Sticky
Download iOS
Medical Terminology20 cards

Root Words by Body System Flashcards

Cards covering the core organ and tissue root words organised by body system. Once you know these roots, combined with the prefixes and suffixes deck, you can decode the majority of clinical terms across cardiology, pulmonology, gastroenterology, nephrology, neurology, and the musculoskeletal system.

Download CSVStudy in App

All 20 Flashcards

Tap any card to flip and see the answer

What does the root 'cardi/o' refer to? Give two derived terms.

Tap to reveal answer

The heart. Derived terms: cardiology (study of the heart), cardiomyopathy (disease of heart muscle), electrocardiogram (recording of heart electrical activity), pericardium (membrane around the heart).

Tap to see question

What does the root 'angi/o' or 'vas/o' refer to? Give an example.

Tap to reveal answer

Both refer to vessels (usually blood vessels). Examples: angiography (imaging of vessels), angioplasty (repair of a vessel), vasodilation (widening of vessels), vasoconstriction (narrowing of vessels).

Tap to see question

What does the root 'haem/o' (or 'hem/o') refer to? Give two examples.

Tap to reveal answer

Blood. Examples: haematology (study of blood), haemorrhage (bleeding), haematoma (collection of clotted blood), haemoglobin (oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells).

Tap to see question

What does the root 'pneum/o' or 'pulm/o' refer to? Give an example.

Tap to reveal answer

The lungs or air. Examples: pneumonia (lung infection), pneumothorax (air in the pleural cavity), pulmonary embolism (clot in the lung), pulmonologist (lung specialist).

Tap to see question

What does the root 'bronch/o' refer to? Give an example.

Tap to reveal answer

The bronchi (airways branching from the trachea into the lungs). Examples: bronchitis (inflammation of the bronchi), bronchoscopy (visual examination of the airways), bronchodilator (drug that widens airways).

Tap to see question

What does the root 'gastr/o' refer to? Give an example.

Tap to reveal answer

The stomach. Examples: gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining), gastroenterology (study of the stomach and intestines), gastrectomy (surgical removal of part or all of the stomach).

Tap to see question

What does the root 'enter/o' refer to? How does it differ from 'col/o'?

Tap to reveal answer

Enter/o refers to the small intestine (enteritis = inflammation of the small intestine). Col/o refers specifically to the colon (large intestine), as in colonoscopy or colectomy. Gastroenteritis covers stomach and small intestine together.

Tap to see question

What does the root 'hepat/o' refer to? Give two derived terms.

Tap to reveal answer

The liver. Derived terms: hepatitis (inflammation of the liver), hepatomegaly (enlarged liver), hepatology (study of the liver), hepatocellular (relating to liver cells).

Tap to see question

What does the root 'chol/e' refer to? Give an example.

Tap to reveal answer

Bile or gall. Examples: cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder), cholecystectomy (removal of the gallbladder), cholelithiasis (gallstones), cholangiogram (imaging of the bile ducts).

Tap to see question

What does the root 'nephr/o' or 'ren/o' refer to? Give an example.

Tap to reveal answer

Both refer to the kidney. Nephr/o is Greek (nephritis, nephrectomy, nephrology). Ren/o is Latin (renal artery, renal failure). Convention determines which is used in a given term.

Tap to see question

What does the root 'cyst/o' refer to in urology? Give an example.

Tap to reveal answer

The urinary bladder (more broadly, a sac or pouch). Examples: cystitis (inflammation of the bladder), cystoscopy (visual exam of the bladder), cystectomy (surgical removal of the bladder).

Tap to see question

What does the root 'pyel/o' refer to? Give an example.

Tap to reveal answer

The renal pelvis (the funnel-shaped collecting area inside the kidney). Examples: pyelonephritis (inflammation of the renal pelvis and kidney), pyelogram (imaging of the renal pelvis).

Tap to see question

What does the root 'neur/o' refer to? Give two derived terms.

Tap to reveal answer

Nerves or the nervous system. Derived terms: neurology (study of the nervous system), neuropathy (nerve disease), neuralgia (nerve pain), neurosurgery.

Tap to see question

What does the root 'encephal/o' refer to? Give an example.

Tap to reveal answer

The brain. Examples: encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), encephalopathy (any disease of the brain), electroencephalogram (EEG, recording of brain electrical activity).

Tap to see question

What does the root 'oste/o' refer to? Give two examples.

Tap to reveal answer

Bone. Examples: osteoporosis (porous, weakened bone), osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease), osteomyelitis (bone infection), osteoblast (bone-forming cell).

Tap to see question

What does the root 'arthr/o' refer to? Give an example.

Tap to reveal answer

A joint. Examples: arthritis (joint inflammation), arthroscopy (visual examination of a joint), arthroplasty (joint replacement), arthralgia (joint pain).

Tap to see question

What does the root 'my/o' refer to? Give an example.

Tap to reveal answer

Muscle. Examples: myocardium (heart muscle), myalgia (muscle pain), myositis (muscle inflammation), myopathy (muscle disease).

Tap to see question

What does the root 'derm/o' or 'cutane/o' refer to?

Tap to reveal answer

Both refer to the skin. Derm/o is Greek (dermatology, dermatitis, epidermis). Cutane/o is Latin (subcutaneous = below the skin, percutaneous = through the skin).

Tap to see question

What does the root 'onc/o' refer to? Give an example.

Tap to reveal answer

A tumour or mass (from Greek onkos). Examples: oncology (study and treatment of cancer), oncologist (cancer specialist), oncogene (gene that can cause cancer).

Tap to see question

What does the root 'ophthalm/o' refer to and how does it differ from 'ot/o'?

Tap to reveal answer

Ophthalm/o refers to the eye (ophthalmology = study of the eye, ophthalmoscope = instrument for examining the eye). Ot/o refers to the ear (otitis = ear inflammation, otoscope = instrument for examining the ear). Otorhinolaryngology covers ear, nose, and throat.

Tap to see question

Download all 20 cards as a CSV file for import into Sticky

Download CSV

Study Tips for Root Words by Body System

1

Learn root words grouped by body system, not alphabetically. Cardio + angio + haemo together cover the cardiovascular system; pneumo + bronch/o + thorac/o cover the respiratory system.

2

Pair every root with one prefix and one suffix you already know. 'Hepatomegaly' becomes obvious once you have hepat/o (liver) + megaly (enlargement) on separate cards.

3

When two roots mean the same thing (nephr/o vs ren/o, derm/o vs cutane/o), make a single card listing both and the convention for which appears in which terms.

4

For body systems you find hardest, embed the roots in clinical scenarios. 'A patient with bronchospasm has tightening in the [bronchi]' beats reviewing 'bronch/o = airway' a tenth time.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Medical Terminology Topics

Medical Prefixes & Suffixes

Cards covering the high-frequency prefixes and suffixes that appear in nearly every clinical term. Master these word parts and you can decode the majority of medical vocabulary on sight, without memorising thousands of compound terms one at a time.

22 cardsStudy now

Procedures & Diagnostics

Cards covering the most common surgical procedures, diagnostic tests, and imaging studies you will encounter in clinical practice. Each card decodes the term from its prefix, root, and suffix so you can recognise unfamiliar procedures on sight rather than memorising them in isolation.

20 cardsStudy now

Ace Root Words by Body System with smarter studying

AI-powered flashcards and spaced repetition to help you remember what matters.

Start learning
Loved by students