph

sperm

spermatozoan; sperm

chori

chorion

macr

abnormal largeness

sphygm

pulse

chrom

color

mamm

breast

spir

breathe; breathing

clavic

clavicle (collarbone)

mandibul

mandible (lower jawbone)

splen

spleen

cleid(o)

clavicle (collarbone)

mast

breast

spondyl

vertebra; spinal or vertebral column

col

colon

mastoid

mastoid

staped

stapes (middle ear bone)

colp

vagina

maxill

maxilla (upper jawbone)

staphyl

grapelike clusters

coni

dust

meat

meatus (opening)

stern

sternum (breastbone)

conjunctiv

conjunctiva

melan

black

steth

chest

core

pupil

mening

meninges

stomat

mouth

corne

cornea

menisc

meniscus (crescent)

strept

twisted chains

coron

heart

men

menstruation

synovi

synovia; synovial membrane

cortic

cortex (outer layer of body organ)

ment

mind

system

system

cor

pupil

metr

uterus

tars

tarsals (ankle bones)

cost

rib

mon

one

tars

edge of eyelid; tarsal (instep of foot)

crani

cranium (skull)

morph

form; shape

tendin

tendon

cry

cold

muc

mucus

tend

tendon

crypt

hidden

myc

fungus

ten

tendon

culd

culdesac

myel

bone marrow; spinal cord

test

testis; testicle

cutane

skin

myelon

bone marrow

therm

heat

cyan

blue

myos

muscle

thorac

thorax (chest)

cyes

pregnancy

myring

eardrum

thromb

clot

cyst

bladder; sac

my

muscle

thym

thymus gland

cyt

cell

narc

stupor

thyroid

thyroid gland

dacry

tear; tear duct

nas

nose

thyr

thyroid gland

dactyl

fingers or toes

nat

birth

tibi

tibia (lower leg bone)

dent

tooth

necr

death (cells; body)

tom

cut; section

dermat

skin

nephr

kidney

ton

tension; pressure

derm

skin

neur

nerve

tonsill

tonsils

dextr

right

noct

night

top

place

diaphor

sweat

nyct

night

toxic

poison

diaphragmat

diaphragm

nyctal

night

trachel

neck; necklike

dipl

two; double

ocul

eye

trache

trachea

dips

thirst

olig

scanty; few

trich

hair

disk

intervertebral disk

omphal

umbilicu; navel

tympan

eardrum; middle ear

diverticul

diverticulum

onc

tumor

uln

ulna (lower arm bone)

dors

back (of the body)

onych

nail

ungu

nail

duoden

duodenum

oo

egg; ovum

ureter

ureter

dur

hard; dura mater

oophor

ovary

urethr

urethra

dynam

power or strength

ophthalm

eye

urin

urine; urinary tract

ech

sound

opt

vision

ur

urine; urinary tract

ectop

located away from the usual place

orchid

testis; testicle

uter

uterus

electr

electricity; electrical activity

orchi

testis; testicle

uvul

uvula

embry

embryo; to be full

orch

testis; testicle

vagin

vagina

emmetr

a normal measure

organ

organ

valv

valve

encephal

brain

or

mouth

valvul

valve

endocrin

endocrine

orth

straight

vas

vessel; duct

enter

intestines

oste

bone

ven

vein

epididym

epididymis

ot

ear

ventricul

ventricle

epiglott

epiglottis

ov

egg

vertebr

vertebra; spinal or vertebral column

episi

vulva

ox

oxygen

vesic

blader; sac

epitheli

epithelium

pachy

thick

vesicul

seminal vesicles

erythr

red

palat

palate

viscer

internal organs

esophag

esophagus

pancreat

pancreas

vulv

vulva

esthesi

sensation; sensitivity; feeling

papill

nipple

xanth

yellow

eti

cause (of disease)

parathyroid

parathyroid gland

xer

dry

faci

face