Prefix

Form

History

2

• Most of the terms used in veterinary medicine are based on Latin or Greek.

– Latin=universal language of medicine

– Greeks=founders of modern medicine

– terminology can be confusing unless you have the tools to decipher it. So….

Building Blocks

• Prefix

– modifies the meaning of the word it is attached to

– located at the beginning of a word

– Examples: Poly-, De-, Anti-, Post

• Handout 1, Handout 4

Building Blocks

• Suffix

– modifies the meaning of the word it is attached to

– located at the end of a word

– Examples: -itis, -ology, -lysis

• Handout 2, Handout 5

Building Blocks• Root

– foundation of a word

– Adding a prefix or a suffix to the root modifies its meaning

– Roots can be combined with other roots or a suffix by adding a combining form…

• Examples: Cardi/o, Nas/o

–Handout 3, Handout 6

Building Blocks

• Combining Form

– vowel that is used to connect roots to other roots or to a suffix

– usually an “O” but can be “A”, “E”, or an “I”

– make the term easier to pronounce

– Not always used

Ep-, Epi-

• On, upon

• Epidermal: upon the epidermis

Eu- (yoo)

• Normal

• Eupnea: Normal breathing

Iso-

• Equal; same

• Isothermic: equality of temperature

Multi-

• Many, much

• Multicellular: many cells

Neo-

• New

• Neonatal- new born

Pan-

• All

• Panarthritis- all inflammation of joints

Peri-

• Around

• Periodontal: pertaining to the area around the tooth

Post-

• After

• Postoperative: after a surgical operation

Uni-

• One

• Unicellular: one celled

-al, -ic, -ac,-ous-

• Thermic: temperature

• Dermal: skin

• Hydrous: water

• Pertaining to

-graphy• Recording of

• Radiography: recording of an image using x-rays

-ist• One who studies

• Cardiologist: person who studies the heart

-lysis• Destruction of

• Erythrolysis: destruction of red blood cells

-megaly• Abnormally

large

• Hepatomegaly: abnormally large liver

-natal• Birth

• Postnatal: after birth

-oxia• Oxygen

• Hypoxia: insufficient oxygen

-phagia• Eating,

swallowing

• Malphagia: poor swallowing or eating ability

-spasm• Involuntary

contraction

• Cardiospasm: involuntary contraction of the heart

-toxin• Poison

• Entrotoxin: intestintal poisoning

Abdomin/o-

Copr/o

Cyan/o

Derm/o, Dermat/o

Enter/o

Erythr/o

Gingiv/o

Hepat/o

Hydr/o

Peritone/o

Ur/o