Word Parts Beginning With R

12 word parts in the Medical Terminology guide begin with the letter R — 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 partTypeMeaning
radiWord rootray, radiation; radius bone in some words
radiculWord rootnerve root
re-Prefixagain, back
renWord rootkidney
retinWord rootretina of the eye
retro-Prefixbackward, behind
rhinWord rootnose
-rrhageSuffixbursting forth; excessive flow
-rrhagiaSuffixexcessive flow; bleeding
-rrhaphySuffixsurgical suturing
-rrheaSuffixflow; discharge
-rrhexisSuffixrupture
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.