[RMT0 12] PRELIM: Lesson 1

Prefix

A word part at the beginning of a word is a ___

Suffix

A word part at the end of a word is the ___

Root

The main part of a word is called the ___

Combining Form

A root with a combining vowel is called ___

K

The ch in the word chemistry is pronounced as ___

S

The ps in the word psychology is pronounced as ___

Decrease

The symbol ↓ means ___

Right

The symbol ® means ___

Medical Terminology

• Consists of terms or words that are related to medicine or medical practice.

• The language used by physicians and other members of health team.

Principles of Word Building or Use of Medical Terminology

• Know the meaning or analyze the meaning of each word element.

• Know the correct pronunciation.

• Identify the word element.

• Know the correct spelling.

• Put the meaning of all word elements together to define the word as a whole.

3 Basic Word Elements

• Root

• Suffix

• Prefix

Root

• Fundamental unit of a word.

• A foundation to which other word elements are added to build a complete meaningful word.

Suffix

Word elements added after a root word to modify the basic meaning of the word.

Prefix

Word elements added in front of a root word to modify the basic meaning of the word.

Combining Words

• Contains more than one root.

• Example: eyeball, bedpan, cardiovascular

Combining Form

• A root word to which a combining vowel has been added in order to link the root to a second root or to a suffix.

• Most common combining vowel is “O”.

• Ex: cardi + o + logy = cardiology

Words Derivations

Most medical word parts come from Greek (G) and Latin (L)

Clinical Terminology

Uses Greek

Anatomical Terminology

Uses Latin

Words ending in X

• When you add suffix to a word ending in x, it is changed to a g or a c.

• If there is a consonant before the x, such as yx or nx, it is changed to a g.

Suffixes beginning with rh

When you add a suffix beginning with rh to a root, the r is doubled.

Suffixes

• Word elements added after a root word to modify the basic meaning of the word.

• When the suffix begins with a vowel, the root word is used rather than the combining form.

• The combining vowel is added when linking root word to a suffix that begins with a consonant.

Noun Suffixes

• Condition of

• Medical Specialties

Adjective Suffixes

Pertaining to, Like, or Resembling

dys-

difficult or abnormal

gnath/o

jaw

-nym

name

-ing

The suffix in the word learning is ___

-ia

The suffix in the phobia is ___

study of

The suffix –logy means ___

fungi

The plural of fungus is ___

ovum

The singular of ova (eggs) is ___

appendices

The plural of appendix is ___

Crani/o

Skull

Encephal/o

Brain

Opthalm/o

Eye

Ot/o

Ear

Stomat/o, Or/o

Mouth

Hepat/o

Liver

(G) Nephr/o, (L) Ren/o

Kidney

Gastr/o

Stomach

Cholecyst/o

Gall Bladder

Oste/o

Bones

Cardi/o

Heart

Trich/o

Hair

Hem/o, Hemat/o

Blood

Neur/o

Nerve

Sarc/o

Muscle

Dactyl/o

Finger

Mamm/o, Mast/o

Breast

Pneum/o, Pneumon/o

Lung

Nas/o, Rhin/o

Nose

Derm/o, Dermat/o

Skin

Enter/o

Intestine

-ia

Condition of

-ism

Condition of

-sis

Condition of

thrombus

blood clot

-y

Condition of

-ian

Specialist in a field of medicine

-iatrics

Medical specialty

-iatry

Medical specialty

-ics

Medical specialty

-ist

Specialist in a field of study

-logy

Study of

-ac

Pertaining to

-al

Pertaining to

-ar

Pertaining to

-ary

Pertaining to

-form

Like or resembling

-ic

Pertaining to

-ical (ic + al)

Pertaining to

-ile

Pertaining to

-oid

Like or resembling

-ory

Pertaining to

-ous

Pertaining to

ae

• a

Vertebrae (P)

Vertebra (S)

Patellae (P)

Patella (S)

ina

• en

Lumina (P)

Lumen (S)

Foramina (P)

Foramen (S)

ices

• ex, ix, yx

Calyces (P)

Calyx (S)

es

• is

Diagnoses (P)

Diagnosis (S)

mata

• ma

Stigmata (P)

Stigma (S)

ies

• y

Theraphies (P)

Therapy (S)

nges

• nx (anx, inx, ynx)

Phalanges (P)

Phalanx (S)

Meninges (P)

Meninx (S)

a

• on

• Ganglion = Ganglia - mass of nervous tissue

Ganglion (P)

Ganglia (S)

a

• um

• Serum = Sera - thin fluid

• Ilium = Illia - upper portion of the hip bone and pelvis

• Ovum = Ova - female reproductive cell

Sera (P)

Serum (S)

Illia (P)

Illium (S)

Ova (P)

Ovum (S)

i

• us

• Thrombus = Thrombi - blood clot

• Alveolus = Alveoli - tiny air sacs at the end of the bronchioles

• Embolus = Emboli - blockage in a vessel