Word roots, prefixes, and suffixes of anatomy & physiology

Many of the terms used in anatomy and physiology are compound words; that is, they are made up of word roots and one or more prefixes or suffixes. For example, leukocyte is formed from the word roots leuk- meaning “white,” a connecting vowel-o-, and -cyte meaning “cell.” Thus, a leukocyte is a white blood cell. The following list includes some of the most commonly used combining forms, word roots, prefixes, and suffixes used in the study of anatomy and physiology. Each entry includes a usage example. Learning the meanings of these fundamental word parts will help you remember terms that, at first glance, may seem long or complicated.