Medical Etymology – Flashcards
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-centesis
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Surgical puncture >> arthrocentesis - puncture of a joint with a needle
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-clasis
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To break; surgical fracture >> osteoclasis - surgical fracture of a bone for deformity correction
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-desis
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Binding; fixation >> arthrodesis - binding together of a joint
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-ectomy
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excision; removal appendectomy - removal of the appendix
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-lysis
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separation; destruction; loosening thrombolysis - destruction of a blood clot
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-pexy
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fixation of an organ mastopexy - fixation of the breast
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-plasty
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surgical repair rhinoplasty - surgical repair of the nose
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-rrhaphy
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suture myorrhaphy - muscle suture
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-stomy
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forming an opening tracheostomy - forming an opening into the trachea
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-tome
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instrument to cut osteotome - instrument to cut bone
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-tomy
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incision tracheotomy - incision through the trachea
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-tripsy
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crushing lithotripsy -crushing a stone (kidney, ureter, gall bladder, or bladder)
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-gram
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record writing electrocardiogram - record of electrical heart activity
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-graph
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instrument for recording cardiograph - instrument for recording heart activity
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-graphy
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process of recording angiography - process of recording blood vessels
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-meter
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instrument for measuring pelvimeter - instrument for measuring the pelvis
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-metry
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act of measuring pelvimetry - act of measuring the pelvic dimension
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-scope
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instrument for examining endoscope - instrument for examining within
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-scopy
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examination; visual endoscopy - visual examination within
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-algia
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pain; neuralgia - pain of the nerve
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-dynia
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pain; otodynia - pain in the ear; earache
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-cele
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hernia, swelling; hepatocele - hernia of the liver
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-ectasis
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dilation, expansion; bronchiectasis - dilation or expansion of one or more bronchi
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-emesis
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vomiting; hyperemesis - excessive vomiting
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-emia
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blood condition; anemia - blood condition caused by a decrease in red blood cells
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-gen
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forming producing, origin forming; carcinogen - producing, or origin of cancer
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-genesis
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carcinogenesis - forming or producing cancer; transformation of normal cells to cancer
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-iasis
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abnormal condition; cholelithiasis - abnormal condition of gallstones
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-itis
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inflammation; gastritis - inflammation of the stomach
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-lith
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stone, calculus; cholelith - gall stones
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-malacia
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softening; chondromalacia - softening of the articular cartilage
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-megaly
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enlargement; cardiomegaly - enlargement of the heart
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-oma
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tumor; neuroma- tumor composed of nerve tissue
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-osis
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abnormal condition; cyanosis -blue or discoloration of skin and mucous membrane
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-pathy
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disease; myopathy - disease of muscles
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-penia
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decrease, deficiency; erythropenia - decrease in red blood cells
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-phagia
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eating, swallowing; dysphagia - inability or difficulty in swallowing
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-phasia
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Speech; speech aphasia - absence or impairment of speech
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-phobia
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fear; hemophobia - fear of blood
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-plasia
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Formation, growth; dysplasia - abnormal formation or growth of cells, tissues, or organs
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-plegia
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Paralysis; hemiplegia - paralysis of one half of the body
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-rrhagia
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bursting forth (of); menorrhagia -profuse discharge of blood during menstruation
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-rrhea
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discharge; flow diarrhea - abnormally frequent discharge of fluid fecal matter
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-rrhexis
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rupture; arteriorrhexis - rupture of an artery
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-sclerosis
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abnormal condtion of hardening; arteriorsclerosis - abnormal harderning of the artery
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-spasm
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involuntary contraction; blepharospasm - twitching of the eyelid
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-toxic
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poison; hepatotoxic - poisonous to the liver
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-stenosis
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abnormal narrowing; arteriostenosis - abnormal narrowing of the artery
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-trophy
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development; nourishment; dystrophy - bad nourishment
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-ac
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pertaining to; cardiac - pertaining to the heart
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-al
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Pertaining to; neural - pertaining to the nerve
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-ar
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Pertaining to; muscular - pertaining to the muscle
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-ary
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Pertaining to; pulmonary - pertaining to the lungs
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-eal
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Pertaining to; esophageal - pertaining to the esophagus
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-ic
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Pertaining to; thoracic - pertaining to the chest
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-ical
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Pertaining to; (combination of -ic and -al) pathological - pertaining to the study of the disease
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-ile
