PHR207
PHARMACEUTICAL & Medical terminology
Medical words are like individual jigsaw puzzle .Once you divide the term into their
component parts and learn the meaning of the individual parts ,you can use that
knowledge to understand many other new terms.
Example:
HEMAT / O / LOGY
root
( "blood" )
combining
vowel
suffix
("study of")
When you analyze a medical term;
-Begin at the end of the word ( the ending is called a suffix)
All medical term contains suffixes
The suffix in HEMATOLOGY is - logy which means " study of "
HEMAT is the word root.
-
The root gives the essential meaning of the term.
The root HEMAT mean "blood"
.
The third part of this term , which is the letter O , has no meaning of its own but is on
important connector between the root ( HEMAT ) and the suffix (lOGY).
its called combining vowel in medical term.
Putting together the meaning of the suffix and root , the term HEMATOLGY means
" the study of blood"
Example
ELECTR / O / CARDI / O / GRAM
root
( electricity)
root
( hear)
suffix
record
Combining
Vowel
Combining
Vowel
Start with the suffix at the end of the term..
The suffix –GRAM means " a record"
Now look at the beginning of the term. ELECTRO- is a word root ,and its means
"electricity".
This medical term has tow roots. The second root is CARDI-, meaning " heart".
When ever you see CARDI in other medical term .you will know that it means heart "
"
Read the meaning of medical terms from the suffix , back to the beginning of the term,
then across.
Thus the entire term means " record of electricity in the heart ".
Notice the two combining vowels in electrocardiogram . looking for the o in medical
terms will help you divide the term into its parts
Acombining vowel (o) lies between roots (electr and cardi) and between the root (cardi)
and suffix (GRAM ).
The combining vowell plus the root is called a combinig form .
Example
There are tow combining form in the word electrocardiogram. This combing forms are
electr/ o , meaning "electricity," and cardio meaning "heart"
.
Example:
GASTR / O / ENTER / O
Root
(stomach)
GASTR / O / scope
Root
(intestines)
/ LOGY
suffix
(study of )
means " instrument to visually examine the stomach"
suffix
Combining
(intstrument to
form
visually examine)
(stomach)
GASTR / IC
Root
( Stomach)
means " pertaining to the stomach ." Notice that the combin-ing vowel is
dropped when the suffix (-IC) begins with a vowel .words ending in
IC are adjective and means "pertaining to."
.
suffix
(pertaining to)
CARDI / AC
means
pertaining to the heart . Agin the combining vowel is dropped
when the suffix (-Ac) begins with a vowel words ending
In –AC are adjectives and mean " pertaining to".
Root
suffix
)Heart) (pertaining to)
ENTER /
IT IS means
" Inflammation of the intestines." Notice again that the
Combining vowel is dropped because that suffix ( -ITIS)
Begins with a vowel.
Root
suffix
)Intestines) ( inflammation)
GASTR\ O \
ENTER \ ITIS
Root
(stomach)
suffix
(inflammation)
Root
(intestines)
Inflammation of the stomach and intestine
"Notice
the combining vowel ( o ) remain between the two roots even though the
second root ( ENTER) begins with a vowel.
In additions to roots , suffixes combining form and combining vowels, many
medical terms have a word part attached to the beginning of the term . This is called
a prefix , and it can change the meaning of a term in important ways.
Example
1- SUB/ gastr / ic
means
pertaining to below the stomach
mean
pertaining to across the stomach
prefix
(below)
2- TRANS / gastr / ic
Prefix
(across)
3- RETRO/ gaster / ic
mean
Pertaining to behind the stomach
prefix
( behind)
Review the important word parts:
Root : gives the essential meaning of the term.
Suffix : is the word ending.
Prefix : is a small part added to the beginning of term.
Combing vowel: connects roots to suffixes and roots to other roots.
Combining form: is the Combining of the root and combining vowel .
Some important role to remember are:
1.read the meaning of medical words from the suffix to the beginning of the word and
then across.
2- Drop the combining vowel before a suffix that starts with a vowel.
3- Keep the combining vowel between word roots, even if the roat begins with a vowel.
Combining forms
Combining form
.aden / o
means " gland "
example
1( adenoma
OMA means " tumor " or " mass"
.2) adenitis
- ITIS means "inflammation"
a rthr / o
-
Means " joints "
Example
arthritis
Bi /o
means" life "
example
1) Biology
L OGY means " study of " /
2) Biopsy :
-Opsy : means " to view." living tissue is removed and viewed under
microscope.
Cardi \o
mean heart
Cardiology : study of heart
Cyst / o
means " urinary bladder"
example
Cystoscope: is placed through the urinary bladder.
-SCOPE means "instrument to visually examin."
Cyt\o
mean:" cell "
example
Cytology : study of cell
Dermat/o Means" skin"
Dermatitis
Its mean : in flamation of skin
encephal\o means " brain"
example
Electroencephalo gram(EEG)
Record of electristy of brain
Erythr /o means "red"
example
erythrocyte
Leuk /o means "white"
example
Leukocyte
Thromb /o means " clotting "
example
Thrombocyte (platlet)
Is Small cell that help blood to clot
Nephr/o means "kidney"
example
Nephrectomy
- ECTOMY means "to cut out", an excision or resection of an organ or part
of the body.
Ren /o
means "kidney"
Example
renal
* some time there two combining form for the same part of the body .one comes from
Latin , and other come from Greek (REN - is the latin root meaning "kidney." And
NEPHER- is Greek root ). the Greek root is used to describe abnormal condition and
procedure, whereas the latin root is used with –AL, meaning " pertaining to."
