- Physical Examination
- Surgical Examination
- Ophthalmology
- Clinical Skills
- Orthopedics
- Surgery Videos
- Laparoscopy
- Pediatrics
- Funny Videos
- Cardiothoracic Surgery
- Nursing Videos
- Plastic Surgery
- Otorhinolaryngology
- Histology and Histopathology
- Neurosurgery
- Dermatology
- Pediatric Surgery
- Urology
- Dentistry
- Oncology and Cancers
- Anatomy Videos
- Health and Fitness
- Radiology
- Anaesthesia
- Physical Therapy
- Pharmacology
- Interventional Radiology
- Cardiology
- Endocrinology
- Gynecology
- Emergency Medicine
- Psychiatry and Psychology
- Childbirth Videos
- General Medical Videos
- Nephrology
- Physiology
- Diet and Food Health
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Neurology
- Women Health
- Osteoporosis
- Gastroenterology
- Pulmonology
- Hematology
- Rheumatology
- Toxicology
- Nuclear Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
- Vascular Disease
- Reproductive Health
- Burns and Wound Healing
- Kidney Zone Podcast
- Other
Word Parts Beginning With P
70 word parts in the Medical Terminology guide begin with the letter P — prefixes, word roots and suffixes together. Every entry links to its own page with worked examples.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V X Z
| Word part | Type | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| pachy- | Prefix | thick |
| paleo- | Prefix | old, ancient |
| pan- | Prefix | all, entire |
| pancreat | Word root | pancreas |
| -para | Suffix | woman who has given birth |
| para- | Prefix | beside, near, abnormal, beyond |
| parasit | Word root | parasite |
| parathyroid | Word root | parathyroid glands, beside the thyroid |
| -paresis | Suffix | partial paralysis; weakness |
| -partum | Suffix | childbirth; labor |
| parturit | Word root | childbirth, labor, giving birth |
| patell | Word root | patella; kneecap |
| path | Word root | disease |
| -pathy | Suffix | disease |
| pelv | Word root | pelvis |
| -penia | Suffix | deficiency; decrease |
| penta- | Prefix | five |
| -pepsia | Suffix | digestion |
| per- | Prefix | through, throughout |
| peri- | Prefix | around, surrounding |
| perine | Word root | perineum, region between anus and genitalia |
| -pexy | Suffix | surgical fixation |
| -phagia | Suffix | eating; swallowing |
| pharmac | Word root | drug, medicine |
| pharyng | Word root | pharynx; throat |
| phas | Word root | speech |
| -phasia | Suffix | speech condition |
| phleb | Word root | vein |
| -phobia | Suffix | persistent fear |
| phon | Word root | sound, voice |
| -phonia | Suffix | voice condition |
| -phoria | Suffix | feeling; state of bearing |
| phot | Word root | light |
| -phyma | Suffix | tumor; growth |
| physi | Word root | nature, physical function |
| -phyte | Suffix | plant; growth |
| pil | Word root | hair |
| pineal | Word root | pineal gland |
| pituitar | Word root | pituitary gland |
| -plakia | Suffix | plaque; patch |
| plas | Word root | formation, growth, development |
| -plasia | Suffix | formation; development |
| -plasm | Suffix | formed substance; tissue |
| -plasty | Suffix | surgical repair |
| platy- | Prefix | flat, broad |
| -plegia | Suffix | paralysis |
| pleur | Word root | pleura |
| -pnea | Suffix | breathing |
| pneumat | Word root | air, gas, breath |
| pneumon | Word root | lung; air |
| -poiesis | Suffix | formation; production |
| poikilo- | Prefix | irregular, varied |
| poly- | Prefix | many, much |
| post- | Prefix | after, behind |
| pre- | Prefix | before |
| primi- | Prefix | first |
| pro- | Prefix | before, forward |
| proct | Word root | rectum; anus |
| profund | Word root | deep |
| pros- | Prefix | toward, in addition, near |
| proto- | Prefix | first, original |
| proxim | Word root | near, nearest to a point |
| pseudo- | Prefix | false |
| psych | Word root | mind |
| -ptosis | Suffix | drooping; falling; prolapse |
| -ptysis | Suffix | spitting |
| pulmon | Word root | lung |
| py | Word root | pus |
| pyel | Word root | renal pelvis |
| pyret | Word root | fever |
Please note: This section teaches the language of medicine — what word parts mean and how terms are built. It is an educational reference, not medical advice. For the meaning of a word in your own medical record, ask the clinician who wrote it.