Veterinary Terminology

super-
supra-

above, superior, excess

intro-

into, within

endo- (endoplasm)

within, inner

-rrhexis

rupture

-emesis

vomit

-cele

protrusion (hernia)

de-

reverse, remove

ab-

away from

para-

beyond, beside

em-
en-

in

hemi-

half

intra-

within

ante-

before, in front of, forward

-scopy

act of examining

-centesis

surgical puncture to remove fluid

-penia

lack of, deficiency of

-scope

instrument for examining

-algia

pain

post-

after, behind

infra-

below, beneath

-phobia

abnormal fear or intolerance

-ectomy

cutting out

pan-

all, entire

bi-

two, double, twice

sub-

under, beaneath

anti-

against, opposing

mes-
meso-

middle

-cyte

cell

dys-

difficult, painful, abnormal

hyp-
hypo-

under, deficient, beneath

pre-
pro-

before, in front of

-genesis

development, origin

hyper-

excessive, above, beyond

-graph

instrument that records

circum-

around

poly-

many, much, excessive

im-
in-

in, into, within, not

contra-

opposed, against

retro-

backward, behind

eu-

normal, good, well, healthy

auto-

self

peri-

around

-pnea

breathing

-logy

science, study of

-oma

tumor

-itis

inflammation

-rrhea

flow or discharge

dis-

free from, apart from

-ize

use, subject to

-tome

instrument for cutting

pseudo-

false

ultra

beyond, excess

-emia

blood condition

neo-

new, recent

semi-

half, partial

re-

again, backward

co-
com-
con-

with, together

ambi-
amphi-
ampho-

both

e- (enucleate)
ec-
ex-

out of, from, away from

exo- (ectoderm)
ecto-

outer, outside, situated on

syn-
sym-

together, with

-ile

capable, able

-ible

capable, able

-gram
-graphy

recording, written record

mult-
multi-

many

micr-
micro-

small

ep-
epi-

upon, on, over, above

-phage
phagy

eating

-plasia
-plastic
-plasty

forming, growing, changing

-oid

resembling, shaped like

-form

resembling, shaped like

-er
-or

person or agent

-ist

person or agent

-ent

person or agent

-ous
-ic
-al
-ac
-tic

pertaining to, relating to

-cle
-cule

small (diminutive)

-ole
-ola

small (diminutive)

-ule
-ulus
-ulum

small (diminutive)

apo-

separation from, derived from

ad-

toward, to, near

-tomy

cutting incision

per- (permeable)

through, excessive

-rrhaphy

suturing in place

extra-

outside of, beyond

-ate

having, resembling, acting upon

meta- (metamorphosis, metacarpus)

change, beyond, after

dia-

between, through, apart, across, completely

-pexy
-pexis

fixation

trans-

across, through

ana- (anatomy, anabolism)

up, away, apart

cata- (catabolism)

down, under, lower, against

a-
an-

without, lack of, not

-stomy

surgical opening

inter-

between

-sis
-esis
-iasis
-osis

state or condition

-ism

state or condition

-tion

state or condition

-ia

state or condition

-y

state or condition

-ity

state or condition

pneum/a-
pneum/o-
pneum/ato-
pneum/ono-

lungs, respiration

pleur/o-

pleura, rib (or side)

phren/i- (schizophrenic)
phren/ico-
phren/o-

diaphragm, mind

phleb/o-

vein or veins

pharyng/o-

pharynx

palat/o-

palate (roof of mouth)

ovari/o-

ovary

oss/eo-
oss/i-

bone or bones

ost/e-
ost/eo-

bone or bones

orchi/o-
orchi/do-

testis, testes

oophor/o-

ovary

neur/o-

nerve, nerves, nervous system

nephr/o-

kidney

myring/o-

eardrum

my/o-

muscle

myel/o-

bone marrow or spinal cord

metr/a-
metr/o-

uterus

mening/o-

membranes covering brain and spinal cord

lymph/o-

lymphatic vessels, lymphocytes

kerat/o-

horny tissue (and cornea of eye)

