What does pyel mean in medical terms?

pyel

Meaning: renal pelvis

Type: Word root · Body system: Kidneys & Urinary System

A word root is the core of a word; prefixes and suffixes attach around it. On this page: what pyel means, and real medical words that use it, each broken down into its parts.

Example words using pyel

pyelonephritis
pyel (renal pelvis) + nephr (kidney) + -itis (inflammation) = inflammation of the renal pelvis and kidney
pyelogram
pyel (renal pelvis) + -gram (record) = record of the renal pelvis

More Kidneys & Urinary System 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.