MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY
Medical Terminology
• Mainly formed from Greek and Latin words
• Most careers in Health Care require an
understanding of medical terms
• Medical words are usually divided into
parts
• We use common rules to break a word or
term apart and read it as a “sentence”
Using Word Parts to Build Terminology
Four word parts make up a medical term:
1. Word root
2. Combining form
3. Prefix
4. Suffix
Using Word Parts to Build Terminology
1. Word Root (WR)
•
•
•
•
The basic meaning of the term
Usually indicates a body part
Usually in Latin or Greek
All terms must have one or more word roots – if
it has more than one word root, it is a compound
word
Eg.
Root
Meaning
Neur
Nerve
Cost
rib
Using Word Parts to Build Terminology
2. Combining Form (CF)
• This is a word root plus a vowel to help
pronounce certain medical terms
• The most common vowel is ‘o’
• Combining forms are used between word roots
in a compound word or when a suffix starts with
a consonant
Eg.
Combining Form
Meaning
Neur/o
Nerve
Cost/o
rib
Using Word Parts to Build Terminology
NOTE:
• use the combining form of the word root
when the suffix begins with a consonant
For example: neuropathy = neur + o + pathy
• If the suffix begins with a vowel, do not
use the combining form of the word root
For example: neuritis = neur + itis
Using Word Parts to Build Terminology
3. Prefix
• Used at the beginning of a medical term
• They describe, modify or limit the term
• Not all medical terms have prefixes!
Eg.
Prefix
Meaning
Trans-
Across, through
Intra-
In, within
Sub-
Less than, under
Using Word Parts to Build Terminology
4. Suffix
• The word ending
• To change the meaning of a word, we frequently
change the suffix
• When connected to a word. The suffix will create
a noun, adjective or verb
Eg.
Suffix
Meaning
-ectomy
Excision or surgical
removal (N)
-al
Pertaining to (A)
Decoding Medical Terms
• Reading a medical term is a step-by-step
process!
• To read or decode a term, follow these steps:
1. Start with the suffix (the word ending) and
define the suffix
2. Define the prefix (beginning of the word)
3. Go to the middle of the word and define then
word root + combining form (if both exist in
the same word)
4. Combine the word part definitions to decode
the complete term or phrase
Decoding Medical Terms
EXAMPLE:
1. Suffix
2. Prefix
3. Middle
4. Combine =
Intraneural
al = pertaining to
intra = within
neur = nerve
pertaining to within a nerve