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URL of this page: https://medlineplus.gov/medwords/wordroots1.html

Understanding Medical Words Tutorial

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Word Roots—Part 1 of 6


Let's begin with some basic body parts. The root of a medical word is usually a body part.

  • Bone is oste
  • Muscle is myo
  • Nerves is neur
  • Skin is derm

The root of echocardioogram is cardio. It means heart. Here are some roots for your heart and blood vessels.

  • Your heart is cardio
  • Your veins and arteries are vas or vasc
  • The system of heart and blood vessels is sometimes called the cardiovascular system

Here are more roots for your heart and blood vessels.

  • Blood is hem or hemo or sangu
  • Blood vessels are angi or angio
  • Veins are ven or veno or phleb or phlebo
  • Aorta is aort
  • Heart is cardi or cardio
  • Arteries are arteri or arterio
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