Medical Terminology
Defining and Pronouncing
Word Elements of the
Integumentary System
Medical Terminology - Word Elements of the Integumentary System
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Notes:
Medical Terminology
The integumentary system consists of the skin and its epidermal structures, such as glands, hair,
and nails. The skin covers and protects all outer surfaces of the body. This lecture will define and
pronounce the combining forms, suffixes, and prefixes commonly associated with the integumentary
system.
Defining and Pronouncing
Word Elements of the
Integumentary System
Word Roots
(adip/o to dermat/o)
dermat/o)
adip/o
lip/o
steat/o
cutane/o
dermat/o
fat
fat
fat
skin
skin
Word Roots
(derm/o to kerat/o)
kerat/o)
derm/o
hidr/o
sudor/o
ichthy/o
kerat/o
skin
sweat
sweat
dry, scaly
hard tissue
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Notes:
adip/o adip/osis abnormal condition of the accumulation of fat in the body
lip/o lip/o/cele a hernia containing fat or fatty tissue
steat/o steat/itis inflammation of adipose (fatty) tissue
cutane/o sub/cutane/ous pertaining to the area beneath the surface of the skin
dermat/o dermat/o/plasty plastic surgery of the skin, as in skin grafting
Notes:
derm/o hypo/derm/ic pertaining to the area under the skin, as in a hypodermic injection
hidr/o hyper/hidr/osis a condition of excessive sweating
sudor/o sudor/esis a condition of profuse sweating
ichthy/o ichthy/osis an abnormal conditions in which the skin is dry and may resemble fish scales
kerat/o kerat/osis an abnormal condition of a thickened area of the epidermis
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Word Roots
(melan/o to pil/o)
pil/o)
melan/o
myc/o
onych/o
ungu/o
pil/o
black
fungus
nail
nail
hair
Word Roots
Notes:
melan/o melan/oma a malignant tumor of melanocytes
myc/o dermat/o/myc/osis an abornormal condition of fungal infection of the skin
onych/o onych/o/malacia softening of the nails
ungu/o ungu/al relating to the nails
pil/o pil/o/nid/al pertaining to a hair growth in a cyst or other internal structure
(trich/o to xer/o)
xer/o)
Notes:
trich/o
scler/o
seb/o
squam/o
xer/o
trich/o trich/o/pathy any disease involving the hair
scler/o sclera/o/derm/a pertaining to severe hardening and thickening of the skin caused by new
collagen formation
seb/o seb/o/rrhea an excessive discharge of sebum
squam/o squam/ous relating to or covered with scales
xer/o xer/o/derm/a pertaining to a chronic skin condition characterized by dryness and roughness
hair
hardening
sebum
scale
dry
SUFFIXES
-cyte
-derma
-logist
-logy
-therapy
Notes:
cell
skin
specialist in study of
study of
treatment
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-cyte lip/o/cyte cell containing fat
-derma py/o/derma pertaining to any pyogenic infection of the skin
-logist dermat/o/logist physician specializing in treatment of skin disorders
-logy dermat/o/logy study of the skin diseases and treatment
-therapy cry/o/therapy a treatment of tissue freezing with liquid nitrogen
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PREFIXES
andiaepihypersub-
Notes:
without
through
above
above normal
under, below
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an- an/hidr/osis a condition diminished or complete absence of sweat
dia- dia/phoresis a condition of profuse sweating;
epi- epi/derm/is pertaining to the outer layer of the skin
hyper- hyper/hidr/osis a condition of profuse sweating
sub- sub/ungu/al relating to the area beneath the nail of a finger or toe
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