Medical Terminology
Dr Atef Masad
PhD Biomedicine
United Kingdom
Goal of Course
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Communication between medical specialists
and supporting staff requires knowledge of a
consistent and reproducible vocabulary.
It is important for students to realize that
accurate spelling, pronunciation, and usage
of medical terms is of extreme importance in
the care of a patient.
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Textbook:
1- An Introduction to Medical Terminology for
Health Care BY Andrew R. Mutton THIRD
EDITION.
2- Medical terminology for health professions
 Sixth Edition BY ANN EHRLICH and CAROL
L. SCHROEDER
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Course Objectives
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At the end of the course, students will be
able to:
Identify and describe the major organ
systems of the body.
Describe the major diseases and disorders
affecting each body system.
Define word roots, combining forms, prefixes,
and suffixes of medical terms.
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Define new and unfamiliar words by
analyzing the elements of medical
terminology.
Master pronunciation and spelling of
common medical words.
Evaluate and interpret medical records and
other forms of medical communication.
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Course Grading Policies:
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Midterm exam
Quizzes
Semester project
Final Examination
30%
10%
10%
50%
100%
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Written exams will consist of multiple choice,
true-false, and essay questions. A portion of
the each exam will be dictated vocabulary
where you will be required to furnish the
correct spelling and/or definition of a word.
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Quizzes will consist of multiple choice and
dictation questions. Quizzes will consist of
questions taken from the previous week’s
material.
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The final examination will be a cumulative
exam featuring questions from the entire
semester and semester projects.
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Semester Project:
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One of the objectives of the course is to
ascertain knowledge of diseases and
disorders which affect the major body
systems.
The semester project will give the student an
opportunity to study and learn about a
particular disease state.
The semester project will link the vocabulary
you learn throughout the semester to real-life
medicine.
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Components of the Project:
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A written paper describing the disease state.
This paper should be no longer than 3
pages, typewritten, size 12 font.
The written paper should include a
bibliography in the standard format.
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An oral presentation
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You will give a 10-15 minute presentation to
the class about your selected disease/topic.
You should stress how the disease presents,
how it is diagnosed, what system and organs
are affected, how it is treated, and a
discussion about how the disease relates to
this course.
The presentation may be a poster board or
PowerPoint type.
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Your presentation should include a one-page
original handout about the disease. You
should prepare this handout for each
member of the class. The final exam will
include questions taken from these handouts
and presentations.
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Four Parts
• Word Root
– the word part that is the core of the word
• Suffix
– a word part attached to the end of the word root to
modify its meaning
• Prefix
– a word part attached to the beginning of a word
root to modify its meaning
• Combining Vowel
– a word part, usually an “O”
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Word Root
• The word root is the word part that is
the core of the word
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The word root usually refers to a body part.
Some root words are derived from the Latin or
Greek language.
– player = play / er
– arthritis = arthr / itis
– hepatitis = hepat / itis
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Word Root Examples
 “dent”
means tooth
 “dermat” means skin
 “cardi” means heart
 “gastr” means stomach
 “pancreat” means pancreas
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Suffix
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The suffix is a word part attached to the end
of the word root to modify its meaning
– player = play / er
– hepatic = hepat / ic
– hepatitis = hepat / itis
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Suffixes
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A suffix is a word element placed at the end of a word
or word root that changes the meaning of the word.
In the terms tonsill/itis, and tonsill/ectomy, the suffixes
are
–
–
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Changing the suffix changes the meaning of the word.
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In medical terminology, a suffix usually indicates a
procedure, condition, disease, or part of speech.
Many suffixes are derived from Greek or Latin words
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-itis (inflammation)
and -ectomy (excision, removal).
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Suffixes Denoting Incisions
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-centesis
puncture
arthrocentesis
-ectomy excision, removal
appendectomy
-stomy forming an opening (mouth)
colostomy
-tome instrument to cut
osteotome
-tomy incision, cut into
phlebotomy
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Suffixes Denoting Reconstructive
Surgeries
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-desis
binding, fixation (of a bone, joint)
arthrodesis
-pexy
suspension, fixation (of an organ)
mastopexy
-rrhaphy suture
myorrhaphy
-plasty
surgical repair
rhinoplasty
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Suffixes Denoting Refractururing,
Loosening, or Crushing
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-clasis
break, fracture
osteoclasis
-lysis
separation, destruction, loosening
enterolysis
-tripsy
crushing
lithotripsy
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Diagnostic, Symptomatic, and
Related Suffixes
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-algia
cephalalgia
-dynia
gastrodynia
-cele
hepatocele
-ectasis
bronchiectasis
pain
pain
hernia, swelling
dilation, expansion
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-emesis
vomiting
hyperemesis
-emia
blood condition
leukemia
-gen or -genesis forming, producing, origin
carcinogen or osteogenesis
-gram
record, a writing
cardiogram
-graph
instrument
cardiograph
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-iasis
abnormal condition
cholelithiasis
-itis
inflammation
gastritis
-lith
stone, calculus
cholelith
-logist
specialist in the study of
dermatologist
-logy
study of
psychology
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-malacia
osteomalacia
-megaly
hepatomegaly
-meter
thermometer
-metry
pelvimetry
-oid
lipoid
softening
enlargement
instrument for recording
act of measuring
resembling
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-oma
tumor
adenoma
-osis
abnormal condition, increase
dermatosis
-para
to bear (also a prefix)
multipara
-paresis
partial paralysis
hemaparesis
-pathy
disease
neuropathy
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-penia
decrease, deficiency
leukopenia
-phagia
eating, swallowing
dysphagia
-phasia
speech
aphasia
-philia
attraction to
hemophilia
-phobia
fear
claustrophobia
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-plasia
formation, growth
hyperplasia
-plegia
paralysis, stroke
hemiplegia
-poiesis
formation, production
hemopoiesis
-ptosis
prolapse
hysteroptosis
-rrhage or -rrhagia
bursting forth
hemorrhage or menorrhagia
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-rrhea
discharge, flow
diarrhea
-rrhexis rupture
angiorrhexis
-scope
instrument to view
gastroscope
-scopy
visual examination
gastroscopy
-spasm
involuntary contraction
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-stasis
standing still
hemostasis
-stenosis
narrowing, stricture
arteriostenosis
-toxic
poison
thyrotoxic
-trophy
development, nourishment
atrophy
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Prefixes
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A prefix is a word element attached to the
beginning of a word or word root.
