Skeletal
Number of skeletal flashcards: 113
Number of skeletal flashcards studied: 0
Number of skeletal flashcards studied: 0
Shorten your study time by using an optional free account (no credit card needed). This allows our system to use spaced repetition, our best smart flashcard feature. Use the Join button in the menubar.
Start Flashcard Study Return to Medical Terminology homepage| Medical Term | Description |
| amputation | The removal of a limb or other body appendage. |
| ankle | The region between the foot and leg. |
| ankyl/o | bent, stiff |
| ankylosis | Fixation and immobility of a joint. |
| arm | The superior part of the upper limb between the shoulder and the elbow. |
| arthr/o | joint |
| arthralgia | Joint pain. |
| arthritis | Inflammation of joints, characterized by pain, swelling and diminished range of motion. |
| arthrodesis | The surgical fixation of a joint by a procedure designed to accomplish fusion of the joint surfaces by promoting the proliferation of bone cells. |
| arthrolysis | Surgical restoration of mobility in stiff, ankylosed joints. |
| arthroscopy | Examination, therapy and surgery of a joint using an endoscope. |
| articul/o | joint |
| artificial limbs | Prosthetic replacements for arms and legs. |
| autologous | One individual being both donor and recipient (e.g. blood). |
| back | The rear surface from the shoulders to the hip. |
| bone | A dense, hard connective tissue that forms the framework of the skeleton. |
| brachi/o | arm |
| burs/o | bursa (fluid sac near joints) |
| calc/i | calcium |
| calc/o | calcium |
| carp/o | wrist |
| carpal | Relating to the wrist. |
| caud/o | tail |
| cephal/o | head |
| cervic/o | neck, cervix |
| chin | The prominence formed by the anterior projection of the mandible and the soft tissue covering it. |
| chir/o | hand |
| chondr/i | cartilage |
| chondr/o | cartilage |
| chondroma | A benign tumor derived from mesodermal cells that form cartilage |
| Chondromalacia | Abnormal softening or degeneration of cartilage. A common runner's injury in the knees. |
| clavicle | The collar bone. |
| clavicul/o | clavicle |
| coccyg/o | coccyx (tailbone) |
| condyl/o | knob |
| cost/o | rib |
| costochondritis | A benign inflammation of one or more of the costal cartilages. Usually caused by overuse of chest wall muscles. |
| crani/o | skull |
| cranium | The skeleton of the head, holding the brain. |
| crepitation | A crackling sound that occurs in joints. |
| dactyl/o | fingers, toes |
| digit/o | finger, toe |
| dorsal | Pertaining to the back or posterior. |
| faci/o | face |
| femor/o | femoral (thigh bone) |
| femur | The longest and largest bone of the skeleton, it is situated between the hip and the knee. |
| foot | The distal extremity of the leg, consisting of the tarsus, metatarsus, phalanges and the soft tissues surrounding the bones. |
| forearm | Part of the arm in humans extending from the elbow to the wrist. |
| forehead | The part of the face above the eyes. |
| goni/o | angle |
| hand | The distal part of the arm beyond the wrist consisting of the carpus, metacarpus, and fingers. |
| head | The upper part of the body containing the brain, mouth, and sense organs. |
| ili/o | ilium (uppermost and largest bone of the pelvis) |
| joint capsule | The sac surrounding a joint. It is composed of an outer fibrous articular capsule and an inner synovial membrane. |
| knee | The joint between inferior femur and superior |
| kyph/o | bent, hump |
| kyphosis | Deformities of the spine characterized by an exaggerated convexity of the vertebral column. Sometimes called round back or hunchback. |
| lamin/o | lamina (part of the vertebral arch that forms the roof of the spinal canal) |
| laminectomy | A surgical procedure to remove a portion of the vertebral bone called the lamina. |
| leg | The inferior part of the lower extremity between the knee and the ankle. Common usage is the entire lower limb. |
| ligament | Flexible, tough bands of fibrous tissue connecting bones at a joint. |
| lord/o | curve, swayback |
| lumb/o | lower back |
| lumbago | Mild to severe low back pain. |
| lumbar | Referring to the lower back below the thoracic vertebrae and above the sacral vertebrae. |
| mandibul/o | mandible (lower jaw bone) |
| manubrium | The uppermost part of the sternum. |
| mastoid/o | rounded protrusion of bone behind the ear |
| maxill/o | upper jawbone formed from the fusion of two maxillary bones |
| mega- | large, great |
| metacarpals | The long bones in the hand located between the phalanges of the fingers and the carpal bones of the wrist. |
| metatarsals | Five long bones in the foot, located between the ankle and toes. |
| neck | The body part connecting the head to the rest of the body. |
| orthodontics | The dental specialty dealing with correction of dental abnormalities. |
| orthopedics | A surgical specialty which treats and corrects injuries, deformities and diseases to the skeletal system and joints. |
| orthotic | A device for correcting an orthopedic problem. Commonly used for the foot. |
| oss/e | bone |
| oss/i | bone |
| oste/o | bone |
| osteitis | Inflammation of the bone. |
| osteoarthritis | A progressive, degenerative joint disease, the most common form of arthritis. |
| osteomalacia | An interruption of the mineralization of organic bone matrix leading to bone softening, bone pain, and weakness. It is the adult form of rickets. |
| osteonecrosis | Death of a bone or part of a bone. |
| osteoporosis | Reduction of bone mass without alteration in the composition of bone, leading to fractures. |
| pan- | all |
| pelv/i | pelvis |
| pelvis | The lower portion of the trunk, bounded anteriorly and laterally by the two hip bones and posteriorly by the sacrum and coccyx. |
| plantar | Bottom of the foot |
| pod/o | foot |
| posture | The position of the body. |
| prosthesis | A device that replaces a missing body part or makes a part of the body work better. |
| pub/o | pubic, pubes |
| rachi/o | spinal column |
| rheumatoid arthritis | An autoimmune disease that causes pain, swelling, and stiffness in the joints, commonly the hands and wrists. May lead to early crippling. |
| rickets | A disease of growing bone caused by interruption of bone mineralization. Caused by lack of vitamin D. |
| sacr/o | sacrum (large bone at base of spine) |
| scapul/o | scapula (shoulder blade) |
| scoli/o | curved, crooked |
| shoulder | The junction of the clavicle, scapula, and humerus where the arm connects to the trunk. |
| skeleton | The rigid framework of connected bones that gives form to the body, protects and supports its soft organs and tissues and provides attachments for muscles. |
| spin/o | spine |
| spine | The spinal or vertebral column. |
| spondyl/o | vertebra, backbone |
| stern/o | sternum (breastbone) |
| sternum | A long, narrow, and flat bone commonly known as breastbone occurring in the midsection of the anterior thoracic segment or chest region, which stabilizes the rib cage and serves as the point of origin for several muscles that move the arms, head and neck. |
| synovi/o | synovial membrane, synovial joint |
| tars/o | tarsal bone (ankle), edge of eyelid |
| tendinitis | Inflammation of a tendon. |
| thumb | The first digit on the radial side of the hand opposite the other four digits. |
| tibi/o | tibia |
| tibia | The medial and larger of the two bones of the lower leg, articulating with the fibula laterally, the talus distally, and the femur proximally. |
| tooth | One of a set of bone-like structures in the mouth used for biting and chewing. |
| vertebrae | The bones or segments composing the spinal column, |
Authors and Reviewers
Authored by Dr. Barbara A. EricksonMedically reviewed by Dr. Jonathan Keroes, MD
Last Update: 12/18/2022
