Case Histories in Human Physiology - Appendix C: Glossary

Glossary - Prefixes and Suffixes

Element
Definition and Example

a- absent, deficient, lack of: atrophy

ab- off, away from: abduct

abdomin relating to the abdomen: abdominal

-able capable of: viable

ac- toward, to: actin

acou- hear: acoustic

ad- toward, to: adduct

af- movement toward a central point: afferent artery

alb- white: corpus albicans

-algia pain: neuralgia

ambi- both: ambidextrous

angi- pertaining to the vessels: angiology

ante- before, in front of: antebrachium

anti- against: anticoagulant

aque- water: aqueous

arch- beginning, origin: archenteron

arthr- joint: arthritis

-asis condition or state of: homeostasis

aud- hearing, sound: auditory

auto- self: autolysis

bi- two: bipedal

bio- life: biopsy

blast- generative or germ bud: blastocyst

brachi- arm: brachialis

brachy- short: brachydont

brady- slow: bradycardia

bucc- cheek: buccal cavity

cac- bad, ill: cachexia

calc- stone: calculus

capit- head: capitis

carcin- cancer: carcinogenic

cardi- heart: cardiac

cata- lower, under, against: catabolism

caud- tail: cauda equina

cephal- head: cephalic

cerebro- brain: cerebrospinal fluid

chol- bile: cholic

chondr- cartilage: chondrocyte

chrom- color: chromocyte

-cide destroy: germicide

circum- around: circumduct

co- together: copulation

coel- hollow cavity: coelom

-coele swelling, an enlarged space or cavity: blastocoele

con- with, together: congenital

contra- against, opposite: contraception

corn- denoting hardness: cornified

corp- body: corpus

crypt- hidden: cryptorchidism

cyan- blue: cyanosis

cyst- sac or bladder: cystoscope

cyto- cell: cytology

de- down, from: descent

derm- skin: dermatology

di- two: diarthrotic

dipl- double: diploid

dis- apart, away from: disarticulate

duct- lead, conduct: ductus deferens

dur- hard: dura mater

dys- bad, difficult, painful: dysentery

e- out, from: eccrine

ec- outside, outer, external: ectoderm

proct- anus: proctology

pseudo- false: pseudostratified

psycho- mental: psychology

pyo- pus: pyorrhea

quad- fourfold: quadriceps femoris

re- back, again: repolarization

rect- straight: rectus abdominis

ren- kidney: renal

rete- network: rete testis

retro- backward, behind: retroperitoneal

rhin- nose: rhinitis

-rrhagia excessive flow: menorrhagia

-rrhea flow or discharge: diarrhea

sanguin- blood: sanguineous

sarc- flesh: sarcoma

-scope instrument for examining a part: stethoscope

-sect cut: dissect

semi- half: semilunar

-sis process or action: dialysis

steno- narrow: stenosis

-stomy surgical opening: tracheostomy

sub- under, beneath, below: subcutaneous

super- above, beyond, upper: superficial

supra- above, over: suprarenal

syn- (sym-) together, joined, with: synapse

tachy- swift, rapid: tachycardia

tele- far: telencephalon

tens- stretch: tensor tympani

tetra- four: tetrad

therm- heat: thermogram

thorac- chest: thoracic cavity

thrombo- lump, clot: thrombocyte

-tomy cut: appendectomy

tox- poison: toxemia

tract- draw, drag: traction

trans- across, over: transfuse

tri- three: trigone

trich- hair: trichology

-trophy a state relating to nutrition: hypertrophy

-tropic turning toward, changing: gonadotropic

ultra- beyond, excess: ultrasonic

uni- one: unicellular

-uria urine: polyuria

uro- urine, urinary organs or tract: uroscope

vas- vessel: vasoconstriction

viscer- organ: visceral

vit- life: vitamin

zoo- animal: zoology

zygo- union, join: zygote

aa of each

a.c. before meals

A/G albumin globulin ratio

ANS autonomic nervous system

Bib. drink

bid twice a day

bihor during two hours

B.M.R. basal metabolic rate

bp blood pressure

BUN blood urea nitrogen

b.v. vapor bath

=c with

caps. capsule

c.b.c. complete blood count

cc. cubic centimeter(s)

cm. centimeter(s)

