Introduction to Medical
Terminology
CONCORDE CAREER COLLEGE, PORTLAND
ST110
Objectives
 List the three basic word components.
 Identify and define word roots.
 Recite and apply the rules for combining multiple
roots into a compound word.
Objectives
 Identify word parts and their role in forming medical
terms
 Analyze unfamiliar terms
 Define commonly used prefixes, word roots,
combining forms, and suffixes
Objectives
 Pronounce medical terms correctly
 Recognize the importance of spelling medical
terms correctly
 Correctly use abbreviations
 Recognize, define, spell, and pronounce medical
terms
Word Components
Important Terms:
 Anatomy

The study of the structure or morphology of the body
and how the body parts are organized
 Physiology

The study of the functions of body parts, what they do
and how they do it.
 Pathophysiology

The study of the diseases of the body.
Word Parts
 Four Types
 Word Roots- The foundation of medical terms.
Usually describes part of the body
 Combining Forms- /o
 Prefixes- Beginning of the word
 Suffixes- Added to the end of a complete word
Word Components
 Word Roots
 The basic foundation of a word to which components are
added
 Use the word derm, dermat, derma
 Add/Subtract components to form larger words
Hypodermic
 Dermatologist
 Dermabrasion

Word Root
 Usually describe body part involved
heminephroplasty
 May also indicate color
 Examples: cyan/o, erythr/o
cyanosis erythrocyte
 My/o - _______
 Poli/o ________
Word Components
 Combining Form
 When a word root is combined with a vowel
 Helps in pronunciation so the word will flow
 Most of the time the vowel is an “o”, but sometimes “i”
Dermatology
 Dermatoplasty

Prefixes
 Added to beginning of word
 Usually indicates location, time, or number
heminephroplasty
 Some can be similar in spelling, but opposite in
meaning
Prefixes
 Pre Peri Post Ab Dys Hyper Hypo Brady Tachy-
DysAnti-
Suffixes
 Added to the end of a word root
 Usually indicates procedure, condition, disorder or
disease
tonsillitis
tonsillectomy
 Can mean pertaining to, abnormal condition
 Also used as a noun, to indicate pathology, or
relate to the type of procedure
Suffixes
 Can be used as noun endings
 Name of person, place or thing
 In medical terminology, suffixes can change the
word root into a noun.

EX. Cranium
Crani- skull
 Um- Single noun ending

 Appendix A
Suffixes
 “Pertaining to”
 Adjective- describes or defines a thing
 In medical terminology, suffixes can change the
word root into an adjective

EX. Cardiac
Cardi – Heart
 Ac- pertaining to

Suffixes
 Abnormal condition or disease
 EX gastrosis
Gastro- Stomach
 Osis- Abnormal Condition or disease

Suffixes
 Related to pathology
 Study of all aspects of diseases.
Path - Disease
 Ology – Abnormal Condition or disease


Describe specific disease conditions

Gastralgia
 Gastr - Stomach
 Algia – Pain and Suffering
Suffixes
Common Medical
Common Surgical
 -osis:










 -ac:
 -algia:
 -itis:
 -malacia:
 -necrosis:
 -stenosis:
-otomy
-ectomy
-plasty
-ostomy
- rrhaphy
-pexy
-lysis
-scopy
-graphy
-desis
“Double R” Suffixes
 rrhage - ____________
 rraphy - ____________
 rrhea - ____________
 rrhexis - ____________
How Can I Determine the Meaning of a Word Just by Looking
At It?
 Take the term apart
 Guess
 Use a medical dictionary
 Use additional resources
Word Structure Rules

A prefix is placed at the
beginning of the word
(always)



Anuria
Endocardium
A suffix is placed at the end of
the word root (always)


Cardiology
Carditis
 More than one word root
in a word creates the need
for combining vowels to
connect the roots. This
creates combining forms
used in compound words.


Hematologist
Cytology
Word Structure Rules
 Compound words are
usually composed in this
order:
combining form + word
root + suffix
-leuk/o/cyt/osis
 Defining a medical word
usually begins with
defining the suffix first
and continuing to read
backwords through the
word as you define it.

