This section will describe common word components related to the respiratory system. These word components can be used to build definitions for many medical terms related to the respiratory system. Other common prefixes are described in Chapter 1.3, and common suffixes are described in Chapter 1.5.

Common Prefixes Related to the Respiratory System

  • 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

Common Word Roots With A Combining Vowel Related to the Respiratory System

  • 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
  • pneumat/o: Lung
  • pneumon/o: Lung, air
  • 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

Common Suffixes Related to the Respiratory System

  • -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: Record of, 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 who studies and treats
  • -logy: Study of
  • -meter: Instrument used to measure
  • -metry: Measurement
  • -oid: Resembling
  • -osis: Abnormal condition
  • -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

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Medical Terminology - 2e Copyright © 2024 by Jonathan Eastabrooks, MBA, RHIA and Open Resources for Nursing (Open RN) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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