Medical Terminology - Chapter 1: Introduction to Medical Language

Comprehensive practice flashcards covering vocabulary, word roots, combining forms, prefixes, suffixes, pronunciation, and grammatical rules from Chapter 1 Introduction to Medical Language.

Suffix

A word ending that gives essential meaning to the medical term.

Prefix

A word part added to the beginning of a term when needed to further modify the root.

Greek (in medical language)

An ancient language whose speakers were the first to study anatomy and developed theories about health and disease.

Latin (in medical language)

An ancient language that served as the global language of the scientific revolution.

Eponym

A word source in medical language where terms are named after a person or place (for example, Lou Gehrig's disease).

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

Also known by the eponym Lou Gehrig's disease; a disease that causes muscles to deteriorate.

Acronym

A word formed from the initial letters of a term, such as MRI or CT Scan.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

A diagnostic imaging procedure designated by the acronym MRI.

Ultima

The last syllable of a medical word.

Penult

The almost-last (second-to-last) syllable in a medical word.

Antepenult

The syllable just before the penult; the third-to-last syllable where spoken emphasis usually falls.

Syllable Emphasis Rule

In pronunciation guides, syllable emphasis is shown in ALL CAPS to indicate which syllable to stress.

Macron

A straight horizontal line placed above a vowel indicating a long vowel sound, such as ā in ape or ō in open.

Breve

A curved diacritical mark placed above a vowel indicating a short vowel sound, such as ă in apple or ŏ in pot.

Combining Vowel

A vowel (usually 'o') that links a root to a suffix or to another root to aid pronunciation.

Combining Form

The combination of a word root and a combining vowel (such as cardi/o).

Rule for Suffixes Beginning with a Vowel

Drop the combining vowel before a suffix beginning with a vowel (for example, gastritis instead of gastroitis).

Rule for Suffixes Beginning with a Consonant

Keep the combining vowel to join a root to any suffix beginning with a consonant.

Rule for Joining Two Roots

Keep the combining vowel between two roots, even when the second root begins with a vowel (for example, gastroenterology).

Order of Translating Medical Terms

Read the meaning from the suffix first, back to the beginning of the term (prefix if present), and across to the root.

gen/o

Creation, cause.

hydr/o

Water.

morph/o

Change.

myc/o

Fungus.

necr/o

Death.

orth/o

Straight.

path/o

Suffering, disease.

phag/o

Eat.

plas/o

Formation.

py/o

Pus.

scler/o

Hard.

sten/o

Narrowing.

troph/o

Nourishment, development.

xen/o

Foreign.

aden/o

Gland.

arthr/o

Joint.

bi/o

Life.

carcin/o

Cancerous, cancer.

cardi/o

Heart.

cephal/o

Head.

cerebr/o

Cerebrum.

cis/o

To cut.

crin/o

To secrete.

cyst/o

Urinary bladder.

cyt/o

Cell.

derm/o

Skin.

dermat/o

Skin.

electr/o

Electricity.

encephal/o

Brain.

enter/o

Intestines.

erythr/o

Red.

gastr/o

Stomach.

glyc/o

Sugar.

gnos/o

Knowledge.

gynec/o

Woman, female.

hem/o

Blood.

hemat/o

Blood.

hepat/o

Liver.

iatr/o

Treatment, physician.

leuk/o

White.

log/o

Study of.

nephr/o

Kidney.

neur/o

Nerve.

onc/o

Tumor.

ophthalm/o

Eye.

oste/o

Bone.

ped/o

Child.

psych/o

Mind.

radi/o

X-rays.

ren/o

Kidney.

rhin/o

Nose.

sarc/o

Flesh.

sect/o

To cut.

splen/o

Spleen.

thromb/o

Clot, clotting.

ur/o

Urinary tract, urine.

angi/o

Vessel.

vas/o

Vessel.

vascul/o

Vessel.

-ac

Adjective suffix meaning pertaining to.

-al

Adjective suffix meaning pertaining to.

-ar

Adjective suffix meaning pertaining to.

-ary

Adjective suffix meaning pertaining to.

-eal

Adjective suffix meaning pertaining to.

-ic

Adjective suffix meaning pertaining to.

-tic

Adjective suffix meaning pertaining to.

-ous

Adjective suffix meaning pertaining to.

-ia

Noun suffix meaning condition.

-ism

Noun suffix meaning condition.

-ium

Noun suffix meaning tissue, structure.

-y

Noun suffix meaning condition or procedure (or process, condition).

-icle

Diminutive suffix meaning small.

-ole

Diminutive suffix meaning small.

-ule

Diminutive suffix meaning small.

-ula

Diminutive suffix meaning small.

-iatrics

Complex suffix meaning medical science.

-iatry

Complex suffix meaning medical science.

-iatrist

Complex suffix meaning specialist in medicine of.

-ist

Suffix meaning specialist.

-logist

Complex suffix meaning specialist in the study of.