Cardiomegaly
Word Structure Rules
 When a medical word
has a prefix, the
definition of the word
usually begins with
defining the suffix first,
the prefix second and the
root(s) last.
 When a medical word
identifies body systems or
parts, the definition of the
word usually begins with
defining the suffix first,
then defining the organs
in the order in which they
are studied in the
particular body system.
Using a Medical Dictionary
 Spelling
 If you don’t know how to spell the word, sound it out and write
it down
 If that doesn’t work, look for alternative spellings based on the
beginning sound
Spelling
 ACCURACY is extremely important
 Changing just one or two letters can change the
entire meaning of a word

Example: “ileum” is a part of the small intestine, and “ilium” is
part of the hip bone
nephrectomy
root suffix
nephr/ectomy
kidney/surgical removal of
The surgical removal of the a kidney
nephroplasty
root cv suffix
nephr/o/plasty
kidney/surgical repair
Surgical repair of a kidney
gastroenteritis
root cv root suffix
gastr/o/enter/itis
stomach / small intestine /inflammation of
Inflammation of the stomach & small intestine
Singulars and Plurals
 There are unusual rules for changing a singular word
into a plural one
 The rules are foreign to us because most medical
terms are of Greek or Latin origins
The Rules
 If a word ends in “a”, the plural will have an “e”
added. Ex. Bursa to bursae
 If it ends in “ex” or “ix”, change it to “ices”

Ex. Appendix becomes appendices
 If the term ends in “um”, change it to an “a”
 Ex. Ovum changes to ova
 See table 1.9 (MTHP) for the others pg. 13
Don’t Panic!!!!
 All of these rules may seem overwhelming, but they
will soon become second nature
 If in doubt, look for the plural form in a medical
dictionary
Abbreviations
 Frequently used as a short-hand method of writing
long and complex words or phrases
 Some can be confusing, so watch out!
 Example: BE means “below elbow” and “barium enema”
 A patient would be UPSET if these two terms were
confused!
Basic Terms
 Sign
 Symptom
 Syndrome
 Diagnosis
 Prognosis
 Acute
 Chronic
 remission
Review
What
parts?
are the four types of word
Review
What
are the four types of word
parts?
Word roots, combining forms, suffixes, prefixes
Review
 What does a word root usually describe?
Review
 What does a word root usually describe?
The body part involved
Review
 Where is a suffix added to a word?
Review
 Where is a suffix added to a word?
At the end of a root word
Review
 What are some examples of “Double R” suffixes?
Review
 What are some examples of “Double R” suffixes?
-rrhaphy, -rrhage, -rrhea, -rrhexis
Review
 What part of the root word are prefixes added to?
Review
 What part of the root word are prefixes added to?
The beginning of the word
Review
 Is accuracy important when spelling a medical term?
Review
 Is accuracy important when spelling a medical term?
ABSOLUTELY!!!
Review
 What are some examples of basic medical terms?
Review
 What are some examples of basic medical terms?
Sign, symptom, syndrome, acute, chronic…
Introduction to Medical
Terminology: Prefixes
CONCORDE CAREER COLLEGE, PORTLAND
ST110
Objectives
 Identify and define prefixes
 Recite and apply the rules for combining a prefix to a
root word
Prefixes
 Prefixes are attached directly to the beginning of a
word


