This document lists and defines common medical specialties, general medical terms, body parts, medical prefixes, and terms related to various body systems and diseases. It provides definitions for over 200 terms related to anatomy, pathology, pharmacology, psychiatry, cardiology, respiratory systems, rheumatology, and other areas of medicine. Specialties are defined like cardiology as the study of the heart and its diseases. Medical terms include definitions for concepts like antibodies, antigens, and symptoms. Body parts are identified by location like anterior, posterior, and proximal. Prefixes indicate relation to organ systems.

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COMMON MEDICAL SPECIALITIS
1) Anatomy: Subject of knowing the structure of the body.
2) Bacteriology: Science dealing with the study of bacteria.
3) Cardiology: Study of heart and its diseases.
4) Dermatology: Branch of medicine dealing with skin diseases.
5) Endocrinology: Study and treatment of diseases of endocrine.
6) Gastroenterology: Study of the stomach, intestines, and alimentary/ digestive systems
and their diseases
7) Geriatrics: Medical study of aging and diseases of the elderly people.
8) Gynaecology: Study of the generative/ reproductive organs in the female and their
diseases.
9) Haematology: Study of blood and blood forming tissues.
10) Neurology: knowledge about the nervous system.
11) Obstetrics: Branch of medicine dealing with deliveries, prenatal,natal and postnatal care.
12) Ophthalmology: Science of the eye diseases.
13) Orthopaedics: Branch in medicine dealing with the surgery of bones and joints.
14) Paedriatic: Study of the diseases of children.
15) Pathology: Study of disease processes and consequent changes produced in
tissue/organs.
16) Pharmacology: Science dealing with the study of drugs.
17) Pharmacy: Place where drugs are dispensed, say in a hospital/ shop.
18) Physiology: Science which deals with the functions of living organisms say the human
body.
19) Psychology: Science dealing with mind, behaviour.
20) Psychiatry: Study and treatment of mental illnesses.
21) Rheumatology: The science or study of the diseases of joints and attatched muscles.
22) Therapeutics: Scientific treatment of diseases.
23) Urology: study of disorders and diseases of kidney, uterus, bladder, prostate and urethra.
GENERAL MEDICAL TERMS IN USE
24) Achlorhydria: Absence of hydrochloric acid in the stomach.
25) Etiology: Causative factors of a disease.
26) Anaphylaxis: Life-threating shock and collapse due to immediate hypersensitivity to an
offending antigen.
27) Antibody: A protective product production of antibodies in the response of cells in the
body consequent upon exposure to a foreign substance Eg: an antigen a protein.
28) Antigen: A protein which produces antibodies.
29) Antiseptic: Agent preventing invasion by pathogenic bacteria/ microorganisms.
30) Anuria: Srike of kidneys, cessation of urine formation by the kidneys.
31) Ataxia: Lack of muscular coordination due to disease of the nervous system.
32) Atherosclerosis: Narrowing of an artery.
33) Bradycardia: Slowness of heart beat to less than 60 per minute.

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34) Atrophy: Diminution in the size of an organ or tissue.
35) Congenital: Found at the time of birth Eg: Congenital heart defect / disease.
36) Diastolic: The period of dilation of ventricles, rest & relaxation for them as they fill with
blood.
37) Distal: Farther away from a point of reference.
38) Dyspnoea: Difficulty in breathing, labored breathing.
39) Embolism: Block of a blood vessel by a blood clot or any foreign substances.
40) Embolus: A blood clot or any substance like air, fat, septic matter or tumour cell
blocking a blood vessel, as a result of which blood circulation is impended.
41) Fibrosis: Formation of a bridge of fibrous tissue in the area of disease. In certain
diseases, especially in tuberculosis this is the hall mark of healing.
42) Gastrectomy: The surgical excision of all or a perstion of the gastric relating to the
stomach.
43) Granulocyte: Granular leucocytes. Eg: Neutrophil, Eosinophil, Basophil.
44) Haematuria: Passing blood in urine. Eg: In case of tuberculosis & filariasis.
45) Haemoptysis: Coughing out blood in sputum.
46) Hepatitis: Inflammation of liver & icterus.
47) Dyscrasia: Disorder Eg: blood.
48) Micturation: Passage of urine.
49) Pruritus: Itching.
50) Vesicle: A small blister due to accumulation of little fluid underneath the epidermis.
51) Hyperglycemia: An excess of glucose in the blood characteristic of Diabetes mellitus.
52) Hypertrophy: Increase in the size of cells in an organ/ tissue which in turn increases its
volume.
53) Immunity: Development of resistance to a disease.
54) Lesion: Acquired as a wound, hurt, injury, sore, growth/ tumour degeneration, infection,
infestation, pigment disorder.
55) Leucocyte: White blood cells, colour less blood corpuscle.
56) Myocarditis: Inflammation of the heart muscle.
57) Myopathy: Any muscle disease, pain, weakness &wasting of skeletal muscle.
58) Necrosis: Process of cell death in a tissue.
59) Oedema: Swelling in the body, accumulation of fluid in the interstitial spaces.
60) Osteoporosis: Increased porosity/ rare faction of bone, making it weak.
61) Pathogenic: Causing disease.
62) Necrosis: Minor mental disorder.
63) Pathology: Study of disease processes & consequent changes produced in tissue/ organ.
64) Placebo: A dummy sort of thing, harmless non medicinal inactive substance given to
patients in controlled clinical trials.
65) Polyuria: Excessive urination.
66) Polydyspia: Abnormal thirst for water.
67) Prolapse: Descent, the gliding down of a tubular organ or part.
68) Prophylaxis: Measures to prevent disease.
69) Reticuloendothelial: A defence system in the body. The tissue macrophage system found
mainly in the bone marrow, spleen, lymph nodes.

