Medical Terminology Unit 1

prefix

attached at the beginning of a medical term to modify its meaning

combining vowel

used to ease pronunciation “o”

suffix

attached to the end of a word or medical term in this case to modify its meaning

root word

fundamental meaning of a medical term 

combining form

when you take a word root and add a vowel

cyt/o

cell

leuk/o

white

my/o

muscle

dermat/o

skin

-itis

inflammation

-pathy

disease

-oid

resembling

-logy

study of

cytology

The study of cells

dermatitis

skin inflammation

dermatology

the study of skin

cytoid

resembles a cell

myopathy

disease of muscle

System

A group of organs that work together to perform complex body functions

cell

basic unit of all life

tissue

group of similar cells that preform a specific function

organ

two or more kinds of tissue that together preform special body function

The boundary of the cell is formed by the

cell membrane

muscle tissue

The tissue composed of cells that have the ability to contract, usually producing movement

nervous tissue

conducts impulses to and from the brain

epithelial tissue

found in the skin and lining if blood vessels

connective tissue

connects, supports, penetrates, ans encases carious body structures

Integumentary

composed of skin, nails, and glands. Forms as a protective covering for the body, regulate body temp and helps manufacture vitamin D

cranial cavity

The cavity that contains the brain

Pelvic cavity

urinary bladder, certain reproductive organs, parts of the small and large intestine, rectum

spinal cavity

spine

thoracic cavity

heart lungs esophugus, trachea bronchi, mediastinal area

abdominal cavity

stomach,intestines,kidneys,liver,gallbladder,pancreas, spleen and uterus

kary/o

nucleus

aden/o

gland

eti/o

cause (of disease)

lei/o

smooth

cyt/o

cell

epitheli/o

epithelium

fibr/o

fiber

hist/o

tissue

lip/o

fat

my/o

muscle

neur/o

nerve

organ/o

organ

sacr/o

flesh

system/o

system

viscer/o

internal organs

caner/o or carcin/o

cancer

gn/o

knowledge

latr/o

physician

onc/o

tumor/mass

path/o

disease

rhabd/o

rod-shapeed

somat/o

body

chlor/o

green

chrom/o

color

cyan/o

blue

erythr/o

red

leuk/o

white

melan/o

black

xanthr/o

yellow

dia-

through

dys-

abnormal, difficult

hyper-

above, excessive

hypo-

below

meta-

after beyond change

neo-

new

pro-

before

-al, -ic, -ous

pertaining to

-cyte

cell

-gen

substance or agent that produces or causes

-genic

producing or causing

-logist

person who studies

-logy

study of

-megaly

enlargement of

-oid

resembling

-oma

tumor or swelling

-osis

abnormal condition

-pathy

disease

-plasia

development, growth

-plasm

substance

-sarcoma

malignant tumor

-sis

state of

-stasis

control, stop, standing

sign

is objective information and is detected on physical

symptoms

is subjective information and is evidence of a disease as perceived by the patient, it is what patients say about themselves

epithelioma

A tumor composed of epithelium

melanoma

A malignant black tumor

The term for “producing cancer” is

carcinogenic

erythrcyte

A red blood cell

histology

The study of tissue

 hypoplasia

incomplete development (of an organ or tissue)

lipoid

resembling fat

luekocyte

A white blood cell

neoplasm

new growth

systemic

 “pertaining to a body system.”

somatogenic

Originating in the body

neuroma

Resembling a nerve

visceral

pertaining to the internal organs