Basic Elements of a Medical Word
1.
2.
3.
4.
Word Root
Combining Form
Suffix
Prefix
These four parts of a word are known as ELEMENTS.
Word Root
• Main part or foundation of a word.
• All words have at least one word root.
• A word root may be used alone or combined with other
elements to form a complete word.
SPEAK (word root) + ER (suffix) = SPEAKER (complete word)
The word root usually refers to a
body part.
Some root words are derived
from the Latin or Greek
language.
Word Root Examples
• “dent” means tooth
• “dermat” means skin
• “cardi” means heart
• “gastr” means stomach
• “pancreat” means pancreas
Combining Forms
• Correct pronunciation of medical words is
important.
• In order to make the pronunciation of word roots
easier, sometimes it is necessary to insert a vowel
after the root.
• The combination of a word root and a vowel is
known as a COMBINING FORM.
• Combining forms consist of a combining vowel.
• The combining vowel is usually an “o”, but others
may be used.
gastr / o pronounced GASTRO.
Word root
Combining vowel
• When a word has more than one root, a
combining vowel is used to link the root to
each other.
Slashes separate elements
osteoarthritis
oste/ o / arthr/ itis
Word root
suffix
Combining
vowel
Word root
• By understanding the meanings of
word roots, one can determine the
meaning of complex medical terms by
putting together the smaller parts.
Leukocytopenia =
Word Roots: Leuk / (white)
cyt / (cell)
Combining Vowel / o /
Suffix:
/ penia
(decrease)
(
Suffixes
• A suffix is added to the END of a word root
or combining form to modify its meaning.
• By adding a suffix to the end of a word root,
we create a noun or adjective with a different
meaning.
Suffix
Noun
• -osis
• -ia
• -us
• -um
• -e
• -us
• -itis
• -sis
cyanosis
anemia
mucus
ilium
condyle
carpus
arthritis
emesis
Adjective
• -otic
• -ic
• -ous
• -ac
• -ar
• -al
• -itic
• -tic
cyanotic
anemic
mucous
iliac
condylar
carpal
arthritic
emetic
Suffix
• Verbs are words that represent action or a state of
being.
• The suffixes –ed or –ing added to the word alter the
tense of this verb.
–Past tense: Vomited, Injected
–Present Participle: Vomiting, Injecting
Suffix - Noun
• -ism = condition,
state, of theory
• -tion = condition
• -ist = specialist
• -er = one who
• -ity = quality
Examples:
• Hyperthyroidism,
Darwinism, Mendelism
• Contraction, relaxation
• Psychiatrist
• Radiographer
• Sensitivity, conductivity
Suffix - Adjective
Examples:
• -ous = possessing, • Nervous, mucous,
having, full of
serous
• -able = ability
• Injectable,
• -ible = ability
inflatable
• Edible, reducible
A combining vowel is used between a word root
and a suffix that begins with a consonant (not
a vowel).
This is to make pronunciation easier.
Word root: scler / (hardening)
Suffix:
/ derma (skin)
Term:
Scler / o / derma
Combining vowel
(hardening of the skin)
Meanings of certain suffixes
-al
pertaining to
dent/al
(pertaining to teeth)
-er
one who
speak/er
(one who speaks)
-able capable of being playable
(capable of being played)
-oma
(tumor)
hematoma (blood tumor)
NOTE: The element that comes
before a suffix can either be a word
root or combining form.
• The suffixes
-scope (instrument to view)
-rrhexis (rupture)
-rrhea (flow or discharge)
all begin with a consonant, therefore a combining
vowel must be used between the word root and the
suffix.
• The suffixes
-algia (pain)
-edema (swelling)
-uria (urine, urination)
These suffixes begin with a vowel, therefore a
combining vowel is NOT used between the word
root and the suffix.
REVIEW
• A combining vowel IS used to link one root
to another root, and before a suffix that
begins with a consonant.
• A combining vowel IS NOT used before a
suffix that begins with a vowel.
Prefixes
• A prefix is a syllable or syllables placed BEFORE a word
or word root to alter its meaning or create a new word.
Some prefixes:
Hyper- (excessive)
Pre- (before)
Post- (after)
Homo- (same)
Hypo- (under)
Cyan/o = Blue, Blueness
• Cyan/osis: (noun) Condition of blueness
• Cyan/otic: (adj.) Pertaining to a condition of
blueness
– -tic = adjective suffix for “pertaining to”
• Acr/o/cyan/osis: Blueness of the extremities
• Cyan/o/derma: Bluish discoloration of the skin
Acr/o = Extremities
• Acr/o = extremities (arms and legs)
– Acr = word root
– O = vowel
– Acr/o = combining form
• Acr/o/paralysis: Paralysis of extremities
• Acr/o/cyan/osis: Condition of blue extremities
• Acr/o/dermat/itis: Inflammation of skin of the
extremities, like red inflamed hands
Dermat/o = Skin
•
•
•
•
-logy = (noun) Study of
-logist = (noun) One who studies
-logos = Greek for study
Dermat/o/logist: The person who specializes
in diseases of the skin
• Dermat/o/logy: The study of skin
• Eti/o/logy: Study of the origin of disease
-itis = Inflammation
• Dermat/itis: Inflammation of the skin
– i.e. Contact (allergic reaction) dermatitis, or due to
infection, inflammation, trauma
• Acr/o/dermat/itis: Inflammation of the skin of
the extremities
-osis = Condition, Status, Process
• Dermat/osis: Any skin condition. (abnormal
condition). (noun)
• Cyan/osis: Condition of blueness
Hypoinsulinemia
Hypo / insulin / emia
Prefix
LOW
Word root
INSULIN
suffix
BLOOD
Notice that there is no
combining vowel in this word
because the prefix ends with a
vowel and the suffix begins with
a vowel.
The Layman’s Medical Terms…
Enema
Not a friend
Artery
Study of painting
G.I. Series
Army baseball
Impotent
Distinguished, well known
Terminal Illness
Airport sickness
Varicose
Nearby
Seizure
Roman Emperor
Outpatient
Person who has fainted
Plurality
• To make a medical word plural (more than one),
first look at the suffix.
• Then, choose the rule that changes the singular
form to the plural form.
Suffix: Singular vs. Plural
Greek
Singular Suffixes
o -on
o Spermatozoon, ganglion
o -ma
o Carcinoma, lipoma
o -sis
o Crisis, prognosis
o -nx
o Larynx, pharynx
Plural Suffixes
o -a
o Spermatozoa, ganglia
o -mata
o Carcinomata, lipomata
o -ses
o Crises, prognoses
o -ges
o Larynges, pharynges
Suffix: Singular vs. Plural
Latin
Singular Suffixes
• -a
– Vertebra, conjunctiva
• -us
– Bacillus, bronchus
• -um
– Bacterium, ilium
• -is
– Testis
Plural Suffixes
• -ae
– Vertebrae, conjunctivae
• -i
– Bacilli, bronchi
• -a
– Bacteria, ilia
• -es
– Testes
Practice…
Singular:
• Sarcoma
• Diagnosis
• Phalanx
• Coccus
• Calcaneum
• Vertex
• Cervix
• thorax
Plural:
• Sarcomata
• Diagnoses
• Phalanges
• Cocci
• Calcanea
• Vertices
• Cervices
• thoraces