Medical Crossword Puzzles Printable

Print a criss-cross medical terminology crossword of prefixes, roots, suffixes and clinic words, with a word bank and answer key.

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Medical Terminology Crossword

A word part goes in without its hyphen: cardio- is CARDIO.

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  • anti-
  • bio-
  • cardio-
  • Chart
  • Clinic
  • Dermis
  • Gland
  • -itis
  • Nurse
  • Pulse
  • Vein
  • Ward

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Answer key: Medical Terminology Crossword

1PU2GLL3W4ARDSA5CN6VEINAT7DERMISD8CLIN9ICHOTA10BIO11NURSEST

Across 3 WARD · 6 VEIN · 7 DERMIS · 8 CLINIC · 10 BIO · 11 NURSE

Down 1 PULSE · 2 GLAND · 4 ANTI · 5 CARDIO · 8 CHART · 9 ITIS

Next step Find body parts in a word searchFind medical words in a word search

All 227 clues

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Prefixes, Numbers and Colors 54

  • ante- Prefix that means before or forward, as in antepartum
  • anti- Prefix that means against, as in antibody
  • auto- Prefix that means self, as in autoimmune
  • bio- Word part that means life, as in biology
  • brady- Prefix that means slow, as in bradycardia
  • chloro- Word part that means green, as in chlorophyll
  • circum- Latin prefix that means around
  • contra- Prefix that means against, as in contraindication
  • cryo- Word part that means cold, as in cryogenic
  • cyano- Word part that means blue
  • dia- Prefix that means across or through, as in dialysis
  • dys- Prefix that means difficult or abnormal, as in dysphagia
  • endo- Prefix that means within, as in endoskeleton
  • epi- Prefix that means upon, as in epidural
  • erythro- Word part that means red
  • exo- Prefix that means outside, as in exoskeleton
  • hemi- Prefix that means half, as in hemisphere
  • hetero- Prefix that means other or different
  • hydro- Word part that means water, as in hydrogen
  • hyper- Prefix that means above or excessive, as in hypertension
  • hypo- Prefix that means under or deficient, as in hypodermic
  • infra- Prefix that means beneath or below
  • inter- Prefix that means between
  • intra- Prefix that means within, as in intramural
  • iso- Prefix that means equal, as in isotonic
  • leuko- Word part that means white
  • macro- Prefix that means large, as in macrophage
  • mal- Prefix that means bad or abnormal
  • melano- Word part that means black, as in melanin
  • meso- Prefix that means middle
  • micro- Word beginning that means small; it starts microscope
  • mono- Prefix that means one
  • neo- Prefix that means new, as in neoplasm
  • oligo- Prefix that means few or little
  • ortho- Prefix that means straight or correct, as in orthodontist
  • pan- Prefix that means all or everywhere
  • para- Prefix that means alongside, as in parathyroid
  • peri- Prefix that means around, as in periodontal
  • phono- Word part that means sound
  • photo- Word part that means light, as in photophobia
  • poly- Prefix that means many, as in polydactyly
  • post- Prefix that means after or behind
  • pre- Prefix that means before, as in premature
  • pseudo- Prefix that means false
  • quadri- Prefix that means four, as in quadriceps
  • retro- Prefix that means backward or behind
  • semi- Prefix that means half or partly, as in semiconscious
  • sub- Prefix that means under, as in subcutaneous
  • supra- Prefix that means above or upon, as in supraorbital
  • tachy- Prefix that means fast, as in tachycardia
  • thermo- Word part that means heat, as in thermoregulation
  • trans- Prefix that means across or through, as in transfusion
  • tri- Prefix that means three, as in triceps
  • xantho- Word part that means yellow

