This section will describe common word components related to the sensory systems. These word components help build definitions for many medical terms. Other common prefixes are described in Chapter 1.3, and common suffixes are described in Chapter 1.5.

Prefixes Related to the Sensory Systems

• a- or an-: Absence of, without, no, or not (negates meaning)
• bi-: Two
• bin-: Two
• endo-: Within, in

Word Roots With a Combining Vowel Related to the Sensory Systems

• acous/o: Hearing
• audi/o: Hearing
• audit/o: Hearing
• aur/i or aur/o: Ear
• blephar/o: Eyelid
• cochle/o: Cochlea
• conjunctiv/o: Conjunctiva
• cor/o: Pupil
• core/o: Pupil
• corne/o: Cornea
• cry/o: Cold
• cyst/o: Bladder, sac, or cyst
• dacry/o: Tear, tear duct
• dipl/o: Two, double
• ir/o: Iris
• irid/o: Iris
• is/o: Equal
• kerat/o: Cornea
• labyrinth/o: Labyrinth, inner ear
• lacrim/o: Tear, tear duct
• mastoid/o: Mastoid bone
• myring/o: Tympanic membrane
• ocul/o: Eye
• ophthalm/o: Eye
• opt/o: Vision
• ossicul/o: Ossicle
• ot/o: Ear
• phac/o: Lens
• phak/o: Lens
• phot/o: Light
• pupill/o: Pupil
• retin/o: Retina
• salping/o: Tube
• scler/o: Sclera
• staped/o: Stapes, middle ear
• ton/o: Tension, pressure
• tympan/o: Middle ear, tympanic membrane
• vestibul/o: Vestibule
• xer/o: Dry

Suffixes Related to the Sensory Systems

• -al: Pertaining to
• -algia: Pain
• -ar: Pertaining to
• -ary: Pertaining to
• -eal: Pertaining to
• -ectomy: Excision or surgical removal
• -gram: Record, radiographic image
• -graphy: Process of recording
• -ia: Condition of, diseased or abnormal state
• -ic: Pertaining to
• -itis: Inflammation
• -logist: Specialist who studies and treats
• -logy: Study of
• -malacia: Softening
• -meter: Instrument used to measure
• -metry: Process of measuring
• -oma: Tumor, swelling
• -opia: Vision as it relates to condition
• -osis: Abnormal condition
• -pathy: Disease
• -pexy: Surgical fixation
• -phobia: Abnormal fear, aversion to specific things
• -plasty: Surgical repair
• -plegia: Paralysis
• -ptosis: Prolapse, drooping, sagging
• -rrhea: Flow, discharge
• -sclerosis: Hardening
• -scope: Instrument used to view
• -scopy: Process of viewing
• -stomy: Creation of artificial opening
• -tomy: Incision, cut into