Introduction to
Medical Terminology
By: Cindy Quisenberry
Medical Terminology
 Most of the foundational terms used in the
health care field are derived from older
languages such as Latin or Greek. Health
care workers must know medical terms
fluently just like a foreign language in order
to be able to function well in their jobs
Medical Terminology
 Much of the medical terminology we use
today is attributed to Hippocrates, who is
considered the
 “____________ __ _______________,”
 and Claudius Galen, one of the most
legendary doctors in the Roman Empire.
Medical Terminology
 Medical dictionaries assist health care
workers by helping them to check the
definition of a medical term or ensure that
they write a term accurately. Spelling words
accurately is very important in the health
care field; it can be the difference between
getting the right organ removed and getting
the wrong organ removed.
Medical Terminology
 Examples:
 Ilium – hip
 Ileum – small intestine
 -ectomy – surgical removal
 -stomy – creating an opening
 -tomy – cutting into, incision
Type of Medical Terminology
 Most health care terms fit into the following
categories:
 Decodable terms
 Non-decodable terms
 Eponyms
 Abbreviations
 Symbols
Decodable Terms
 These terms have Greek/Latin component parts that
can be analyzed and defined. Once the code is
learned, complex terms are easier to decipher or
build.
 For example:








Term: Gastr/itis
Gastr – (word root) stomach
-itis – (suffix) inflammation
Definition: Inflammation of the stomach
Term: Hyster/ectomy
Hyster (word root) – uterus
-ectomy (suffix) – surgical removal
Definition: Surgical removal of the uterus
Decodable Terms
 Finding the meaning of an unknown decodable
word can be done by breaking a word down into
parts, as we did in the previous examples.
Separate the word into parts by using slashes to
distinguish what the terms mean.
 For example, take the term electrocardiogram:
 Word separated: electro/cardi/o/gram
 Word part meanings: electricity/heart/combining
vowel/unit of measurement
 Word meaning: measurement of the heart's electricity
(electric impulses)
Non-Decodable Terms
 These are terms that can’t be divided into
component parts. The entire definition must be
memorized
 Examples:
 Cataract – defined as progressive opacification of the lens.
This term is derived from Greek meaning “waterfall”; this is
not a very helpful deriviation.
 Asthma – defined as a respiratory disorder characterized by
recurring episodes of paroxysmal dyspnea (difficulty
breathing). This term means “panting” in Greek
Eponyms
 These are terms that are named after a person
who either first described the condition,
procedure, or object devised.
 Examples:
 Alzheimer’s – defined as a profressive mental deterioration, it
is named after German neurologist Alois Alzheimer
 Cesarean section – defined as removal of the infant from the
uterus by incision of the uterine wall, it is named after the
manner in which Julius Caesar was born
Abbreviations
 These are terms shortened to a number of letters for
the sake of convienience (documentation or charting
purposes).
 Examples:
 CAD – coronary artery disease
 MI – myocardial infarction
 BID – twice a day
 Some abbreviations are acronyms, which are
pronounceable words from initial letters of a term.
 Example:
 CABG – coronary artery bypass graft
 Abbreviations are common in written and spoken
health care terminology but can pose a hazard.
Symbols
 These graphic representations are also used in
medical terminology.
 Examples:
 Symbol for female: ♀
 Symbol for male: ♂
 Positive or present condition: +
 Negative or deficient condition:  Increase: ↑
 Decrease: ↓
Determining Meaning on the
Basis of Word Parts
 Knowledge of word parts helps decipher
medical terms.
Spelling Is Always Important
 A one-letter spelling error can change the
entire meaning of the word/term.
Using Abbreviations
 Caution is always important when using
abbreviations.
Word Part Guidelines
 A word root cannot stand alone. A suffix
must always be added at the end of the word
to complete the term.
 The rules for creating a combining form by
adding a vowel apply when a suffix
beginning with a consonant is added to a
word root.
 When a prefix is added, it is always placed at
the beginning of the word.
Subcutaneous
 Sub = under (prefix)
 Cutane = skin (word root)
 Ous = pertaining to (suffix)
 Once each part of a medical term is
identified, the basic meaning of the word is
defined.
Break a Medical Term Apart
and “Read” it as a Sentence
 Step 1 – Start with the suffix, and define the
suffix
 Step 2 – Go to the prefix, and define the
prefix
 Step 3 – Go to the middle of the word;
define the word root, combining form, or
both if they exist
 Step 4 – Combine the definitions to decode
the complete medical term or phrase