Medical Terminology - Identifying Word Parts

word root

the word part that is the core of the medical term and contains the fundamental meaning of the word

suffix

The word part added to the end of a word that changes the meaning of the word root

prefix

The word part at the beginning of a medical term that changes the meaning of the word root

acronym

Terms derived from the first letters of a phrase and are spoken as if they are a word on their own.

eponym

Terms that are named after a place or person

modern-day language terms

Terms from the English language such as nuclear medicine scanner

terms built from word parts

Terms that can be translated literally to find their meaning

terms not built from word parts

Terms that cannot be translated literally

rebels

word parts that do not fit within the language rules

The majority of medical terms are built from which languages?

Greek and Latin

The term Alzheimer disease is an example of an:

eponym

Most common combining vowel is:

O

combining form

contains a word root and a combining vowel attached, separated by a slash - example: oste/o

word root

All medical terms have at least one:

capital letters

__________ indicates where to place the emphasis when pronouncing a word - example: dehyDRAtion

osteoarthritis =

Inflammation of bone and joint

intravenous =

Pertaining to within a vein

bi (prefix)

two, twice, both

sub (prefix)

under, beneath

brady (prefix)

slow

oma (suffix)

tumor

scopy (suffix)

process of visual examination

When is a combining vowel used?

between two word roots or a word root and a suffix

When defining a medical term what word part does the definition begin with:

the suffix - example: osteoarthritis - inflammation of the bone and joint

megaly (suffix)

enlargement

divide the term osteoarthropathy into word parts:

oste/o/arthr/o/pathy (oste =Word Root / o= Combining Vowel/ arthr = Word Root/ o = Combining Vowel/ pathy = Suffix)

In the word osteoarthropathy the combining forms are:

oste/o and arthr/o

arthr/o

(combining form)

joint

oste/o

(combining form)

bone

itis (suffix)

inflammation

subhepatic

pertaining to under the liver

In the medical term leukocyte which part is the word root?

leuk

In the medical term leukocyte which part is the combining form:

leuk/o

In the medical term leukocyte which part is the suffix?

cyte

osteoarthropathy =

disease of the bone and joint

arthritis

inflammation of a joint

hepatic

pertaining to the liver

hepatitis

inflammation of the liver

hepatomegaly

enlargement of the liver

The 4 word parts are:

the word root, prefix, suffix, and the combining vowel

True or False: A combining vowel is used when connecting a word root to a suffix that begins with a consonant.

True

True or False: DO NOT use a combining vowel if the suffix begins with a vowel

True

True or False: Use a combining vowel when connection two word roots, even if vowels are present at the conjunction

True

True or False: DO NOT use a combining vowel when connecting a prefix and a word root

True

A u-shaped mark above the vowel indicates a _________ vowel sound

short

A line above the vowel indicates a ________ vowel sound

long

a, an (prefix)

Absence of, without, not

ab (prefix)

Away from, take away

ad (prefix)

Towards, to, near

ambi, ambo (prefix)

Both

amphi (prefix)

Double, both sides

ana (prefix)

Up, apart

ante (prefix)

Before, in front of, forward

anti (prefix)

Opposing, against

ap, apo (prefix)

Separated, derived from

aut, auto (prefix)

Self, by yourself

brachy (prefix)

Short

cata (prefix)

Lower, down, against

circum (prefix)

Around

co, con, com (prefix)

Together, with

contra (prefix)

Against, opposed to

de (prefix)

Down, from

di (prefix)

Twice, two

dia (prefix)

Through, apart, across, between

dis (prefix)

Apart from, free from

dys (prefix)

Bad, painful, difficult

e, ec, ex (prefix)

From, away from, out of

ect, exo, ecto (prefix)

Outside, outer, on

em, en (prefix)

In

end, endo, ent, ento (prefix)

Within, inner

epi, ep (prefix)

Upon, over, on

eu (prefix)

Normal

extra, extro (prefix)

Beyond, outside of, outward

hemi, semi (prefix)

Half, half of

hyper (prefix)

Above, excessive, beyond

hyp, hypo (prefix)

Below, beneath, deficient

im, in (prefix)

Intro, in, within

infra (prefix)

Below, beneath

inter (prefix)

Between

intra (prefix)

Within, inside

intro (prefix)

Into, within

iso (prefix)

Same, equal

macro (prefix)

Large

mal (prefix)

Bad

mes, meso (prefix)

Middle

meta (prefix)

Beyond, changing

micro, micr (prefix)

Tiny, small

mono, uni (prefix)

One

mult, multi (prefix)

Many, multiple

neo (prefix)

New, recent

nulli (prefix)

None

oligo (prefix)

Small amount

ortho (prefix)

Straight, normal

pan (prefix)

All

para (prefix)

Beyond, beside, after

per (prefix)

Through

peri (prefix)

Around

poly (prefix)

Many, excessive

post (prefix)

After, following, behind

pre, pro (prefix)

In front of, before, preceding