Chapter 5
Medical Terminology
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Objectives
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Word Parts
• Many medical terms originate from
Greek and Latin words.
• Medical terms are made up of three
main parts
1. Root word
2. Prefix
3. Suffix
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Root Words
• All medical terms have a root word
– Main part of a word
– Conveys the body system, part, disease,
or condition being discussed
• Some root words are complete words by
themselves
• Many are combined with a prefix, suffix,
and/or another root word
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Prefixes
• Prefix
– A syllable placed at the beginning of a root
word to modify its meaning
– When a prefix is written alone, a hyphen
follows it.
• Prefix: a- or an- means without, absence of
• Root word: algesia means sensitivity to pain
• Analgesia means without pain
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Suffixes
• Suffix
– A syllable placed at the end of a root word
to modify its meaning
– When a suffix is written alone, a hyphen
precedes it.
• Suffix: -itis means inflammation
• Root word: Gastr means stomach
• Gastritis means inflammation of the stomach
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Combining Forms
• Combining vowel
– Often added between a root word and
suffix or between two word roots
• Combining form
– The root word plus the combining vowel
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Combining Forms
• Medical term: hematology
Hemat
/o/
Root
Combining
vowel
Blood
-logy
Suffix
study of
Hemat + o = combining form
• Hematology means the study of blood.
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Plural Medical Terms
• In the English language, the plural form of a
noun is often made by adding "s" or "es" to
the root word.
• Examples
– Joint
• Add s = joints
– Virus
• Add es = viruses
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Plural Medical Terms
• Medical terms derived from Greek or Latin
words have different rules that must be
applied when forming the plural form of the
root word.
• Examples
• us – as in alveolus
• Drop the us and add i = alveoli
• a – as in vertebra
• Add an e = vertebrae
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Body Positions
and Directional Terms
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Directional Terms
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Body Positions
• Erect
– Standing upright
• Supine
– Lying flat on the back (face up)
• Prone
– Lying facedown and flat
• Lateral recumbent
– Lying on the side
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Body Positions
• Fowler’s position
– Lying on the back with
upper body elevated at a
45- to 60-degree angle
• Semi-Fowler’s position
– Sitting up with head at
45-degree angle
• High-Fowler’s position
– Sitting upright at 90degree angle
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Medical Abbreviations and Acronyms
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Abbreviations and Acronyms
• Abbreviation
– Shortened form of a word or name
• “abd” for abdominal
• Acronym
– A word formed from the first letter or
letters of several words
• CHF for congestive heart failure
• Use abbreviations and acronyms only if
they are standard and approved by your
EMS system.
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Questions?
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