Component 3 Unit 1 Application Activities
Unit 1
Understanding Medical Words
Suggested Student Application Activities
Instructor Guidelines for Application Activities
 Paper Activities
1. Word Building Exercise
2. Pluralizing Exercise
3. Medical Dictionary Exercise

Interactive Activities
1. Navigating the Medline Plus website
a. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tour/tour.html This is a
narrated animated tour of the main features of MedlinePlus.
It runs for 8 minutes and requires a Flash plug-in. (reference
1)
2. Medical Words Tutorial
a. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/medicalwords.html This
is a tutorial from the National Library of Medicine that
teaches about medical words. Students will learn about how
to put together parts of medical words. Students will also
find quizzes to see what they have learned. (reference 2)
Instructions to Instructors:
1. Word Building Exercise
Instructions: This activity enables the student to identify various word
parts and complete the medical term that best fits each definition given.
Distribute the Word Building Exercise to the students either as an in-class
or homework assignment.
Component # (3)
Health IT Workforce Curriculum
Version 1.0/Fall 2010
2
Unit 1 Understanding Medical Words - Word Building Exercise
Using the following word parts, complete the word that best fits each definition
given below. Word parts may be used more than once.
ambianti-algia
-asthenia
aut(o)
bacteri(o)
chrom(o)
cyt(o)
-cyte
gyn(o)
lith(o)
-lytic
mega
-megaly
path(o)
-pathy
phot(o)
-plasty
-rrhea
therm(o)
1. Nerve pain:
2. Bone repair:
3. Study of disease:
4. Nerve weakness:
5. Abnormally enlarged head:
6. Enlarged heart:
7. Dissolving of stones:
8. Caused by bacteria:
9. Of both sides:
10. Cell formed in lymph:
11. Agent that kills cells:
12. Repair of the nose:
13. Self-love:
14. Production of heat:
15. Pigmented cell:
16. Foot pain:
17. Female disease:
18. Drug reducing bleeding:
19. Sensitivity to light:
20. Nasal discharge:
Component # (3)
Health IT Workforce Curriculum
Version 1.0/Fall 2010
3
Unit 1 Understanding Medical Words - Word Building Exercise - Key
Using the following word parts, complete the word that best fits each definition
given below. Word parts may be used more than once.
ambianti-algia
-asthenia
aut(o)
bacteri(o)
chrom(o)
cyt(o)
-cyte
gyn(o)
lith(o)
-lytic
mega
-megaly
path(o)
-pathy
phot(o)
-plasty
-rrhea
therm(o)
1. Nerve pain: neuralgia
2. Bone repair: osteoplasty
3. Study of disease: pathology
4. Nerve weakness: neurasthenia
5. Abnormally enlarged head: megacephaly
6. Enlarged heart: cardiomegaly
7. Dissolving of stones: litholytic
8. Caused by bacteria: bacteriogenic
9. Of both sides: ambilateral
10. Cell formed in lymph: lymphogenic
11. Agent that kills cells: cytocide
12. Repair of the nose: rhinoplasty
13. Self-love: autophilia
14. Production of heat: thermogenesis
15. Pigmented cell: chromocyte
16. Foot pain: podalgia
17. Female disease: gynopathy
18. Drug reducing bleeding: antihemorrhagic
19. Sensitivity to light: photophobia
Nasal discharge: rhinorrhea
Component # (3)
Health IT Workforce Curriculum
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4
2. Pluralizing Exercise
Instructions: This activity enables the student to appropriately identify
the plural form of the medical words given.
Distribute the Pluralizing Exercise to the students either as an in-class or
homework assignment.
Component # (3)
Health IT Workforce Curriculum
Version 1.0/Fall 2010
5
Unit 1 Understanding Medical Words - Pluralizing Exercise
Give the plurals for the following terms.
1.
carcinoma
______________________
2.
frenulum
______________________
3.
serum
______________________
4.
psychosis
______________________
5.
virus
______________________
6.
septum
______________________
7.
femur
______________________
8.
kidney
______________________
9.
tongue
______________________
10.
urethra
______________________
11.
ureter
______________________
12.
malignancy
______________________
13.
leukocyte
______________________
14.
nucleus
______________________
15.
reflex
______________________
16.
tremor
______________________
17.
venogram
______________________
18.
suture
______________________
19.
macula
______________________
20.
thrombus
______________________
21.
tricuspid
______________________
22.
respiration
______________________
23.
antibiotic
______________________
24.
fungus
______________________
25.
palate
______________________
Component # (3)
Health IT Workforce Curriculum
Version 1.0/Fall 2010
6
Unit 1 Understanding Medical Words - Pluralizing Exercise - Key
Give the plurals for the following terms.
1.
carcinoma
carcinomata; carcinomas
2.
frenulum
frenula
3.
serum
sera
4.
psychosis
psychoses
5.
virus
viruses
6.
septum
septa
7.
femur
femurs
8.
kidney
kidneys
9.
tongue
tongues
10.
urethra
urethrae or urethras
11.
ureter
ureters
12.
malignancy
malignancies
13.
leukocyte
leukocytes
14.
nucleus
nuclei or nucleuses
15.
reflex
reflexes
16.
tremor
tremors
17.
venogram
venograms
18.
suture
sutures
19.
macula
maculae or maculas
20.
thrombus
thrombi
21.
tricuspid
tricuspids
22.
respiration
respirations
23.
antibiotic
antibiotics
24.
fungus
fungi or funguses
25.
palate
palates
Component # (3)
Health IT Workforce Curriculum
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3. Medical Dictionary Exercise
Instructions: This activity enables the student to gain experience with
using a medical dictionary to correctly answer the various questions.
