Med Terminology HOSA

What is Medical terminology

Language of medicine: precise language

word root

contains the basic meaning of the term; usually but not always indicates the involved body part

combining form

a word root with a combining vowel added at the end. It is used when two word roots are combined OR when a suffiz beginning with a consonant is added

suffix

usually but not always indicates the procedure, condition, disorder, or disease. Always comes at the end of the word and has a hyphen IN FRONT of it

prefix

usually but not always indicates location, time, number or status. (always comes at the beginning of a word and has a hyphen AFTER it)

acronym

is a word formed from the initial letter or the major parts of a compound term

eponym

is a disease, structure, operation, or procedure named for the person who discovered or described it first

hyper-

excessive

hypo-

deficient/decreased

dipl/o

double/pair

nulli-

none

multi-

multiple

poly-

many

ambi-

both sides

macro-

large

micr/o or micro-

small

mega or megal/o

big

olig/o

few

numer/o

number,count

bi-

two

cent/i

hundred

deca-

ten

hemi- or semi-

half

milli-

one thousandth

mono-

one/single

primi-

first

quint-

five

tetra-

four

tri-

three

uni-

one

di-

two

quadr/i or quadr/o

four

-meter

instrument used for measuring

chrom/o or chromat/o

indicating color

xanth/o

yellow

cyan/o

blue

erythr/o

red

leuk/o

white

chlor/o

green

melan/o

black

rube-

red

purpur/o

purple

lute/o

yellow

glauc/o

gray

cirrh/o

orange-yellow, tawny

alb/i alb/o or albin/o

white

ab-

away from

ad-

towards, beside

pre-

before

post-

after

ex-

out of

in-

within; inside

dextr/o

on the right side

sinister/o

left; or present on the left side of the body.