Allied Healthcare Readiness Project
PRACTICE WORD ELEMENTS: ROOTS, PREFIXES, SUFFIXES D2
If you know the meanings of the common prefixes, suffixes and roots, you are better able to work out the
meanings of words. One writer has estimated that knowledge of only 14 basic Latin and Greek roots can
help us recognize more than 14,000 English words.
Exercise 2: A knowledge of word elements can enable you to determine the meaning of unfamiliar
words. In the first column is a list of words which may be unfamiliar to you. Using your knowledge of
word elements, match the word with the proper definition without looking the words up in a
dictionary.
Word choices
Meaning
Word defined
a. uteroscopy
1. process of poisoning oneself
1.
b. gynecological
2. a record of the heart made by using returned
or reflective sounds
2.
c. antidepressant
3. study of diseases
3.
d. brachycardia
4. examination of the uterus
4.
e. echocardiogram
5. the development of life from preexisting life
5.
f. hepatoma
6. related to the female reproductive system
6.
g. autointoxication
7. working against depression
7.
h. Biogenesis
8. tumor of the liver
8.
i. tracheostomy
9. mass or tumor of clotted blood
9.
j. tonsillectomy
10. occurs after death
10.
k. hematoma
11. staying or remaining the same, unchanging
11.
l. acrophobia
12. removal or cutting out of the tonsils
12.
m. Postmortem
13. an incision or creating an opening in the
13.
trachea
n. tracheotomy
14. abnormal fear of high places
14.
o. pathology
15. slow heartbeat
15.
ALLIED HEALTHCARE READINESS PROGRAM:
VOCABULARY WARM-UP D1
Exercise 1: Separate the following words into their basic parts. Connect the meaning of
each part of a word to help you discover a literal definition for the medical term.
WORDS
1. biology
2. hypodermic
3. tachycardia
4. gastroenterology
5. hydrocephalic
6. appendectomy
7. rhinoplasty
8. nephritis
9. psychogenesis
10. oncologist
11. orthodontist
WORD ELEMENTS and THEIR
MEANINGS
ROOT
PREFIX AND/OR SUFFIX
bio = life
ology = study of; practice of
LITERAL MEANING
The practice or study of life