Language of Medicine Exam 1

what language are the components in medical terms derived from

latin/greek

used to show emphasis on “short’ sounds (ăsk… ĕgg … ĭn … pŏt … ŭnder)

bottom half of circle symbol (ă, ĕ, ĭ)

used to show emphasis on “long’ sounds (āpe … ēven … īce …ōpen … ūnit)

straight line over letter (ā, ē, ī)

4 components of a medical term

prefix

root

combining vowel

suffix

prefix

attached to beginning of word to modify the unique meaning derived from a root (often indicates number, direction, orientation, time, negation)

root

fundamental meaning

*core of word

combining vowel

used to ease pronunciation (usually an “o”)

connects two roots or a root and suffix (if suffix doesn’t have its vowel)

NOT used to connect prefix and root

suffix

word ending

attached to end of root to modify meaning

(often indicates a procedure)

word breakdown

prefix + word root + suffix

basic rule 1

all medical terms must have a suffix

basic rule 2

most medical terms have at least one root

EXCEPTIONS: apnea and anemia don’t have a root

exceptions without roots

apnea = a- (prefix) + -pnea(suffix)

anemia = an- (prefix) + -emia(suffix)

basic rule 3

Some medical terms do NOT have a prefix or combining vowel, although they all have suffix

ex: hepatic and gastritis

basic rule 4

Combining vowels are used to connect (a) two roots (NO exception) or (b) a root and a suffix

(EXCEPT initial of suffix has its vowel) encephalopathy and hematology

basic rule 5

When a suffix begins with a vowel, the combining vowel is

usually omitted:

hepatic

encephalopathy

gastritis

hematology

basic rule 6

Prefix can be directly attached to a root without the combining vowel “o”

Subhepatic > sub / hepat / ic

basic rule 7

Two word roots MUST be connected with a vowel,

regardless the root has its own vowel or not.

hemato

blood

-logy

process of studying

electro

electricity

-gram

record of information generated from an analyzer

gastro

stomach

-itis

inflammation

3 General Rules of Word Analysis

1. Read the meaning of medical terms from the suffix back to the beginning of the term and across

2. Omit the combining vowel (usually o) if the suffix beginns with a vowel: gastritis not “gastroitis”

3. Keep the combining vowel between two roots: gastroenterology not gastrenterology (missing first o)

4. When a term contains two or more roots related to parts of the body, anatomical position often determines which root is listed first (first-come –first-list).

sub

under

-ic

pertaining to

aden/o

gland

arthr/o

joint

bi/o

life

carcin/o

cancerous, cancer

cardi/o

heart

cephal/o

head

cerebr/o

cerebrum

cis/o

to cut

crin/o

to secrete

cyst/o

urinary bladder

cyt/o

cell

derm/o or dermat/o

skin

electr/o

electricity

encephal/o

brain

enter/o

intestines

erythr/o

red

gastr/o

stomach

glyc/o

sugar

gnos/o

knowledge

gynec/o

woman, female

hepat/o

liver

iatr/o

treatment, physician

leuk/o

white

log/o

study of

nephr/o

kidney

neur/o

nerve

onc/o

tumor

ophthalm/o

eye

oste/o

bone

path/o

disease

ped/o

child

psych/o

mind

radi/o

x-rays

ren/o

kidney

rhin/o

nose

sarc/o

flesh

sect/o

to cut

thromb/o

clot, clotting

ur/o

urinary tract, urine

-ac

pertaining to

-al

pertaining to

-algia

pain

-cyte

cell

-ectomy

excision, removal

cell

the fundamental unit of all living things

muscle cells

nerve cells

epithelial cells

fat cells

muscle tissue

nervous tissue

epithelial tissue

covers the whole outer surface of the body and forms the linings of internal organs

made up of closely packed cells arranged in one or more layers

connective tissue

includes fibroblasts, adipocytes, and cartilage

nervous tissue job

conducts impulses all over the body

parts of a neuron

axon

nucleus

cell body

dendrites

neuroglia

supporting cell to neuron

dendrites

contacted by other neurons

loose connective tissue

areolar tissue

dense connective tissue

regular tissue

cartilage

hyaline cartilage

autoimmune disease

the body makes antibodies against its own healthy cells and tissues, causing inflammation and injury

symphysis (plural: symphyses)

growing together

joint in which the bony surfaces are united by a layer of fibrocartilage

sym-

together with

histologist

scientist who specializes in the study of tissue

organs

groups of tissues working together (heart, liver, lungs, kidneys)

systems

one or more organs working together to execute complicate functions

body cavities

spaces within the body cavity that contain internal organs

viscera

internal organs, mainly in the abdominopelvic cavity

cranial cavity

brain and pituitary gland

thoracic cavity

lungs, heart, esophagus, trachea, bronchial tubes, thymus gland, aorta

abdominal cavity

stomach, small and large intestines, spleen, pancreas, liver, gallbladder

pelvic cavity

portions of the small and large intestines, bladder, rectum, urethra, ureters (uterus and vagina in female)

spinal cavity

nerves of the spinal cord

parts of cranial cavity

cerebrum, pituitary gland, hypothalamus, cerebellum, brain stem