jejun/o-

jejunum section of intestine

ili/o-

ilium (upper part of hipbone)

ile/o-

ileum section of intestine

hyster/o-

uterus

hist/o-

tissue

hepat/ico-
hepat/o-

liver

gli/o-

gluey substance

gastr/o-

stomach

fibr/o-

fibers

episi/o-

vulva

enter/o-

intestine

encephal/o-

brain

duoden/o-

duodenum section of intestine

cyt/o-

cell

cyst/i-
cyst/o-

bladder, cyst, sac

cost/o-

rib

colp/o-

vagina

cleid/o-

clavicle (collar bone)

chord/o-

cord, string

proct/o-

rectum or anus

pulm/o-

lungs

pyel/o-

pelvis or kidney

rect/o-

rectum

ren/i-
ren/o-

kidney

sacr/o-

sacrum

salping/o-

fallopian or eustachian tube

sarc/o-

flesh, muscular substance

splen/o-

spleen

spondyl/o-

vertebra, spinal column

stern/o-

sternum (breastbone)

tend/o-
ten/o-

tendon

thym/o-

thymus gland

thyr/o-

thyroid gland

trache/o-

trachea

ureter/o-

ureter (kidney to bladder tube)

urethr/o-

urethra (bladder to outside)

vas/o-

vessel or duct

ven/e-
ven/i-
ven/o-

vein or veins

viscer/o-

viscera

chondr/i-
chondr/io-
chondr/o-

cartilage

cheldoch/o-

common bile duct

cerebr/i-
cerebr/o-

cerebrum part of brain

cerebell/o-

cerebellum part of brain

cardi/o-

heart

bronchiol/o-

bronchiolus

bronch/i-
bronch/o-

bronchus

balan/o-

glans penis or glans clitoridis

atri/o-

atrium or upper heart chamber

arthr/o-

joint

arteriol/o

arteriole

arteri/o-

artery

angi/o-

vessel (usually blood vessel)

adren/o-

adrenal gland

aden/o-

gland

ventr/i-
ventr/o-

belly (or underside of quadruped)

trich/o-

hair or hair-like structure

thorac/o-

chest or thorax

tars/o-

area corresponding to the human ankle (or the edge of the eyelid)

stom-
stomat/o-

mouth

steth/o-

chest

somat/o-
somatic/o-

body

rhin/o-

nose

pod/o-

foot or foot-shaped part

pil/o-

hair

phall/o-

penis

papill/o-

nipple or nipple-shaped projection

ot/o-

ear

or/o-

mouth

ophthalm/o-

eye or eyes

onych/o-

nail or claw

omphal/o-

naval or umbilicus

odont/o-

tooth or teeth

ocul/o-

eye

occipit/o-

back of head

nas/o-

nose

mast/o-

mammary gland

mamm/a-
mamm/o-

mammary gland

lingu/o-

tongue

later/o-

side

lapar/o-

flank, abdomen

labi/o-

lip (especially lips of mouth)

irid/o-

iris of eye

gnath/o-

jaw

gloss/o-

tongue

gingiv/o-

gums

faci/o-

face

dors/i-
dors/o-

back

dermat/o-

skin

derm/a-
derm/o-

skin

dent/i-
dent/o-

tooth or teeth

dactyl/o-

digit or toe

cor/e-
cor/o-

pupil of eye

cili/o-

eyelid, eyelash, or small hair-like processes

chil/o-

lip

cheil/o-

lip

cervic/o-

neck

cephal/o-

head

carp/o-

area corresponding to the human wrist

capit/o-

head

canth/o-

angle at either end of the slit between the eyelids

bucc/o-

cheek

brachi/o-

arm (forelimb in quadruped)

blephar/o-

eyelid or eyelash