Medical Terminology Chapter 3: Essential Prefixes and More

Learning Objectives for Medical Terminology: Essential Prefixes and More

  • Word Part Mastery: Write the meaning of Chapter 3 word parts or match them with their corresponding definitions.

  • Numeric and Quantitative Prefixes: Utilize prefixes denoting numbers, quantities, position, and direction to construct medical terms.

  • Color-Based Terms: Use specific combining forms for colors to write medical terms.

  • Term Construction and Analysis: Correctly identify and combine word parts, using provided clues to write and build medical terms.

  • Definition Proficiency: Write correct terms when presented with definitions or match terms with their definitions.

  • Orthography: Demonstrate the ability to spell medical terms correctly.

  • Structural Analysis: Build and analyze complex medical terms using the word parts introduced in Chapter 3.

Prefixes Denoting Numbers and Quantities

  • Numerical Prefixes (Specific Counts):

    • mono-, uni-: Means one (e.g., unicycle).

    • bi-, di-: Means two (e.g., bicycle).

    • tri-: Means three (e.g., tricycle).

    • quad-, quadri-, tetra-: Means four.

    • centi-: Means one hundred (100100) or one-hundredth (1100\frac{1}{100}).

    • milli-: Means one-thousandth (11000\frac{1}{1000}).

  • Quantitative Prefixes (Amount and Magnitude):

    • diplo-: Means double.

    • hemi-, semi-: Means half or partly.

    • hyper-: Means excessive or more than normal.

    • hypo-: Means beneath or below normal (distinct from its positional meaning).

    • multi-, poly-: Means many.

    • nulli-: Means none.

    • pan-: Means all.

    • primi-: Means first.

    • super-, ultra-: Both mean excessive (e.g., ultraviolet therapy, which involves light beyond the visible spectrum).

Prefixes Denoting Position or Direction

  • Spatial Relationships (Part I):

    • ab-: Away from.

    • ad-: Toward.

    • ante-, pre-: Before in time or place.

    • circum-, peri-: Around.

    • dia-: Through.

  • Internal and External Placement (Part II):

    • ecto-, ex-, exo-, extra-: Mean out, without, or away from.

    • en-, end-, endo-: Mean inside.

    • epi-: Above or on.

    • hypo-, infra-, sub-: Mean beneath or under.

  • Lateral and Relative Position (Part III):

    • ipsi-: Means the same side (e.g., ipsilateral pain is pain occurring on the same side as the force or injury).

    • contra-: Means against, opposed, or the opposite side (e.g., contralateral pain occurs on the side opposite the force).

    • inter-: Between.

    • intra-: Within.

    • meso-, mid-: Middle.

    • para-: Near, beside, or abnormal.

    • per-: Through or by.

  • Advanced Positional Prefixes (Part IV):

    • post-: After or behind.

    • retro-: Behind or backward.

    • super-, supra-: Above or beyond.

    • sym-, syn-: Joined or together.

    • trans-: Across (e.g., transdermal drug delivery involves transport across the skin).

Prefixes for Time, Size, Negation, and Description

  • Temporal and Dimensional Prefixes:

    • ante-, pre-, pro-: Before.

    • post-: After.

    • macro-, mega-, megalo-: Large or great.

    • micro-: Small.

  • Negation and Opposition:

    • a-, an-: No, not, or without.

    • in-: Not (also means inside).

    • anti-, contra-: Against.

  • Qualitative Descriptions:

    • dys-: Bad or difficult.

    • eu-: Good or normal.

    • mal-: Bad.

    • pro-: Favoring or supporting.

    • brady-: Slow (e.g., bradycardia).

    • tachy-: Fast (e.g., tachycardia).

Combining Forms for Colors

  • alb/o, albin/o, leuk/o (leuc/o): White. Note: Albinism refers to a condition characterized by a lack of pigment.

  • chlor/o: Green.

  • cyan/o: Blue. Note: Cyanosis is a bluish discoloration of the skin or mucous membranes.

  • erythr/o: Red.

  • melan/o: Black.

  • xanth/o: Yellow. Note: Jaundice is the clinical presentation of yellowing of the skin/eyes.

Additional Combining Forms and Suffixes

  • Cellular and Procedural Suffixes:

    • -cyte: Cell.

    • -genic: Produced by or in.

    • -genesis: Producing or forming.

    • -gram: A record.

    • -graph: The instrument used for recording.

    • -graphy: The process of recording (e.g., electrocardiography, ECG, or electroencephalography, EEG).

  • Dynamic and Pathological Suffixes:

    • -kinesia, -kinesis: Movement or motion.

    • -lepsy: Seizure.

