MEDICAL
TERMINOLOGY
The Language of the Health Profession
ORIGIN OF MEDICAL TERMS

Hippocrates was a
Greek physician

known as the
“father of medicine.”

75% of medical
terms are based on
either Greek or Latin
words.
ROOT WORDS
cardi = heart
 hepat = liver
 neur = nerve
 nephr = kidney
 cyt = cell




A root is the
foundation or basic
meaning of a word.
May appear with a
prefix or suffix, or
between a prefix or
suffix.
There may be more
than one root word
PREFIX
pre = before
 peri = around
 hemi = half
 micro = small
 neo = new

The prefix is a
part of the
word that goes
before the word
root
 It changes the
meaning of the
word
 Indicates
location, time,
or number.

SUFFIX
itis = inflammation
 ology = the study of
 ectomy = surgical
removal
 plasty = surgical
repair

A suffix is placed
after the root
word (at the end)
 It changes the
meaning of the
word
 Indicates a
procedure,
condition,
disorder, or
disease

Cardiology

cardi = heart = root

ology = the study of =
suffix

cardiology = the study
of the heart.
Nephritis

nephr = kidney =
root

itis = inflammation
= suffix

nephritis =
inflammation of
the kidney
Determine the word parts and meaning of
the following words:

pericarditis

leukocyte

hepatitis

neuroplasty
pericarditis




peri = around = prefix
cardi = heart = root word
itis = inflammation = suffix
pericarditis = inflammation around the heart
leukocyte
leuk = white = prefix
 o = combining vowel


cyte = cell = root word

leukocyte = white cell
hepatitis

hepat = liver = root word

itis = inflammation = suffix

hepatitis = inflammation of the liver
neuroplasty

neur/o = nerve or nerves = root word

o = combining vowel

plasty = surgical repair = suffix

neuroplasty = surgical repair of the nerve
Combining Forms
Basic Rules for using the
Combining Vowel

The combining vowel is not used when
the suffix begins with a vowel.
Example: neuro/it is
neur/itis

The combining vowel is used when the
suffix begins with a consonant.
Example: neur/plasty
neur/o/plasty