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Pertaining to; penile - pertaining to the penis
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-ior
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posterior - pertaining to the back of the body
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-ous
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(can also mean composed of) cutaneous - pertaining to the skin
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-tic
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acoustic - pertaining to the hearing
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-esis
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condition; diuresis - abnormal secretion of urine
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-ia
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pneumonia - infection of the lung
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-ism
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hyperthyroidism - condition by over activity of the thyroid gland
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-iatry
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medicine; treatment podiatry - treatment of foot conditions
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-ician
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specialist obstetrician - specializes in pregnancy and childbirth
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-ist
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hematologist - specializes in blood disorders,
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-y
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condition; process neuropathy - disease condition of the nerves
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-icle
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small; minute ventricle - small cavity of either the brain or heart
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-ole
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Small, minute; arteriole - smallest of the arteries
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-ule
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Small, minute venule - small vein continuous with a capillary
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epi-
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above, upon epigastric - pertaining to above the stomach
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hypo-
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under; below, deficient; hypodermic - pertaining to under the skin
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infra-
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under; below infracostal - below the ribs
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sub-
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Under; subnasal - under the nose
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gastroenteritis
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gastroenteritis gastr- = stomach -o- = combining vowel enter- = intestine -itis = inflammaiton
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inter-
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between; intercostal = between the ribs
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intercostal
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"Between the ribs" inter- = between costal = ribs
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post-
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after (both in location and physical position); behind (physical position only). postnatal - "after birth" post- "after" (in this case it means time) natal- = "birth" posterior - "behind or back side" such as: The posterior view of the hand. post- "after/behind" (in this case it means direction")
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pre-
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before (time/place)/in front of (place) prenatal = "before birth" pre- = "before" natal = "born/birth"
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pro-
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before prognosis = "a prediction of the course of a disease" pro- = "before" nosis- = "to know"
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retro-
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backwards;behind; retroversion= "turning backwards; tipping backward of an organ." retro- = "backwards" ver- = "to turn"
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bi-
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two bilateral = "two sides" bi- = "two" lat- = "side"
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dipl-
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double diplopia = "double vision" dipl- = "double" -opia = "vision" *diplopia is pronounced "deh-ploh-pee-ah" diplobacterial = "bacteria linked in pairs" dipl- = "double" -o- = combining vowel bacterial = "pertaining to bacteria"
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hemi-
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half hemiplegia = "half paralyzed; paralyzed in one half of the body" hemi- = "half" -plegia = "paralysis"
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hyper-
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"excessive; above normal" hypercalcemia = "excessive calcium in the blood" hyper- = "excess" calc- = "calcium" -emia = "blood"
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macro-
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large macro-molecule = "large, complex molecules" macrocyte = "large cell" macro- = "large" -cyte = "cell"
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micro-
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small microscope = "instrument for seeing the small" micro- = "small" -scope = "instrument of seeing"
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mono-
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one [Greek = mono] [Latin = uni] monotherapy = "one treatment" mono- = "one" -therapy = "treatment"
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uni-
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one [Greek = mono] [Latin = uni] uninuclear = "one nucleus"
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multi-
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many; much [Greek = "poly-"] [Latin = "multi-"] multigravida = "a womon who has been pregnant more than once" multi- = "many; much" gravid = "pregnant"
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poly-
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many; much [Greek = "poly-"] [Latin = "multi-"] polyphobia = "fear of many things"
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primi-
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first primigravida = "woman on her first pregnancy" primi- = "first" -gravid = "pregnant"
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quadri-
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four quadriplegia = "paralysis of four limbs" quad- = "four" -plegia = "paralzyed"
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tri-
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three triceps = "three heads" tri- = "three" -cep = "head"
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ab-
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from, away from (usually in the case of direction) abduction = "movement of a limb away from the body ab- = "away from" duct- = "move"
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ad-
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toward adduction = "movement of a limb toward the body" ad majorem Dei gloriam "towards the greater glory of God"; the Jesuit slogan
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circum-
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around circumrenal = "pertaining to around the kidneys" circum- "around" renal- = "kidney"
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peri-
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around periodontal = "pertaining to around the tooth" peri- "around" odont- = "tooth" (as an orthodontist... orth = straight odont = tooth) -al = "pertaining to"
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dia
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through; across diarhhea = "flow through" dia- "through" rrhea- "flow"
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trans-
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through; across transcardial = "through or across the heart" trans- = "through; across" cardi- = "heart"
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ecto-
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outside; outward ectogenus = "forming outside the body" ecto- = "outside; outward" genus- = "forming"
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exo-
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outside; outward exotropia = "the outward turning of one or both eyes" exo- = "outside; outward" -tr- = combining letters opia- = "eyes" **The combining letters are there because exoopia is janky... exotropia sounds way better. That's also seen in a word like "conjoin." It initially was co-joined, but that's hard and janky to say. It's a process in linguistics called "assimilation"
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extra-
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outside; outward extracranial = "outside the skull" extra- "outside" crani- "skull"
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endo-
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in; within [Greek = "endo"] [Latin = "intra"] endocrine = "to secrete within" endo- "within" crine- "to secrete" *The endocrine system is the one which includes the parts that secrete hormones and such in the body.
