List of medical roots, suffixes and prefixes
Affix Meaning Origin language and etymology Example ( s )
salping ( o ) - of or pertaining to tubes , e.g . Fallopian tubes Greek σᾰ́λπῐγξ , σαλπιγγ- , ( sálpinx , salping- ) , trumpet salpingectomy , salpingopharyngeus muscle
sangui- , sanguine- of or pertaining to blood Latin sanguis , blood sanguine
sapro- relating to putrefaction or decay Greek sapros putrid ' saprogenic
sarco- muscular , flesh-like Greek σάρξ ( sárx ) , flesh sarcoma , sarcoidosis
schist ( o ) - split , cleft Greek σχῐστός ( skhistós ) , cloven , divided schistocyte
schiz ( o ) - denoting something split or double-sided Greek σχῐ́ζω ( skhízō ) , I split , cleave , part ; irregular formation of the verb σχῐ́ζειν ( skhízein ) , to cut , split schizophrenia
scler ( o ) - hard Greek σκληρός ( sklērós ) scleroderma
-sclerosis hardening Greek σκληρός ( sklērós ) , hard , harden ; + -σῐς ( -sis ) , added to verb stems to form abstract nouns or nouns of action , result or process atherosclerosis , multiple sclerosis
scoli ( o ) - twisted Greek σκολιός ( skoliós ) , curved , bent scoliosis
-scope instrument for viewing Greek σκόπος ( skópos ) , watcher stethoscope
-scopy process of viewing Greek σκοπέω ( skopéō ) , to look at , behold , examine endoscopy
scoto- darkness Greek σκότος ( skótos ) scotopic vision
semi- one-half , partly Latin semi- semiconscious
sial ( o ) - saliva , salivary gland Latin salīva , saliva sialagogue
sigmoid ( o ) - sigmoid , S-shaped curvature Greek σιγμοειδής ( sigmoeidḗs ) , crescent-shaped , lunate sigma-shaped sigmoid colon
sinistr ( o ) - left , left side Latin sinister
sinus- of or pertaining to the sinus Latin sinus , a curve , bend , hollow cavity , bosom sinusitis
sito- food , grain Greek σῖτος ( sîtos ) sitophobia
somat ( o ) - , somatico- body , bodily Greek σῶμα ( sôma ) somatic
somn ( o ) Sleep Latin somnus , sleep , drowsiness insomniac
Prefixes and suffixes -- S
This is a list of roots, suffixes, and prefixes used in medical terminology, their meanings, and their etymologies. Most of them are combining forms in New Latin and hence international scientific vocabulary. There are a few general rules about how they combine. First, prefixes and suffixes, most of which are derived from ancient Greek or classical Latin, have a droppable -o-. As a general rule, this -o- almost always acts as a joint-stem to connect two consonantal roots (e.g. + + -logy = arthrology), but generally, the -o- is dropped when connecting to a vowel-stem (e.g. + -itis = arthritis, instead of ). Second, medical roots generally go together according to language, i.e., Greek prefixes occur with Greek suffixes and Latin prefixes with Latin suffixes. Although international scientific vocabulary is not stringent about segregating combining forms of different languages, it is advisable when coining new words not to mix different lingual roots.