Chapter 1: Introduction to Medical Terminology
Chapter Objectives
On completion of this chapter the participant will be able to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Discuss the rationale for learning medical terminology.
Define the word parts that make up a medical term.
Discuss the process to use when analyzing a medical term.
Recognize the importance of pronouncing medical terms.
Recognize the importance of correct spelling when working with medical terms.
Identify the roles of prefixes, combining vowels, roots and suffixes in building
medical terms.
Understand the rationale for using a combining vowel.
Discuss the correct method to use when pluralizing a medical term.
Complete the review exercise at the end of the chapter.
Introduction
The vocabulary used in medicine, and therefore in health care, is a complicated one ....
however one that can be mastered by learning/reviewing word parts first and then
practicing them second.
Medical terminology is the language of medicine and is used to describe such things as:
parts of the body
location within the body
body functions
diseases or health problems
medical/surgical procedures
diagnostic tests
medical instruments
Each medical term is a single word that describes something that would normally take
you several words to explain. For example: appendicitis (ah-pen-dih-sigh-tis) is a
medical word that when defined means an inflammation of the appendix.
The easiest way to learn medical terminology is to use an organized approach called
“term analysis”. Once this process is understood and mastered you will be ready to
examine the word parts that make up the medical terms.
The ability to accurately spell medical terms cannot be emphasized enough. Changing
just one or two letters of a term can completely change the meaning of the word ... and
this difference literally could be a matter of life and death for a patient. For example:
“Palpation” and “Palpitation”. Palpation is a technique used to examine a patient, where
the hands are used to determine size, shape and location of a body part. Palpitation is
a bounding or racing heart beat that may be serious enough to cause death for a patient
if it isn’t treated.
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Pronunciation of Medical Terms
It is important that you are able to correctly pronounce the medical terms you encounter.
A new medical term is much easier to understand and remember when you know how
to pronounce it properly. There may be more than one way to pronounce some medical
terms. Individuals generally have a preference for one pronunciation or another. One is
no more correct than the other. If you have difficulty pronouncing the term you
generally will have difficulty spelling it correctly. For many words it is obvious from the
way they look how you will pronounce them but some aren’t obvious and others may
have more than one way to say the word. As you work with the medical terms in this
book practice pronouncing the word out loud. When you hear the word you will find that
you remember it more easily and spelling will not be as difficult. In the chapters that
follow, as new medical terms are introduced the word will be re-spelled using standard
English letters to create sounds that are familiar. To pronounce the words just say it as
it is spelled in the brackets.
E.G. edema (eh-dee-mah):
Means excess fluid in the body tissue.
myopathy (my-op-ah-thee):
Means disease of a muscle.
Parts of the Medical Term
Medical terms are made up of prefixes, roots and suffixes. This fact is the same as
words in any language: eg. English, French, German, etc. Not all terms have all three
parts but generally, a root will be accompanied by one or more word parts. Learning
medical terminology is much easier once you understand how the word parts work
together to form new words. The word parts and their function are as follows:
Prefixes: Added to the beginning of a word to change the meaning of the
term. Usually, but not always, prefixes will indicate location, time, number,
or status: e.g. sub = below
Root: The fundamental part of the term that establishes the basic
meaning of the word. In medical terminology the root describes the part of
the body involved. e.g. reteach = teach is the root
Suffixes: Added to the end of the word and usually, but not always,
indicates the procedure, condition, disorder or disease: e.g. learner = one
who learns
When you put word parts together the ease of pronouncing the word can be affected.
To increase ease of saying words “combining vowels” are used.
E.G. Neuroplasty (new-row-plas-tee)
“Neur” means nerve
“o” is the combining vowel
“plasty” means surgical repair
**
Surgical repair of a nerve
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How to Analyze Medical Terms
When you are analyzing a term begin with the suffix. Then look for the prefix and define
it. The remaining part is the root. Once you have identified and defined the word parts
put them together into a sentence definition of the word.
Table 1.1
Examples of term analysis
Term And Analysis
Definition
Subcutaneous
pertaining to under the skin
(sub-kyou-tay-nee-us)
-ous = pertaining to
sub- = under, below
cutane/o = skin
Tonsillitis
inflammation of the tonsils
(ton-sil-lye-tis)
-itis = inflammation
tonsill/o = tonsil
Pericardial
pertaining to around the heart
(per-ih-kar-dee-al)
-al = pertaining to
peri- = around
cardi/o = heart
The Combining Vowel
The use of a combining vowel in medical terminology is primarily to modify the spelling
so the new word is easier to pronounce. The most common combining vowel is “o” but
occasionally “e” or “i” will be used.