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intra-
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in; within [Greek = "endo"] [Laitn = "intra"] intramuscular = "within the muscle" intra- "in; within" musc- "pertaining to muscle"
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para-
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near; beside paranasal = "beside the nose" para- "near; beside" nas- "nose" -al = "pertaining to"
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super- or supra-
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upper; above superior = "pertaining to the upper part of a structure" supraorbital vein = "vein above the eye" supra- "upper; above" orbit- "eye" suprarenal = "above the kidneys" supra- "above" renal- "kidneys"
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ultra-
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excess; beyond ultrasonic "pertaining to sound beyond human hearing" ultra- "beyond" sonic- "sound"
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a-
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without, not amastia = "without a breast (such as after a mastectomy" a- "without" mast- "breast"
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an-
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without, not anesthesia = "without feeling" an- "without" esthes- "feeling; sensation"
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anti-
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against [Greek = "anti"] [Latin = "contra"] antibacterial = "against bacteria; inhibits bacterial growth"
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contra-
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against [Greek = "anti"] [Latin = "contra"] contraindication = In medicine, a contraindication is a condition or factor that serves as a reason to withhold a certain medical treatment due to the harm that it would cause the patient. contra- "against" indicate "to proclaim or present"
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brady-
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slow bradycardia "slow heart rate" brady- "slow" cardi- "heart"
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dys-
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bad; painful; difficult [Greek = "dys-"] [Latin = "mal-"] dystocia "difficult childbirth" dys- "difficult" tokos- "childbirth" **In Latin, the word for childbirth is usually rooted in "natal" ***Mary, in the early Church, is called the Theotokos: The God (Theo) birther (tokos)
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dysplasia
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dysplasia = "bad development" dys- "difficult; bad; painful" -plasia "formation/development"
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dystocia
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dystocia "difficult childbirth" dys- "bad; painful; difficult" tokos- "childbirth"
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eu-
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normal, good eupnea (yoop-nee-ah) = "normal breathing" eu- "normal" pne- "breath" -a = "condition"
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hetero-
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different heterograft = "different transplant" hetero- "different" graft- "put in; inscribe" **If somebody gets an organ or tissue or blood from a different person, they get a heterograph (also called "xenograph"). If the patient receives their own organ or tissue, it is a homograph (like when tissue from one area is put in another; all in the same patient)
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homo-
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same homograft homo- "same" graft- "put in; inscribe" **If somebody gets an organ or tissue or blood from a different person, they get a heterograph (also called "xenograph"). If the patient receives their own organ or tissue, it is a homograph (like when tissue from one area is put in another; all in the same patient)
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mal-
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bad [Greek = "dys-"] [Latin = "mal-"] malnutrition = "bad nutrition"
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pan-
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all panarthritis = "inflammation of all (or many) joints pan- "all" arthr- "joint" itis- "inflammation
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pseudo-
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false pseudocyst = "a false cyst"
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syn-
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union; together; joined syndactylism = "conjoined fingers or toes" syn- = "joined" dactyl- = "fingers/toes" -ism = "condition"
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syndactylism
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syndactylism = "conjoined fingers or toes" syn- = "joined" dactyl- = "fingers/toes" -ism = "condition"
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tachy-
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rapid tachypnea (tak-hip-nee-ah) = "rapid breathing" tachy- = "rapid" pnea- = "breathing" -a = "state; condition"
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medial
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pertaining to the midline of the body or a specific structure. When my hands are in anatomical position (palms facing forward), my pinky finger is more medial than my thumb; that is, my pinky is closer to the midline of my body
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lateral
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pertaining to a side When my hands are in anatomical position (palms forward), my thumbs are more lateral than my pinky fingers; that is, my thumbs are further away from the midline on a side than are my pinkies.
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superior (cephalad)
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Toward the head (cephal- "head" + ad- "toward")... This could refer to a patient's head or the head of a bone.
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inferior (caudal)
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Away from the head, or toward the tail (caud- means "tail") or lower part of a structure
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proximal
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nearer to the point of attachment of a bone or structure The proximal end of a finger bone is the end which attaches to the hand. The distal end is the end which points away from the attachment.
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distal
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further from the point of attachment of a bone or structure The distal end of a finger bone is the opposite of the end which attaches to hand
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anterior (ventral)
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Ante = "before" Ventral = "belly" This describes the anatomical "front" of the body or of structure. My abdominals are on the ventral/anterior side of my body.
