What does ophthalm mean in medical terms?
ophthalm
Meaning: eye
Type: Word root · Body system: Whole Body & General Terms
A word root is the core of a word; prefixes and suffixes attach around it. On this page: what ophthalm means, and real medical words that use it, each broken down into its parts.
Example words using ophthalm
ophthalmoscope
ophthalm (eye) + -scope (instrument for viewing) = instrument for examining the eye
ophthalm (eye) + -scope (instrument for viewing) = instrument for examining the eye
ophthalmology
ophthalm (eye) + -logy (study of) = study of the eye and its disorders
ophthalm (eye) + -logy (study of) = study of the eye and its disorders
exophthalmos
ex- (outward) + ophthalm (eye) + -os (condition) = outward protrusion of the eyeball
ex- (outward) + ophthalm (eye) + -os (condition) = outward protrusion of the eyeball
More Whole Body & General Terms roots
Shortened forms
Charts and notes shorten long terms — see the Medical Abbreviations guide for the short forms you will meet in real records.
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.