Introduction to
Veterinary Medical
Terminology
Building Blocks of Words
It’s all Greek to me!
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Some may say that veterinarians speak
Greek, they are right!
Most terms used in veterinary medicine are
based on Latin or Greek.
Latin is the universal language of medicine and
the Greeks were the founders of modern
medicine.
The following will be some common examples,
be sure to record these terms on your
worksheet.
Latin (Scientific) Adjectives:
Common Name
Dog
Cat
Horse
Cattle
Sheep
Goat
Pig
Bird
Mouse
Rat
Latin
Canis
Felis
Equus
Bos
Ovis
Capra
Sus
Avis
Mus
Rattus
Derived Adj.
Canine
Feline
Equine
Bovine
Ovine
Caprine
Pocine
Avian
Murine
Murine
Word Structure
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Root Word
Prefix
Suffix
Combining Vowel
Compound Word
The key to learning terminology is to break down each word
into parts and learn the most common roots, prefixes,
suffixes, and combing forms.
Root Word
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Definition - the foundation of the word
Gives substance to the meaning.
Like a box car in a train, they give the train volume and
substance.
They come in a variety of different sizes and volumes.
There can be more than one in a word.
Root Word Examples - 1
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Cardi/o – Heart
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Cephalo/o – Head
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Dent/o – Tooth, Teeth
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Mamm/a, Mamm/o – Mammary Gland
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Nas/o – Nose, Nasal
Root Word Examples - 2
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Ophthalm/o – Eye
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Ot/o – Ear
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Steth/o – Chest
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Thorac/o – Thorax
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Trache/o - Trachea
Root Word Examples - 3
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Abdomin/o – Abdomen
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Copr/o – Feces
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Cyan/o – Blue
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Derm/o, Dermat/o – Skin
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Enter/o – Intestines
Root Word Examples - 4
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Erythr/o – Red Blood Cell
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Gingiv/o – Gums
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Hepat/o – Liver
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Hydr/o – Water
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Peritone/o – Peritoneum Membrane
Word Structure
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Root Word
Prefix
Suffix
Combining Vowel
Compound Word
Prefix
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Word that precedes/BEFORE the root, modifying the
roots meaning to form a new word.
Alone they have some meaning, but they are not complete
words without the rest of the word parts.
•They are like the train’s engine with its whistle.
•Leads the train and announces the coming train.
•Without the box cars, together with the engine
there is not a complete train.
Prefix Examples - 1
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A-, an- Not, Without
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Anti- Opposing, Against
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Brady- Slow
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De- Away from
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Dys- Difficult
Prefix Examples - 2
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Hyper- High, Above, Beyond
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Hypo- Low, Below, Behind
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Mal- Bad, Poor
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Poly- Many
Prefix Examples - 3
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Ep-, Epi- On, Upon
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Eu- Normal
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Iso- Equal, Same
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Multi- Many, Much
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Neo- New
Prefix Examples - 4
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Pan- All
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Peri- Around
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Post- After
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Pyo- Pus
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Uni- Single Celled
Prefix
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Example:
Prefix
+
Root Word
brady + cardi/a
“slow”
“heart”
New word
bradycardia
slow heart (rate)
Exercise on Prefixes
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a-, an- (without or not having)
anti - (against)
brady- (slow)
contra- (against, opposed)
de- (remove, take away, loss of)
dys- (difficult, troubled)
pyo - (pus)
hyper- (high)
1.
________ biotic
(against life)
2.
________ thermia
(high temperature)
3.
________ horn
(remove the horn)
Word Structure
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Root Word
Prefix
Suffix
Combining Vowel
Compound Word
Suffix
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Written AFTER a root word to form a NEW word.
Follows root word altering the words meaning.
Determines if word is a noun, adjective or other
type of word.
Like a caboose, it is always last.
Suffix Examples - 1
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-ectomy – Removal of
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-emia – Blood condition
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-pnea – Breathing
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-iasis – Infestation or infection
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-itis – Inflammation
Suffix Examples - 2
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-ism – State or condition
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-logy – Study of
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-oma – Tumor
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-penia – Deficiency of
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-scope – Instrument for exam
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-tomy – Cutting, Incision
Suffix Examples - 3
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-al –ic, -ac, -ous– Pertaining to
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-graphy – Recording of
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-lysis- Destruction of
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-megaly– Abnormally Large
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-natal– Birth
Suffix Examples - 4
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-osis – Abnormal condition
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-spasm– Involuntary Contraction
Word Structure: Suffix
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Example:
Root Word+
Suffix
Tonsil
+
New word
-itis
Tonsilitis
-itis = inflammation of Inflammation of
the tonsils
Exercise on Suffixes
1.
Hyper- adrenocortic -________ (state…)
(Adrenal cortex)
2.
Acar/i -________ (tick/mite infestation)
3.
Gastr/i-________(inflammation of the
stomach lining)
Word Structure
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Root Word
Prefix
Suffix
Combining Vowel
Compound Word
Word Structure: Combining Vowel
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Vowel commonly used: “o”
General Rule 1: If the suffix starts with a consonant,
connect the rootword and the suffix with the vowel “o”.
Example 1:
Root Word +
CV
Suffix
New word
Cardi
-o-
-logy
Cardiology
“Heart”
+
study of Study of the heart
Word Structure: Combining Vowel
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Vowel commonly used: “o”
General Rule 2: If the suffix starts with a vowel (a,e,i,o,u)
DO NOT USE the vowel “o”.
Just attach the suffix to the root word.
Example 2:
Root Word
+
Suffix
New word
Hepat/o
-osis
Hepatosis
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liver
-disease process
- disease process in
the liver
Word Structure: Combining Vowel
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Vowel commonly used: “o”
General Rule 3: If the suffix begins with the same
vowel as the root word, DO NOT
repeat the vowel.
Example 3:
Root Word
+
Cardi
-itis
heart
Suffix
-inflammation of
New word
Carditis
- inflammation of the
heart
Word Structure
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Root Word
Prefix
Suffix
Combining Vowel
Compound Word
Word Structure: Compound Word
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Rootword 1 + CV
+
Rootword 2
Heart
+
worm
Medi
+
“o” +
later
Crani
+
“o” +
caud/al
Dors
+
“o” +
palm
+ Suffix
New word
Heartworm
+ -al
Mediolateral
+ -al
Craniocaudal
+-ar
Dorsopalmar
Review: Word Structure
1.
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3.
4.
What is a Root Word?
Where can you find a prefix in a word?
Where can you find a suffix in a word?
What is the most commonly used vowel?
a. If first letter of suffix = consonant?
b. If first letter of suffix is = vowel?
c. If first letter of suffix = last letter of RW?
5.
Create a compound word.
Create a Word Activity
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For each group there are three “dice.”
Prefix
 Rootword
 Suffix
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Each person is to take three rolls of each dice to
create three words.
Write out the correct notation, including
combining vowels/words and its meaning.