Gynec/ o means " women"
example
gynecology
hemat\o means" blood'
example
hematoma
-OMA means "mass" or tumor". In this term, -oma indicates a mass or
swelling containing blood.
Opthalm /o means 'eye'
example
opthalmoscope
onc/o means" tumor"
example
oncologist
IST means" a spicialist"
oste /o means " bone"
example
osteoarthritis
lapar\o means"abdomen"
(area between the chest and hip
Example
Laparatomy
-TOMY means" incision" (to cut into).
An exploratory laparotomy is an incision of the abdominal wall to inspect
abdominal organs for evidence of disease.
Path /o means"disease"
Example
Pathologist
Apathologist is amedical doctors who views biopsy samples to make
adiagnosis and examine adead body (autopsy) to determine the cause
of death.
AUT- means "self" and –opsy means "to view".thus ,an autopsy is an
opportunityto see for onself what has happened to the patient to
cause his or her death.
Gnos/o means "knowledge"
Example
1) Diagnosis
- SIS means " state of" ; DIA-means " complete ".
A diagnosis is the complete knowledge that is gained after testing and
.
examining the patients
2) prognosis
PRO- means " before". A prognosis is a prediction that is made after the
diagnosis about the out come of treatment.
hepat /O means "liver"
example
hepatitis
neur/o means "nerve"
example
neurology
psych / o means "mind"
example
psychosis
-OSIS means" abnormal condition". This aserious mental condition in which
the patient loses touch with reality.
Mamm /o means "breast"
Example
Mamoplasty
Plasty: surgical operation
Mast /o
Ot/o
Oophr/o
means "breast"
Example
Mastectomy
means "ear"
means "ovary"
Example
Oophrectomy.
Hyster/o means" uterous"
Example
Hysterectomy
Septic/o 'pertaining to infection."
Example
Septicemia
My/o means" muscle"
Example
myalgia
Suffixes :
Suffix
-al
meaning
pertaining to
-lc
pertaining to
-ac
pertaining to
medical term
neural
pelvic
Gastric
cardiac
-Algia
-
pain
arthralgia
neuralgia
otalgia
-Cyte
cell
leukocyte
- ectomy
removal
- emia
blood condition
gastrectomy
leukemia
Leukemia : large numbers of
immature,cancerous cells are found in the bloodsreem and bone marrow (inner part of bone
that maks blood cells)
-gram
record
arthrogram
This is an x-ray
Record of a joint
-itis
inflammation
-logist
specialist in
the stud of
neurologist
-logy
study of
nephrology
study of kedney
gastroenteritis
-osis
abnormal condition
- oma
tumor ,mass
nephrosis
hepatoma
-sis
state of
prognosis
-tomy
process of cutting
neuroectomy
-scope
instrument to visually
examination
-scopy
process of visual
examination
laparscopy
a small incision is made near
the naval ,and atube is inserted
into the abdomen for viewing
organs and doing procedures
such as typing off the fallopian
tube.
Prefixes
Preix
a- ,an-
meaning
no, not
medical term
1) anemia
anemia means acondition of "no
blood". Actually ,it is adecrease in number of red
blood cells or adecrease ability to carry oxygen
because of less hemoglobin , a protein that helps
carry oxygen in red blood cells.
2)a pnea
Pnea :breathing
Brady-
slow
Tachy-
fast
Dia-
acomplete
De -
ndo-
Take away , remove
within
rehydrate
brady cardia
Brady cardia to slow
Heart rate (pluse rate )
tachy cardia
:rabid heart rate
diaghosis
dehydrate
hydr = water
endocrine glands Re-
E
CRIN/O means "to secrete"
Exo-
outside
Example of endocrine gland
1- thyroid gland
2-Adreral gland
3- ovaries
4- testes
All these gland secrete
hormones in to the blood
Stream
exocrine gland
back
Exocrine gland are:
1-sweat
2- tear
3- mammary( breast gland
All these gland secrete
Substances to the out
Side of the body.
Hyper-
Hypo-
Dys-
excessive ,more
Than normal
1) hyperglycemia
GLYC/O means
" sugar"
Hperglycemia
Is also known as
Diabetes mellitus.
Mellitus mean
" sweet "
2) Hypertension
below,less
Than normal
difficult, pain ful
1) hypoglycemia
2) hypotension
dysurea
pain full micturition
Anti-
against
Antipyretic
Adrug that
Reduces high
Temperature.
Ante-
be for
ante partum
befor labour
post-
after , following
post partum
after labour
contra-
against
contraception
prevention of pregnancy
inter-
between
intervertebral
intra-
within
intrauterine
intravenous
mal-
bad
malignant
-ignant means " fire"
A maligant tumor
(Is a cancerous tumor)
Ben-
good
Meta-
beyond
metastasis
(stop control)
Metastasis it is the spreed of cancerous
tumor from its original location to secondary place in the body.
Peri-
surrounding
Poly-
many, much
Pre-
Syn -
benign tumor
(non-cancerous
Growth)
befor
with, together
pericarditis
Membrane or sac
Around the heart
polyuria
prenatal
syndrome
Drom i.e "to run"
Or"occur" .
syndrom are group of symptoms or
Signs of illness that occur to gether.
Uni-
one
unilateral
Retro
behind
retrogastric
Sub
under,below
subhepatic
Trans
across, through
transurethral