Chapter 1 and 2 Medical Terminology

word roots

the foundation of a medical term that gives it its primary meaning

dermat-

skin

cutane-

skin

nephr-

kidney

ren-

kidney

stomat-

mouth

or-

ex. or/al

mouth

combing form

when a word root is combined with a vowel (ex. hepat/o)

suffix

a word element placed at the end of a word

define the suffix

What is the first step when analyzing a word when trying to determine its meaning?

define the prefix

What is the middle step when analyzing a word when trying to determine its meaning?

define the middle part of the word (word root)

What is the last step when analyzing a word when trying to determine its meaning?

prefix

a word element placed at the beginning of a word

diacritical marks

marks that are placed above letters to indicate the how to pronounce the vowel

Macron symbols (ˉ)

indicates the long sound of a vowel

ex. urine, Iodine

Breve symbols ( ̆)

indicates the short sound of a vowel

ex. under, Is

because it’s a “g” or c” that comes before an “e” “i” or “y”

Why is “g and c ” in ginger and celery a soft sound?

because it’s a “g” or c” that comes before an “o” “a” “u” and consonants

Why is “g and c ” in gas and cholesterol a hard sound?

if “pn” is at the beginning of a word the p is silent and only the n is pronounced

What is the rule of “pn-” in the word pneumonia?

if “pn” in the middle of a word the p and n are pronounced

What is the rule of “-pn-” in the word apnea?

if “ps” is at the beginning of a word the p is silent and only the s is pronounced

What is the rule of “ps-” in the word psychology?

if it’s the final letter/s of a word, they are often pronounced as a long “e” and a separate syllable

What is the rule of “-es” and “-e” at the end of words?

ex. systole nares

“eye”

When “-i” is at the end of a word it’s pronounced as…?

ex. bronchi

-emesis

vomiting

-itis

inflammation

-oma

tumor

-logy

study of

-centesis

surgical puncture

-dynia

pain

-hemat-

blood

arthro-

joint

acro-

extremity

Aden-

gland

append-

appendix

amply-

dull

aneurism-

swelling of blood vessel

audi-

hearing

-asthen-

weakness

balan/o

glans penis

bucc-

cheek

brach-

arm

Brady-

slow

bronchi-

branchus

amnio-

amniotic sac

agora-

fear of marketplace

surgical suffix

What is a suffix that describes what is being done with an instrument

diagnostic

What is a suffix that describes the cause of what is wrong

pathological

What is a suffix that describes the kind of aliment (illness) it is

diminutive

What type of suffix describes the size of something?

-clasis

to break; surgical fracture

-desis

binding, fixation of a bone or joint

-ectomy

excision, removal

-lysis

seperation, destruction, loosening

-pexy

fixation (of an organ)

-plasty

surgical repair

-rrhaphy

suture

-stomy

forming an opening

-tome

instrument to cut

-tomy

incision

-tripsy

crushing

-gram

record,writing

-graph

instrument for recording

-graphy

process of recording

-scope

instrument for examining

-scopy

visual examination

-algia

pain

-dynia

pain

-cele

hepat/o/cele

hernia, swelling

-ectasis

dilation, expansion

-emesis

vomiting

-emia

an/emia

blood condition

-gen/ -genesis

forming, producing, origin

-itis

inflammation

-malacia

softening

-megaly

enlargement

-oma

tumor

-osis

abnormal condition

-pathy

disease

-penia

decrease, deficiency

-phobia

fear

-plegia

paralysis

-ptosis

prolapse, downward displacement

-rrhea

discharge, flow

-rrhexis

rupture

-sclerosis

abnormal condition of hardening

-spasm

involuntary contraction, twitching

-stenosis

narrowing, stricture

-toxic

poison

-ac

pertaining to

-al

pertaining to

-ar

pertaining to

-ary

pertaining to

-eal

pertaining to

-ic

pertaining to

-ior

pertaining to

-ous

pertaining to

-tic

pertaining to

-ia

condition

-ism

condition