Endocardium
Dysuria
 The meaning of a prefix will not change from word to
word


A-always means absence of
Bi-always means two or double
Prefixes that Express Numbersindicate one, two or three or single, half,
double
 Bi-
 Quadri-
 Hemi-
 Semi-
 Milli-
 Tetra-
 Mono-
 Tri-
 Nulli-
 Uni-
 Primi-
Prefixes that Express Measurementindicate quantity or excessive or below
conditions
 Hyper Hyp Hypo Multi Poly-
Prefixes that Express Position and/or
Directiondescribe a location
 Ab-
 Endo-
 Ad-
 Epi-
 Ambi-
 Ex-
 Ante-
 Extra-
 Circum-
 Hypo-
 De-
 In-
 Dia-
 Infra-
 Ecto-
 Inter-
Position/Direction Continued
 Intra-
 Retro-
 Juxta-
 Sub-
 Meso-
 Supra-
 Para-
 Trans-
 Peri Pre Pro-
Prefixes and Combining Forms to
Express Colorcolors of reactions, infections, body fluids
 Alb-
 Jaund/o
 Albin/o
 Leuk/o
 Chlor/o
 Melan/o
 Cirrh/o
 Poli/o
 Cyan/o
 Purpur/o
 Eosin/o
 Rube-
 Erythr/o
 Xanth/o
 Glauc/o
Prefixes to Express Negatives-
not, without, lack of or against
 A-
 Dis-
 An-
 Im-
 Ana-
 In-
 Anti-
 Non-
 Contra-
Introduction to Medical
Terminology: Suffixes & Pleural
CONCORDE CAREER COLLEGE, PORTLAND
ST110
Objectives
 Identify and define suffixes
 Recite and apply the rules for combining a suffix to a
root word
 Recite and apply the rules for changing from singular
to plural word forms
Objectives
 Demonstrate word-building skills by effectively
using accurate written and verbal communication
 Identify abbreviations for medical terms
 Identify and define medical specialties and
specialists by recognizing the basic word
components
Objectives
 Identify and define medical conditions by
recognizing the basic word components
 Identify and define diagnostic and surgical
procedures and the instruments used by recognizing
the basic word components
Suffix Rules
When a suffix begins with a consonant, a
combining vowel is used with the word root that
attaches to the suffix
1.
•
Example- abdominopelvic

abdomin + o +pelv(ic)
Suffix Rules
When a suffix begins with a vowel, the word root
attaches directly to the suffix without the aid of a
combining vowel
1.
•
Example- dorsal

dors + al
Suffix Rules
When defining a medical term, begin the
definition by defining the suffix first
1.
•
Example- gastritis
Plural Words-changing from singular to plural
Change the –a to –ae
A.
•
•
•
pleura
vertebra
ampulla
pleurae
vertebrae
ampullae
Plural Words
Change the –ax to –aces
A.
•
thorax
thoraces
Plural Words
A.
Change the –is to –es



crisis
diagnosis
prognosis
crises
diagnoses
prognoses
Plural Words
Change –ix, -ex, -yx to –ices
A.
•
•
•
appendix
index
coccyx
appendices
indices
coccices
Plural Words
Change the –on to –a
A.
•
•
ganglion
ganglia
phenomenon phenomena
Plural Words
Change the –um to –a
A.
•
•
•
bacterium
datum
epithelium
bacteria
data
epithelia
Plural Words
Change the –us to –i
A.
•
•
•
thrombus
bronchus
coccus
thrombi
bronchi
cocci
Plural Words
Change the –ma to –mata
A.
•
•
•
stoma
fibroma
sarcoma
stomata
fibromata
sarcomata
Noun Suffixes
 These suffixes make a word into a noun (person,





place or thing)
-a
-ate
-e
-emia
-er
-esis
-e
-ia
-iatry
-ion
-ism
-ist
-ole -osis
-tion
-ula
-ule -um
-us
-y
Adjective Suffixes
 These describe the word root they are attached to.
(The red chair.)
 -ac
-al
-ar
 -eal -ic
-ical
 -oid-ory
-ous
-ary
-ile
-tic
Specialties and Specialists
 These are the most common
 -ician
-iatrics
-iatrist
 -iatry
 -ian
 -logist
-ist
-logy
Instruments and Procedures
 Performed in a medical office, out-patient or
hospital
 -centesis
 -ectomy
 -graphy
 -meter
 -plasty
 -scopy
 -tripsy
-clasis
-gram
-ize
-metry
-rrhaphy
-stomy
-desis
-graph
-lysis
-pexy
-scope
-tomy