Medical Terminology!
Chapter 6 - Medical Terminology Basics!
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Analyzing and Defining Medical Terms!
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Medical terminology is a dynamic, fluid, and ever-evolving discipline in which terms are
created to describe pioneering surgical procedures, cutting-edge technological
innovations, and newly discovered pathological conditions. As a result, new medical
terms are constantly being absorbed into the vast body of knowledge that is medical
terminology.!
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A large number of medical terms are built from word parts. There are four types of word
parts in medical terminology:!
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Word Part
Definition
Prefix
A single letter or a group of letters placed before a root word (or series of root
words). The prefix shows a particular relationship, such as prepositional or
adverbial. In general, most prefixes in medical terminology are used in
everyday speech.
Root Word
The word part (or parts) that provides the main meaning of a medical term.
Suffix
A single letter or a group of letters added to the end of a root word (or series of
root words. The suffix indicates the grammatical function of the medical term
(noun, adjective, verb, or adverb).
Combining Vowel
A vowel that links together word parts for ease of pronunciation. Usually, the
combining vowel is o, but it occasionally will be a, e, i, or u.
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Together a root word and combining vowel are called a combining form. Word parts
may be combined in any of several different ways to build a medical term.!
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Let’s analyze a medical term and its word parts by following a basic guide line that will
help you develop important skills in mastering the basics of medical terminology. You
will learn how to dissect a medical term into its individual word parts and then
reconstruct those word parts to determine the meaning of the term as a whole.!
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At this point, don’t worry that you don’t know the meanings of the word parts; just pay
attention to the process of analyzing the term. You will be able to use this process to
understand a medical term that you have never seen before. We will illustrate the
process using the four medical terms below:!
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gastrology!
gastroenterology!
intragastric!
gastrectomy!
Example 1!
The medical term gastrology is defined as “the study of the stomach.” This term
contains a combining form (root word plus combining vowel) and a suffix.!
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Follow these steps to analyze the medical term gastrology:!
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1.!
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Divide the term into its word parts. Note that a slash is used to separate each !
word part.!
Medical Term
Dissection
gastrology
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2.!
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gastr / o / logy
Define each word part.!
Word Part
Type of Word Part
Meaning of Word Part
gastr / o
root word + combining vowel =
combining form
gastr = stomach!
o = combining vowel
logy
suffix
logy = study of
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3.!
Arrange the word parts in the correct order. To figure out the meaning of a
medical term, begin with the suffix. Then go back to the beginning of the term and work
your way across.!
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gastr = stomach!
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o!
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logy = study of!
gastrology = the study of the stomach !
Example 2!
The medical term gastroenterology means “the study of the stomach and the intestines.”
(Typically, the combining form enter/o is used to refer to the small intestine.) This term
contains two root words, two combining vowels, and a suffix.!
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Follow these steps to analyze the medical term gastroenterology:!
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1.!
Divide the term into its word parts by placing a slash between each word part.!
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Medical Term
gastroenterology
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Dissection
gastr / o / enter / o / logy
2.!
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Define each word part.!
Word Part
Type of Word Part
Meaning of Word Part
gastr / o
root word + combining vowel =
combining form
gastr = stomach!
o = combining vowel
enter / o
root word + combining vowel =
combining form
enter = intestines!
o = combining vowel
logy
suffix
logy = study of
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3.!
Arrange the word parts in the correct order. Begin with the suffix; then go back to
the beginning of the term and work your way across.!
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gastr = stomach!
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o!
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enter = intestines! o!
logy = study of!
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gastroenterology = the study of the stomach and intestines!
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Example 3!
The medical term intragastric means “pertaining to within the stomach.” This term
contains a prefix, a root word, and a suffix. It does not require any combining vowels.!
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Follow these steps to analyze the medical term intragastric:!
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1.!
Divide the term into its word parts by placing a slash between each word part.!
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Medical Term
Dissection
intragastric
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2.!
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intra / gastr / ic
Define each word part.!
Word Part
Type of Word Part
Meaning of Word Part
intra
prefix
intra = within
gastr
root word
gastr = stomach
ic
suffix
ic = pertaining to
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3.!
