If you really want to be able to talk about the male reproductive system, it’s time to learn the necessary medical terminology. To really stretch a metaphor, as the human race needs both male and female reproductive systems in order to survive by creating new life, the medical terms associated with the male reproductive system need both prefixes and suffixes to create new words.
Here is a list of some prefixes and suffixes to know when it comes to male reproductive terminology.
| Prefix or Suffix | What It Means |
|---|---|
| -ectomy | Surgical removal of |
| -ism | State of |
| -itis | Inflammation |
| -megaly | Enlargement |
| -orrhea | Excessive discharge |
| -pexy | Surgical fixation |
| -plasty | Surgical repair of |
| Hydro- | Water, fluid |
| Trans- | Through, across, beyond |
And now for the glue that holds these medical terms together. Take a look at the root words and combining forms that pertain to this system.
| Root Word | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Andr/o | Male |
| Balan/o | Glans penis |
| Cry/o | Cold |
| Crypt/o | Hidden |
| Epididym/o | Epididymis |
| Genit/o | Genitals, reproductive organs |
| Gonad/o | Gonads |
| Orch/o, orchi/o, orchid/o | Testis, testicle |
| Phall/o | Phallus, penis |
| Prostat/o | Prostate gland |
| Scrot/o | Scrotum |
| Sperm/o | Spermatozoon |
| Spermat/o | Spermatozoa |
| Test/o, testicul/o | Testis, testicle |
| Urethr/o | Urethra |
| Vas/o | Vessel or duct, vas deferens |
| Vesic/o | Bladder |
| Vesicul/o | Seminal vesicles |