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70) Spasm: Involuntary contraction of a muscle or a group of muscles.
71) Stenosis: Narrowing or constriction of a vessel/ duct.
72) Syndrome: A set of symptoms characterizing a disease, occurring together, a symptom
complex.
73) Systole: Contraction of the heart, especially of the ventricle.
74) Tetany: Disease due to decrease in the extracellular ionized calcium characterized by
sharp flexion of the wrist & ankle.
75) Toxin: Poison.
76) Trauma: Physical wound/ injury.
77) Symptom: Subjective complaint of a patient, the one narrated by the patient.
BODYPARTS
78) Lateral: Away from the mid line of a structure/ organ Eg: away from the umbilicus.
79) Medial: Near the mid line the body/ structure.
80) Superior: Situated above.
81) Inferior: Situated below.
82) Posterior: Back.
83) Anterior: Situated at the front.
84) Dorsal: Pertaining to the back of the body.
85) Ventral: The front aspect of the body when the person is standing.
86) Distal: Farther away from the point of reference.
87) Proximal: Nearer to the point of reference.
TERMINOLOGY, DESIGNATING BODYPARTS & ORGANS
88) Anal: An opening for the passage of faeces.
89) Brachium: The Arm( shoulder to elbow).
90) Thoracic: Pertaining to the thorax/ chest.
91) Haeme/ Heme: The pigment portion of haemoglobin.
92) Haemat/Hemat: Combining form meaning blood.
93) Auricular: Projecting part of the ear, the ear-shaped appendage of either atrium of the
heart.
94) Ocular: Relating to the eye, eye piece in the microscope.
95) Pedal/Pod/Ped: Concerning the foot/ feet.
96) Chole/Chol: The gall bladder.
97) Cephalic: Pertaining to the head, head end of the body.
98) Cardium/cardia: The cardiac opening between, the oesophags and upper portion of the
stomach.
99) Caecum: Proximal part of the large intestine situated in the right iliac fossa.
100) Colon: Large intestine, from caecum to rectum.
101) Duodenum: C shaped structure- first 11 inches or 12 finger breadths of the small
intestine.
102) Ileum: The distal portion of the small intestine.
103) Jejunum: The middle portion of the small intestine from the duodenum to ileum.

