HTHS 1101
Chapter 1
Introduction to
Medical language
Medical Terminology Basics
History

The foundations of modern medicine stemmed
from ancient Greek and Roman civilizations.

Latin was the language of scholars and the
language used to disseminate scientific
discoveries for centuries.

Most medical terms have their roots in Greek or
Latin.

Sometimes acronyms and eponyms are used as
well.
Medical Terminology Basics
Word Parts

Medical terms are comprised of roots, prefixes and suffixes.

The root most often describes the body part, or body
substance involved.

The prefixes and suffixes describe what is happening to that
body part or substance.

hepatitis

pneumonia

electrocardiogram
Medical Terminology Basics
Pronunciation

Medical terms can be long and complex

The sounds associated with each part of the term
are important to learn

spelled out in the text phonetically

fon-et-ik-al-lee

The emphasis placed on the syllables of the word is
also important

the syllable receiving the emphasis is written in
capital letters

EM-fah-sis on the SIL-ah-bul
Medical Terminology Basics
Pronunciation
Term:
cardiac
Divide into syllables:
car/di/ac
Pronounced as:
KAR/dee/ak
Term:
cardiology
Divide into syllables:
car/di/o/lo/gy
Pronounced as:
kar/dee/AW/loh/jee
Medical Terminology Basics
Word Roots

Roots function like nouns in medical language

Often refer to body parts, organs or fluids


We often add a vowel to make it a combining form

gastr = root for stomach

gastr/o = combining form meaning stomach
Medical terminology roots can be divided into
general purpose roots and anatomical roots

The roots/combining forms presented in this chapter
are especially important
General Purpose Roots

gen/o

hydr/o

morph/o

myc/o

necr/o

orth/o

path/o

phag/o
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
plas/o
py/o
scler/o
sten/o
troph/o
xen/o
xer/o
Anatomical Roots

arthr/o

cardi/o

enter/o

gastr/o

hepat/o

neur/o
• hem/o or hemat/o
• my/o or muscul/o
• angi/o, vas/o or
vascul/o
• derm/o, dermat/o
or cutane/o
• pneum/o,
pneumon/o or
pulmon/o
Suffixes
Simple
-ac
-al
-ar
-ary
-eal
-ic
-tic
-ous
-ia
-ism
-ium
-y
-icle
-ole
-ule
-ula
Suffixes
Complex
-iatrics
-iatry
-iatrist
-ist
-logist
-logy
-algia or dynia
-cele
-emia
-iasis
-itis
-lysis
-malacia
-megaly
-oid
-oma
-osis
-pathy
-penia
-ptosis
-rrhage
-rrhea
-rrhexis
-spasm
Suffixes
Complex
-centesis
-gram
-graph
-graphy
-meter
-metry
-scope
-scopy
-desis
-ectomy
-pexy
-plasty
-rrhaphy
-stomy
-tomy
Common Prefixes
a-, ananti-, contradeante-, preprobrady-
tachypostreabadcircum-, peridia-
e-, ec-, execto-, exo-,
extraen-, endo-,
intraepisubinter-
Common Prefixes
bihemi-, semihyperhypomacromicromono-, uni
oligopanpoly-, multicon-, syn-,
symdyseu-
Plurals
Word Building

Adding prefixes are easy, you just add them to the beginning
of the root or root+suffix.


Suffixes are a bit trickier

A consonant at the end of a root and the beginning of a suffix
would sound weird together, so add an ‘”o” to the root.


hyperactive, tachycardia, periumbilical
hepatomegaly, nephropexy, retinopathy
If the suffix starts with a vowel or the root ends in a vowel, you
don’t need to add a vowel

antibiotic, scleroderma, orthostatic
Making sense of Medical
Terms
When reading the word:

Suffix first

Then prefix (if there is one)

Then root or roots
How to translate:
1.
Read the word
2.
Say the word out loud
3.
Break the word into parts (suffix, root, prefix)
4.
Translate the parts
5.
Reassemble the pieces into a statement
Making sense of Medical
Terms
Translate bradycardia:
1.
Read the word: bradycardia
2.
Say the word: bray/dee/KAR/dee/a
3.
Break the word into parts: brady/card/ia
4.
Translate the parts in order:
suffix: -ia means condition
prefix: brady- means slow
root: card means heart (rate)
5.
Definition: condition of slow heart rate