Chapter 5: Medical Terminology

Main part or stem of a word, conveys essential meaning. Frequently indicates a body part.

Word roots

Appear at the beginning of a word, usually describes location/intensity, gives the word root its specific meaning.

Prefixes

Appear at the end of words, usually indicate a procedure, condition, disease, or part of speech.

Suffixes

Connects word root to suffix or other word root. In most cases it’s an o; may also be an i or e. Used when joining a suffix that begins with a consonant, another word root.

Combining vowels

Words ending in a change to…

ae

Words ending in is change to…

esW

Words ending in ex or ix change to…

ices

Words ending in on or um change to…

a

Words ending in us change to…

i

cardi (word root)

heartt

tachycardia

fast heart rate

hepat (word root)

liver

hepatomegaly

enlargement of the liver

nephr (word root)

kidney

nephropathy

disease of the kidney

neur (word root)

nerves

neurologist

physician who specializes in diseases of the nervous system

psych (word root)

mind

psychology

study of the mind

thorac (word root)

chest

thoracic

pertaining to the chest or thorax

hyper- (prefix)

over, excessive, high

hyperventilation

fast ventilations

hypo- (prefix)

under, below, normal

hypoperfusion

below-normal blood flow to vital organs

tachy- (prefix)

rapid, fast

tachycardia (prefix)

fast heart rate

brady- (prefix)

slow

bradypnea

slow breathing

pre- (prefix)

before

prenatal

occurring before birth

post- (prefix)

after, behind

postsurgical

occurring after surgery

-al (suffix)

pertaining to