MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY

WORD PARTS ARE THE KEY

PREFIX - ROOT - SUFFIXAll medical terms can be broken

down into word parts. The three word parts that you will be concerned with are the PREFIX, the ROOT, and the SUFFIX.

Usually, only two of these parts are present in a medical term.

KEY PART #1

The main body or basic component of a word is called the ______ or _______ word.

ROOT – (STEM)

ROOTS All words have a ROOT. Even

everyday words have ROOTs. In medical terms such as hepatomone, gastrotome, and arthrotome, the hepat (meaning liver), gastr (meaning stomach), and arthr (meaning joint) are the _________.

ROOTS

COMBINING FORM The part of the word which gives the basic

meaning to the word is called the ___________.

ROOT Words with a back slash/ and a combining

vowel are called _________ _________. COMBINING FORM

COMBINING VOWELS

Certain combinations of stems are hard to pronounce. This awkwardness of pronunciation makes it necessary to insert a vowel called a combining vowel.

Usually the combining vowel is an ‘o,’ but occasionally it may be ‘a,’ ‘e,’ ‘i,’ ‘u,’ or ‘y.’

COMBINING VOWEL RULES1. ALWAYS USED BETWEEN ROOT

WORDS

2. USED WHEN SUFFIX HAS CONSONANT FIRST

3. NOT USED BETWEEN PREFIX + ROOT

4. NOT USED WHEN SUFFIX HAS VOWEL FIRST

Key Part #2 - PREFIXThe ______ is the part of

the word which comes _________ the root.

PREFIXBEFORE

PREFIX CATEGORIES Location TimeAmountColor Negation SizePosition

LOCATION PREFIXES intra-/endo- __________ within/inside em-/en- __________ within/inside inter- __________ between/among peri- __________ surrounding ec-/ecto- __________ outside retro __________ behind, back of post __________ after, behind supra/hyper _________ above/excessive sub-/hypo __________ below/less/under

TIME PREFIXES ante- ________ before, in front of

pre- ________ before, in front of

intra ________ within, inside

post _________ after, behind

NUMBER, AMOUNT OR COMPARISON PREFIXES

Mono

Bi/Bis Di/Diplo

Tri Quadri

Multi-/Poly Hemi-/Semi

NUMBER, AMOUNT OR COMPARISON PREFIXES

Hypo- Hyper-

Tachy- Brady-

Oligo-

COLOR PREFIXES RHYME An Invitation to Your Love Oh! Beauty rare with eyes cyano, Shimmering, shining hair melano, Pearly teeth, and lips erythro, Cheeks where only peaches will grow, Warm and lovely skin so leuko, Come sit with me and read a book-oh?

SIZE AND POSITION PREFIXES

Micro

Macro

Mega

PREFIXES AT WORKEmesis is a stem which means

vomit. Hyper is a prefix which means

excessiveExcessive vomiting =

__________.Hyperemesis (hi'per-em'e-sis)

PREFIXES AT WORKThe prefix intra- means inside

or within. Within the abdomen =

_____________intra-abdominal (in'trah-ab-

dom'i-nal)

PREFIXES AT WORKEm- and en- are also prefixes

which mean within or insidePus inside a body cavity =

________________________.Empyema (em'pi-e'mah)

PREFIXES AT WORKEndo- is also a prefix meaning

within or inside. Metro is the root meaning uterus. Inflammation inside the uterus =

___________ Endometritis (en'do-me-tri'tis)

PREFIXES AT WORKInter- is a prefix meaning

between. The root, costal, means ribs.muscles within the ribs =

___________.intercostal (in'ter-kos'tal

PREFIXES AT WORKPeri- is a prefix which means

around or surrounding.Cardio is the stem for heart.

inflammation around the heart = __________.

Pericarditis,per'i-kar-di'tis

PREFIXES AT WORKEc- and ecto- are prefixes which

mean out and outside Pertaining to a pregnancy which

occurs outside the uterine cavity = __________.

ectopic ek-top'ik

PREFIXES AT WORKRetro- and post- are prefixes

which mean behind. located behind the heartsituated behind the nose.Retrocardial ret'ro-kar'de-alPostnasalpost-na'zal

PREFIXES AT WORK

Let’s play

BINGO!

PREFIX QUIZ The prefix "sub" in the word subcutaneous

means: Joint Rib Under Over

Under

PREFIX QUIZ The prefix "brady" in the word bradycardia

means: Fast Low Slow Few

Slow

PREFIX QUIZ The prefix "hydro" in the word hydrophobia

means: Gas Water Air Liquid

Water

PREFIX QUIZ The prefix "a" in the word afebrile means:

Without Within Around In

Without

PREFIX QUIZ The prefix "tachy" in the word tachycardia

means: Low Moderate Fast Slow

Fast

PREFIX QUIZ The prefix "erythro" in the word erythrocyte

means: Red Black Blue White

Red

PREFIX QUIZ The prefix "an" in the word anesthesia

means: Without In Within With

Without

PREFIX QUIZ The prefix "em" in the word empyema

means: Out In Between Under

In

PREFIX QUIZ The prefix "oligo" in the word oliguria

means: Many/much Small Large Few/scanty

Few/scanty

KEY WORD PART #3 - SUFFIX

The ______ is the part of the word which comes _________ the root.

