Medical and Dental Terminology

These flashcards cover key terminology and concepts from medical and dental terminology lectures.

Etymology is the study of __ origins.

word

English spelling is influenced by its etymological origin, including and languages.

Latin; Greek

The three basic components of medical terminology are __, root, and suffix.

prefix

A __ modifies the root word and is placed at the beginning of a term when needed.

prefix

The __ is the foundation of the term and its meaning.

root

The word ending that modifies and gives essential meaning to the root is called the __.

suffix

The prefix 'non-' indicates __, as in the term nontoxic.

negation

An example of a term formed with the root 'hydr/o' is __, meaning water-based therapy.

hydrotherapy

'Cardi/o' is the root meaning __, as seen in the term cardiology.

heart

The combining vowel is typically used before a suffix that begins with a __.

consonant

When the suffix begins with a vowel, the combining vowel is __ to avoid awkward double vowels.

dropped

A medical dictionary can be used to help __ terms that cannot be pronounced or defined.

define

In Latin, to form the plural of a word ending in '-um', you change it to __.

-a

A term that illustrates combining forms and suffixes is __, which means the study of the stomach and intestines.

gastroenterology

'Glossa' in medical terminology refers to the __.

tongue

The term __ refers to the inflammation of the gums.

gingivitis

The suffix '-ectomy' means __.

cutting out

The plural of the term 'alveolus' is __.

alveoli

The prefix 'peri-' means __ and is used to indicate surrounding or about.

around