Body Part Roots 52

  • adipo- Root that means fat, as in adipocyte
  • angio- Root that means blood vessel, as in angiogram
  • arthro- Root that means joint, as in arthritis
  • bucco- Root that means cheek
  • cardio- Root that means heart, as in cardiology
  • cephalo- Root that means head, as in hydrocephalus
  • cerebro- Root that means brain
  • cervico- Root that means neck, as in cervicodorsal
  • chondro- Root that means cartilage
  • costo- Root that means rib, as in costochondral
  • cysto- Root that means bladder or sac
  • cyto- Root that means cell, as in cytoplasm
  • dactylo- Root that means finger or toe
  • dermato- Root that means skin, as in dermatology
  • entero- Root that means intestine, as in gastroenterology
  • gastro- Root that means stomach, as in gastropod
  • hemo- Root that means blood, as in hemoglobin
  • hepato- Root that means liver, as in hepatology
  • hidro- Root that means sweat
  • kerato- Root that means cornea
  • kinesio- Root that means movement
  • lacrimo- Root that means tear, the kind from the eyes
  • lacto- Root that means milk, as in lactose
  • laryngo- Root that means voice box, as in laryngoscopy
  • linguo- Root that means tongue, as in linguistics
  • litho- Root that means stone
  • morpho- Root that means shape, as in morphology
  • myelo- Root that means spinal cord or bone marrow
  • myo- Root that means muscle, as in myoblast
  • nephro- Root that means kidney, as in nephrology
  • neuro- Root that means nerve
  • oculo- Root that means eye, as in oculist
  • odonto- Root that means tooth
  • onycho- Root that means fingernail or toenail
  • ophthalmo- Root that means eye, as in ophthalmology
  • osteo- Root that means bone, as in osteoporosis
  • oto- Root that means ear, as in otology
  • patho- Root that means disease, as in pathology
  • pharyngo- Root that means throat, as in pharyngitis
  • podo- Root that means foot, as in podiatry
  • psycho- Root that means mind, as in psychology
  • pulmo- Root that means lung, as in pulmonary
  • rhino- Root that means nose, as in rhinoceros
  • sialo- Root that means saliva
  • spleno- Root that names the spleen, as in splenomegaly
  • spondylo- Root that means vertebra
  • stomato- Root that means mouth
  • thoraco- Root that means chest
  • thrombo- Root that means blood clot, as in thrombus
  • tracheo- Root that means windpipe
  • tricho- Root that means hair
  • uro- Root that means urine, as in urology

Suffixes 36

  • -algia Suffix that means pain, as in myalgia
  • -cyte Suffix that means cell, as in leukocyte
  • -ectomy Suffix that means cutting out or removal, as in splenectomy
  • -emia Suffix that means a blood condition, as in anemia
  • -genic Suffix that means producing
  • -gram Suffix that means a record or picture, as in sonogram
  • -graph Suffix for an instrument that records, as in electrocardiograph
  • -iatry Suffix for a field of medicine, as in podiatry and psychiatry
  • -ist Suffix that means one who specializes in, as in pathologist
  • -itis Suffix that means inflammation, as in tonsillitis
  • -logy Suffix that means the study of, as in urology
  • -lysis Suffix that means breaking down or destruction
  • -malacia Suffix that means softening, as in osteomalacia
  • -megaly Suffix that means enlargement
  • -meter Suffix for a device that measures, as in sphygmomanometer
  • -metry Suffix that means the process of measuring, as in optometry
  • -oid Suffix that means resembling
  • -opsy Suffix that means examination, as in biopsy
  • -osis Suffix that means a condition, usually an abnormal one
  • -pathy Suffix that means disease or disorder, as in neuropathy
  • -penia Suffix that means deficiency, as in osteopenia
  • -phagia Suffix that means eating or swallowing
  • -phasia Suffix that means speech
  • -phobia Suffix that means fear, as in arachnophobia
  • -plasia Suffix that means growth or formation
  • -plasty Suffix that means surgical repair, as in rhinoplasty
  • -plegia Suffix that means paralysis, as in paraplegia
  • -pnea Suffix that means breathing, as in apnea
  • -rrhea Suffix that means flow or discharge
  • -sclerosis Suffix that means hardening, as in atherosclerosis
  • -scope Suffix for an instrument used for viewing, as in keratoscope
  • -scopy Suffix that means the process of viewing, as in endoscopy
  • -stasis Suffix that means standing still or unchanging, as in homeostasis
  • -tomy Suffix that means cutting or incision, as in gastrotomy
  • -trophy Suffix that means growth or nourishment
  • -uria Suffix that means in the urine

Body and Direction Words 42

  • Abdomen Belly, in anatomy
  • Anterior Direction word for the front
  • Artery Blood leaves the heart through this kind of tube
  • Capillary Hair-thin tube of the blood system
  • Cavity Hollow space inside the body
  • Clavicle Collarbone
  • Cranium Part of the skull that encloses the brain
  • Dermis Layer of skin that lies under the epidermis
  • Digit Finger or toe
  • Distal Direction word for farther from where an arm or a leg joins the trunk
  • Dorsal Direction word for the back side, toward the backbone
  • Femur Bone that runs from the hip down
  • Gland Body part that makes and releases a substance such as sweat or saliva
  • Humerus Bone of the upper arm
  • Inferior Direction word for below, toward the feet
  • Larynx Voice box
  • Lateral Direction word for toward the side, away from the midline
  • Ligament Strap of the body that keeps bones from coming apart
  • Limb Arm or leg
  • Medial Direction word for toward the midline of the body
  • Membrane Thin sheet that lines or covers a body part
  • Organ Heart, liver or lung, for example
  • Patella Kneecap
  • Pelvis Ring of bone that the legs join
  • Pharynx Throat, in anatomy
  • Plasma Light amber fluid that blood cells are carried in
  • Posterior Direction word for behind, toward the back
  • Prone Lying flat on the front of the body
  • Proximal Direction word for nearer to where an arm or a leg joins the trunk
  • Pulse Throb of a vessel that keeps time with the heartbeat, often felt at the wrist
  • Retina Light-sensing lining at the back of the eye
  • Scapula Shoulder blade
  • Sternum Breastbone
  • Superior Direction word for above, toward the head
  • Supine Lying on the back, face up
  • Tendon It lets a muscle pull on a bone
  • Thorax Chest, in anatomy
  • Tibia Shinbone
  • Tissue Cells of one kind working as a team, such as muscle
  • Trachea Windpipe
  • Vein Blood returns to the heart through this kind of tube
  • Ventral Direction word for the belly side

