Medical Terminology Systems: A Body Systems Approach

Medical word consists of:

word root

combining form

suffix

prefix

wood root

foundation of a medical term and contains its primary meaning (most from greek or latin language.

greek roots

describe: disease, condition, treatment, or diagnosis

latin roots

describe anatomical structures

dermat (G)

skin disease

cutane (L)

skin (anatomiacal structure)

nephr (G)

kidney disease

ren (L)

kidney (anatomical structure)

stomat (G)

inflammatory condition of the mouth

or (L)

mouth (anatomical structure)

combining form

created when a word root is combined with a vowel

combining vowel

usually an "o" but sometimes an "i"

erythr/o

red

gastr/o

red

hepat/o

liver

immun/o

immune, immunity, safe

nephr/o

kidney

oste/o

bone

suffix

word element placed at the end of a word that changes the meaning of the word.

suffix usually describes:

pathology (disease/abnormality), symptom, surgical or diagnostic procedure, or part of speech

-itis

inflammation

-megaly

enlargement

-oma

tumor

prefix

word element attached to the beginning of a word or word root

prefix indicates:

number, time, position, direction, or negation

an-

without, not

esthes

feeling

-ia

condition

hyper-

excessive, above normal

therm

heat

intra-

in, within

muscl

muscle

-ar

pertaining to

para-

near, beside; beyond

nas

nose

-al

pertaining to

poly-

many, much

ur

urine

pre-

before

nat

birth

defining medical words:

1. define the suffix or last part

2. define the first part

3. define the middle part

enter/

intestine

building medical words:

rule 1: word root links a suffix that begins w/ a vowel

rule 2: combining form links a suffix w/ consonant

rule 3: combining form links one root to another root to form a compound word

-cyte

cell

chondr

cartilage

arthr

joint