Prefixes

a- (absence of, without)

bi- (two)

brady- (slow)

dys- (bad, abnormal, painful, difficult)

endo- (within, in)

epi- (on, upon, over)

hypo- (below, deficient)

hyper- (above, excessive)

inter- (between)

pan- (all, total)

peri- (surrounding, around)

poly- (excessive, over, many)

tachy- (fast, rapid)

tri- (three)

Combining Forms

angi/o (vessel)

ather/o (yellowish, fatty plaque)

arteri/o (artery)

atri/o (atrium)

cardi/o/ (heart)

coron/o (crown or circle, heart)

ech/o (sound)

electr/o (electricity)

isch/o (deficiency, blockage)

my/o (muscle)

myos/o (muscle)

symptomat/o (symptom)

thromb/o (clot)

valv/o (valve)

valvul/o (valve)

vas/o (vessel)

ven/o (vein)

ventricul/o (ventricle)

Suffixes

-ac (pertaining to)

-ade (process of)

-al (pertaining to)

-apheresis (removal)

-ar (pertaining to)

-centesis (surgical puncture to aspirate fluid)

-dynia (pain)

-ectomy (excision, surgical removal)

-emia (condition of blood)

-genic (producing, originating, causing)

-gia (pain)

-gram (record, radiographic image)

-graph (instrument used to record)

-graphy (process of recording, radiographic imaging)

-ia (condition of, diseased state, abnormal state)

-ic (pertaining to)

-ion (process)

-itis (inflammation)

-lysis (loosening, dissolution, separating)

-megaly (enlarged, enlargement)

-logist (specialist, physician who studies and treats)

-oma (tumor)

-osis (abnormal condition)

-ous (pertaining to)

-pathy (disease)

-penia (abnormal reduction in number)

-pexy (surgical fixation, suspension)

-plasty (surgical repair)

-poiesis (formation)

-sclerosis (hardening)

-scope (instrument used to view)

-scopy (process of viewing)

-stasis (stop, stopping, controlling)

-stenosis (narrowing, constriction)

-tomy (cut into, incision)

Apply the rules of medical language to pronounce, break into word parts, and define the following terms.

Label each word part by using the following abbreviations:

P = Prefix
WR = Word Root
CV = Combining Vowel
S = Suffix
CF = Combining Form

Example: osteoarthropathy (ä-stē-ō-är-THROP-ă-thē) – disease of bone and joint

WR     CV    WR     CV     S

oste / o / arthr / o /pathy

     CF               CF

Use terms related to the cardiovascular system.

Label the following heart anatomy in the diagram below.

aorta | aortic valve | interventricular septum | left atrium | left pulmonary artery | left pulmonary veins | left ventricle | mitral (bicuspid) valve | pulmonary trunk | pulmonary valve | right pulmonary artery | right pulmonary veins | right ventricle | tricuspid valve

Test your knowledge by answering the questions below.

The ability of the blood vessels to dilate and constrict as needed…

1. LDL
2. Syncope
3. Compliance

1. Roots of the Great Vessels
2. Dyspnea
3. Pacemaker

1. Serous
2. Ischemic
3. Diaphoresis

1. Ablation
2. Congenital
3. Cyanosis

Chapter Attributions

This chapter was adapted by Jerry Casteel from “Cardiovascular System – Heart” in Medical Terminology Student Companion by Stacey Grimm; Colleen Allee; Heidi Belitz; Traci Gotz; Micheal Randolph; Elaine Strachota; and Laurie Zielinski. Licensed under a CC BY 4.0 license.