E.g.
gastr - means stomach
enter - means intestine
itis - means inflammation
Gastr-o-enter-itis means inflammation of the stomach and intestine.
E.g.
dent - means tooth
form - means like or similar to
Dent-i-form means similar to a tooth
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For the most part combining vowels are used between two roots to make the word flow
more easily as you pronounce it. When you are making a medical term, where a root is
followed by a suffix that starts with a consonant, a combining vowel is used. If the suffix
starts with a vowel then a combining vowel is almost never used.
Making Medical Terms Plural
Like words in any language there must be a way to change the word from being singular
to plural. Since the majority of medical terms are of Greek or Latin origin there are very
unusual rules to use for changing a singular word into its plural form.
Table 1.2
Guidelines for Pluralizing Medical Terms
Guideline/Rule
Singular
Example
Plural Form
1.
If the term ends in “a”, the plural is
formed by adding an “e”.
bursa
vertebra
bursae
vertebrae
2.
If the term ends in “ex” or “ix”, the
plural is formed by changing ex/ix to
“ices”.
appendix
cervix
appendices
cervices
3.
If the term ends in “is”, the plural is
formed by changing the is to “es”.
diagnosis
neurosis
metastasis
diagnoses
neuroses
metastases
4.
If the term ends in “itis”, the plural is
formed by dropping the s and adding
“des”.
arthritis
meningitis
arthritides
meningitides
5.
If the term ends in “nx” the plural is
formed by changing the x to “g” and
adding “es”.
phalanx
larynx
phalanges
larynges
6.
If the term ends in “on”, the plural is
formed by dropping the on and
adding “a”.
criterion
ganglion
criteria
ganglia
7.
If the term ends in “um”, the plural is
formed by changing um to “a”.
diverticulum
ovum
diverticula
ova
8.
If the term ends in “us”, the plural is
formed by changing us to “i”.
alveolus
bronchus
malleolus
alveoli
bronchi
malleoli
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Look Alike/Sound Alike Terms
One confusing part of learning medical terms is dealing with the words and word parts
that look and/or sound alike. Some of the most common ones that you will encounter
as you proceed with this course are:
Arteri/o means artery. Ather/o means plaque or fatty substance. Arthr/o
means joint.
Ileum is a part of the small intestine. Ilium means part of the hip bone.
Infection is the invasion of the body by an organism. Inflammation is a
localized response to injury or destruction of tissue.
Laceration means a torn ragged wound. Lesion means a pathologic
change in tissue due to disease or injury.
Mucous means, resembles mucus. Mucus is the substance secreted
from the membranes.
Myc/o means fungus. Myel/o means both bone marrow and spinal cord.
My/o means muscle.
Palpation is an examination technique where the examiner uses their
hands to feel the size, texture and location of a body part. Palpitation
means a pounding racing heart.
Pyel/o means the renal pelvis. Py/o means pus.
Viral means a virus. Virile means having masculine traits.
Terms With No Root
A few terms consist of a prefix and suffix, with no root at all. An example is: neoplasm.
Neoplasm (nee-oh-plazm): new growth
Table 1.3
Examples of Terms With No Root
Term
Definition
anemia (ah-nee-me-ah)
Lack of red blood cells
esotropia (es-oh-troh-pee-ah)
Inward turning of the eye
neoplasm (nee-oh-plazm)
New growth
exotropia (eck-soh-troh-pee-ah)
Outward turning of the eye
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Terms With No Prefix
Medical terms don’t have to have a prefix to be a complete word. An example of this
type of word is:
arthritis (ar-thrigh-tis):
Table 1.4
Inflammation of a joint.
Examples of Terms With No Prefix
Term
Definition
gastritis (gas-try-tis)
Inflammation of the stomach
hepatitis (hep-ah-tye-tis)
Inflammation of the liver
carditis (kar-dye-tis)
Inflammation of the heart
adenitis (ad-eh-nigh-tis)
Inflammation of a gland
cardiology (kar-dee-ol-oh-jee)
Study of the heart
gastrology (gas-trol-oh-jee)
Study of the stomach
hepatology (hep-ahtol-oh-jee)
Study of the liver
Summary Highlights for Chapter 1
To analyze a term, start with the suffix. Then go to the beginning of the word ... it
will either be a prefix or a root. If there is an additional part in that term, it will be
a root.
Some terms will have a suffix and a root with no prefix. Others will have no root
at all. There are some medical terms which will have two roots and they have a
combining vowel, followed by a suffix.
Remember the following, for making singular words plural:
Remember the following for making singular words plural:
is
►
es
ix
►
ices
us
►
i
nx
►
nges
a
►
ae
on
►
a
um ►
a
ax
►
aces
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