This section will describe common word components related to the muscular 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 Muscular 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 Muscular System

• ankyl/o: Stiff or bent
• electr/o: Electricity; electrical activity
• fasci/o: Fascia
• fibr/o: Fibrous connective tissue
• kinesi/o: Movement, motion
• kyph/o: Hump
• lamin/o: Lamina (thin, flat plate or layer)
• leimy/o: Smooth (visceral)muscle that lines the walls of internal organs
• my/o: Muscle
• myel/o: Spinal cord, bone marrow
• myos/o: Muscle
• myocardi/o: Heart muscle
• plant/o: Sole of the foot
• rhabd/o: Rod-shaped, striated
• sarc/o: Flesh, connective tissue
• ten/o: Tendon
• tend/o: Tendon
• tendin/o: Tendon

Suffixes Related to the Muscular System

• -ad: Toward
• -al: Pertaining to
• -algia: Pain
• -ar: Pertaining to
• -asthenia: Weakness
• -centesis: Surgical puncture to aspirate fluid
• -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
• -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
• -tome: Instrument used to cut
• -tomy: Incision, cut into
• -trophy: Nourishment, development