Understanding Medical Terms

UNDERSTANDING MEDICAL TERM

INTRODUCTION TO WORD PARTS

FOUR PARTS

  1. Word Root

    • The central part of a word that conveys its primary meaning.

    • Usually indicates a body part.

    • Derived from Latin or Greek languages.

  2. Suffix

    • A component added to the end of a word root to alter its meaning.

  3. Prefix

    • A component attached to the beginning of a word root to modify its meaning.

  4. Combining Vowel

    • A vowel, commonly “o,” used to connect word parts.

WORD ROOT

  • The core part of a word, typically reflecting a body part.

  • Examples of Word Roots:

    • Arthritis = arthr + itis

    • Hepatitis = hepat + itis

  • Derived terms for specific structures include:

    • Blood: hem(o) or sangu

    • Blood Vessels: angi(o)

    • Aorta: aort

    • Heart: cardi(o)

    • Arteries: arteri(o)

    • Veins: ven(o) or phleb(o)

ROOTS FOR PARTS OF THE HEAD

  • Brain: enceph-

  • Nose: rhino

  • Eardrum: tympan or myringo

  • Tooth: odont or dento

  • Eye: ophthalm or oculo

  • Ear: oto

  • Tongue: lingu

  • Skull: crani

ROOT WORDS FOR THE REST OF THE BODY

  • Chest: thorac(o)

  • Lung: pneumo or pleuro

  • Breast: mamm(o)

  • Kidney: neph

  • Blood clot: thromb(o)

ROOT WORDS FOR BONES AND MUSCLES

  • Muscles: myo

  • Rib: cost(o)

  • Shoulder: scapul

  • Back: dorsa

  • Arm: brachi(o)

  • Wrist: carp(o)

  • Bones: oste(o)

  • Foot: pod(o) or ped(o)

SUFFIX

  • A suffix is applied to the end of a word root to change its meaning.

  • Examples:

    • player = play / er

    • hepatic = hepat / ic

    • hepatitis = hepat / itis

SUFFIX EXAMPLES AND THEIR MEANINGS

  • -itis: inflammation (e.g., tonsillitis)

  • -ectomy: excision, removal (e.g., appendectomy)

  • Suffixes signify procedures, conditions, diseases, or grammatical functions derived from Greek or Latin.

TABLE 1-3 EXAMPLES OF SUFFIXES

Combining Form

Suffix

Medical Word

Meaning

gastr/o

-itis

gastritis

inflammation of the stomach

hepat/o

-oma

hepatoma

tumor of the liver

-megaly

hepatomegaly

enlargement of the liver

SUFFIXES DENOTING SURGICAL ACTIONS

  • -centesis: puncture (e.g., arthrocentesis)

  • -tomy: incision/cut into (e.g., phlebotomy)

  • -ectomy: removal (e.g., appendectomy)

  • -stomy: creation of an opening (e.g., colostomy)

DIAGNOSTIC, SYMPTOMATIC, AND RELATED SUFFIXES

  • -algia: pain (e.g., cephalalgia)

  • -emia: blood condition (e.g., leukemia)

  • -itis: inflammation (e.g., gastritis)

  • -ology: study of (e.g., psychology)

  • -pathy: disease (e.g., neuropathy)

EXAMPLES OF SUFFIXES DENOTING STATES AND CONDITIONS

Suffix

Meaning

Example

-rrhage

bursting forth

hemorrhage

-rrhea

discharge or flow

diarrhea

-rrhexis

rupture

angiorrhexis

-pathy

disease

neuropathy

PREFIXES

  • A prefix is a word element that alters meaning when attached to the beginning of a word or root.

  • Prefixes indicate number, time, position, or direction. Many prefixes are also used in the English language.

PREFIX EXAMPLES

  • a- (without): amastia

  • hyper- (excessive): hyperthermia

  • intra- (within): intramuscular

COMMON PREFIXES OF POSITION

Prefix

Meaning

Example

ante-

before/forward

antepartum

pre-

preparation/earlier

preoperative

epi-

on, upon, at

epidermis

hypo-

low, under

hypodermic

sub-

under

subcutaneous

COMMON PREFIXES OF NUMBER AND MEASUREMENT

Prefix

Meaning

Example

bi-

two

bilateral

hemi-

one half

hemiplegia

macro-

large

macrobiotic

micro-

small

microscope

COMMON PREFIXES OF DIRECTION

Prefix

Meaning

Example

peri-

around

periosteitis

trans-

across

transfusion

endo-

within

endocardium

inter-

between

intercostal

COMBINING VOWEL

  • Typically an “o,” used between word roots or between a root and a suffix to ease pronunciation.

  • Example Words:

    • thermometer = therm / o / meter

    • arthropathy = arthr / o / pathy

WORD-BUILDING SYSTEM

  • Understanding word roots allows for the construction of complex medical terms through their smaller parts.

EXAMPLE

  • Leukocytopenia:

    • Word Roots: leuk(o) (white) + cyt(o) (cell)

    • Combining Vowel: / o /

    • Suffix: / penia (decrease)

    • Meaning: decrease in white blood cells.

DEFINING MEDICAL WORDS

THREE BASIC RULES

  1. Define the suffix (last part of the word): For gastroenteritis, -itis means inflammation.

  2. Define the first part: Gastr/o means stomach.

  3. Define the middle part: Enter means intestine.

ANALYSIS OF GASTROENTERITIS

  • By applying the three rules:

    1. Inflammation (of)

    2. Stomach (and)

    3. Intestine

  • Definition: “inflammation (of) stomach (and) intestine.”

BUILDING MEDICAL WORDS

THREE BASIC RULES

  1. A word root links a suffix that begins with a vowel.

  2. A combining form (root + o) links a suffix that starts with a consonant.

  3. Use a combining form to link a root to another root to create a compound word.

EXAMPLE OF BUILDING MEDICAL WORDS

  • Osteochondritis

    • Combining Form: oste/o + chondr/ + -itis

    • Meaning: inflammation of bone and cartilage.

  • Osteoarthritis

    • Combining Form: oste/o + arthr/ + -itis

    • Meaning: inflammation of bone and joint.