Basics of Medical Terminology for Healthcare Professionals (Part 1)

1. MEDICAL
TERMINOLOGY
PART 1
BY:
Dina Abdelazim Ghoraba

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SNAPSHOT
Medical Terminology
Basic elements of the medical word
Medical word
Prefix
Combining Form
Suffix
Root Combining vowel
A Disease may be described by
PhraseOne Word
EnglishLatin or Greek
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WORD PARTS Prefixes
Prefixes Pertaining to Direction
Prefix Meaning Example
Ab- Away from Abnormal
Ad- Toward, near Adrenal gland
Dia- Through, complete Dialysis
Per- Through Percutaneous
Trans- across Transfusion
Prefixes Pertaining to Numbers
Prefix Meaning Example
Prim/i-, prot/o First Primigravida
Mon/o-
Uni-
One
Single
Monoclonal
Unicellular
Duo-
Bi-, Di-, Dis-, Bin
Two
Twice
Bicuspid
Diplegia
Dipl/o- Double Diplopia
Hemi- Half, one side Hemithorax
Semi- Half, partial Semilunar
Tri-
Ter-
Three
Third
Triad
Tertiary
Quadr/i
Tetra-
Four
Quadrant
Tetramer
Penta-
Quint
Five Pentose
Hexa- Sex- Six Hexose
Hepta- Seven Heptose
Octa- Eight Octigravida
Nona- Nine Nonan
Deca- Ten Decan
Multi- Many Multiple
Poly- Many, much Polymorphic
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Prefixes Pertaining to Position
Prefix Meaning Example
Ambi Both Ambilateral
Ana- Up, apart, backward Anabolism
Cata- Down Catabolism
Con- With, together Connective tissue
Dextr/o Right Dextrose
Ect/o, ec- Outside, outer Ectopic
Em- In Emmetropia
End/o In, inside Endoscope
Epi-, ep- Above Epigastric
Eso- Inward Esotropia
Ex/o Away from, outside Exophthalamos
Extra- Outside Extracellular
Infra-, infer- Below Infrared radiation
Inter- Between Interstitial fluid
Intra-, en- Within Intracellular
Lev/o
Sinister/o
Left Sinistrad
Mes/o Middle Mesencephalon
Meta- Beyond, over, between, change Metastasis
Para- Beside, alongside, Paraplegia
Peri-, circum Around Peri-anal
Retr/o Backward Retroperitoneal
Sub- Under Subgastric
Syn/o
sym-
Together
Synapse
Symbiosis
Tel/e, tel/o End Telangion

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Prefixes Pertaining to Time/ Position
Prefix Meaning Example
Hyper- Over, excess, high Hypertension
Hypo- Under, below, low Hypotension
Olig/o- Few Oligospermia
Pan- All Panplegia
Super-, supra- Above, beyond Superinfection
Prefixes Pertaining to Degree
Prefix Meaning Example
Ante- Before Antepartum
Pre- Before, in front of Predisposing
Pro- Before, in front of Prophylaxis
Post- After, behind Postoperative
Prefixes Pertaining to Colors
Prefix Meaning Example
Cyan/o Blue Cyanosis
Erythr/o
Rub
Red Erythrocyte
Leuk/o Leuc/o
Candidus
Alb/i
White, colorless
White
White
Leukocyte
Albinism
Melan/o
Nigr/o
Black Melanin
Poli/o
Glauc/o
Grey Polioencephalitis
Verd/o
Chlor/o
Green
Verdoglobin
Chlorophyll
Xanth/o
Icter/
Yellow Xanthoma
Cirrh/o Brown Cirrhosis
Iod/e Violet Iodine
Porphyr/o Purple Porphyrinuria
Aur/e Golden Streptococcus aureus
Ciner/o Ashy Cinerea

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Prefixes Pertaining to Disease
Prefix Meaning Example
Brady- Slow Bradycardia
Tachy- Rapid Tachypnea
Pachy- Thick Pachyderma
Brachy- Short
Dys- Painful, difficult, abnormal Dyspnea
Mal-, cac- Bad, poor Malabsorption
Xero- Dry Xeroderma
Negative Prefixes
Prefix Meaning Example
a-, an- Not, without, lack of, absence Apnea
Anti- Against Antidote
Contra- Against Contralateral
De- Down, without, loss, removal Detoxify
Dis- Absence, removal, separation Disinfect
In-, im- Not Incontinence
Un Not Unconscious
Prefixes Pertaining to size and comparison
Prefix Meaning Example
Eu- True, good, easy Eukaryotic
Heter/o Other, different, unequal Heterosexual
Homo-
Homeo-
Same, Unchanging Homothermic
Iso- Equal, same Isograft
Macro- Large Macroscopic
Mega-
Megalo-
Large, Abnormally large Megabladder
Micro- Small Micro-organism
Neo- New Neonate
Normo- Regular Normal
Ortho- Straight, upright, correct Orthosis
Poikilo- Varied, irregular Poikiloderma
Pseudo- False Pseudoparalysis
Re- Again, back Reflux