Distribute the Medical Dictionary Exercise to the students either as an inclass or homework assignment.
Component # (3)
Health IT Workforce Curriculum
Version 1.0/Fall 2010
8
Unit 1 Understanding Medical Words – Medical Dictionary Exercise
Group:__________________________________________________
Directions: Use a medical dictionary to answer the following questions.
1. What are the words parts of the term “hypervolemia” derived from?
2. What is the definition of laryngectomy? What is the combining form for
this term? What is the function of the body part described?
3. What is the phonetic pronunciation of “phlebitis?”
4. Break the word “cryalgesia” into syllables. Define the meanings of the
word parts and state their derivative languages.
5. What is the common name for Hansen’s disease?
6. Distinguish between “ilium” and “ileum.”
7. How do you pronounce “psoriasis?”
8. What language does the suffix in the term “neuralgia” derive from?
9. Where is the trigeminal nerve located?
10. If a physician describes skin as “peau d’orange, what does that mean?
11. What is a synonym for “pneumocele?”
12. How does a person who is “cyanotic” look? What causes this condition?
What is the correct form of the term to describe this condition (i.e., change
suffix to denote condition)?
13. A woman who has delivered two babies would be designated as ‘para
__.”
14. What part of the blood is removed in leukapheresis?
15. What does the prefix in “aphasia” mean? What does the whole trm mean?
Component # (3)
Health IT Workforce Curriculum
Version 1.0/Fall 2010
9
Unit 1 Understanding Medical Words – Medical Dictionary Exercise - Key
Group:__________________________________________________
Directions: Use a medical dictionary to answer the following questions.
1. What are the words parts of the term “hypervolemia” derived from?
Hyper + Latin vol (umen) + Greek (-h) aimia (blood condition)
2. What is the definition of laryngectomy? What is the combining form for
this term? What is the function of the body part described?
Excision of the larynx
Laryng(o)
The larynx is the voice box; makes sounds for speech.
3. What is the phonetic pronunciation of “phlebitis?”
Fle  bi’  tis
4. Break the word “cryalgesia” into syllables. Define the meanings of the
word parts and state their derivative languages.
Cry  al  ge  sia
Kryos = icy cold, frost (Greek); algesis = sense of pain
5. What is the common name for Hansen’s disease?
Leprosy
6. Distinguish between “ilium” and “ileum.”
ilium = portion of hip bone
ileum = third portion of small intestine
7. How do you pronounce “psoriasis?”
So  ri  a  sis
8. What language does the suffix in the term “neuralgia” derive from?
Greek -algos, meaning pain
9. Where is the trigeminal nerve located?
Component # (3)
Health IT Workforce Curriculum
Version 1.0/Fall 2010
10
The face
10. If a physician describes skin as “peau d’orange, what does that mean?
The skin is dimpled, much like the skin/peel of an orange. Generally
found over a carcinoma of the breast. The term derives from the French
“orange peel.”
11. What is a synonym for “pneumocele?”
Pneumonocele
12. How does a person who is “cyanotic” look? What causes this condition?
What is the correct form of the term to describe this condition (i.e., change
suffix to denote condition)?
Blue color to skin, caused by deficient oxygenation of blood.
Cyanosis
13. A woman who has has delivered two babies would be designated as
‘para __.”
Para II or Para 2
14. What part of the blood is removed in leukapheresis?
The leukocytes
15. What does the prefix in “aphasia” mean? What does the whole trm mean?
A = not or without; + -phasis = speech (Greek). Inability to speak.
Component # (3)
Health IT Workforce Curriculum
Version 1.0/Fall 2010
11
Interactive Activities
1. Navigating Medline Plus
Instructions: This activity enables the student to correctly navigate and
appropriately find required items on the Medline Plus website.
Have the students either as an in-class or homework assignment go to the
Medline Plus website and complete the tour.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tour/tour.html This is a narrated
animated tour of the main features of MedlinePlus. It runs for 8
minutes and requires a Flash plug-in.
2. Medical Word Tutorial
Instructions: This activity reinforces the materials provided within Unit 1:
Understanding Medical Words.
Have the students either as an in-class or homework assignment
complete this tutorial.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/medicalwords.html This is a
tutorial from the National Library of Medicine that teaches about
medical words. Students will learn about how to put together parts
of medical words. Students will also find quizzes to see what they
have learned.(reference 2)
Expected Outcomes for Student Activities
1. Word Building Exercise
This activity demonstrates the ability of the student to combine word roots,
prefixes, and suffixes to create proper medical terms.
2. Pluralizing Exercise
This activity demonstrates the ability of the student to correctly formulate
the plural forms of medical terms.
3. Medical Dictionary Exercise
This activity demonstrates the ability of the student to utilize a medical
dictionary to research and answer various questions about medical terms.
4. Navigating the Medline Plus Website
Component # (3)
Health IT Workforce Curriculum
Version 1.0/Fall 2010
12
This activity demonstrates the ability of the student to approximately
navigate and find materials on the Medline Plus website.
5. Medical Word Tutorial
This activity demonstrates and reinforces the ability of the student to
combine word roots, prefixes and suffixes to create proper terms.
Component # (3)
Health IT Workforce Curriculum
Version 1.0/Fall 2010
13