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Arrange the word parts in the correct order.!
intra = within !
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gastr = stomach!
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intragastric = pertaining to within the stomach!
ic = pertaining to!
Example 4 !
Gastrectomy is defined as “the excision (surgical removal) of the stomach.” This term
contains a root word and a suffix. It does not require a combining vowel.!
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Follow these steps to analyze the medical term gastrectomy:!
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1.!
Divide the term into its word parts by placing a slash between each word part.!
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Medical Term
Dissection
gastrectomy
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2.!
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gastr / ectomy
Define each word part.!
Word Part
Type of Word Part
Meaning of Word Part
gastr
root word
gastr = stomach
ectomy
suffix
ectomy = excision or surgical
removal
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3.!
Arrange the word parts in the correct order.!
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gastr = stomach!
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ectomy = excision/surgical removal!
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gastrectomy = the excision or surgical removal of the stomach!
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Medical Word Parts!
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Now that you understand how a medical term is built from prefixes, root words, and
suffixes, we will discuss each of these word parts in more detail.!
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Prefixes!
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Medical prefixes often express information about diseases or abnormal conditions;
anatomical position, location, or direction; measurement; time; number; and color.
Adding or changing a prefix changes the meaning of the medical term.!
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Following are some common prefixes that denote number, quantity, position, location,
and direction in medical terminology.!
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Prefixes that Indicate Number!
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Prefix
Meaning
bi-
two
di-
two; double
quad-
four
tri-
three
uni-
one
Prefixes that Indicate Quantity, Size, or Magnitude!
Prefix
Meaning
hemi-
half
hyper-
above normal
hypo-
below normal
poly-
many; much
Prefixes that Indicate Position, Direction, or Location!
Prefix
Meaning
ab-
away from
ad-
toward
endo-
within
hypo-
below
inter-
between
intra-
within
para-
near; beside
peri-
around
post-
after
pre-
before
sub-
beneath; below
trans-
through; across
Root Words and Combining Forms!
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A root word is the foundation of most medical terms and gives the essential meaning of
the term. Most medical terms are derived from Greek or Latin.!
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All medical terms have one or more root words. The root word often indicates a body
part, but it may also denote an anatomical or physiological quality or condition. If a
medical term contains more than one root word, those root words are typically joined by
a combining vowel. Together, a root word and a combining vowel are called a
combining form.!
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Suffixes!
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A suffix is a single letter or group of letters added to the end of a prefix, root word, or
combining form. A suffix modifies the meaning of the word part to which it is added.
When written by itself, a suffix is preceded by a hyphen.!
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Suffixes modify medical terms by denoting information about diseases or abnormal
conditions, surgical procedures, diagnostic procedures, medical specialties, or
healthcare specialties and practitioners.!
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Suffixes Associated with Diseases and Disorders!
Suffix
Meaning
-ac
pertaining to
-al
pertaining to
-algia
pain
-cele
hernia; swelling; protrusion
-ectasis
dilatation; dilation; expansion
-edema
swelling
-emia
blood condition
-ia
condition
-iasis
abnormal condition
-itis
inflammation
-malacia
softening
-megaly
large; enlargement
-oma
tumor; mass
-osis
abnormal condition
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Suffix
Meaning
-pathy
disease
-penia
deficiency; abnormal reduction
-rrhexis
rupture
-trophy
development
Suffixes Associated with Diagnostic Procedures!
Suffix
Meaning
-gram
record; image
-graph
instrument used to record an image
-graphy
process of recording an image
-meter
instrument used to measure
-metry
process of measuring
-scope
instrument used to observe
-scopy
process of observing
Suffixes Associated with Surgical Procedures!
Suffix
Meaning
-centesis
surgical puncture (to remove fluid)
-ectomy
surgical removal; excision
-lysis
breakdown; loosening; dissolving
-pexy
surgical fixation
-plasty
surgical repair
-rrhaphy
suture
-stomy
new opening (created surgically)
-tomy
incision; cut into
-tripsy
crushing