Word Parts and Structural Terms
Combining Forms
Eye
blephar/o: eyelid
conjunctiv/o: conjunctiva
cor/o: pupil
core/o: pupil
corne/o: cornea
dacry/o: tear, tear duct
dipl/o: two, double
ir/o: iris
irid/o: iris
is/o: equal
kerat/o: cornea
lacrim/o: tear, tear duct
leuk/o: white
myc/o: fungus
ocul/o: eye
ophthalm/o: eye
opt/o: vision
phac/o, phak/o: lens
phot/o: light
presby/o: old age
pupill/o: pupil
retin/o: retina
scler/o: sclera
ton/o: pressure, tension
xer/o: dry
Ear
audi/o: hearing
aur/o, aur/i: ear
cochle/o: cochlea
labyrinth/o: labyrinth, inner ear
mastoid/o: mastoid bone
myring/o: tympanic membrane, eardrum
ot/o: ear
staped/o: stapes, middle ear
tympan/o: can mean tympanic membrane, but usually means middle ear
vestibul/o: vestibular system—responsible for the sense of balance
Prefixes
a-, an-: absence of, without, no, not; negates meaning
bi-, bin-: two
endo-: within, in
pseudo-: false
Suffixes
-al: pertaining to (adjective)
-algia: pain (noun)
-ar: pertaining to (adjective)
-ary: pertaining to (adjective)
-ectomy: excision or surgical removal (noun)
-eal: pertaining to (adjective)
-gram: record, radiographic image (noun)
-graphy: process of recording (noun)
-ia: condition of, diseased or abnormal state (noun)
-ic: pertaining to (adjective)
-itis: inflammation (noun)
-logist: specialist or physician who studies and treats (noun)
-logy: study of (noun)
-malacia: softening (noun)
-meter: instrument used to measure (noun)
-metry: process of measuring (noun)
-oma: tumor, swelling (noun)
-opia: vision, as it relates to a condition (noun)
-osis: abnormal condition (noun)
-ptosis: prolapse, drooping, sagging (noun)
-pathy: disease (noun)
-pexy: surgical fixation (noun)
-phobia: abnormal fear, aversion to specific things, intense fear or dislike (noun)
-plasty: surgical repair (noun)
-plegia: paralysis (noun)
-rrhea: flow, discharge (noun)
-sclerosis: hardening (noun)
-scope: instrument used to view (noun)
-scopy: process of viewing (noun)
-stenosis: abnormal narrowing (noun)
-stomy: creation of artificial opening (noun)
-tomy: incision, cut into (noun)
Structural/Functional Terms Built from Word Parts
Eye Terms
binocular: pertaining to both eyes
corneal: pertaining to the cornea
emmetropia: normal refractive condition of the eye
intraocular: pertaining to within the eye
lacrimal: pertaining to the tear duct
nasolacrimal: pertaining to the nose and tear ducts
ocular: pertaining to the eye
ophthalmic: pertaining to the eye
optical: pertaining to the sense of vision
pupillary: pertaining to the pupil
retinal: pertaining to the retina
visual acuity: sharpness of vision
Ear Terms
aural: pertaining to the ear
auricular: pertaining to the ear
cochlear: pertaining to the cochlea
vestibular: pertaining to the vestibule or the sense of balance
vestibulocochlear: pertaining to the vestibule and cochlea