Human Body:
Word Dissections
Name: _________________________
Many medical terms are about the different parts of the human body.
These words are often made by Latin or Greek roots that are combined
with prefixes and suffixes. If you understand the root words, prefixes, and
suffixes, you can understand the whole word used by doctors when they
are speaking their "medical mumbo jumbo."
Pre/Suffix
ananterarthroatherocardio-cyte, -cyto
derm-ectomy
enter(o)gastrohemihisto-ior
-itis
-lexia
neur(o)-ology (ist)
-orexia
osteo-otomy
-oxia
parapolyposter-opsy
ventr-
Meaning
Pre/Suffix
not; without
-al
before
autjoint
caudplaque
cephalHeart
-crania
cell
dactylSkin
diasurgical removal
distintestine
dorsostomach
dyshalf
-emia
Dirty
Gerdy
Smelly
Mellie
tissue
erythroreferring to
` -esthesia
infection; inflammation
hypoword
-ic
nerve
laryngthe study of
leucoappetite
lobbone
-osis
process of cutting
-otomy
oxygen
perinear
phlebomany
-plegic
behind
-sclerosis
view of
scolibelly side
therm(y)-
Meaning
signifying
self; own
tail; lower part of body
head
skull; head
finger
pass through
far; distant
back
abnormal
condition of the blood
GNLLC
red
nervous sensation
under; below
pertaining to
voice box
white
brain
abnormal condition
to cut or slice
about or around
vein
paralysis
hardening
bent
temperature or heat
So, if “lysis” means to “separate”, then based on the chart above, the word dialysis would mean
to “pass through completely and separate”. A dialysis machine separates the waste from the
blood of people whose kidneys are unable to function properly. Similarly, someone with
polycephaly based on the chart above would have “many heads”. So put your “cephal” to work
and see if you can solve the medical mumbo jumbo on the “dors” of this sheet!
© 2014 Getting Nerdy, LLC
Human Body:
Word Dissections
Name: _________________________
Using the root words on the front of your sheet, match the medical term (A-Z) with the definition
or medical condition (1-26).
Answer
Definition or Medical Condition
1. Referring to behind
Medical Term
A. Lobotomy
2. Doctor who specializes in the study of the nerves and nervous system B. Hydrocephaly
3. Someone who is near paralysis and unable to use their legs
C. Anterior
4. Cutting open the body to view the inside
D. Posterior
5. The process of cutting a vein
E. Pericardium
6. Inflammation of the larynx resulting in temporary loss of speech
F. Gastroenterologist
7. Pain affecting one half of the head
G. Hypodermic
8. The study of the tissues of the body
H. Gastritis
9. Doctor who specializes in the study of the stomach & small intestine
I. Distal
10. Someone who has abnormal word development
J. Diathermy
11. Condition where plaque builds up and hardens in the arteries
K. Ventral
12. Red blood cell
L. Leukemia
13. Pertaining to injecting a fluid under the skin via a syringe
Dirty Gerdy Smelly Mellie GNLLC M. Neurologist
14. Signifying the farthest or most distant
N. Caudal
15. A lack of appetite that results in not eating
O. Laryngitis
16. Referring to the front
P. Phlebotomy
17. A medicine used to numb or deaden a nerve or nerves
Q. Paraplegic
18. Abnormal bent condition of the spine
R. Autopsy
19. Signifying the tail
S. Anorexia
20. Surgical technique that involves cutting the brain's frontal lobe
T. Scoliosis
21. Condition in which there is an abnormal amount of fluid in the head U. Atherosclerosis
22. Lining around the heart
V. Anesthesia
23. Treatment of disease by passing heat through the infected area
W. Polydactyly
24. Condition in which a person has more than five fingers or toes
X. Dyslexia
25. Condition in which the body produces deformed white blood cells
Y. Histology
26. Signifying the belly
Z. Hypoxia
27. State of having below normal levels of oxygen
AA. Hemicrania
28. Inflammation of the stomach
BB. Dorsoventral
29. Inflammation of the skeletal joints
CC. Erythrocyte
30. Signifying the connection of the back and the belly side
DD. Arthritis
© 2014 Getting Nerdy, LLC