Medical Terms and Their Meanings

Medical Terminology Notes

Aphasia

• Meaning: Loss or impairment of the ability to speak or understand language.
• Breakdown: A- (without) + -phasia (speech)

Hemoptysis

• Meaning: Coughing up blood.
• Breakdown: Hemo- (blood) + -ptysis (spitting)

Rhinorrhea

• Meaning: Runny nose.
• Breakdown: Rhino- (nose) + -rrhea (flow/discharge)

Blepharospasm

• Meaning: Involuntary contraction of the eyelid.
• Breakdown: Blepharo- (eyelid) + -spasm (involuntary contraction)

Cephalalgia

• Meaning: Headache.
• Breakdown: Cephal- (head) + -algia (pain)

Osteomyelitis

• Meaning: Inflammation of bone and bone marrow.
• Breakdown: Osteo- (bone) + myel- (marrow) + -itis (inflammation)

Menorrhagia

• Meaning: Heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding.
• Breakdown: Meno- (menses) + -rrhagia (excessive flow)

Xerostomia

• Meaning: Dry mouth.
• Breakdown: Xero- (dry) + -stomia (mouth)

Neurofibromatosis

• Meaning: A condition causing tumors on nerves.
• Breakdown: Neuro- (nerve) + fibroma (fibrous tumor) + -osis (condition)

Gastroparesis

• Meaning: Delayed gastric emptying.
• Breakdown: Gastro- (stomach) + -paresis (partial paralysis)

Myasthenia

• Meaning: Muscle weakness.
• Breakdown: Myo- (muscle) + -asthenia (weakness)

Hidradenitis

• Meaning: Inflammation of sweat glands.
• Breakdown: Hidr- (sweat) + aden- (gland) + -itis (inflammation)

Oliguria

• Meaning: Low urine output.
• Breakdown: Olig- (few/scanty) + -uria (urine)

Dysmenorrhea

• Meaning: Painful menstruation.
• Breakdown: Dys- (bad/painful) + meno- (menses) + -rrhea (flow)

Atelectasis

• Meaning: Collapse of part or all of a lung.
• Breakdown: A- (without) + tel- (complete) + -ectasis (expansion)

Epistaxis

• Meaning: Nosebleed.
• Breakdown: From Greek "epistazein" (to drip upon)

Hirsutism

• Meaning: Excessive hair growth (especially in women, male-pattern areas).
• Breakdown: Hirsut- (hairy) + -ism (condition)