CNS central nervous system

Co., Comp. compound

cr tomorrow

CFS cerebrospinal fluid

CT computed tomography

CVP central venous pressure

CXR chest x-ray

d. a day

D & C dilatation and curettage

D.C. discontinue

D, Det. give

de d. in d. from day to day

Dieb. secund every second day

Dieb. tert. every third day

dim. one-half

d. in dup. give twice as much

D. in p. aeq. divide into equal parts

dr. dram

D.T.D. give of such doses

Dur. dolor. while pain lasts

Dx diagnosis

e out of, with

ECG, EKG electrocardiogram

EEG electroencephalogram

e.m.p. in the manner prescribed

feb fever

GI gastrointestinal

gm. gram

gr. grain

Grad. gradually

gtt. drop(s)

h. hour

Hct hematocrit

Hg. mercury

Hgb hemoglobin

hs at bedtime

Hx history

ibid. in the same place

IM intramuscular

incid. cut

in d. in a day

inj. an injection

int. cib. between meals

int. noct. during the night

IV intravenous

kg. kilogram

Lat. dol. to the painful side

M. mix

man. in the morning

mEq. milliequivalent

mg. milligram

ml. milliliter

MRI magnetic resonance imaging

Noct. at night

Noct. maneq. night and morning

N.P.O. nothing by mouth

O.D. right eye

o.d. every day

Omn. hor. every hour

Omn. man. every morning

Omn. noct. every night

O.S. left eye

O.U. both eyes

oz. ounce

P pulse

Part. aeq. equal parts

pc after meals

pCO2 partial pressure of carbon dioxide

PNS peripheral nervous system

PO by mouth

pO2 partial pressure of oxygen

p.p.a. having first shaken the bottle

p.r.n. as needed

pro. us. ext. for external use

pt patient

pt. let it be continued

q. each; every

qd every day

qh every hour

q. h. every hours

qhs every evening

qid four times a day

qod every other day

q.q. also

q.s. sufficient quantity

RBC red blood cell

=s without

Semih. half an hour

Sig. write, label

S.O.S. if needed

sp. gr. specific gravity

ss., -ss one-half

s.s.s. layer on layer

stat. immediately

sum. take

s.v.r. alcohol

t. three times

tab. tablet

tid three times a day

ung. ointment

Ut. dict. as directed

vic. times

WBC white blood cell

Element	Definition and Example
a-	absent, deficient, lack of: atrophy
ab-	off, away from: abduct
abdomin	relating to the abdomen: abdominal
-able	capable of: viable
ac-	toward, to: actin
acou-	hear: acoustic
ad-	toward, to: adduct
af-	movement toward a central point: afferent artery
alb-	white: corpus albicans
-algia	pain: neuralgia
ambi-	both: ambidextrous
angi-	pertaining to the vessels: angiology
ante-	before, in front of: antebrachium
anti-	against: anticoagulant
aque-	water: aqueous
arch-	beginning, origin: archenteron
arthr-	joint: arthritis
-asis	condition or state of: homeostasis
aud-	hearing, sound: auditory
auto-	self: autolysis
bi-	two: bipedal
bio-	life: biopsy
blast-	generative or germ bud: blastocyst
brachi-	arm: brachialis
brachy-	short: brachydont
brady-	slow: bradycardia
bucc-	cheek: buccal cavity
cac-	bad, ill: cachexia
calc-	stone: calculus
capit-	head: capitis
carcin-	cancer: carcinogenic
cardi-	heart: cardiac
cata-	lower, under, against: catabolism
caud-	tail: cauda equina
cephal-	head: cephalic
cerebro-	brain: cerebrospinal fluid
chol-	bile: cholic
chondr-	cartilage: chondrocyte
chrom-	color: chromocyte
-cide	destroy: germicide
circum-	around: circumduct
co-	together: copulation
coel-	hollow cavity: coelom
-coele	swelling, an enlarged space or cavity: blastocoele
con-	with, together: congenital
contra-	against, opposite: contraception
corn-	denoting hardness: cornified
corp-	body: corpus
crypt-	hidden: cryptorchidism
cyan-	blue: cyanosis
cyst-	sac or bladder: cystoscope
cyto-	cell: cytology
de-	down, from: descent
derm-	skin: dermatology
di-	two: diarthrotic
dipl-	double: diploid
dis-	apart, away from: disarticulate
duct-	lead, conduct: ductus deferens
dur-	hard: dura mater
dys-	bad, difficult, painful: dysentery
