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Anatomy & Physiology vocabulary · Prefixes, Suffixes and Roots

Nephro-

Meaning in anatomy & physiology, with examples

/ˈnefroʊ/prefixCommon term

In anatomy & physiology, nephro- means: A word part from Greek meaning 'kidney'. It appears in nephron (the filtering unit of the kidney), nephrology (the study of kidney disease) and nephrectomy (removal of a kidney).

In Turkish: nefro-, böbrekle ilgili

How it is used

It appears as nephr- before a vowel and nephro- before a consonant. The Latin root ren- gives the adjective renal, which is used more often in anatomy: renal artery, renal pelvis, renal cortex.

Example sentences

  1. The nephron is the basic functional unit of the kidney.

  2. Nephrology deals with diseases of the kidneys.

Common collocations

  • nephron
  • nephrology
  • nephrectomy
  • renal
  • kidneyOne of the two bean-shaped organs at the back of the abdomen that filter the blood, remove waste and extra water as urine, and help to control blood pressure and salt balance.
  • hepato-A word part from Greek meaning 'liver'. It appears in hepatic (of the liver), hepatocyte (liver cell) and hepatitis (inflammation of the liver).
  • -ologyA word ending meaning 'the study of' or 'the science of'. Histology is the study of tissues, cytology the study of cells and neurology the study of the nervous system and its diseases.
  • bladderThe hollow, muscular organ in the pelvis that stores urine coming from the kidneys until it is passed out of the body through the urethra.

More terms: Prefixes, Suffixes and Roots

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.