What it means
The root in words about stones in the body. Lithotripsy crushes stones; cholelithiasiskoh-lee-lih-THY-uh-sisStones in the gallbladder.chol/e bilelith/o stone-iasis conditionFull entry is gallstones; nephrolithiasis is kidney stones. The lithotomy position, on the back with the legs raised in stirrups, was named for the old operation to remove bladder stones.
At a glance
| Also written | litho- |
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Related terms
cholelithiasis
Stones in the gallbladder.
kidney stone
A hard, pebble-like lump of minerals that forms inside the kidney.
-tripsy
A word ending that means crushing.
gallstone
A hard, pebble-like lump that forms in the gallbladder from substances in bile.