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posterior (dorsal)
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post- "after" dorsal- "back" This describes the anatomical "back" of the body or of a structure. My scapulae (shoulder blades) are on the dorsal/posterior side of my body.
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visceral
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pertaining to the viscera, or the internal organs (especially those of the gut: stomach, intestines, etc)
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prone
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lying on the abdomen, face down
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supine
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lying on the back, face up
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inversion
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in- = "in" ver- = "turn" turning inward or inside out (toward the midline)
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eversion
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e/ex- = "out" ver- = "turn" turning outward (away from the midline)
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palmar
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pertaining to the palm of the hand
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plantar
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pertaining to the sole of the foot plantar fasciitis = "inflammation of the plantar fascia" plantar- = "sole" fascii- = "fascia" (connective tissue lying on muscle) -itis - = inflammation"
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superficial
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Toward the surface of the body (external) A superficial cut, like a superficial person, is not deep. Super- = "above" ficial- = "face"
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deep (profound)
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Away from the surface of the body (internal)
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abdomin(o)-
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abdomen
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cervic(o)-
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neck; cervix uteri... The term is used in two different ways: i.e., cervical vertebrae: the vertebrae in the neck cervical cancer: cancer pertaining to a woman's cervix
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crani(o)
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skull
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gastr(o)
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stomach
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ili(o)
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ilium (lateral hip bone). It means "wing"
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inguin(o)-
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groin inguinal hernia = "hernia in the groin" hernia = a condition where an organ pokes through the wall of its cavity. It's like having your foot poking through a bedsheet except the bedsheet is a body cavity and the foot is an organ.
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medi(o)-
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middle
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poster(io)-
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back (of the body); behind, posterior
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lumb(o)-
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referring to a region starting at the lowest ribs and reaching towards the upper pelvis. The lumbar vertebrae are those between the ribs and pelvis
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spondyl(o)-
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spine spondylitis = the inflammation of the vertebra spondopathy = disorders of the spine spondoarthritis = inflammation of the spinal joints
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thorac-
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pertaining to the thorax (the chest)
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albin(o)
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white [Latin = "alb"] [Greek = "leuk"] albino animals are those that are white altar servers and priests wear an "alb" which is white.
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leuk
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white [Greek = "leuk"] [Latin = "white"] leukemia is a cancer beginning in the bone marrow which begins with an abnormally high number of white blood cells. leuk- = "white" emia- = "blood" leukocytes = white blood cells leuk- = "white" cyte- = "cells"
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chlor(o)-
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green chlorophyll = "green leaf"
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erythr(o)-
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red This one is important. erythroctyes = "red blood cells" erythro- = "red" -cytes = "cells"
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melan(o)-
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black melanin are dark pigments in the skin
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poli(o)-
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grey polio is a condition in which affects the grey matter of the spinal cord
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eti-
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cause etiology (ee-tee-ology) = the the cause, set of causes, or manner of causation of a disease or condition. "a disease of unknown etiology"
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idi-
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unknown idiopathic diseases/conditions = those which arise spontaneously or for which the cause is unknown
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cyan-
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blue cyanopsia cyan- "blue" opsia- "to see" cyanopsia is a real condition. It's where a patient sees everything in blue tint. That's usually from the side-effects of medication or the after-effects of a cataracts procedure (minor eye surgery)
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jaund-
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yellow jaundice
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soma-
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body somatomegaly soma- "body" -megaly "abnormally large"
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xer-
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dry xerostomia = "dry mouth" xer- "dry" -o- "combining vowel" stom- "mouth" -ia "condition" xerodermia xer- "dry -o- "combining vowel" derm- "skin" -ia "condition"
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radi-
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root
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thromb-
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referring to blood clotting
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adip(o)-
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[Greek: adip(o)-] [Latin: lip(o)-] adip(o)- = "fat" adipose tissue: fat tissue
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lip(o)-
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[Latin: lip(o)-] [Greek: adip(o)- lip(o)- "fat" lipocele = swelling hernia containing fat lipo- "fat" cele- "swelling/hernia"
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cutan-
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skin Latin = cutan- Greek = derma- subcutaneous sub- "below" cutan- "skin"
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derma-
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Greek = derma- Latin = cuta- dermoplasty = a surgical repair of the skin derm- "skin" plasty- "surgical repair" hypodermic = under the skin hypo- "under" derm- "skin"
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hidr(o)-
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sweat Greek = hidr- Latin = sudor- hidradenitis = inflammation of the sweat glands hidra- "seat" den- "glands" -itis "inflammation"
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sudor(o)-
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sweat Latin = sudor- Greek = hidr- sudoresis = profuse sweating sudor- "sweat" -esis "condition"
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ichthy-
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dry, scaly ichthyosis = abnormal condition of dry or scaly skin
