Any medical term can be used in everyday settings like the doctor’s office or hospital. Some, such as those listed here, specifically detail the different kinds of pathological conditions associated with root words.
| Root Word | What It Means | Example(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Aden/o | Gland | Adenomegaly: Enlargement of a gland Adenitis: Inflammation of a gland |
| Atri/o | Atrium | Atriomegaly: Abnormal enlargement of an atrium of the heart |
| Carcin/o | Cancer | Carcinogen: A cancer-producing substance |
| Cheir/o, chir/o | Hand | Cheiromegaly: Abnormal enlargement (megaly) of the hand |
| Cholecyst/o | Gallbladder | Cholelithiasis: Stones in the gallbladder |
| Choledoch/o | Common bile duct | Choledocholithiasis: Stones in the common bile duct of the gallbladder |
| Cyan/o | Blue | Cyanosis: Bluish discoloration of the skin Cyanotic: Pertaining to or characterized by cyanosis |
| Cysti, cyst/o | Bladder or cyst | Cystocele: Hernial protrusion of urinary bladder through vaginal wall |
| Dipl/o | Double, twice | Diplopia: The condition of double vision |
| Encephal/o | Brain | Encephalopathy: A disorder or disease of the brain |
| Hemat/o | Blood | Hematemesis: Vomiting of blood |
| Hepat/o, hepatic/o | Liver | Hepatomegaly: Enlargement of the liver |
| Hydr/o | Water, wet | Hydropenia: Deficiency of water in the body (dehydration) |
| Melan/o | Black | Melanoma: Black-colored tumor or growth |
| Necr/o | Death | Necrosis: Condition of death of a cell |
| Nephr/o | Kidney | Nephrolithiasis: Condition of kidney stones |
| Path/o | Disease | Pathology: Branch of medicine that deals with the study of
disease and its effects Forensic pathology: Pathology dealing with personal injury, murder, and legal issues Pathologist: Physician who diagnoses diseases by examining tissues and cells under a microscope. Also performs autopsies. |
| Pneum/ato, pneum/ono | Lungs | Pneumoconiosis: Condition of abnormal deposits of dusts or other matter in the lungs |
| Salping/o | Fallopian tube | Hydrosalpinx: Accumulation of fluid in a fallopian tube |
| Sept/o | Infection | Septicemia: Toxins or pathogenic organisms in the blood (blood poisoning) |
| Ureter/o | Ureter | Ureterolith: Calculus or stone lodged in the ureter |
| Urethr/o | Urethra | Urethrorrhea: Abnormal discharge from the urethra |
| Viscer/o | Viscera (organs) | Visceromegaly: Enlargement of internal organs, also called organomegaly |
