Introduction into Medical Terminology

A comprehensive set of Q&A flashcards covering the core concepts of medical terminology, including word parts, combining forms, prefixes and suffixes, plural forms, abbreviations, eponyms, and basic anatomical terms and planes.

What are the three parts of a medical term?

Prefix, the word root, and the suffix.

Which languages are most commonly used to derive medical terms?

Latin and Greek.

Why is memorizing every medical term not the best approach to learning medical terminology?

Because understanding the structure of terms (word parts) and the major prefixes, roots, and suffixes is more important for comprehension and creating new terms.

Where are prefixes and suffixes located in a medical term?

Prefixes are at the beginning; suffixes are at the end.

What is a word root in a medical term?

The foundation that describes the body part or organ; examples include cardi-, gastr-, neur-.

What is a combining form?

A word root with a combining vowel (often o) added so a suffix can be attached or multiple roots can be joined.

When is a combining vowel used in medical terms?

When the suffix begins with a consonant or when joining two or more word roots.

When is a combining vowel not used?

When the suffix already begins with a vowel.

What does the combining form cardi(o) mean?

Heart.

What does the combining form gastr(o) mean?

Stomach.

What does the combining form neur(o) mean?

Nerve.

What does hemolysis mean and how is it formed?

Destruction of red blood cells; formed as hem(o) + -lysis (suffix begins with a consonant).

What does neuritis mean and how is it formed?

Inflammation of a nerve; formed as neur(o) + -itis with no combining vowel.

How is gastroenteritis formed and what does it mean?

Gastr(o) + enter(o) + -itis; inflammation of the stomach and small intestine.

What does the prefix alg(o) mean?

Pain.

What does myalgia mean?

Pain in a muscle.

What does arthr(o) mean?

Joint.

What does arthritis mean?

Inflammation of a joint.

What does bacteri(o) mean?

Bacteria.

What does bacteriuria mean?

Bacteria in the urine.

What does cerebr(o) mean?

Cerebrum.

What does cerebrovascular mean?

Relating to the blood vessels of the brain.

What does cyan(o) mean?

Blue.

What does cyanosis describe?

Blue discoloration of the skin due to lack of oxygen.

What do dermat(o)- and derm(o)- mean?

Skin.

What does erythr(o) mean?

Red.

What is erythrocyte?

Red blood cell.

What does gluc(o) mean?

Sugar.

What does glucosuria mean?

Sugar in the urine.

What does leuk(o) mean?

White.

What is leukemia?

A white blood cell cancer.

What does melan(o) mean?

Black.

What is melanocyte?

A cell responsible for producing skin pigment (melanin).

What does myel(o) mean?

Spinal cord.

What does myelopathy mean?

Disease affecting the spinal cord.

What does pancreat(o) mean?

Pancreas.

What is pancreatitis?

Inflammation of the pancreas.

What does poli(o) mean?

Gray.

What is poliomyelitis?

Inflammation of the gray matter of the spinal cord.

Give examples of contrasting prefixes and their meanings (prefix meaning around/above/many, etc.).

Peri- means around; epi- means above; poly- means many; hemi- means half.

What does peri- mean?

Around.

What does epi- mean?

Above.

What does poly- mean?

Many.

What does hemi- mean?

Half.

What does endo- mean?

Inside.

What does exo- mean?

Outside.

What does intra- mean?

Inside.

What does extra- mean?

Outside.

Which prefixes can have opposing meanings and give examples.

Intra- (inside) vs extra- (outside); Endo- (inside) vs exo- (outside).

What does ab- mean and give an example?

Away from; abduct means to move away from the midline.

What does ad- mean and give an example?

Toward; adduct means to move toward the midline.

What does dys- mean?

Abnormal or difficult.

What does eu- mean?

Normal or good.

What does hyper- mean?

Excessive or above normal.

What does hypo- mean?

Below normal.

What do pre- and post- mean?

Pre- means before; post- means after.