SUFFIXAFTER

PATHOLOGY SUFFIXES

itis – inflammation oma, cele - tumor osis, ago, esis, ia, iasis – condition/disease malacia – abnormal softening mega(ly) – abnormal enlargement scler/o – abnormal hardening sten/o – abnormal narrowing necr/o – dead

DIAGNOSIS SUFFIXES Gastrocele - gas'tro-sel Hernia or protrusion of the stomach

                                   

DIAGNOSIS SUFFIXES EMIA = BLOOD

LEUKEMIA =

ANEMIA =

HYPO/HYPERGLYCEMIA =

DIAGNOSIS SUFFIXES Ectasis, ectasia =

dilation, dilatation, or expansion

DIAGNOSIS SUFFIXESIs, iasis = condition,

formation or presence

of

Nephrolithiasis = nef'ro-li-thi'ah-sis

DIAGNOSIS SUFFIXES Itis = inflammation

Encephalitis =

DIAGNOSIS SUFFIXES Chondr/o = cartilage Chondromalacia =

DIAGNOSIS SUFFIXES Hepatosplenomegaly =

hep'ah-to-sple'no-meg'ah-le

DIAGNOSIS SUFFIXES Arteriosclerosis =

DIAGNOSIS SUFFIXES Lipo = fat Lipoma =

DIAGNOSIS SUFFIXES disease is - pathy

nu-rop'ah-the

                      

DIAGNOSIS SUFFIXES The suffix for prolapse or downward

displacement is ptosis.

blef'ah-ro-to'sis

                                    

DIAGNOSIS SUFFIXES The suffix for rupture is -rrhexis. Cardiiiorrhexis =

kar'de-o-rek'sis

                      

DIAGNOSIS SUFFIXES trophy - Growth or nourishment Hypertrophy = hi-per'tro-fe

DIAGNOSIS SUFFIXES fear – phobia

Hydrophobia =

PROCEDURE SUFFIXES ectomy - removal or

excision salpingo = tube oophoro = ovary salpingo-

oophorectomy =

PROCEDURE SUFFIXES -stomy = surgical creation of an artificial

opening colostomy = ko-los'to-me

PROCEDURE SUFFIXES

binding or fixation is -desis

Arthrodesis= ar'thro-de'sis

PROCEDURE SUFFIXES suspension or fixation = -pexy. orchiopexy = or'ke-o-pek'se

PROCEDURE SUFFIXES plastic repair = -plasty. Tympano = eardrum Tympanoplasty = tim'pah-no-plas'te

PROCEDURE SUFFIXES -centesis = puncture Arthrocentesis =

PROCEDURE SUFFIXES tomy - incision or

cutting into Laparotomy =

PROCEDURE SUFFIXES -rrhaphy = suture

SYMPTOMATIC SUFFIXES algia = pain. Dentalgia -genic = producing or originating. Pyogenic -lysis = destruction or breakdown

Hemolysis rrhagia = excessive flow or discharge.

Hemorrhage excessive discharge or flow = -rrhea.

Diarrhea

SYMPTOMATIC SUFFIXES Algia = pain

SYMPTOMATIC SUFFIXES Lysis = destruction or breakdown

SYMPTOMATIC SUFFIXES Rrhagia = bursting forth with excessive flow

or discharge

SYMPTOMATIC SUFFIXES Rrhea = flow or discharge

SYMPTOMATIC SUFFIXES Penia = deficiency or decrease

SYMPTOMATIC SUFFIXES Spasm = involuntary contraction

PERTAINING TO SUFFIXES

-ic = pertaining to -ac = pertaining to -al = pertaining to -ar = pertaining to

Examples – intercostal, cardiac, vascular, dermatotrophic

SUFFIXES QUIZ The suffix "-osis" in the word dermatophytosis means:

Drooping Condition Dilation Growing

SUFFIXES QUIZ The suffix "-megaly" in the word hepatosplenomegaly means:

Softening Enlargement Swelling Hardening

SUFFIXES QUIZ The suffix "-iasis" in the word nephrolithiasis means:

Suspension/fixation Protrusion/swelling Growth/nourishment Condition/presence of

SUFFIXES QUIZ The suffix "-ectomy" in the word salpingo-oophorectomy means:

Opening of Excision of Inspection of Suspension of

SUFFIXES QUIZ

The suffix "-ic" in the word otoscopic means:

pertaining to softening of condition of repair of

SUFFIXES QUIZ

The suffix "-centesis" in the word arthrocentesis means:

Originating in Pertaining to Puncture of Destruction of

SUFFIXES QUIZ

The suffix "-malacia" in the word chondromalacia means:

Hardening Producing Flowing Softening

SUFFIXES QUIZ

The suffix "-desis" in the word arthrodesis means:

Puncture Fixation Dilation Enlargement

SUFFIXES QUIZ The suffix "-ar" in the word cardiovascular

means:

Nourishment of Inspection of Pertaining to Softening of

SUFFIXES QUIZ The suffix "-phobia" in the word hydrophobia means:

Disease of Fear of Like of Opening of

MED TERM CONFUSION??? EPONYM OR ACRONYM ILEUM OR ILIUM ARTERI/O, ATHER/O OR ARTHR/O INFECTION OR INFLAMMATION SIGN OR SYMPTOM DIAGNOSIS OR PROGNOSIS MUCOUS OR MUCUS LACERATION OR LESION

MED TERM CONFUSION??? MYC/O, MYEL/O OR MY/O OLOGIST OR OLOGY OSTOMY OR OTOMY PALPATION OR PALPITATION PROSTATE OR PROSTRATE PYEL/O, PY/O OR PYR/O SUPINATION OR SUPPURATION VIRAL OR VIRILE

WORD PARTS – MED TERM

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