Each individual part of the respiratory system is equally important. So, you will need to know the medical terminology associated with respiration. The nose without the pharynx or the lungs without the bronchi would be nothing more than spare parts, like on an old junker in a garage.
Similarly, the parts of medical terms must coexist and work together to help you understand their meanings. Prefixes, suffixes, and root words work in harmony to bring the world of the respiratory system into focus. Let’s start at the beginning with prefixes.
| Prefix | What It Means |
|---|---|
| An-, a- | Without, absent |
| Endo- | Within |
| Inter- | Between |
| Intra- | Within |
That was simple enough, right? Suffixes outnumber prefixes by more than half, but you should find the list still quite manageable.
| Suffix | What It Means |
|---|---|
| -ar, –ary | Pertaining to |
| -capnia | Carbon dioxide |
| -centesis | Surgical puncture with needle to aspirate fluid |
| -ectasis | Stretching or expansion |
| -gram | Record |
| -graphy | Process of recording |
| -itis | Inflammation |
| -osmia | Smell |
| -ostomy | Creation of an artificial opening |
| -oxia | Oxygen |
| -pnea | Breathing |
| -scope | Instrument used to visually examine |
| -scopy | Visual examination |
| -sphyxia | Pulse |
| -stenosis | Narrowing or constricting |
| -thorax | Chest |
Root words and combining forms associated with the respiratory system include the following.
| Suffix | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Adenoid/o | Adenoids |
| Alveol/o | Alveolus, air sac |
| Atel/o | Imperfect, incomplete |
| Bronch/o | Bronchus |
| Bronchi/o | Bronchial tubes |
| Capn/o | Carbon dioxide |
| Coni/o | Dust |
| Cyan/o | Blue |
| Epiglott/o | Epiglottis |
| Laryng/o | Larynx (voice box) |
| Mediastin/o | Mediastinum |
| Nas/o, rhin/o | Nose |
| Ox/o, Ox/i | Oxygen |
| Pector/o | Chest |
| Pharyng/o | Throat |
| Phren/o | Diaphragm |
| Pleur/o | Pleura |
| Pneum/o | Lung, air |
| Pulmon/o | Lung |
| Py/o | Pus |
| Spir/o | To breathe |
| Thorac/o | Chest |
| Tonsill/o | Tonsils |
| Trache/o | Trachea (windpipe) |