Chapter 1 The Anatomy of Medical Terms

Root

-Constant foundation and core of medical term

Combining Vowel

"a," "e," "i," "o," "u"

Combining Form

-Combine a root and a combining vowel

Suffix

-Group of letters attached to the end of a root or combining form

-itis

Suffix: Inflammation

-ia

Suffix: Condition

-ac, -al, -ale, -alis, -ar, -aris, -ary, -atic, -ative, -atory, -eal, -ent, -etic, -ial, -ic, -ica, -ical, -ine, -ior, -iosum, -ious, -istic, -ius, -ive, -nic, -ous, -tic, -tiz, -tous, -us

Suffix: Pertaining to

-logy

Suffix: Study of

-logist

Suffix: One who studies, specialist

-ation

Suffix: Process

-thorax

Suffix: Chest

-pathy

Suffix: Disease

-gram

Suffix: Record

-ion

Suffix: Action, condition

-emia

Suffix: A blood condition

-emic

Suffix: Pertaining to a condition of the blood

-um

Suffix: Structure

-osa

Suffix: Full of; like

bronch-

Root: Bronchus

pneumon-

Root: Lung, air

pulmon-

Root: Lung

respir-

Root: To breathe

gastr-

Root: Stomach

later-

Root: Side

-cyte

Root: Cell

-mature

Root: Fully developed

nat-

Root: Birth, born

pneum/o

Root/combining form: Air lung

cardi/o

Root/combining form: Heart

-my/o

Root/combining form: Muscle

-gnosis

Root: Knowledge of an abnormal condition

-gnose

Root: Recognize an abnormal condition

electr/o

Root/combining form: Electricity

-tens-

Root: Pressure

-farct

Root: Area of dead tissue

isch-

Root: To block

axill-

Root: Armpit

-ment-

Root: Mind

muc-

Root: Mucus

cervic-

Root: Neck

-fusion

Root: To pour

-ven-

Root: Vein

neur/o

Root/combining form: Nerve

ur/o

Root/combining form: urine

epi-

Prefix: Above

hypo-

Prefix: Below

bi-

Prefix: Two

uni-

Prefix: One

macro-

Prefix: Large

post-

Prefix: After

pre-

Prefix: Before

micro-

Prefix: Small

peri-

Prefix: Around

dia-

Prefix: Complete

hypo-

Prefix: Low

in-

Prefix: In

pro-

Prefix: Before, project forward

de-

Prefix: Without

hyper-

Prefix: Above normal

hypo-

Prefix: Below normal

trans-

Prefix: Across, through

Intra-

Prefix: Within, inside

Cardiologist (Kar-dee-OL-oh-jist)

A medical specialist in the diagnosis and treatment. of disorders of the heart

Cardiology (Kar-dee-OL-oh-jee)

Medical specialty of diseases of the heart

Cardiomyopathy (Kar-dee-oh-my-OP-ah-thee)

Disease of the heart muscle, the myocardium

Diagnosis; noun (Die-ag-NO-sis)

The determination of the cause of a disease

Diagnoses; plural (Die-ag-NO-seez)

The determination of the cause of a disease

Diagnostic; adjective (Die-ag-NOS-tic)

Pertaining to or establishing a diagnosis

Diagnose; verb (Die-ag-NOSE)

To make a diagnosis

Electrocardiogram (Ee-lek-troh-KAR-dee-oh-gram)

Record of the heart's electrical signals

Hypotensive; adjective (HIGH-po-TEN-siv)

Pertaining to or suffering from low blood pressure

Infarct (In-FARKT)

An area of cell death resulting from blockage of its blood supply

Infarction (In-FARK-shun)

Sudden blockage of an artery

Ischemia (Is-KEY-me-ah)

Lack of blood supply to a tissue

Ischemic; adjective (Is-KEY-mik)

Pertaining to the lack of blood supply to tissue

Myocardial; adjective (MY-oh-KAR-dee-al)

Pertaining to heart muscle

Myocardium (MY-oh-KAR-dee-um)

All the heart muscle

Prognosis; noun (Prog-NO-sis)

A forecast of the probable course and outcome of a disease

Axillia (AK-sill-ah)

Medical term for armpit

Axillae; plural (AK-sill-ee)

Medical term for armpit

Axillary; adjective (AK-sill-air-ee)

Pertaining to the armpit

Dementia (Dee-MEN-she-ah)

Chronic, progressive, irreversible loss of intellectual and mental functions

Ganglion (GANG-lee-on)

A fluid-filled cyst or a collection of nerve cells outside the brain and spinal cord

Ganglia; plural (GANG-lee-ah)

A fluid-filled cyst or a collection of nerve cells outside the brain and spinal cord

Ileum (ILL-ee-um)

Third portion of the small intestine

Ilium (ILL-ee-um)

Large wing-shaped bone at the upper and posterior part of the pelvis

Ilia; plural (ILL-ee-ah)

Large wing-shaped bone at the upper and posterior part of the pelvis

Mucus; noun (MYU-kus)

Sticky secretion of cells in mucous membranes

Mucous; adjective (MYU-kus)

Pertaining to mucus or the mucosa

Mucosa (Myu-KOH-sah)

Lining of a tubular structure that secretes mucus

Prostate (PROS-tate)

Organ surrounding the urethra at the base of the male urinary bladder

Prostrate (Pros-TRAYT)

To lay flat or to be overcome by physical weakness and exhaustion

Prostration; noun (Pros-TRAY-shun)

To lay flat or to be overcome by physical weakness and exhaustion

Reflex (REE-fleks)

An involuntary response to a stimulus

Reflux (REE-fluks)

Backward flow

Septum (SEP-tum)

A thin wall separating two cavities or two tissue masses

Septa; plural (SEP-tah)

A thin wall separating two cavities or two tissue masses

Bronchitis (Brong-KI-tis)

Inflammation of the bronchi

Pneumonia (New-MOH-nee-ah)

Inflammation of the lung parenchyma (tissue)

Pneumonitis (New-moh-NI-tis)

Inflammation of the lung parenchyma (tissue)