This section will describe common word components related to the skeletal system. 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 Skeletal System

• a-: Absence of, without
• ab-: Away from
• ad-: Towards
• brady-: Slow
• dys-: Painful, difficult, abnormal, labored
• hyper-: Above, excessive
• inter-: Between
• intra-: Within, in
• poly-: Many, much
• sub-: Below, under
• supra-: Above
• sym-: Together, joined
• syn-: Together, joined

Word Roots With a Combining Vowel Related to the Skeletal System

• ankyl/o: Stiff, bent
• aponeur/o: Aponeurosis
• arthr/o: Joint
• burs/o: Bursa
• carp/o: Carpals, wrist
• chondr/o: Cartilage
• clavic/o: Clavicle, collarbone
• clavicul/o: Clavicle, collarbone
• cost/o: Ribs
• crani/o: Cranium
• disk/o: Intervertebral disk
• femor/o: Femur, upper leg bone
• fibul/o: Fibula, lower leg bone
• humer/o: Humerus, upper arm bone
• ili/o: Ilium
• ischi/o: Ischium
• kines/o: Movement, motion
• kyph/o: Increased convexity of the spine
• lord/o: Bent forward, increased concavity of the spine
• lumb/o: Loin, lumbar region of the spine
• mandibul/o: Mandible, lower jawbone
• maxill/o: Maxilla, upper jawbone
• menisc/o: Meniscus, crescent
• myel/o: Bone marrow, spinal cord
• oste/o: Bone
• patell/o: Patella, kneecap
• pelv/i: Pelvis, pelvic bone
• petr/o: Stone
• phalang/o: Bones of the finger and toes
• pub/o: Pubis
• rachi/o: Vertebral spine, vertebral column
• radi/o: Radius
• sacr/o: Sacrum
• scapul/o: Scapula, shoulder blade
• scoli/o: Crooked, curved
• spondyl/o: Vertebra, spine, vertebral column
• stern/o: Sternum, breastbone
• synovi/o: Synovia
• tars/o: Tarsals, ankle bones
• ten/o: Tendon
• tend/o: Tendon
• tendin/o: Tendon
• tibi/o: Tibia, lower leg bone
• uln/o: Ulna, lower arm bone
• vertebr/o: Vertebra, spine, vertebral column

Suffixes Related to the Skeletal System

• -ad: Towards
• -al: Pertaining to
• -algia: Pain
• -ar: Pertaining to
• -asthenia: Weakness
• -blast: Formative cell
• -centesis: Surgical puncture to aspirate fluid
• -clasia: Break
• -clasis: Break
• -clast: Break
• -desis: Surgical fixation, fusion
• -ectomy: Excision, surgical removal, cutting out
• -gram: The record, radiographic image
• -graphy: Process of recording, radiographic imaging
• -ic: Pertaining to
• -itis: Inflammation
• -lysis: Loosening, separating, dissolution
• -malacia: Softening
• -oid: Resembling
• -oma: Tumor
• -osis: Abnormal condition
• -penia: Abnormal reduction
• -physis: Growth
• -plasty: Surgical repair
• -rrhaphy: Suturing, repairing
• -sarcoma: Malignant tumor
• -schisis: Split, fissure
• -scopy: Process of viewing, visual examination
• -tomy: Incision, cut into
• -trophy: Nourishment, development