Four Word Parts
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Word Roots
Suffix
Prefix
Combining Vowel
Word Root
• Contains the core of the word; functional
meaning
• Ex.: play/er play is word root
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arthr/itis arthr is word root
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hepat/itis hepat is word root
Suffix
• A word part attached to the end of a word
root to modify meaning
• Ex.: play/er er is suffix
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hepat/ic ic is the suffix
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hepat/itis itis is the suffix
• Not all medical terms have a suffix
Prefix
• Word part attached to the beginning of the
word root to modify it’s meaning.
• Ex.: re/play re is the prefix
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sub/hepat/ic sub is the prefix
• Not all medical terms have a prefix
Combining Vowel
• Word part, usually an o
• used between two word roots OR between a
word root and a suffix to ease pronunciation.
• The combining vowel is not used between a
prefix and a word root.
• Ex.: therm/o/meter
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arthr/o/pathy
Combining Vowel Guideline #1
• When connecting a word root and suffix; a
combining vowel is not usually used. Even if
vowels are present at the junction.
• Ex.: hepat/ic
• Suffix begins with I; no combining vowel is
used
Combining Vowel Guideline #2
• When conntecting two word roots; combining
vowel is usually used even if vowels are present
at the junction.
• Ex.: oste/o/arthr/itis
• O is the combining vowel, even though oste ends
with an e and word root arthr begins with an a
• Combining vowels ease pronunciation; therefore,
not all terms have combining vowels
Combining Form
• A word root with the combining vowel
attached, seperated by a diagonal line.
• Ex.: arthr/o
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oste/
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ven/o
• Combining form is NOT a word part; it is a
presentation of two word parts
Analyzing and Defining Medical Terms
• To analyze medical terms, divide the medical
terms into word parts, label each word part,
and label the combining forms.
• Osteo/o/arthr/o/pathy
• 1. separate by slashes
• 2. label with abbreviations
• 3. label combining forms
Student Practice
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Analyze the following medical term:
Osteopathy
Arthritis
Hepatitis
Subhepatic
Intravenous
Arthropathy
Osteitis
Hints!
• Read the meaning from the suffix back to the
first part of the word.
– Sub/hepat/ic
• Drop the combining vowel before a suffix
beginning with a vowel
– Gastric not gastroic
• Retain the combining vowel between two
roots in a word
– Oste/o/arthr/o/pathy
Hints! Spelling…
• Many words are pronounced alike but spelled
differently AND have different meanings
– Ileum
– Ilium
part of the small intestine
part of the pelvis, or hip bone
Hints! Pronunciation…
• Words spelled correctly but pronounced
incorrectly may be misunderstood
– Urethra
urinary tract tube leading from the
urinary bladder to the external surface
– Ureter
one of two tubes leading from the
kidney to the urinary bladder