Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University
Department of Language Proficiency
MEHS010
Medical Terminology Work Sheet
Exercise 1
Suffixes: -ia(state or condition); -ic (pertaining to, related to ); -tic(pertaining to); -sis(state
or condition); -al (pertaining to, related to)
[10]
1. Determine the meanings of the following medical terms by analysing them into their
meaningful constituent parts.
pericarditis
peri-/-CARDI-/-itis/
acardiac
GK kardia
anaerobic
GK aer air
GK bios life
antibiotic
GK bio life
asthenia
GK sthenos strength
analgia
GK algeesis from
algos pain
antiseptic
L septicus
arrhythmia
GK rhythmos
a measured
movement
anhydrosis
GK hydoor –water
a-/-CARDI-/-ac
inflammation of the
pericardial layer
having no heart(congenital)
an-/AEROB-/-ic
lacking molecular oxygen
anti-/-BIO-/-tic
kill other microorganisms
a-/-STHEN-/-ia
lack or loss of strength
an-/-ALG-/-ia
absence of pain
anti-/-SEPT-/-ic
a-/-RYTHM-/-ia/
preventing decay or
putrefaction
irregularity of heartbeat
an-/-HYDR-/-O-/-sis
deficiency of sweating
anoxia
an-/-OX-/-ia
GK oxy -presence
of oxygen in a
compound
amnesia
a-/-MNE-/-sia
GK mnēmonikos
memory
antinarcotic
anti-/-NARC-/-O-/-tic
GK narkē numbness
deficiency or lack of oxygen
lack or loss of memory
agent or substance that
opposes action or narcotic
1
dysrhythmia
GK rythmos
rythm
dys-/-RHYTHM-/-ia
Irregular beat
dys-/-MEN-/-o-/-RRHEA
painful menstruation
loss of
dysmenorrhea
GK men month,
menstruation
Exercise 2
2. From the list below choose term parts to complete the following medical terms
according to the given meanings.
[10]
-bi-; -locat-; -a-; -de-; -en-; dys-; -ec-; -phon-; -ment-; cephaly(head); hydro- (water)
2.1
_bivalve
having two valves
2.2
__bicellular
made up of two cells
2.3
dislocation
2.4
disinfect
the displacement of any part more especially
of a bone
to free from pathogenic or infection
2.5
diphonia
2.6
disulphide
the production of two different tones in
speaking or double voice
a compound with two atoms of sulphur
2.7 dysphonia
impairment in voice
2.8 dyscephaly
malformation of the head
2.9 dementia
impairment of memory
2.10 dehydration
Removal of water from the body
Exercise: 3
Determine the meanings of the following medical terms by analysing them into their
meaningful constituent parts.
-ectopic
GK topos -place
-ec-/-TOP-/-ic
- located away from the
normal position
2
-ectodermic
GK derma -skin
-ecto-/-DERM-/-ic
-pertaining to the outer layer
of the skin
-encephalalgia
GK cephal - head
GK algos - pain
-en-/-CEPHAL-/-ALG-/-ia
head ache
encysted
GK kystis - abnormal
closed cavity in the body
-endocardial
GK kardia -heart
-en-/-cysted
enclosed in a sac
-endo-/CARDI-/-al
pertaining to the outer
membrane of the heart
-epiglottic
GK glottis -the vocal
apparatus of the larynx
-epi-/-glott-/-ic
pertaining to the
cartilaginous structure
hanging at the entrance of
the larynx
chemical reaction in which
heat is released outside
-the covering of internal and
external surfaces of the body
-exothermic
GK therme - heat
-epithelium
-GK thele
- nipple
-exo-/therm-/-ic
--epi-/-thelium
Exercise: 4
From the list below choose term parts to complete the following medical terms according to
the given meanings.
