Aden

Aden- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “gland.” It is often used in medical terms, especially in anatomy.

Aden- comes from the Greek adḗn, meaning “gland.” This Greek root is ultimately the source of adenoids, the enlarged masses of lymphoid tissue in the upper pharynx, often obstructing breathing through the nasal passages.

Aden- is a variant of adeno-, which loses its -o- when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use adeno-  article.

An example of a word you may have encountered that features aden- is adenectomy, “the surgical excision of a gland.” An adenoidectomy, if you’re wondering, is the specific term for the removal of the adenoids.

The first half of the word, aden-, means “gland,” as we now know. The second component, –ectomy, may be familiar to you as well. It appears in such words as  appendectomy and tonsillectomy. The form -ectomy means “excision,” or the removal of part of all of an organ. The word adenectomy, then, translates literally to “gland excision.”

What are some words that use the combining form aden-?

• adenalgia
• adenectopia
• adenemphraxis
• adenitis 
• adenoma

What are some other forms that aden– may be commonly confused with?

• adipo-
• adren-

The combining form -itis denotes “inflammation.” Adenitis, generally speaking, involves the inflammation of what part of the body?