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104) Renal/ Nepharic: Relating to kidney.
105) Nephron: The structural and functional unit of kidney; about 1.3 million in each,
serving the purpose of formation of urine.
106) Myo: Pertaining to the heart.
107) Hepatic: Relating to the liver.
108) Pulmonary: Pertaining to the lung.
109) Oral: Through mouth, relating to mouth.
110) Cervical: Pertaining to the neck, pertaining to the cervix, the opening of uterus.
111) Penile: Pertaining to the penis.
112) Rectal: Pertaining to the rectum, the distal portion of the large intestine.
113) Dermis: The true skin, situated underneath the epidermis.
114) Gastric: Relating to the stomach.
115) Cysti:
116) Cysto: Relating to urinary bladder.
117) Hystero: Combining form denoting
118) Vulva: The external genital organs of the female.
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES
119) Aneursym: Dilation of the wall of a blood vessel or chamber of the heart. Eg:
aneurysm of aorta.
120) Angina: A choking/ suffocating/ constricting/ in the grip of vice feeling or sensation.
121) Anginapectoris: Angina in chest due to myocardial ischaemia, i.e. lack of blood
supply to the wall of the pump.
122) Arrhythmia: Deviation from normal rhythm leading to/ resulting in irregular heart
beat.
123) Atheroma: A plaque of degenerated arterial wall in atherosclerosis.
124) Atria: The two upper chambers in the heart.
125) Auricular:
126) Fibrillation: Small local involuntary muscle contractions.
127) Bradycardia: Slowness of the heart beat to less than 60 per minute.
128) Coronary: Encircling an organs; coronary arteries of supply blood to the muscles in
the walls of the chambers of the heart.
129) Cyanosis: Bluish discoloration of the skin and the mucous membranes. This occurs
mainly in diseases of the heart, lungs and blood.
130) Embolism: Block of a blood vessel by a blood clot or any foreign substance.
131) Erythrocyte: A mature red blood cell/corpuscle circulating in the peripheral blood.
132) Haemopoietic:
133) Hyperchromia: Hypercchromatic staining of the nucleus in a cell.
134) Hypertension: High blood pressure.
135) Infraction: The process of the formation of an infarct.
136) Leucocyte: White blood cell/ colourless blood corpuscle.
137) Leucocytosis: Transient increase in the number of white blood cells.

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138) Leukemia: Purposeless proliferation of white blood cells and their precursors, a
malignant condition of the blood-forming organs, chiefly bonemarrow and to a small
extent of lymphnodes.
139) Lymphangitis:Inflammation of lymphatic channels.
140) Monocyte: Mononuclear leukocyte. It develops in to macrophage in the lung and
liver.
141) Palpitation: subjective feeling of one’s own rapid heartbeat in one’s chest.
142) Phlebitis: Inflammation of a vein, later it becomes tender, cordlike.
143) Purpura: Small purple haemorrhagic spots on the skin and mucous membranes.
144) Tachycardia: Abnormally rapid heart rate, usually above 150/ minute.
145) Thrombocytopenia: Decrease in the number of circulating platelets.
146) Thrombus: Blood clot.
PSYCHIATRIC
147) Amnesia: loss of memory.
148) Endogenous: Produce with in/ Depression.
149) Exogenous: originating outside.
150) Hallucination: Perciption of a sense without stimulation, especially noticed in some
mental disorders.
RESPIRATORY
151) Emphysema: Large lungs, excess air filled lungs: a disease of lungs characterised by
over distension and loss of elasticity of the alveoli in lung tissue.
152) Dyspnoea: Difficulty in breathing, labored breathing.
153) Fibrosis: Formation of a bridge of fibrous tissue in the area of disease. In certain
diseases, especially in tuberculosis this is the hall mark of healing.
154) Intercostal: In between ribs.
155) Lobectomy: Excision of a lobe, say in the lung, brain or liver.
156) Pleura: The double layered membrane which envelops the lung.
RHEUMATOLOGY
157) Ankylosis: Rigidity of a joint Eg: bony ankylosis where in the joint does not move at
all.
158) Arthritis: Inflammation of a joint.
159) Bursitis: Inflammation of bursa. ( A sac with fluid situated near rubbing parts.
160) Chondritis: Inflammation of cartilage.
161) Myalgia: Ache in the muscles, a not infrequent malady.
162) Ostalgia: study of bone.
163) Osteomalacia: A disease of softening of bone.
164) Periarthritis: Pain around a joint.
165) Synovial membrane: Membrane around the synovium.
166) Testocynovitis:

