Lecture 2 - Terminology (1)

Medical Terminology Prefixes

• a-, an-: Without, Lack of, not

  • Anemia: lack of blood

  • Asymptomatic: without symptoms

• ana-: Up, toward, apart

  • Analeptic: a drug that stimulates the central nervous system

• ante-: Before, in front of, forward

  • Antepartum: The period before birth

• anti-: Against, opposing

  • Antibiotic: against microbial life

• auto-: Self

  • Autoimmune: body attacks itself

• bi-: Two, double, twice

  • Bilateral: referring to both sides of body or organ

• cata-: Down, under, lower, against

  • Catabolism: breakdown of complex molecules

• circum-: Around

  • Circumcision

• dia-: Between, through, apart, across, completely

  • Diaphragm: muscle separating chest and abdominal cavities

• dys-: Difficult, painful, abnormal

  • Dyspnea: Difficulty in breathing

• ecto-, exo-: Outer, outside, situated on

  • Ectoparasite: Parasite that lives on the outside of the animal’s body

• extra-: Outside of, beyond

  • Extrapulmonary: outside lungs

• hemi-: Half

  • Hemiplegia: complete paralysis of one side of body

• hyper-: Excessive, above, beyond

  • Hyperthermia: High body temp

• hypo-: Under, deficient, beneath

  • Hypothermia: low body temp

• inter-: Between

  • Intercostal: located between ribs

• intra-: Within

  • Intramuscular: inside muscle

• meta-: Change, beyond, after

  • Metabolism: body converts food into energy

• micro-: Small

  • Microorganism

• multi-: Many

  • Multisystemic: affecting multiple organ systems

• neo-: New, recent

  • Neonatal

• para-: Beside, beyond

  • Parathyroid glands: because they are next to the thyroid

• peri-: Around

  • Pericardium: surrounding the heart

• poly-: Many, much, excessive

  • Polyuria: producing too much urine

• pseudo-: False

  • Pseudopregnancy

• retro-: Backward, behind

  • Retrograde peristalsis: moving backwards, vomiting

• semi-: Half, Partial

  • Semiconscious

Medical Terminology Roots/Suffixes

• super-, supra-: Above, superior, excess

  • Superficial: near the surface of body or organ

• Aden/o: Gland

  • Adenitis: inflammation of a gland

• Arteri/o: Artery

  • Arteriopathy: any disease affecting the arteries

• Arthr/o: Joint

  • Arthritis: inflammation of a joint

• Brachi/o: Arm or foreleg

  • Brachial: pertaining to the arm or forelimb

• Cephal/o: Head

  • Cephalic: pertaining to the head

• Cervic/o: Neck

  • Cervical: pertaining to the neck

• Derma/o: Skin

  • Dermatitis: inflammation of skin

• Lingu/o: Tongue

  • Linguplasty: Surgical repair of tongue

• Mamma/o: Breast

  • Mammography: imaging mammary glands

• Nas/o: Nose

  • Nasitis: inflammation of the nasal passages

• Ocul/o: Eye

  • Oculopathy: any disease of the eye.

• Odont/o: Tooth or teeth

  • Odontoplasty: A dental procedure involving reshaping or smoothing teeth

• Ophthalm/o: Eye or eyes

  • Ophthalmitis: inflammation of the eye

• Steth/o: Chest

  • Stethoscope: listening to chest

• Thorac/o: Chest or thorax

  • Thoracic vertebrae

Medical Suffix Meanings

• -ac, -al, -tic: Pertaining to, relating to

  • Diagnostic

• -algia: Pain

  • Myalgia: muscle pain or soreness

• -cyte: Cell

  • Osteocyte: bone cell

• -ectomy: Cutting out

  • Lobectomy: to surgically remove a lobe

• -emia: Blood condition

  • Leukemia: cancer of the RBC

• -genesis: Development, origin

  • Pathogenesis: disease development

• -graphy: Recording, written record

  • Ultrasonography

• -ia, -ity, -ism, -sis: State or condition

  • Paralysis

• -itis: Inflammation

  • Arthritis: inflammation of the joints

• -logy: Science, study of

  • Biology: the study of life

Tissue Types

• Tissue: A group of similar cells that work together to perform a specific function.

  • Examples: Muscle tissues, Bone tissue, Nervous tissue

• Epithelial tissue: Type of tissue that forms the lining of internal and external body surfaces

  • Example: Skin

• Connective tissue: A type of tissue that primarily functions to connect, support, and bind tissues together.

  • Example: Cartilage

• Muscle tissue: Specialized tissue in animals that allows for movement by contracting and relaxing.

  • Types: Cardiac, Smooth, and Skeletal

• Nervous tissue: Responsible for sending and receiving signals found in brain, spinal cord, and nerves.

  • Types found in brain, spinal cord, and nerves.