Prefixes

a- (absence of, without)

an- (absence of, without)

brady- (slow)

dys- (difficult, painful, abnormal, labored)

endo- (within, in)

eu- (normal, good)

hyper- (above, excessive)

hypo- (below, incomplete)

intra- (within, in)

poly- (many, much)

tachy- (fast, rapid)

Combining Forms

adenoid/o (adenoids)

alveol/o (alveolus)

atel/o (imperfect, incomplete)

bronch/o (bronchus)

bronchi/o (bronchus)

capn/o (carbon dioxide)

diaphragmat/o (diaphragm)

epiglott/o (epiglottis)

hem/o (blood)

hemat/o (blood)

laryng/o (larynx)

lob/o (lobe)

muc/o (mucus)

nas/o (nose)

orth/o (straight)

ox/i (oxygen)

pharyng/o (pharynx)

phon/o (sound, voice)

phren/o (diaphragm)

pleur/o (pleura)

pneum/o (lung, air)

pneumon/o (lung, air)

pneumat/o (lung)

pulmon/o (lung)

py/o (pus)

radi/o (x-rays, ionizing radiation)

respir/o (breath, breathing)

rhin/o (nose)

sept/o (septum)

sinus/o (sinus)

somn/o (sleep)

son/o (sound)

spir/o (breathe, breathing)

thorac/o (thorax, chest cavity)

tom/o (to cut, section, slice)

tonsill/o (tonsil)

trache/o (trachea)

Suffixes

-algia (pain)

-ar (pertaining to)

-ary (pertaining to)

-cele (hernia, protrusion)

-centesis (surgical puncture to aspirate fluid)

-eal (pertaining to)

-ectasis (stretching out, dilation, expansion)

-ectomy (excision, cut out)

-emia (in the blood)

-genic (producing, originating, causing)

-gram (the record, radiographic image)

-graph (instrument used to record)

-graphy (process of recording, radiographic imaging)

-ia (condition, diseased state, abnormal state)

-ic (pertaining to)

-itis (inflammation)

-logist (specialist or physician who studies and treats)

-logy (study of)

-meter (instrument used to measure)

-metry (measurement)

-oid (resembling)

-pexy (surgical fixation, suspension)

-plasty (surgical repair)

-pnea (breathing)

-ptysis (spitting, coughing)

-rrhagia (rapid flow of blood, excessive bleeding)

-scope (instrument used for visual examination)

-scopic (pertaining to visual examination)

-scopy (process of visually examining, visual examination)

-spasm (sudden involuntary muscle contraction, spasmodic contraction)

-stenosis (constriction, narrowing)

-stomy (creation of an artificial opening)

-thorax (chest, chest cavity)

-tome (instrument used to cut)

-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 respiratory system.

Label the following respiratory system structures.

diaphragm | larynx | left bronchus | left lung | oral cavity | nasal cavity | nostril | pharynx | right bronchus | right lung | trachea

Test your knowledge by answering the questions below.

A small bulbous, teardrop-shaped structure located at the apex of the soft palate…

1. Posterior
2. Lymphocytes
3. Uvula

Located at the anterior region of the nasal cavity and is composed of bone…

1. Fauces
2. Glottis
3. Hard palate

A ridge of cartilage that separates the two main bronchi…

1. Carina
2. Alveolar Duc
3. Eupnea

Serves as an airway and is continuous with the nasal cavity

1. Conducting zone
2. Hilum
3. Nasopharynx

Consists of the surface and skeletal structures that result in the outward appearance of the nose and contribute to its numerous functions…

1. Pharynx
2. Inferior
3. External nose

Chapter Attributions

This chapter was adapted by Jerry Casteel from “Respiratory System” 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.