Medical Root
spondyl/o
vertebra, spine
From Greek spondylos, vertebra
Meaning
What does spondyl/o mean?
spondyl/o is a root meaning vertebra, spine. It comes from Greek spondylos, vertebra.
Inside words it is spelled spondyl.
Spondylolysis (a crack in a vertebra) and spondylosis (age-related wear) differ only by the letters ly.
In real words
Medical words with spondyl/o
age-related wear and breakdown of the spine, affecting the vertebrae and the disks between them
inflammation of the vertebrae, as in ankylosing spondylitis
a small crack (stress fracture) in a vertebra, usually in the lower back
Sources
Checked against
Written for biofideX in plain words, after checking these references:
- Word Parts and Structural Terms – Medical Terminology: An Interactive Approach
- 13.1 – Introduction to the Skeletal System – Building a Medical Terminology Foundation 2e
- spondylo- - Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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Practice it
Bones, joints and muscles
spondyl/o is one of 12 parts in this lesson. Learn them together, then take real words apart.
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