Adding or changing a prefix changes the
meaning of the word.
The prefix usually indicates a number, time,
position, or direction.
Many of the same prefixes found in medical
terminology are also found in the English
language
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Examples
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– replay = re / play
– subhepatic = sub / hepat / ic
– intravenous = intra / ven / ous (within, vein,
relating to
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Hypoinsulinemia
Hypo / insulin / emia
Prefix
LOW
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Word root
INSULIN
suffix
BLOOD
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Notice that there is
no combining vowel
in this word because
the prefix ends with
a vowel and the
suffix begins with a
vowel.
Dr Atef Masad
Prefixes of Position
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Anteprepro-
antepartum, antecubital
preoperative
prootic
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epi
epidermis, epidural, epinephrine
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Prefixes of Position
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hypoinfrasubintermedimeso-
hypodermic, hypoallergenic
infrapubic
subcutaneous, submarine
intercostal, internet
medial, median
mesoderm
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Prefixes of Position
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postretro-
postnatal
retroperitoneal
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Prefixes of Number and
Measurement
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Bidipldiplo
hemisemihypermacro-
bilateral
diplopia
diplococci
hemiplegia
semicircular
hyperglycemia
large
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Prefixes of Number and
Measurement
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Micromonounimulti-
microscope
mononuclear
unilateral
multipara
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Prefixes of Number and
Measurement
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Polyprimiquadritri-
polyphobia, polymer
primigravida
quadriplegia
triceps
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Prefixes of Negation
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Aanimin-
asymptomatic
anesthesia
impotency
insane, insensitive
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Prefixes of Direction
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Ab-abnormal
adadduction, addition
circum- circumoral, circumference
periperiosteitis, perimeter
ecectopia
exexcise
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Prefixes of Direction
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Diatransectoexoextraendointra-
diarrhea
transfusion
ectoderm
exotropia
extraocular
endocardium
intradermal
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Prefixes of Direction
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Parasupersupraanticontrabradydys-
paranasal
supersensitive
suprarenal
antibacterial
contraception
slow
dyspepsia
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Prefixes of Direction
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Eu-eupnea
hetero- different
homo- homosexual
malmalnutrition
panpanhysterectomy, panacea
pseudo- pseudoplegia
synsynarthrosis, synthesis
tachy- tachypnea
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Combining Vowel
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The combining vowel is a word part, usually
an
“o” and is used:
– between word roots
– between a word root & a suffix to ease
pronunciation
– thermometer = therm / o / meter
– arthropathy = arthr / o / pathy
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Oste / o / arthr / it is
– The combining vowel is used to ease
pronunciation;
therefore, not all medical terms have
combining vowels.
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Combining form
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A combining form is a word root with the
combining vowel attached, separated by a
vertical slash
it is not a word part, rather it is the
association of the word root and the
combining vowel.
To analyze a medical term divide it into word
parts, label each word part, and label the
combining forms.
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Combining Forms
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Combining forms consist of a combining
vowel.
The combining vowel is usually an “o”, but
others may be used.
IE: gastr / o
Word root
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pronounced GASTRO.
Combining vowel
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Guidelines
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Guideline # one
– When connecting a word root and a suffix,
a combining vowel is usually not used if the
suffix begins with a vowel. Hepat / ic
– When connecting two word roots, a
combining vowel is usually used even if
vowels are present at the junction.
A word root cannot stand alone. A suffix must
be added to complete the term.
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Word-Building System
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By understanding the meanings of word
roots, one can determine the meaning of
complex medical terms by putting
together the smaller parts.
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Leukocytopenia
Word Roots: Leuk / (white)
cyt /
(cell)
Combining Vowel
/o/
Suffix:
/ penia
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A combining vowel is used between a word root and
a suffix that begins with a consonant (not a vowel).
This is to make pronunciation easier.
Word root: scler / (hardening)
Suffix:
/ derma (skin)
Term:
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Scler / o / derma
Combining vowel
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Review
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A combining vowel IS used to link one
root to another root, and before a suffix
that begins with a consonant.
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A combining vowel IS NOT used before
a suffix that begins with a vowel.
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Defining Medical Words
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Here are the three basic rules for defining medical
words using the example term gastroenteritis.
Rule #1
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Rule #2
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Define the first part of the word (which may be a word root,
combining form, or prefix). In this case, the combining form gastr/o
means stomach.
Rule #3
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Define the suffix, or last part of the word. In this case, -itis, which
means inflammation.
Define the middle parts of the word. In this case, enter/ means
intestine.
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Defining Medical Words
When you analyze gastroenteritis following the
three previous rules, the meaning is revealed as:
1. inflammation (of)
2. stomach (and)
3. intestine
 Thus, the definition of gastroenteritis is
“inflammation (of) stomach (and) intestine.”
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Building Medical Words
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There are three basic rules for building medical
words.
Rule #1
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Rule #2
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A combining form (root + o) links a suffix that begins
with a consonant.
Rule #3
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A word root links a suffix that begins with a vowel.
Use a combining form to link a root to another root to
form a compound word.
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