hemi-; therm-; troph-; hyper-; -an- (lack of); nephr- (kidney); homo-; hetero-; -costal - ribs;
homeo-; pleg-(paralysis) hypo-; stas- (state of equilibrium); -haem- (blood); vena- (vessel
through which blood flows); glyc- (sweet); orbit –(bony cavity that contains the eye ball);
esthe-( feeling or sensation); calci- (calcium);
4.1
___________________sthesia
loss of sensation on one side of the body
4-2 heterothermy
different body temperatures at different
times and conditions (cold blooded animals)
4.3 hyperactive
greater than normal response
4.4 homeostasis
state of stability in the normal body
4.5 hypoglycemia
diminished concentration of glucose in the
blood
lying under the orbit
4.6 infraorbital
3
4.7 hypocalcemia
reduction of blood calcium
4.8 intercostal
situated in between the ribs
4.9 intracardiac
within in the heart
4.10 intravenous
within the vein
Exercise: 5
Determine the meanings of the following medical terms by analysing them into their
meaningful constituent parts.
-metastasis
GK -stasis -stand
-metachrosis
GK chroma colour
-pericephalic
Gk –cephal head
-meta-/-stasis-/
-meta-/-chro-/-sis
transfer of disease from one organ or
part to another
colour of change in animals
-peri-/cephal-/-ic
near or around the head
-perinephric
GK -nephros kidney
promegaloblast
GK megalo megalou
big,
-blast GK blastos
germ cells
-prosthodontist
GK -odous tooth
-peri-/nephr-/ic
surrounding the kidney
-pro-/megalo-/blast
-earliest developmental form of
abnormal red blood cells
-prosth-/odon-/-tist
a specialist who specializes in
prosthodontics
Exercise:6
What is the function of –scope in
6.1.1 endoscope
6.1.2 gastroscope -an instrument to view the interior of the stomach
6.1.3 rhinoscope 6.1.4 bronchoscope
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6.2 What is the difference between
1.
tonsillectomy and glossectomy
tonsillectomy - surgical removal of a tonsil
glossectomy-
partial or total surgical removal of a tongue
2 enterostomy and gastrostomy
enterostomy -formation of a permanent opening into the intestine through the
abdominal wall
gastrostomy --surgical creation of an artificial opening into the stomach
3 tonsillotomy -incision or removal of a part of a tonsil
glossotomy -(incision into) the tongue
nephrotomy - ( incision into) surgical incision of kidney
Exercise 7
Match Prefix to the correct meaning
7.1
sym-
together
7.2
schiz-
split
7.3
retro-
backward, behind
middle (7.6)
7.4
primi-
first
below, under
7.5
pan-
7.6
meso-
down, remove
all, total, every
backward, behind
middle
7.7 nulli -
Within
none
7.8 ne-/o
7.9 meta-
split (7.2)
(7.15)
None
new
(7.7)
little, few
after, change, beyond
first
(7.4)
7.10 mal-
bad
away , apart (7.17)
7.11 iso-
equal
new
7.12 infra -
below, beneath
(7.8)
outside
5
(7.13)
(7.12)
(7.3)
7.13 exo outside, toward the
outside, from the outside
painful
7.14 eu-
together
7.15 endo7.16 ecto7.17 dis7.18 de7.19 parabeyond
7.20 dysdefective
normal, good
within, inner
good
outside of
bad
twice, double
(7.20)
(7.1)
(7.14)
(7.10)
across
down, away from, absent
Equal
alongside, around, beside,
(7.11)
removal, absence
painful, difficult, abnormal,
beyond, near
Exercise 8
Write prefixes with opposite meanings.
8.1 micro
______________ megaly -
8.2 hyper
_______________ hypo -
8.3 brady
_______________ tachy-
8.4 mal
________________ eu-
8.5 homo
________________ hetero -
Exercise 9
Write number besides prefix that matches meaning on left.
9.1 red
_____________
ab 11
9.2 black
_____________
across 6
9.3 green
______________
ad 12
9.4 blue
______________
chlor(o) 3
9.5 white
______________
cyan(o) 4
9.6 trans
______________
dorso 8
6
(7.9)
9.7 left
______________
epi
9.8 back
______________
erthry(o) (9.1)
9.9 after
______________
latero 11
9.10 upon
______________
leuco 5
9.11 away from
______________
melan(o) 2
9.12 towards
______________
post 9
9.13 side
_____________
sinistro 9.7
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