What does tachy- mean?

Fast.

What does brady- mean?

Slow.

What does -centesis mean?

Surgical puncture.

What does -lysis mean?

Destruction.

What does -ectomy mean?

Surgical removal.

What does -itis mean?

Inflammation.

What does -megaly mean?

Enlargement.

What does -necrosis mean?

Tissue death.

What does -otomy mean?

Cutting or surgical incision.

What does -pathy mean?

Disease, suffering.

What does -ptosis mean?

Sagging or drooping.

What do -rrhage and -rrhagia mean?

Bleeding (sudden, severe flow).

What does -rrhaphy mean?

Surgical suturing.

What does -rrhea mean?

Flow (of body fluids).

What does -rrhexis mean?

Rupture.

What is the difference between an abbreviation, an acronym, and a symbol?

An abbreviation is a shortened form; an acronym is a word formed from initials and pronounced as a word; a symbol is a sign representing something.

What does AIDS stand for?

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.

What is an eponym in medical terminology?

A term derived from a person's name (e.g., Lou Gehrig’s disease, Eustachian tube named after Eustachi).

What is a synonym, antonym, and thesaurus?

Antonyms are opposite meanings; synonyms are words with the same meaning; a thesaurus is a collection of synonyms and antonyms.

What is the irregular plural form of vertebra and its plural?

Vertebra -> vertebrae.

What is the irregular plural of diagnosis and its plural?

Diagnosis -> diagnoses.

What is the irregular plural of lumen and its plural?

Lumen -> lumina.

What is the irregular plural of stigma and its plural?

Stigma -> stigmata.

What is the irregular plural of phenomena and its plural?

Phenomenon -> phenomena.

What is the irregular plural of serum and its plural?

Serum -> sera.

What is the irregular plural of index and its plural?

Index -> indices.

What is the irregular plural of phalanx and its plural?

Phalanx -> phalanges.

What is the irregular plural of thrombus and its plural?

Thrombus -> thrombi.

Name some exceptions to the -us plural rule.

Virus -> viruses; sinus -> sinuses; plexus -> plexuses.

How is the term epididymitis analyzed?

epi- + didym- + -itis; or epididym(o)- + -itis (inflammation of the epididymis).

What is an example of a term built for ENT (ear, nose, throat) specialization?

Oto- (ear) + rhin(o) (nose) + laryng(o) (throat) + -ologist = ENT specialist.

How are new terms created in medical terminology?

Move “inflammation of” and “removal of” concepts to the end; use combining forms with suffixes like -itis (inflammation) and -ectomy (removal). For example, gastr(o) + -itis = gastritis; gastr(o) + -ectomy = gastrectomy.

What is melanocyte and what pigment do melanocytes produce?

Melanocytes are cells that produce melanin, the pigment that affects skin and hair color.

What is euphoria and how is it formed from word parts?

A mood of intense happiness; eu- (good) + -phoria (state of mental state).

What is dysphoria?

A state of dissatisfaction or unease; formed by dys- (bad/difficult) + -phoria.

What is the standard anatomical position?

Standing upright with arms at the sides and palms facing forward.

What are body planes and the basic planes named?

Coronal/frontal, transverse/horizontal, sagittal; additional: midsagittal (equal halves) and parasagittal (unequal halves).

What does the coronal plane do?

Divides the body into anterior (front) and posterior (back) portions.

What does the transverse plane do?

Divides the body into superior (upper) and inferior (lower) portions.

What does the sagittal plane do?

Divides the body into left and right portions.

What does the midsagittal plane divide?

Divides the body into equal left and right halves.

What does the parasagittal plane divide?

Divides the body into unequal left and right halves.

What is the difference between regional terms and directional terms?

Regional terms describe a specific area; directional terms describe the location of structures relative to others and are based on the standard anatomical position.

Give an example of a regional term and its corresponding directional meaning.

Abdominal (regional: relating to the abdomen) and anterior (directional: toward the front of the body).