What's in a Word?
The Basics of Medical Terminology
Lesson Objectives
• What are the 3 parts of a Medical Term?
• What are the rules for including combining vowels?
• How does one make singular Medical Terms into the
plural?
Medical Terms: A Dissection
APHASIA
A Medical Term is made up of three parts:
Medical Terms: A Dissection
APHASIA
A Medical Term is made up of three parts:
COMBINING FORM: main 'root' of the word
Medical Terms: A Dissection
APHASIA
A Medical Term is made up of three parts:
COMBINING FORM: main 'root' of the word
PREFIX: affixed to the beginning of the Combining Form
Medical Terms: A Dissection
APHASIA
A Medical Term is made up of three parts:
COMBINING FORM: main 'root' of the word
PREFIX: affixed to the beginning of the Combining Form
SUFFIX: affixed to the end of the Combining Form
Medical Terms: A Dissection
APHASIA
The condition of the absence of speech
PREFIX: affixed to the beginning of the Combining Form
SUFFIX: affixed to the end of the Combining Form
Practice Terms
1. hepatomegaly
hepat/o + megaly
2. ostectomy
oste/o + ectomy
3. pericarditis
peri + cardi/o + itis
4. hematology
5. parenteral
hemat/o + logy
para+ entere/o + al
Medical Terms: A Dissection
GASTROENTEROSTOMY
Oftentimes, Medical Terms contain 'extra' vowels, called
COMBINING VOWELS. These vowels serve two purposes:
Medical Terms: A Dissection
GASTROENTEROSTOMY
Oftentimes, Medical Terms contain 'extra' vowels, called
COMBINING VOWELS. These vowels serve two purposes:
1. To join two combining forms in a compound term
Medical Terms: A Dissection
GASTROENTEROSTOMY
Oftentimes, Medical Terms contain 'extra' vowels, called
COMBINING VOWELS. These vowels serve two purposes:
1. To join two combining forms in a compound term
2. To join a combining form to a suffix beginning with a
consonant
Medical Terms: A Dissection
GASTROENTEROSTOMY
The creation of an opening between the stomach
and small intestines
Medical Terms: A Dissection
CARDITIS
(CARDI/O + ITIS)
Exception:
1. If a root ends in a vowel and the suffix begins with the
same vowel, the final vowel from the root is dropped and
no combining vowel is used.
Medical Terms: A Dissection
CARDITIS
(CARDI/O + ITIS)
inflammation of the heart
Practice Terms
1. "excision of bone" (oste/o + tomy)
2. "inflammation around the heart"
(peri + cardi/o + itis)
3. "the expansion of a vessel"
(angi/o + ectasis)
4. "pertaining to the esophagus"
(esophag/o + eal)
Practice Terms
1. "excision of bone" (oste/o + tomy)
osteotomy
2. "inflammation around the heart"
(peri + cardi/o + itis)
pericarditis
3. "the expansion of a vessel"
(angi/o + ectasis)
angiectasis
4. "pertaining to the esophagus"
(esophag/o + eal)
esophageal
Singular vs. Plural
LATIN
Since the majority of Medical Terms are derived from
Latin and Greek, they form their plurals as Latin and
Greek words do.
Singular
Plural
-a
-ae
-is
-es
-um
-a
-us
-i
Singular vs. Plural
GREEK
Since the majority of Medical Terms are derived from
Latin and Greek, they form their plurals as Latin and
Greek words do.
Singular
Plural
-ma
-mata
-on
-a
-ax, -ex, -ix
-aces, -ices
-y
-ies
Practice Terms
1. vertebra
2. phenomenon
3. thorax
4. fungus
5. diagnosis
Practice Terms
1. vertebra
vertebrae
2. phenomenon
phenomena
3. thorax
thoraces
4. fungus
fungi
5. diagnosis
diagnoses
Lesson Objectives
• What are the 3 parts of a Medical Term?
• What are the rules for including combining vowels?
• How does one make singular Medical Terms into the
plural?
Groups for the Session:
Group 5
Alicia
Jordan
Aurora
Oluwatoyin Neil
Nicollette
Roshni
Mario
Rebecca
Samantha
Pai-Yao
Christina Noah
Andrew
William
Kayla
Leah
Lee
David
Erika
Rogchelle
Deeanna Shane
Haley