medical terminology introduction & building medical terms

Medical TerminologyMedical TerminologyIntroduction & Introduction &

Building Medical Building Medical TermsTerms

Medical TerminologyMedical Terminology

Medical terminology is Medical terminology is comprised of root words, comprised of root words, prefixes, suffixes and prefixes, suffixes and combining forms combining forms

Most of these parts are derived Most of these parts are derived from Greek or Latin roots from Greek or Latin roots


Correct spelling of these terms Correct spelling of these terms is imperative due to the critical is imperative due to the critical circumstances in which they circumstances in which they are used are used

Pronunciation usually follows Pronunciation usually follows the rules of the English the rules of the English language language


Pronunciations:Pronunciations: ~ c and g have the soft ~ c and g have the soft sounds sounds of s or j, respectively, of s or j, respectively, before before e, i, & ye, i, & y ~ c and g have harsh sounds ~ c and g have harsh sounds before a, o, and ubefore a, o, and u ~ ch is sometimes ~ ch is sometimes pronounced pronounced like klike k


Pronunciations:Pronunciations: ~ ps is pronounced like s ~ ps is pronounced like s ~ pn is pronounced like n~ pn is pronounced like n ~ ae is pronounced like ee~ ae is pronounced like ee ~ i at the end of a word is a ~ i at the end of a word is a long ilong i


Memorizing commonly used Memorizing commonly used roots, prefixes and suffixes roots, prefixes and suffixes makes learning new makes learning new terminology a simple task terminology a simple task


Root words are the basic Root words are the basic descriptive part of a medical descriptive part of a medical term:term: ~ usually accompanied by ~ usually accompanied by prefixes, suffixes or bothprefixes, suffixes or both ~ many times followed by a ~ many times followed by a combining vowel forming a combining vowel forming a combining formcombining form


Root words are the basic Root words are the basic descriptive part of a medical descriptive part of a medical term:term: ~ combining vowels are used ~ combining vowels are used with suffixes that start with with suffixes that start with a consonant and with other a consonant and with other combining forms combining forms


Root words are the basic Root words are the basic descriptive part of a medical descriptive part of a medical term:term: ~ combining vowels are ~ combining vowels are dropped when the dropped when the combining combining form is added to a suffix form is added to a suffix beginning with a vowelbeginning with a vowel


Terms containing two root Terms containing two root words are called compound words are called compound wordswords


Root word examples:Root word examples: ~ arthr~ arthr (joint)(joint) ~ card~ card (heart)(heart) ~ cephal~ cephal (head)(head) ~ pod~ pod (foot)(foot) ~ ophthalm~ ophthalm (eye)(eye)


Root word examples:Root word examples: ~ cyt~ cyt (cell)(cell) ~ calc~ calc (calcium)(calcium) ~ aut~ aut (self)(self) ~ chrom~ chrom (color)(color) ~ morph~ morph (shape)(shape)


Root word examples:Root word examples: ~ gloss~ gloss (tongue)(tongue) ~ pneum~ pneum (air)(air) ~ gastr~ gastr (stomach)(stomach) ~ leuk~ leuk (white)(white) ~ hydr~ hydr (water)(water)


Root word examples:Root word examples: GreekGreek Latin Latin ~ nephr~ nephr * ren* ren (kidney)(kidney) ~ derma~ derma * cut* cut (skin) (skin) ~ stomat~ stomat * or* or (mouth)(mouth) ~ carcin~ carcin * cancer * cancer (cancer)(cancer)


Prefixes are terminology parts Prefixes are terminology parts that are placed before the root that are placed before the root word to modify its meaning:word to modify its meaning: ~ not affected by combining ~ not affected by combining vowelsvowels ~ followed by a hyphen if ~ followed by a hyphen if written to stand alonewritten to stand alone


Prefix examples:Prefix examples: ~ hyper-~ hyper- (above)(above) ~ hypo-~ hypo- (below)(below) ~ pseudo-~ pseudo- (false)(false) ~ dys-~ dys- (bad)(bad) ~ de-~ de- (reversing)(reversing) ~ poly-~ poly- (many)(many) ~ an-~ an- (not)(not) ~ a-~ a- (not)(not)