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Pronunciation Silent letters and unusual pronunciations at the start of a word
WORD PARTS Suffixes
A suffix: is the word ending; all terms have only one suffix.
Letter Pronunciation Example
Ch K Chemical
Dys Dis Dystrophy
Eu U Euphoria
Gn N Gnathic
Ph F Pharmacy
Pn N Pneumonia
Ps S Pseudo
Pt T Ptosis
Rh R Rheumatic
X Z Xiphoid
Suffixes Pertaining to Specialists and Specialties
Suffix Meaning Example
-logy Study of Physiology
-logist Specialist in Studying Pathologist
-er, -or One who Instructor
-ist Specialist in (a field of Study ) Dentist
-ian, -ician Specialist in (a field of Study) Physician
-iatrics, -iatry , -ics Field of medicine Psychiatry
-iatrist Specialist in (a field of study) Podiatrist
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Adjective Suffixes
Suffix Meaning Example
-ac, -ic , -iac
-ar, -ary , -ior
-al, -eal, -ical
-ile, -tic
-ous, -ad
-an, ine
Pertaining to
Cardiac,
hypochondriac
Superior, Abdominal,
Necrotic, Mucous
Neurological,
Ovarian
-ose Pertaining to; sugar Adipose, pentose
-form Resembling, in the shape of Epileptiform
-oid, -ory Resembling or like Mucoid
-ole, -ule, -cle Little ; small Arteriole
-in, -ine A substance Morphine
-um Structure, tissue, thing Cerebellum
-us Structure, thing Hydrocephalus
Suffixes Pertaining to Surgery
Suffix Meaning Example
-centesis Puncture to remove fluid Thoracentesis
-desis Binding, fusion Pleurodesis
-ectomy Surgical removal, excision Tonsillectomy
-pexy Surgical fixation Uteropexy
-plasty Plastic repair, reconstruction Rhinoplasty
-rrhaphy Surgical repair, Suture Herniorrhaphy
-stomy (Surgical creation of) an opening Colostomy
-tome Instrument for incising (cutting) Dermatome
-tomy Incision, cutting Laparotomy
-tripsy Crushing Lithotripsy

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Suffixes Pertaining to Disease
Suffix Meaning Example
-algia Pain Gastralgia
-algesia Sensitivity to pain
-dynia Pain Cephalodynia
-ache Pain Headache
-cele
Hernia localized dilation, tumor,
swelling
Cystocele
-cision Process of cutting Incision
-clasis, -clasia, -clast Braking Karyoclasis
-itis Inflammation Colitis
-megaly Enlargement Hepatomegaly
-oma Tumor Lipoma
-opsy View of
-paresis Weakness Hemiparesis
-pathy Disease of Neuropathy
-penia Lack of, deficiency Leukopenia
-pheresis Removal Plasmapheresis
-puncture To pierce Venopuncture
-rrhage,
-rrhagia
Bursting forth, profuse flow,
hemorrhage
Hemorrhage
-rrhea Flow, discharge Diarrhea
-rrhexis Rupture Amniorrhexis
-schiasis Fissure, splitting Retinosciasis
-graph Instrument for recording data Spirograph
-graphy (Process of) recording data Mammography
-gram Record, weight, mark Sonogram
-meter Instrument for measuring Ergometer
-metry (Process of ) measurement Optometry
-scope Instrument for viewing or examining Cystoscope
-scopy (Process of) examination Laparoscopy
-section Cut

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Words Pertaining to Disease and used as Suffix
Suffix Meaning Example
-culture Cultivation
-dilation
-dilatation
Expansion, widening Vasodilatation
-ectasis, -ectasy
-ectasia
Dilation Bronchiectasis
-edema Accumulation of fluid, swelling Cephaledema
-emesis Vomiting
-lysis
Separation, loosing, dissolving,
destruction
Hemolysis
-malacia Softening Osteomalacia
-necrosis Death of tissue Hepatonecrosis
-ptosis
Dropping, drooping, downward,
displacement
Nephroptosis
-spasm Sudden contraction, cramp Bronchospasm
-stasis Suppression, stoppage Menostasis
-stenosis Narrowing, constriction Tracheostenosis
-systole Contraction Asystole
-tension Pressure Hypertention
-therapy Treatment Chemotherapy
Suffixes That Mean “CONDITION OF”
Suffix Meaning Example
-ia Condition of Insomnia
-iasis Condition of Ambiasis
-ism Condition of Alcoholism
-osis, -esis, -is Abnormal condition of Neurosis
-y Condition of, process, Pertaining to Atony

