Medical Terminology Final Exam (Chapters 1-16)

word root

foundation of the word that contains its main meaning

combining form

created when a word root is combined with a vowel, known as a combining vowel

suffixes

word element placed at the end of a word

prefixes

word element placed at the beginning of a word

Step #1 in defining medical words

define the suffix first

Step #2 in defining medical words

define the first part of the word (WR, CF, or prefix)

Step #3 in defining medical words

define the middle part of the word (WR or CF)

rule #1 in building medical words

a word root links a suffix that begins with a vowel

rule #2 in building medical words

a combining form (root + o) links a suffix that begins with a consonant

rule #3 in building medical words

a combining form links one root to another root to form a compound word

-centesis

surgical puncture

-clasis

to break; surgical fracture

-desis

binding, fixation (of a bone or joint)

-ectomy

excision, removal

-lysis

separation; destruction; loosening

-pexy

fixation (of an organ)

-plasty

surgical repair

-rrhaphy

suture

-stomy

forming an opening (mouth)

-tomy

incision

-tome

instrument to cut

-tripsy

crushing

-gram

record, writing

-graph

instrument for recording

-graphy

process of recording

-meter

instrument for measuring

-metry

act of measuring

-scope

instrument for examining

-scopy

visual examination

-algia

pain

-cele

hernia, swelling

-dynia

pain

-ectasis

dilation; expansion

-edema

swelling

-emesis

vomiting

-emia

blood condition

-gen

forming, producing

-genesis

forming, producing; origin

-ia

condition

-iasis

abnormal condition

-itis

inflammation

-lith

stone; calculus

-malacia

softening

-megaly

enlargement

-oma

tumor

-osis

abnormal condition; increase (used primarily with white blood cells)

-pathy

disease

-penia

decrease; deficiency

-phagia

swallowing, eating

-phasia

speech

-phobia

fear

-plasia

formation; growth

-plasm

formation; growth

-plegia

paralysis

-ptosis

prolapse, downward displacement

-rrhage

bursting forth (of)

-rrhagia

bursting forth (of)

-rrhea

discharge, flow

-rrhexis

rupture

-sclerosis

abnormal condition of hardening

-spasm

involuntary contraction, twitching

-stenosis

narrowing, structure

-toxic

poison

-trophy

development, nourishment

-esis

condition

-iatry

medicine; treatment

-ician

specialist

-ism

condition

-ist

medicine; treatment

-y

condition, process

-icle

small, minute

-ole

small, minute

-ule

small, minute

-ac

pertaining to

-al

pertaining to

-ar

pertaining to

-ary

pertaining to

-eal

pertaining to

-ic

pertaining to

-ical

pertaining to

-ile

pertaining to

-ior

pertaining to

-ous

pertaining to

-tic

pertaining to

epi-

above, upon

hypo-

under, below

infra-

under, below

sub-

under, below

inter-

between

post-

after

pre-

before

pro-

before, in front of

retro-

backward, behind

bi-

two

dipl-

double

diplo-

double

hemi-

one-half

hyper-

excessive, above normal

macro-

large

micro-

small