Prefix examples:Prefix examples: ~ re-~ re- (again)(again) ~ mono-~ mono- (one)(one) ~ uni-~ uni- (one)(one) ~ bi-~ bi- (two)(two) ~ di-~ di- (two)(two) ~ tri-~ tri- (three)(three) ~ tetra-~ tetra- (four)(four) ~ quad-~ quad- (four)(four)


Prefix examples:Prefix examples: ~ co-~ co- (together)(together) ~ syn-~ syn- (together)(together) ~ dis-~ dis- (apart)(apart) ~ ex-~ ex- (out)(out) ~ extra-~ extra- (outside of)(outside of) ~ intra-~ intra- (inside)(inside) ~ endo-~ endo- (inside)(inside) ~ peri-~ peri- (around)(around)


Prefix examples:Prefix examples: ~ pro-~ pro- (before)(before) ~ pre-~ pre- (before)(before) ~ ante-~ ante- (before)(before) ~ post-~ post- (after)(after) ~ anti-~ anti- (against)(against) ~ meso-~ meso- (middle)(middle) ~ dia-~ dia- (through)(through) ~ eu-~ eu- (true)(true)


Suffixes are terminology parts Suffixes are terminology parts that are placed after the root that are placed after the root word to modify its meaning:word to modify its meaning: ~ does affect the combining ~ does affect the combining vowelvowel ~ proceeded by a hyphen if ~ proceeded by a hyphen if written to stand alonewritten to stand alone


Suffix examples:Suffix examples: ~ -ology~ -ology (study of)(study of) ~ -itis~ -itis(inflammation)(inflammation) ~ -ia~ -ia (condition of)(condition of) ~ -crine~ -crine (secrete)(secrete) ~ -lytic~ -lytic (destroy)(destroy) ~ -tomy~ -tomy (cut into)(cut into) ~ -pathy~ -pathy (disease)(disease)


Suffix examples:Suffix examples: ~ -ic~ -ic (pertaining to)(pertaining to) ~ -al~ -al (pertaining to)(pertaining to) ~ -eal~ -eal (pertaining to)(pertaining to) ~ -il~ -il (pertaining to)(pertaining to) ~ -dyna~ -dyna (pain)(pain) ~ -algia~ -algia (pain)(pain) ~ -emia~ -emia (blood)(blood)


Suffix examples:Suffix examples: ~ -oid~ -oid (form)(form) ~ -megaly~ -megaly(enlargement)(enlargement) ~ -phobia~ -phobia (fear of)(fear of) ~ -ose~ -ose (sugar)(sugar) ~ -ase~ -ase (enzyme)(enzyme) ~ -penia~ -penia (deficiency)(deficiency) ~ -osis~ -osis (condition)(condition)


Prefix SuffixRoot word

Combining form

peri- -itisophthalm

periophthalmitisperiophthalmitis


peri- hepat(o) -itisperi- hepat(o) -itis

prefixprefixroot word root word

combining formcombining form

suffixsuffix

Perihepatitis – Inflammation Perihepatitis – Inflammation around the liveraround the liver


Prefix Suffix

dys- -pnea

dyspneadyspnea


SuffixRoot word

Combining form

-ologyenter(o)

gastroenterologygastroenterology

Root wordCombining form

gastr(o)


Plural endings:Plural endings: ~ the most common are -s, -~ the most common are -s, -eses & -ies & -ies ~ -es for the singular -is~ -es for the singular -is ~ -a for the singular -um~ -a for the singular -um ~ -i for the singular -us~ -i for the singular -us ~ -ices for the singular -ex~ -ices for the singular -ex ~ -ices for the singular -is~ -ices for the singular -is


Plural endings:Plural endings: ~ -ae for the singular -a ~ -ae for the singular -a ~ -s or -mata for the singular ~ -s or -mata for the singular -ma-ma ~ -nges for the singular -nx~ -nges for the singular -nx ~ -a for the singular -on~ -a for the singular -on ~ -aces for the singular -ax~ -aces for the singular -ax

medical terminology introduction & building medical terms

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