Medical Terminology Word Building and Analysis

Vocabulary practice flashcards reviewing word roots, combining forms, prefixes, suffixes, connection rules, and term decoding strategies based on medical terminology lecture notes.

Word Root (WR)

The primary foundation and core meaning of a medical term, usually representing an organ, body part, or system.

Combining Form (CF)

A word root plus a combining vowel (written with a slash, e.g., gastr/o) that serves as the base foundation for building medical words.

Combining Vowel

A vowel (usually -o-, but occasionally -i- or -e-) with no meaning of its own, used to make medical words easier to pronounce and link together.

Suffix (S)

A word element placed at the end of a word root to change its meaning, usually indicating a pathology, symptom, procedure, or part of speech.

Prefix (P)

A word element attached directly to the beginning of a word or word root without a connecting vowel, often indicating number, time, position, direction, or negation.

Rule 1 for Connecting Pieces

Drop the combining vowel "-o-" when connecting a word root to a suffix that starts with a vowel (a, e, i, o, u).

Rule 2 for Connecting Pieces

Keep the combining vowel "-o-" when connecting a word root to a suffix that starts with a consonant.

Rule 3 for Connecting Pieces

Always keep the combining vowel "-o-" when joining two body part roots together, even if the second root starts with a vowel.

3-Step Strategy for Defining Medical Words

1. Define the Suffix (end). 2. Define the First Part (beginning prefix, word root, or combining form). 3. Define the Middle (additional roots or combining forms).

gastr- / gastr/o

Word root / combining form meaning stomach.

cardi-

Word root meaning heart.

arthr- / arthr/o

Word root / combining form meaning joint.

nephr/o

Combining form meaning kidney.

neur/o

Combining form meaning nerve.

oste/o

Combining form meaning bone.

-itis

Suffix meaning inflammation.

-ectomy

Suffix meaning excision or surgical removal.

-pathy

Suffix meaning disease.

-megaly

Suffix meaning enlargement.

-logy

Suffix meaning study of.

-scope

Suffix meaning scope to view.

-ic / -al

Suffixes meaning pertaining to.

pre-

Prefix meaning before, in front of (indicating time or position).

post-

Prefix meaning after, behind (indicating time or position).

sub-

Prefix meaning under, below (indicating position).

hyper-

Prefix meaning excessive, above (indicating degree).

anti-

Prefix meaning against (indicating negation).

epi-

Prefix meaning above.

peri-

Prefix meaning surrounding, around.

hypo-

Prefix meaning below, under.

Gastritis

Medical term meaning inflammation of the stomach, formed from gastr + -itis.

Colonoscope

Medical term meaning scope to view the colon, formed from colon/o + -scope.

Gastroenteritis

Medical term meaning inflammation of the stomach and intestines, formed from gastr/o + enter + -itis.

Epigastric

Medical term meaning pertaining to above the stomach, composed of prefix epi- (above), root gastr (stomach), and suffix -ic (pertaining to).

Hypogastric

Medical term meaning pertaining to below or under the stomach, composed of prefix hypo- (below, under), root gastr (stomach), combining form gastr/o, and suffix -ic (pertaining to).

Prenatal

Medical term meaning pertaining to before birth, composed of prefix pre- (before, in front of) and suffix -al (pertaining to).

Postnatal

Medical term meaning pertaining to after birth, composed of prefix post- (after, behind) and suffix -al (pertaining to).

Perinatal

Medical term meaning pertaining to around the time of birth, composed of prefix peri- (surrounding, around) and suffix -al (pertaining to).