MEDICAL
TERMINOLOGY
Dr. Michael P. Gillespie
CATEGORIES OF MEDICAL
TERMS
 Descriptive – descriptive medical terms describes the shape, size,
color, function etc. of the anatomical structure.
 Eponyms – literally “putting a name upon” - are used to honor
someone who first discovered or described an anatomical structure,
diagnosed a disease, or developed a medical instrument or procedure.
• Eponyms give no useful information about what the item is or where
it is located.
EXAMPLES OF EPONYMS
 Fallopian tubes (uterine tubes) – Gabriello Fallopio
 Eustachean tubes (auditory tubes) – Bartolommeo Eustachii
OBJECTIVES
 Analyze words by dividing them into component parts.
• Do not simply memorize terms.
• Break words up into their component parts.
 Relate the medical terms to the structure and function of the human body.
• The medical terms will be easier to understand if you know their context in
health and disease processes.
 Be aware of spelling and pronunciation problems.
• Some medical terms are pronounced alike, but spelled differently (i.e. ilium and
ileum).
• Some medical terms are similar and a mispronunciation can lean to a
misunderstanding (i.e. urethra and ureter).
ELEMENTS OF MEDICAL
TERMS
 Root – the root is the foundation of the word. All medical words have
one or more roots.
 Prefix – word beginning. Usually identifies some subdivision or part
of the central meaning.
 Suffix – word ending. Modifies the central meaning.
 Combining vowel – usuallu an “o”. Links the root to a suffix or
another root.
 Combining form – combination of the root plus the combining vowel.
WORD ROOT
 Therm = heat
 Hypothermia – less heat
 Thermometer – measuring heat
EXAMPLE
 Myocarditis
 Prefix
Root
Suffix
 Myo = muscle
card = heart
it is = inflammation
PREFIX CHANGE
 Myocarditis – inflammation of the muscle layer of the heart
 Pericarditis – inflammation of the outer layer of the heart
 Endocarditis – inflammation of the inner layer of the heart
SUFFIX CHANGE
 Cardiologist – a physician specializing in the heart
 Cardiomyopathy – damage to the heart muscle layer
 Cardiomegaly – enlargement of the heart
3 GENERAL RULES
 1. Read the meaning of the medical terms from the suffix back to
the beginning of the term and across.
 2. Drop the combining vowel (usually o) before a suffix beginning
with a vowel: gastritis not “gastroitis”.
 3. Keep the combining vowel between two roots:
gastroenterology, not “gastrentology”.
HEMATOLOGY
 HEMAT
/O
 Root
/ Combining vowel / Suffix
/ LOGY
 Hemat means blood and logy means the process of study.
 Hematology means the process of study of blood.
ELECTROCARDIOGRAM
 Electr / o
/ cardi
/o
/ gram
 Root
/ Root
/ CV
/ Suffix
/ CV
 Elect means electricity
 Cardi means heart
 Gram means record
 Electrocardiogram means record of the electricity in the heart.
GASTRITIS
 Gastr
/ it is
 Root
/ suffix
 Gastr means stomach
 It is means inflammation
 Gastritis means inflammation of the stomach.
GASTROENTEROLOGY
 Gastr
/o
/ enter
/o
/ logy
 Root
CV
Root
CV
Suffix
 Gastr means stomach
 Enter means intestines
 Logy means the process of study
 Gastroenterology means process of study of the stomach and
intestines
COMBINING FORMS
 Hemat
/o
 Root
/ combining vowel
 Gastr
/o
 Root
/ combining vowel
 Cardi
/o
 Root
/ combining vowel
 Combining forms are used with many different suffixes.
PREFIXES
 Hypo
/ gastr
/ ic
 Prefix
/ Root
/ Suffix
 Below
/ stomach / pertaining to
 Hypogastric means pertaining to below the stomach
 Epi
/ gastric
 Prefix
/ Root
 Above
/ stomach
 Epigastric means pertaining to above the stomach
COMMON PREFIXES AND
SUFFIXES
 Itis = inflammation (tonsillitis, appendicitis, hepatitis)
 Osis = abnormal condition (cyanosis)
 Ectomy = to cut out [remove] (appendectomy, tonsillectomy)
 Otomy = to cut into (tracheotomy)
 Ostomy = to make a [mouth] (colostomy)
 A / an = without / none (anemia, areflexia)
COMMON PREFIXES AND
SUFFIXES
 Micro = small (microscopic)
 Macro = large (macroscopic)
 Mega / megaly = enlarged (megacolon, organomegaly)
 Scopy / scopic = to look / observe (colonoscopy)
 Graphy / graph = recording an image (mammography)
 Gram = the image (mammogram)
 Ology / ologist = study / specialize in (cardiologist, rheumatology)
WORD ROOTS FOR ORGANS
Root
Meaning
Example
Stomato
Mouth
Stomatitis
Dento
Teeth
Dentist
Glosso / linguo
Tongue
Glossitis, lingual
gland
Gingivo
Gums
Gingivitis
Encephalo
Brain
Encephalitis
Gastro
Stomach
Gastritis
Entero
Intestine
Gastroenteritis
Colo
Large intestine
Colitis, megacolon
WORD ROOTS FOR ORGANS
Root
Meaning
Example
Procto
Anus / rectum
Proctitis, proctologist
Hepato
Liver
Hepatitis,
hepatomegaly
Nephro / rene
Kidney
Nephrosis, renal
Orchiso
Testis
Orchiditis
Oophoro
Ovary
Oophorectomy
Hystero / metro
Uterus
Hysterectomy,
endometritis
Salpingo
Uterine tubes
Hysterosalpingogram
Dermo
Skin
Dermatitis
WORD ROOTS FOR ORGANS
Root
Meaning
Example
Masto / mammo
Breast
Mammography,
mastectomy
Osteo
Bones
Osteoporosis
Cardio
Heart
Electrocardiogram
Cysto
Bladder
Cystitis
Rhino
Nose
Rhinitis
Phlebo / veno
Veins
Phlebitis, phlebotomy
Pneumo / pulmo
Lung
Pneumonitis,
pulmonologist
Hemo / emia
Blood
Hematologist, anemia