Understanding the Alg/o Root Word

Understanding the Alg/o Word Root

The Word Root Alg/o comes from Greek, meaning “pain”. This root is the basis for many words related to pain and discomfort in the medical field. The term “neuralgia,” for instance, combines “neur-” (nerve) and “Alg/o” (pain) to describe a condition characterized by sharp pain along the path of a nerve.

Words Derived from the Alg/o Word Root

Commonly Used Words

Neuralgia: Intense, typically intermittent pain along the course of a nerve, especially in the head or face.
Myalgia: Muscle pain or soreness.
Analgesic: A medication that reduces or eliminates pain.
Fibromyalgia: A condition characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory, and mood issues.

Archaic Words

Odontalgia: Toothache.
Otalgia: Ear pain.

Technical Words/Jargon

Arthralgia: Pain in a joint.
Cardialgia: Pain in the region of the heart or the stomach.
Gastroalgia: Pain in the stomach or abdominal region.

Related Word Roots with Similar Meanings

Path/o (Greek: “suffering” or “disease”)
- Pathology: The study of diseases.
- Psychopath: A person suffering from chronic mental disorder with abnormal or violent social behaviour.
Dolor (Latin: “pain”)
- Dolorous: Feeling or expressing great sorrow or distress.
- Condolence: An expression of sympathy, especially on the occasion of a death.
Noc/i (Latin: “harm” or “injury”)
- Nociceptor: A sensory receptor for painful stimuli.
- Innocuous: Not harmful or offensive.

We hope this article on the commonly used Ante Word Root has been helpful to you in remembering the words based on the Word Root Ante and enhancing your vocabulary.