Clinic and Chart Words 43

  • Acute Brief and quick to come on, of an illness
  • Benign Report word that means not harmful
  • Chart Everyday name for one patient's medical record
  • Chronic Going on for months or years
  • Clinic Health facility for outpatients, smaller than a hospital
  • Diagnosis A doctor's finding of what the condition is
  • Dose Amount of a drug given at one time
  • Exam Short word for a check of the body by a doctor
  • Forceps Tool for grasping, like a pair of tongs
  • Gauze Loose-woven cotton used for dressings
  • Gown Loose garment worn by a patient, or over a doctor's clothes in an operating room
  • Gurney Wheeled bed for moving a patient
  • ICU Initials of the hospital unit that gives intensive care
  • Lab Short word for the room where samples are tested
  • Mask Face covering with ear loops or ties
  • Medic Short word for a first responder trained in emergency care
  • Monitor Device that keeps watch and reports a reading, such as heart rate
  • MRI Initials of a way to picture the body by magnetic resonance
  • Nurse Member of the hospital staff who tends patients day and night
  • Oral By mouth
  • Pediatrics Branch of medicine for children
  • Pharmacy Where a pharmacist works
  • Physician Formal word for a medical doctor
  • Prognosis A doctor's outlook for the course of an illness
  • Referral Sending of a patient on to another doctor
  • Rounds A doctor's daily visits to each patient in a hospital
  • Scalpel Knife of the operating room
  • Scan Image from equipment that looks through the body
  • Scrubs Plain loose work clothes of hospital staff
  • Shift A staff member's hours on duty
  • Specialist Doctor who works in one field of medicine
  • Stat Order word for at once, cut from the Latin statim
  • Sterile Germ-free, as surgical tools must be
  • Stethoscope Instrument with earpieces for hearing the heart and lungs
  • Surgeon Doctor of the operating room
  • Symptom What the patient notices, as opposed to what the examiner finds
  • Syringe Tube with a plunger
  • Thermometer Instrument that gives a reading in degrees
  • Topical Put on the skin, not swallowed
  • Triage Deciding the order in which patients are treated
  • Vital ___ signs: body temperature, blood pressure, heart rate and breathing rate
  • Ward Hospital wing, such as the maternity ___
  • X-ray Image made with rays of very short wavelength

How this list was compiled: Clues written for this site. Each word part and its meaning was checked in MedlinePlus, Appendix A: Word Parts and What They Mean (medlineplus.gov/appendixa.html, U.S. National Library of Medicine) and in the English Wikipedia list of medical roots and affixes, which gave the example words; body and clinic words were checked in Wiktionary and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0), in October 2026. The clues give meanings only: nothing here is advice about any symptom or treatment. Licence: own work

How it works

These medical crossword puzzles, printable on Letter or A4, are vocabulary crosswords built on word parts. The first puzzle has 12 easy answers, among them cardio-, -itis, Dermis, Pulse and Clinic.

Read the full guide

Five sets after the easy one

Prefixes, Numbers and Colors has tachy-, hemi- and erythro-. Body Part Roots has hepato-, nephro- and rhino-. Suffixes has -ectomy, -scope and -megaly. Body and Direction Words has Tendon, Distal and Supine. Clinic and Chart Words has Triage, Stat and Gurney.

How a word part goes in the grid

A clue reads "Root that means heart, as in cardiology" and the answer is cardio-: write the letters and leave out the hyphen.

  • Hand out Body Part Roots first and Suffixes a week later, so that students can take a long term apart on their own.

Questions and answers

Are these printable medical terminology crossword puzzles free?

Yes, with no sign-up. Print as many copies as the class needs. The answer key prints last, on a sheet of its own.

Who are the medical crossword puzzles for?

Students of a health science or medical terminology course, in high school, nursing school or a medical assistant program. Easy Medical Words is a first-week set. That is our judgment, not a published standard.

What are the parts of a medical term?

Most medical terms are built from three kinds of word parts: prefixes, roots and suffixes. In tachycardia, tachy- means fast and the root for heart follows. Each kind has a set of its own here.

What does the suffix -itis mean?

Inflammation, as in tonsillitis. MedlinePlus, from the U.S. National Library of Medicine, gives that meaning in its list of word parts, and -itis is an answer in the Suffixes set.

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