Chapter I - Basic Word Structure

word root

foundation of the word - contains primary meaning

combining form

A word root with an added vowel that can be joined with other words, roots, or suffixes to form a new word. Usually an "o" but sometimes an "i"

combining vowel

vowel (usually o, sometimes an i) that links the root to the suffix or the root to another root

suffix

word element placed at the end of a word that changes the meaning of the word. Every medical term has a suffix

prefix

word element attached to the beginning of words to modify their meaning but cannot stand alone

dermat + o = dermat/o

skin

cutane + o = cutane/o

skin

nephr + o = nephr/o

kidney

ren + o = ren/o

kidney

erythr + o = erythr/o

red

gastr + o = gastr/o

stomach

hepat + o = hepat/o

liver

oste + o = oste/o

bone

-itis

inflammation

-megaly

enlargement

-oma

tumor

an-, a-

no; not

hyper-

excessive; too much

in-, intra-, en-, endo-

within

para-

beside; near

poly-, multi-

many

how to define a medical word

define suffix

define first part of the term

define the middle parts of the term

Rules for building medical words

Rule 1: a word root links a suffix that begins with a vowel: Hepat + -itis= hepatitis

Rule 2: a combining form (root + o) links a suffix that begins with a consonant: hepat/o + -cyte = hepatocyte

Rule 3: a combining form links one root to another root to form a compound word: oste/o + chrondr + -itis = osteochondritis, OR oste/o + arthr + -itis = osteoarthritis

enter + o = enter/o

intestines (usually small)

arthr + o = arthr/o

joint

abdomin/o, lapar/o

abdomen

aden/o

gland

-algia; -dynia

pain

amni/o

amnion

an/o

anus

angi/o, vas/o, vascul/o

vessel

append/o, appendic/o

appendix

arteri/o, arter/o

artery

ather/o

plaque

aut-, aut/o

self

axill/o

armpit

bi/o

life

bronch/o, bronchi/o

bronchus

carcin/o

cancer

cardi/o

heart

carp/o

carpals; wrist

cephal/o

head

chem/o

drug

cholecyst/o

gallbladder

chron/o

time

-cision, -tomy

process of cutting

col/o, colon/o

colon

cost/o

ribs

crani/o

skull

cry/o

cold

cyt/o

cell

derm/o, dermat/o, cutane/o, epitheli/o

skin

dia-

through

dys-, mal-

bad, painful, difficult

electr/o

electricity

gynec/o, gyn/o

woman, female

hem/o, hemat/o

blood

hyster/o, uter/o

uterus

-ic, -in, -ine, -ous, -us, -y

pertaining to

inguin/o

groin

-ism

condition, process

later/o

side

leuk/o, albin/o

white

-logy

study of

-lysis

destruction; separation

mamm/o, mast/o

breast

my/o, muscul/o, myos/o

muscle

nat/i, nat/o

birth

necr/o

death

neur/o

nerve

-osis

abnormal condition

ot/o

ear

path/o, -pathy

disease

peri-

around

phleb/o, ven/o, ven/i, ven/e

vein

-pnea

breathing

radi/o

x-ray, radius

rhin/o

nose

sarc/o

flesh

-scopy

process of visual examination

-sis

state of

son/o

sound

-stasis

control; stop

thorac/o

chest

thromb/o

clot

thyroid/o

thyroid

tonsill/o

tonsil

trache/o

trachea

-um

structure

ur/o

urine, urea, urinary tract

uter/o

uterus