Latin abbreviations for
all OET candidates
Abbrev.
Meaning
a.c.
Before food
ad.
Freely as wanted
Alt. die
Every other day
alt. h.
Every other hour
a.m.
Morning
a.n.
Before the night
aq.
Water
aurist.
Ear drops
b.d. or bd
Twice a day
b.i.d. or bid
Twice a day
h.
Hour
h.s.
At bedtime
i.d.
during the day
mane
In the morning
narist.
Nasal drops
Nocte
At night
o.d. or od
Daily
o.m.
In the morning
o.n.
At night
p.c.
After food
p.m.
Afternoon
p.o. or po
Orally
p.r.
Rectally
p.r.n.
As occasion requires (as needed)
q.
Every
q.2.h.
Every two hours
q.4.h.
Every four hours
q.6.h.
Every six hours
q.8.h.
Every eight hours
q.d. or qd
Every day
q.d.s.
Four times a day
q.h.
Every hour, hourly
q.i.d. or qid
Four times a day
q.q.h.
Every four hours
s.i.d. or sid
Once a day
Sig. or S.
Write on the label
SL.
under the tongue
Stat.
Immediately, with no delay
t.d.s.
Three times a day
t.i.d. or tid
Three times a day
ut dict. or u.d.
As directed
ESSENTIAL MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY FOR OET
Term
|
a-  no; not; without |
| an- no; not; without |
| ab- away from |
| abdomin/o abdomen |
| -ac pertaining to |
| acanth/o spiny; thorny |
| acar/o mites |
| acetabul/o acetabulum (hip socket) |
| acous/o hearing |
| acoust/o hearing, sound |
| acr/o extremities; top; extreme point |
| acromi/o acromion (extension of shoulder bone) |
| actin/o light |
| acu/o sharp; severe; sudden |
| -acusis hearing |
| ad- toward |
| -ad toward |
| aden/o gland |
| adenoid/o adenoids |
| adip/o fat |
| adren/o adrenal gland |
| adrenal/o adrenal gland |
| aer/o air |
| af- toward |
| agglutin/o clumping; sticking together |
| -agogue producer, leader |
| -agon to assemble; gather |
| agora- marketplace |
| -agra excessive pain |
| -al pertaining to |
| alb/o white |
| albin/o white |
| albumin/o albumin (protein) |
| alges/o sensitivity to pain |
| -algesia sensitivity to pain |
| -algia pain |
| all/o other |
| alveol/o alveolus; air sac; small sac |
| ambi- around, on both sides, about |
| ambly/o dim; dull |
| amphi- around, on both sides |
| -amine nitrogen compound |
| ammon/o ammonium |
| amni/o amnion (sac surrounding the embryo) |
| amyl/o starch |
| an/o anus |
| -an pertaining to |
| ana- up; apart; backward; again; anew |
| andr/o male |
| aneurysm/o aneurysm (widening of blood vessel) |
| angi/o vessel (blood) |
| anis/o unequal |
| ankyl/o stiff |
| ante- before; forward |
| anter/o front |
| anthrac/o coal |
| anthr/o antrum of the stomach |
| anti- against |
| anxi/o uneasy; anxious |
| aort/o aorta (largest artery) |
| -apheresis removal |
| aphth/o ulcer |
| apo- off; away |
| aponeur/o aponeurosis (type of tendon) |
| append/o appendix |
| appendic/o appendix |
| aque/o water |
| -ar pertaining to |
| arachn/o spider |
| -arche beginning |
| arsenic/o arsenic |
| arter/o artery |
| arteri/o artery |
| arteriol/o arteriole (small artery) |
| arthr/o joint |
| -arthria articulate (speak distinctly) |
| articul/o joint |
| -artresia closure, occlusion |
| atreto- closed, lacking an opening |
| -ary pertaining to |
| asbest/o asbestos |
| -ase enzyme |
| aspir/o removal |
| -assay to examine, analyze |
| -asthenia lack of strength |
| astr/o star, star-shaped |
| aque/o water |
| atel/o incomplete |
| ather/o plaque (fatty substance) |
| -ation process; condition |
| atri/o atrium (upper heart chamber) |
| atmo- steam, vapor |
| audi/o hearing |
| audit/o hearing |
| aur/o ear |
| auricul/o ear |
| auscult/o to listen |
| aut/o self; own |
| aut- self; own |
| auto- self; own |
| aux/o growth, acceleration |
| axill/o armpit |
| axi/o axis |
| azot/o urea; nitrogen |
| bacill/o | bacilli (bacteria) |
| bacteri/o | bacteria |
| balan/o | glans penis |
| bar/o | pressure; weight |
| bartholin/o | Bartholin glands |
| bary- | weight, pressure |
| -basia | walking |
| bas/o | base; opposite of acid |
| batho-, bathy- | deep, depth |
| bi- | two |
| bi/o | life |
| bil/i | bile; gall |
| bilirubin/o | bilirubin |
| -blast | embryonic; immature cell |
| -blastoma | immature tumor (cells) |
| blenn/o | mucus |
| blephar/o | eyelid |
| bol/o | cast; throw |
| -boulia | will |
| brachi/o | arm |
| brachy- | short |
| brady- | slow |
| brom/o | bromine-containing compound, odor |
| bronch/o | bronchial tube |
| bronchi/o | bronchial tube |
| bronchiol/o | bronchiole |
| bucc/o | cheek |
| bunion/o | bunion |
| burs/o | bursa (sac of fluid near joints) |
| byssin/o | cotton dust |