Chapter 10: Medical Terminology
Basics
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Introduction
• Greek & Latin influences
• Understanding medical terminology:
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Adds precision
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Helps prevent medical mistakes
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Word Parts
• Root
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Fundamental element of every medical term
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Establishes basic meaning
• Suffix
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Short element added to end of root to modify its meaning
• Prefix
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Short element added before root to modify its meaning
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Word Parts (cont’d)
• Most medical terms are composed of roots, suffixes, &
prefixes
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Word Parts (cont’d)
• Root and Combining Form
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Basis for term’s meaning
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Most derived from Greek or Latin
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Compound word: contains more than one root
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Vowel (usually o) inserted between root & suffix
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Example: cardi + o + logy = cardiology (“study of the heart”)
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Root + combining vowel = combining form
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Word Parts (cont’d)
• Some terms include a root, a combining vowel, and a
suffix
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Word Parts (cont’d)
• Suffix
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Letter or combination of letters added to end of a root
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Modifies root’s meaning
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Can indicate part of speech or number
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Typically adds meaning to beginning of a word’s definition
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Often used to describe a symptom, disease, or surgical
treatment
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Example: psych + o + -logy = psychology (“study of the mind”)
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Word Parts (cont’d)
• Prefix
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Changes meaning of word to which it is added
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Attached to beginning of root word or combing form
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Indicates position or direction (anti-)
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Indicates size or quantity of measurement (micro-)
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Denotes time or rate of change (tachy-)
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Decoding Medical Terms
• 1. Break term into its parts
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echocardiogram: echo- + cardio + -gram
• 2. Determine meaning of each part
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echo- = “a returned or reflective sound”
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cardio = “heart”
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-gram = “record”
• 3. Join definitions of each part to create overall meaning
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“a record of the heart made by using returned or reflective
sounds”
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Spelling
• Watch Out for the Following
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Same sound, different spelling & meaning
• Example: ileum (part of intestine) vs. ilium (part of hip bone)
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Similar sound, different spelling & meaning
• Example: abduction (to draw away from) vs. adduction (to
draw towards
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Silent letters in a term: p in pterygium
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Pay attention to context
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Pronunciation
• Pronunciation of word parts often changes when
combined in different ways
• Pronunciations vary by region
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Abbreviations and Symbols
• Shortened forms of a word or group of words
• Time savers
• Can cause confusion when not universally used
• Usage varies in different institutions
• Follow policies of your institution
• Acronym: an abbreviation formed from first letter of
each word in a phrase (ASAP = as soon as possible)
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Using a Medical Dictionary
• Specialized reference books used by health care
professionals
• Includes
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Meaning & pronunciation of terms
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Synonyms
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Origins of words (etymology)
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Using a Medical Dictionary (cont’d)
• Common Information Found in Appendices
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Measurements
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Clinical tests
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Drugs
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Diagnoses
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Body structures
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Information resources
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Using a Medical Dictionary (cont’d)
• Special Dictionary Formats
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Specialized for a certain field (Nursing)
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Portable size
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CD format
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Online format
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Medical acronyms & abbreviations books
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