Medical Terminology
This is an intro/review of medical terminology and should be used to prepare you for the related
sections in the packets.
Overview
The definition of medical terminology is:
The words, or terms, that makes up the language of medicine.
Like every other language, medical terminology has changed over time, but a majority of the terms are
based on Latin or Greek words.
Word Parts
Most medical terms can be broken down into one or more word parts. There are four possible word
parts, and any medical term may contain one, some, or all of these parts:




Roots
Prefixes
Suffixes
Linking or combining vowels
The root often contains the essential meaning of the word and most often indicates the involved body
part. Medical terms ALWAYS consist of at least one root, although sometimes they may contain more
than one root. The prefix always comes at the beginning of the word and usually indicates location,
time, number or status. The suffix always comes at the end of a word and usually indicates the
procedure, condition, disorder or disease. Combining vowels are used to make medical terms easier to
pronounce.
It is often possible to figure out the definition of an unfamiliar medical term when you know the
meaning of word parts.
*For example: Pericarditis



Prefix – peri - which means to surrounding
Root – card – which means heart
Suffix – itis – which means inflammation
Therefore, pericarditis, is an inflammation of the area surrounding the heart.
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Suffixes that pertain to symptoms
and diagnosis:
Suffixes that pertain to surgery
Suffix
Suffix
-algia, -dynia
-cele
-ectasis
-edema
-emesis
-ia, -iasis
-itis
-lepsy
-malacia
-mania
-oid
-oma
-osis
-pathy
-ptosis
-rrhexis
-rrhagia
-rrhea
-sclerosis
-stasis
Meaning
pain
hernia
dilation, stretching
swelling
vomiting
condition
inflammation
seizure
abnormal softness
preoccupation
resembling
tumor
condition, disease
disease
prolapse, sagging
rupture
hemorrhage
flow, discharge
hardening
stopping, controlling
-centesis
-ectomy
-lysis
-pexy
-plasty
-rrhaphy
-scope
-scopy
-stomy
-tome
-tomy
-tripsy
Meaning
puncture
excision, surgical
removal
destruction
surgical fixation
repair
suture
instrument used for
viewing
visually examining
forming an artificial
opening
cutting instrument
incision
crushing
Word parts that describe # or quantity:
Part
Roots that denote color:
Root
albo, albino
cholro
chromo
cyano
erythro
leuco, leuko
melano
xantho
Meaning
white
green
color
blue
red
white
black
yellow
a-, anbididiplohemi, semihyperhypomono-, unimulti-, polynulli-penia
primiquadritetratri-
Meaning
without, no, absent
two
two, twice
double
half
greater than normal,
excessive
less than normal
one
many
none
deficiency
first
four
four
three
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Word Parts that pertain to size:
Part
macro, megalo
micro, -ole
Meaning
large
small
Word Parts that pertain to body fluids:
Part
chole
dacryo
-emia, hema, hemo,
hemato
hidro
hydro
lympho
muco, myxo
pyo
sialo
uro
Meaning
bile
tear
blood
sweat
water
lymph
mucus
pus
saliva
urine
Roots that pertain to body substances:
Part
lipo
calci
glyco
litho
thrombo
Meaning
fat
calcium
sugar
stone, calculus
clot
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The following terminology will help you complete the Related Diseases and Conditions
sections of the clinical packets to our expectations.
You will be describing the pathophysiology of diseases. Pathophysiology includes etiology,
pathogenesis, and clinical manifestations.
Etiology is the cause of the disease. When we ask you to explain the etiology, your answer
may include a description of one or more of the following:
 Genetics
 Intrinsic (not necessarily genetic)
 Environment (physical or infectious)
 Idiopathic
Pathogenesis refers to the disease process, or the development of the disease. Your answer
should include:
 Process and progression of the disease state (stages of the disease)
 Structural changes and associated functional alterations in cells or tissues that are
characteristic of the disease
Clinical manifestations are the signs and symptoms of the disease process. Your description
of signs and symptoms should be included in your explanation of the pathogenesis. For the
purpose of the clinical packets, we are interested in the signs and symptoms that effect
nutrition status.
 Signs are objective, identifiable
 Symptoms are subjective, felt by the patient
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