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Grammar Break Plural Endings
Word Ending Plural Ending
Example
Singular Plural
-a -ae Vertebra Vertebrae
-en -ina Lumen Lumina
-ex,-ix -ices Index Indices
-is -es Diagnosis Diagnoses
-nx
(anx,inx,ynx)
-nges Phalanx Phalanges
-on -a Ganglion Ganglia
-um -a Ovum Ova
-us -i Fungus Fungi
-ma -mata Adenoma Adenomata
-ur -ora Femur Femora
-y -ies Biopsy Biopsies
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WORD PARTS Combining Forms; Roots
Combining form: is the root + vowel.
Root: is the foundation of the word
Combining vowel: (usually o or i) links the root to the suffix or the root to another root.
Combining Forms Pertaining to Chemistry
ROOT Meaning Example
azot/o Nitrogen compounds Azoturia
ferr/o(i) Iron Ferric
sider/o Iron Sidropenia
hydr/o Water, fluid Dehydrate
kal/i Potassium (K+
) Hyperkalemia
natr/i Sodium (Na+
) Hyonatrimia
calc/i Calcium(Ca+
) Hypocalcaemia
ox/i
Ox/y
Oxygen
oxygen; sharp; acid
oxyhemoglobin
Combining Forms Pertaining to Disease
ROOT Meaning Example
carcin/o Cancer, carcinoma Carcinogen
lith/o Calculus, stone Lithiasis
onc/o Tumor Oncology
path/o Disease Pathologist
py/o Pus Pyuria
pyr/o
pyret/o
Fever, fire Pyretic
scler/o Hard Sclerosis
tox/o
toxic/o
Poison, toxin Toxic
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Combining forms pertaining to Time
ROOT Meaning Example
chron/o Time Synchronous
noct/o Night Nocturnal
nyct/o Night, darkness Nyctophobia
Combining Forms Pertaining to Physical Factors
ROOT Meaning Example
aer/o Air, gas Aerobic
bar/o Pressure Barotrauma
chrom/o
chromat/o
Color, stain Chromatic
cry/o Cold Cryoprobe
electr/o Electricity Electroshock
erg/o Work Synergistic
kine, kinesi/o
kinet/o
Movement Kinesis
phot/o Light Photosensitive
radi/o Radiation x-ray Radioactive
son/o
phon/o
Sound Ultrasonic
therm/o Heat Hypothermia

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WORD PARTS: Miscellaneous
Word Parts Pertaining to Infectious Diseases
Word Part Meaning Example
PREFIXES
Staphyl/o Grape like; cluster Staphylococcus
Strept/o Twisted chain Streptococcus
ROOTS
Myc/o Fungus, mold Mycosis
Vir/o Virus Viremia
Word Parts Pertaining to Body Chemistry
SUFFIXES
-oxia Level of oxygen Hypoxia
-capnia Level of CO2 Hypercapnia
-ase Enzyme Lipase
-ose Sugar Lactose
ROOTS
Lip/o Lipid, fat Liposuction
Adip/o Fat Adiposis
Steat/o Fat Steatorrhea
Amyl/o Starch Amyloid
Glyc/o Sugar, glucose Hypoglycemia
Prote/o Protein Proteolysis
Word Parts Pertaining to Cell Activity
ROOTS
Blast/o Immature cell, productive cell Glioblastoma multiforme
Gen/o Origin, formation Genesis
Phag/o Eat, ingest Phagocyte
SUFFIXES
-blast Immature cell, productive cell Fibroblast
-philic Attracting, absorbing Hydrophilic
-tropic Acting on Gonadotropic
-trophy
-trophia
Growth, nourishment Atrophy
-plasia Formation, development Hydroplasia
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Grammar Break Word building; Analysis
Word Analyzer:
1- Read the medical terms from the suffix back to the beginning of the term Cross
the suffix at the end of the term
2- Discriminate between the proceeded parts (This is easily achieved by memorizing the
PRIFIXES) Cross the prefix, the root and/or the combining form
3- Give the meaning for each part.
4- Give the whole term meaning as following:
(Prefix + Suffix)
(Combining form/root +Suffix)
(Prefix + Combining form/root +Suffix)
Word Builder:
1- Underline the basic structures for the medical word.
2- Give the word parts from the underlined structures.
3- Arrange them.
4- Drop a combining vowel:
1. Before a suffix begins with a consonant
2. Between two roots
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The arrows indicate the reading direction
The underline indicates that it must be
read first