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URINARY SYSTEMS
167) Anuria: Strike of the kidneys, cessation of urine formation by the kidneys.
168) Dysuria: painful or difficult urination.
169) Glycosuria: The presence of glucose in the urine.
170) Haematuria: Passing blood in urine.
171) Nephrectomy: Surgical removal of a kidney.
172) Nephritis: Inflammation of kidneys.
173) Nephrosis: Degenerative changes in the renal tubules.
174) Oedema: Dropsy, swelling in the body; accumulation of fluid in the interstitial spaces.
175) Oliguria: Scanty urine output.
176) Polyuria: Excessive urination. Diabetes mellitus.
177) Pyelitis: inflammation of the pelvis of the kidney.
178) Pyuria: Presence of pus in the urine.
179) Renal: Relating to the kidney.
180) Uraemia: Literally means retention of urine in the blood.
181) Urethritis: Inflammation of the urethra.
TERMS RELATING TO MEDICINE AND PHARMACOLOGY
182) Analgesics: Drugs which relieve pain.
183) Antacid: An agent that reduces or neutralises the acidity of the gastric juice or any
other secretion.
184) Antibiotics: Substances produced by living organisms which can destroy or prevent
growth and multiplication of various pathogenic microbes.
185) Antipyretics: Drugs which reduce increased body temperature.
186) Antispasmodics: An agent relieving the spasm of any tubular structure in the body.
Eg: intestine, blood vessel.
187) Carminatives: Agent that prevents the formation of gas and helps to expel it.
188) Decongestants: An agent to relieve congestion.
189) Diuretics: Drugs which enhance urine formation.
190) Emetics: An agent that produces vomiting.
191) Enzyme: A protein that promotes chemical reactions, Eg: proteolytic e., peptidase.
192) Expectorants: An agent that relieves cough.
193) Haematinics: An agent that increases that increases haemoglobin and red blood cells.
194) Haemostasis: Arrest of haemorrhage.
195) Intramuscular: Into a muscle. Eg: injection.
196) Intravenous: Into a vein. Eg: injection.
197) Parenteral: A route other than oral, not intestinal.
198) Subcutaneous: Beneath the skin. Eg: injection of insulin.
PRIFIXES
199) Alveloi:-The air sacs situated at the periphery of respiratory tract/tree
200) Angio:- Blood or lymph vessels

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201) Ortho:-Straight,normal,correct etc
202) Broncho:-
203) Cardiac:-Pertaining to the heart
204) Hepat:-Liver
205) Gastric:-Relating to stomach
206) Genito:-
207) Nephro:-Pertaining to kidney
208) Neuro:-Pertaining to nervous system
209) Osteo:-Pertaining to bone
210) Opthalmo:-Pertaining to eye
211) Metro:-Pertaining to uterus
212) Myo:-Pertaining to muscle
213) Corto:-Pertaining to ribs
214) Dent:-Pertaining to teeth
215) Cerebro:-Pertaining to brain
216) Occulo:-Pertaining to eye
217) Oro:-Pertaining to mouth and toung
218) Oto:-Pertaining to ear
219) Phlebo:-Pertaining to vein
220) Podo:-Pertaining to foot
221) Pulmo:-Pertaining to lungs
SUFFIXES
222) Algia:-Pain
223) Aemia:-
224) Ase:-American society of electrocardiography
225) Globus:-Eyeball
226) Graphy:-A method of recording
227) Iatrics:-Medical treatment
228) Itis:-Inflammation
229) Logy:-Science
230) Lysis:-Destruction
231) Megaly:-Abnormal enlargement
232) Old:-
233) Oma:-Tumor or neoplasm
234) Opsy:-
235) Phobia:-A persistant,intense,irrational,intense fear of a specific objectactivity
236) Plasty:-Formation or plastic repair
237) Ptosis:-Prolapse
238) Static:-Inhibition
239) Scopy:-
240) Stenosis:-Narrowing or constriction of a vessel/duct
241) Rheoa:-Flow ass of fluid

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242) Tomy:-Incision
243) Lateral:-Away from the mid line of a structure/organ
244) Medial:-Near the mid line of body/structure
245) Superior:-Situated above
246) Inferior:-Situated below
247) Posterior:-Back
248) Anterior:-Situated in/at the front
249) Dorsal:-Pertaining to the back of the body
250) Ventral:-The front aspect of the body when the person is standing.
251) Proximal:-Nearer to a point of reference
SKIN DISORDERS
252) Abscess:-Collection of pus any where in the body
253) Acne:-A skin disease occurring in the teenagers characterized by
comedones,blackheads,mostly on the face and back
254) Allergy:-A hostile reactivity of tissue to a foreign substance,pollen,article in diet
255) Bulla:-Overinflated space usually seen in pulmonary emphysema(plastic ballon)
256) Dermatitis:-Inflammation of the skin
257) Dermatosis;-Any skin disease,notably the one without signs of inflammation
258) Ecchymosis:-Small haemorrhagic spots on the skin and or mucous membranes
259) Eczema:-A chronic refractory inflammation of the epidermis characterized by
weeping,oozing,encrustation and scaly pigmentation
260) Epidermomycosis:-
261) Erythroma:-
262) Folliculitis:-Inflammation of a follicle
263) Furunculosis:-Occurrence of crops of furuncles
264) Keratosis:-Any horny growth on the skin such as a wart or callosity
265) Pruritus:-Itching