e-	out, from: eccrine
ec-	outside, outer, external: ectoderm
proct-	anus: proctology
pseudo-	false: pseudostratified
psycho-	mental: psychology
pyo-	pus: pyorrhea
quad-	fourfold: quadriceps femoris
re-	back, again: repolarization
rect-	straight: rectus abdominis
ren-	kidney: renal
rete-	network: rete testis
retro-	backward, behind: retroperitoneal
rhin-	nose: rhinitis
-rrhagia	excessive flow: menorrhagia
-rrhea	flow or discharge: diarrhea
sanguin-	blood: sanguineous
sarc-	flesh: sarcoma
-scope	instrument for examining a part: stethoscope
-sect	cut: dissect
semi-	half: semilunar
-sis	process or action: dialysis
steno-	narrow: stenosis
-stomy	surgical opening: tracheostomy
sub-	under, beneath, below: subcutaneous
super-	above, beyond, upper: superficial
supra-	above, over: suprarenal
syn- (sym-)	together, joined, with: synapse
tachy-	swift, rapid: tachycardia
tele-	far: telencephalon
tens-	stretch: tensor tympani
tetra-	four: tetrad
therm-	heat: thermogram
thorac-	chest: thoracic cavity
thrombo-	lump, clot: thrombocyte
-tomy	cut: appendectomy
tox-	poison: toxemia
tract-	draw, drag: traction
trans-	across, over: transfuse
tri-	three: trigone
trich-	hair: trichology
-trophy	a state relating to nutrition: hypertrophy
-tropic	turning toward, changing: gonadotropic
ultra-	beyond, excess: ultrasonic
uni-	one: unicellular
-uria	urine: polyuria
uro-	urine, urinary organs or tract: uroscope
vas-	vessel: vasoconstriction
viscer-	organ: visceral
vit-	life: vitamin
zoo-	animal: zoology
zygo-	union, join: zygote
aa	of each
a.c.	before meals
A/G	albumin globulin ratio
ANS	autonomic nervous system
Bib.	drink
bid	twice a day
bihor	during two hours
B.M.R.	basal metabolic rate
bp	blood pressure
BUN	blood urea nitrogen
b.v.	vapor bath
=c	with
caps.	capsule
c.b.c.	complete blood count
cc.	cubic centimeter(s)
cm.	centimeter(s)
CNS	central nervous system
Co., Comp.	compound
cr	tomorrow
CFS	cerebrospinal fluid
CT	computed tomography
CVP	central venous pressure
CXR	chest x-ray
d.	a day
D & C	dilatation and curettage
D.C.	discontinue
D, Det.	give
de d. in d.	from day to day
Dieb. secund	every second day
Dieb. tert.	every third day
dim.	one-half
d. in dup.	give twice as much
D. in p. aeq.	divide into equal parts
dr.	dram
D.T.D.	give of such doses
Dur. dolor.	while pain lasts
Dx	diagnosis
e	out of, with
ECG, EKG	electrocardiogram
EEG	electroencephalogram
e.m.p.	in the manner prescribed
feb	fever
GI	gastrointestinal
gm.	gram
gr.	grain
Grad.	gradually
gtt.	drop(s)
h.	hour
Hct	hematocrit
Hg.	mercury
Hgb	hemoglobin
hs	at bedtime
Hx	history
ibid.	in the same place
IM	intramuscular
incid.	cut
in d.	in a day
inj.	an injection
int. cib.	between meals
int. noct.	during the night
IV	intravenous
kg.	kilogram
Lat. dol.	to the painful side
M.	mix
man.	in the morning
mEq.	milliequivalent
mg.	milligram
ml.	milliliter
MRI	magnetic resonance imaging
Noct.	at night
Noct. maneq.	night and morning
N.P.O.	nothing by mouth
O.D.	right eye
o.d.	every day
Omn. hor.	every hour
Omn. man.	every morning
Omn. noct.	every night
O.S.	left eye
O.U.	both eyes
oz.	ounce
P	pulse
Part. aeq.	equal parts
pc	after meals
pCO2	partial pressure of carbon dioxide
PNS	peripheral nervous system
PO	by mouth
pO2	partial pressure of oxygen
p.p.a.	having first shaken the bottle
p.r.n.	as needed
pro. us. ext.	for external use
pt	patient
pt.	let it be continued
q.	each; every
qd	every day
qh	every hour
q. h.	every hours
qhs	every evening
qid	four times a day
qod	every other day
q.q.	also
q.s.	sufficient quantity
RBC	red blood cell
=s	without
Semih.	half an hour
Sig.	write, label
S.O.S.	if needed
sp. gr.	specific gravity
ss., -ss	one-half
s.s.s.	layer on layer
stat.	immediately
sum.	take
s.v.r.	alcohol
t.	three times
tab.	tablet
tid	three times a day
ung.	ointment
Ut. dict.	as directed
vic.	times
WBC	white blood cell

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