These combining forms usually appear at the beginning of terms, but
they may certainly sometimes appear within or at the end of a term also.
Use this handy table for reference.
| Form |
Meaning |
| Adeno – |
gland |
| Adreno – |
adrenal gland |
| Angio – |
vessel |
| Ano – |
anus |
| Arterio – |
artery |
| Arthro – |
joint |
| Balano – |
glans penis |
| Blepharo – |
eyelid |
| Broncho – |
bronchus (windpipe) |
| Cantho – |
canthus (angle at either end of Slit between eyelids) |
| Capit – |
head |
Cardi- or
cardio – |
heart |
| Carpo – |
wrist |
| Cephalo – |
head |
| Cerebello – |
cerebellurn (part of brain) |
| Cerebro – |
cerebrum (part of brain) |
| Cheilo – |
lip (mouth) |
| Chole – |
bile (Note: Chole plus cyst, meaning bladder, equals
gallbladder;
chole plus doch, meaning duct, equals choledocho or
common bile duct.) |
| Chondro – |
cartilage |
| Chordo – |
cord or string (usually used in connection with
the vocal cord or spermatic cord) |
| Cilia – |
hair (Latin) |
| Cleido – |
collarbone |
| Coccygo – |
coccyx (end bone of the spinal column) |
| Colpo – |
vagina |
| Cordo – |
cord (usually vocal cord) |
| Coxa – |
hip (Latin) |
| Cranio – |
head |
| Cysto – |
sac, cyst, or bladder (most often used in connection
with the urinary bladder) |
| Cyto – |
cell |
| Dacryo – |
tear (used commonly in relation to tear duct or
sac) |
Dento- or
donto – |
tooth |
| Derma – |
skin |
| Duodeno – |
duodenum (part of small intestine) |
| Emia – |
blood |
| Encephalo – |
brain |
| Entero – |
intestines |
| Fascia – |
sheet or band of fibrous tissue (Latin) |
| Fibro – |
fibers |
| Gastro – |
stomach |
| Genu – |
knee (Latin) |
| Gingivo – |
gums |
| Glomerulo – |
glomerulus (often a structure of the kidney) |
| Glosso – |
tongue |
| Gnatho – |
jaw |
| Hallux – |
great toe (Latin) |
Hem, hema,
hemo, hemato – |
blood |
| Hepato – |
liver |
| Hilus – |
pit or depression in an organ where vessels and
nerves enter (Latin) |
| Histio – |
tissue |
| Hystero – |
uterus (Note: This term may also pertain to hysteria.) |
| Ileo – |
ileum (part of small intestine) |
| Ilio – |
flank or ilium (bone of the pelvis) |
| Jejuno – |
jejunum (part of small intestine) |
| Kerato – |
cornea or horny layer of the skin |
| Labio – |
lips (either of mouth or vulva) |
| Lacrimo – |
tears (used also in connection with tear ducts or
sacs) |
| Laparo – |
loin or flank (also refers to abdomen) |
| Laryngo – |
larynx |
| Linguo – |
tongue |
| Lympho – |
lymph |
