Introduction
to
MEDICAL TERMS
This video will help you to:
Divide medical words into their component parts.
Interpret and construct basic medical terms.
Creative Commons
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
By: Giselle Pierre
PIDP Assignment 4
Medical Terminology
Do you know any Greek or Latin?
 alma mater - kind mother (a school, college, or
university which one has attended)
 vice versa - the terms being reversed
 ante meridiem (A.M) - before noon
Word Parts are like
Parts of a Puzzle
PREFIX
ROOT
SUFFIX
Always start with the SUFFIX-
RULE # 1:
Read the meaning from right to left
SUFFIX – the word ending
ALL medical terms have a
SUFFIX
SUFFIX
Added to the END of a word
To change a word’s meaning.
helpful
PREFIX ROOT
SUFFIX
PREFIX ROOT
Common suffixes
-ac -al : pertaining to
-ectomy : surgical removal
-emia : blood condition
-ia : condition
-ist : specialist
-itis : inflammation
-logy : study of
-oma : tumor
-pathy : disease
-phobia : fear
SUFFIX
PREFIX ROOT
Example:
-logy = (suffix) study
bio = (root) life
Biology = Study of life
SUFFIX
PREFIX ROOT
ROOT - the foundation of the term.
Terms can have more than one root.
Example
root s
arthr : joint
calc : calcium
cardi : heart
cost : ribs
gastr : stomach
hepat : liver
nat : birth
pneumon : air, lung
psych : mind
nephr; ren : kidney
SUFFIX
PREFIX ROOT
COMBINING VOWEL
Usually the letter ‘o’.
It links the root to the suffix.
or
Links the root to another root.
SUFFIX
PREFIX ROOT
COMBINING FORM:
Combination of the root and the
combining vowel
Example:
The combining form for joint would be
arthr/o
SUFFIX
PREFIX ROOT
SUFFIX
RULE #2:
Drop the combining vowel before a suffix if the suffix
starts with a vowel.
Example:
gastr/
gastr/o
-itis
gastritis
is the word root for stomach
is the combining form for stomach
the suffix for inflammation
Yes you got it! Inflammation of the stomach.
PREFIX ROOT
RULE #3:
Keep the combining vowel between two roots.
Example:
oste/
oste/o
arthr/
-itis
Osteoarthritis
is the word root for bone
is the combining form for bone
is the word root for joint
the suffix for inflammation
Inflammation of bone and joint
SUFFIX
PREFIX ROOT
PREFIX – the word beginning
NOT all medical terms have a PREFIX
PREFIX
Added to the BEGINNING of a
word to change a word’s
meaning
overjoyed
SUFFIX
PREFIX ROOT
Common prefixes
an- : without, not
circum- peri- : around
epi- : above; upon
pan- : all
pre- : before, in front of
hyper- : excessive, above normal
inter- : between
poly- multi- : many, much
sub- : under, below
tachy- : rapid
SUFFIX
Examples:
Arthr/itis : Inflammation of a joint
Hepat/ic : Pertaining to the liver
Nephr/o/logy : Study of the kidneys
Circum/ren/al : pertaining to around the kidney
an- : without, not
circum- peri- : around
epi- : above; upon
pan- : all
pre- : before, in front of
hyper- : excessive, above normal
inter- : between
poly- multi- : many, much
sub- : under, below
tachy- : rapid
arthr : joint
calc : calcium
cardi : heart
cost : ribs
gastr : stomach
hepat : liver
nat : birth
pneumon : air, lung
psych : mind
nephr; ren : kidney
PREFIX ROOT
SUFFIX
-ac -al : pertaining to
-ectomy : surgical
removal
-emia : blood
condition
-ia : condition
-ist : specialist
-itis : inflammation
-logy : study of
-oma : tumor
-pathy : disease
-phobia : fear
Now it is your turn!
Have fun constructing some more medical terms using the word
parts and following the rules.
How many terms you can construct? Try to form at least 5 terms.
How many terms did you construct? 5? 10?
Your turn again - define these terms:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Gastrectomy
Hepatoma
Hypercalcemia
Polyphobia
Subcostal
Answers:
1) Gastrectomy – surgical removal of the stomach
2) Hepatoma – tumor of the liver
3) Hypercalcemia – excessive calcium in the blood
4) Polyphobia – fear of many things
5) Subcostal – pertaining to below the ribs
Don’t be stressed
You will pass the test
All you have to do
Is expand your vocab
And all will be fab
Remember the rules
And all will be cool
Put it all together
And you will be a master
PREFIX ROOT
SUFFIX
PREFIX ROOT
SUFFIX
References
Gylys, B. and Wedding, M.E. (2013). Medical Terminology
Systems :A Body Systems Approach. F.A. Davis: U.S.A
Latin-Phrases.co.uk: the Latin Phrases Dictionary (2005)
Retrieved from http://latin-phrases.co.uk/