    • -lysin: That which destroys.

    • -lysis: The process of destroying.

    • -lytic: Capable of or producing destruction.

    • -sclerosis: Hardening or hard.

    • -malacia: Abnormal softening.

    • -megaly: Enlargement.

    • -pathy: Disease.

  • Measurement and Observation Suffixes:

    • -meter: Instrument used to measure.

    • -metry: The process of measuring.

    • -scope: Instrument used for viewing.

    • -scopy: The process of examining visually.

  • Functional Suffixes:

    • -phasia: Speech.

    • -phagia, -phagic, -phagy: Eating or swallowing.

    • -plegia: Paralysis.

    • -schisis: Split or cleft.

    • -trophic, -trophy: Nutrition.

Miscellaneous Combining Forms

  • aer/o: Air.

  • blast/o: Embryonic form.

  • cancer/o, carcin/o: Cancer.

  • cephal/o: Head.

  • cry/o: Cold.

  • crypt/o: Hidden.

  • dips/o: Thirst.

  • electr/o: Electricity.

  • fibr/o: Fiber.

  • hist/o: Tissue.

  • myc/o: Fungus.

  • narc/o: Stupor.

  • necr/o: Dead.

  • optic/o, opt/o: Vision.

  • phon/o: Voice.

  • phot/o: Light.

  • py/o: Pus.

  • therm/o: Heat.

  • top/o: Position, place.

  • trache/o: Trachea (windpipe).

Clinical Terminology and Word Part Combinations

  • Endocrine and Metabolic Terms:

    • hypothyroidism: Low thyroid activity.

    • hyperthyroidism: Excessive thyroid activity.

    • euthyroid: Normal thyroid function.

    • hypoparathyroidism / hyperparathyroidism: Conditions of the parathyroid glands.

    • hyposecretion / hypersecretion: Levels of glandular output.

    • glycogen: A form of stored sugar.

    • glycolysis: The breakdown/destruction of sugar.

  • Speech and Neurological Terms:

    • bradyphasia: Slow speech.

    • tachyphasia: Fast speech.

    • dysphonia: Difficulty speaking (voice).

    • narcolepsy / epilepsy: Seizure disorders.

  • Blood and Destruction Terms:

    • hemoglobin: Oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells.

    • hemolysis: Destruction of blood/red blood cells.

    • hemolyze: To cause hemolysis.

    • hemolysin: An agent that causes hemolysis.

    • hemolytic: Relating to hemolysis.

  • Surgical and Pathological Terms:

    • litholysis: Dissolving of stones.

    • lithotrite / lithotripsy: Instruments or processes for crushing stones.

    • lithiasis: Presence of stones.

    • lipoma: Fatty tumor.

    • necrophobia: Fear of death.

    • pyrophobia: Fear of fire.

    • pyromania / pyromaniac: Obsession with fire.

    • pyrogen / pyrogenic: Producing fever/heat.

    • pyoderma: Pus in the skin.

    • ectopic: Out of place.

    • orthopnea: Difficulty breathing unless upright.

    • hyperthermia: Excessive body heat.

    • cryptorchidism: Hidden (undescended) testicle.

    • fibrin: A protein involved in fiber/clot formation.

  • Medication and Digestion Terms:

    • incontinence: Inability to control excretory functions.

    • malabsorption: Poor absorption of nutrients.

    • antacid: Agent acting against acid.

    • incompatible: Not able to coexist/work together.

    • contraindication: A reason to withhold a treatment.

    • anticonvulsive: Against seizures.

Scientific Principles and Clinical Visuals

  • Diffusion and Semipermeability: A process where water and glucose move across a semipermeable membrane to reach equilibrium. For example, moving from solutions of 10%10\% and 20%20\% glucose to two solutions of 15%15\% glucose over time.

  • Types of Injections:

    • Intramuscular: Administered at a 90∘90^{\circ} angle into the muscle.

    • Subcutaneous: Administered at a 45∘45^{\circ} angle into the subcutaneous tissue.

    • Intravenous: Administered into a vein.

    • Intradermal: Administered at a 10∘10^{\circ} angle into the skin.

  • Movement Terminology:

    • Abduction: Moving a limb away from the body.

    • Adduction: Moving a limb toward the body.

Questions & Discussion

  • Quiz Point 1: The prefix peri- means around.

  • Quiz Point 2: Tachycardia is defined as a rapid heart rate.

  • Quiz Point 3: Distinction between py/o and pyr/o: py/o means pus, whereas pyr/o means fire.

  • Abbreviations:

    • ECG, EKG: Electrocardiogram.

    • EEG: Electroencephalogram.