medical terminology

1. INTRODUCTION TO MEDICAL
TERMINOLOGY
Dr. Hayat AL AKOUM

3. OBJECTIVES
• Definition of Medical terminology
• Importance of medical terminology
• Medical word elements
• Word roots
• Combining forms
• Prefixes
• Suffixes
• Basic rules

4. OBJECTIVES
• Defining medical words
• Building medical words
• Pronunciation Guidelines

5. DEFINITION
• Medical terminology is language that is used
to accurately describe the human body and
associated components, conditions, processes
and procedures in a science-based manner.
• Some examples are: R.I.C.E., trapezius, and
latissimus dorsi. It is to be used in
the medical and nursing fields.

6. DEFINITION
• The words – or terms – which make up the language of
medicine are referred to as the terminology of the medical
field…known as medical terminology.
• Like every other language, medical terminology has
changed over time and will continue to change.
• Most medical terms come from the Greek and Latin
languages.
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7. IMPORTANCE OF THE MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY
• Simplify communication/break down the
language barrier.
• Easy understanding(common language)
• They are specific terminologies, thus makes
no need to use general terminology

8. WORD ELEMENTS
• The medical word contains all or some of these;
Word Elements
Word root
Combining form
Suffixes
Prefixes
E.g. Dermatitis = defined as the inflammation of the skin.
Skin(word root)
Inflammation(suffix)

9. WORD ELEMENTS
Tonsillectomy
ctomy(remove)
Tonsil(root)
oligospermia
Prefix(Little ) word root suffix(state/conditions)
Peritonsillitis = Inflammation of the tissues surrounding the tonsil
Around(prefix) tonsil(Root) inflammation(suffix)

10. WORD ROOT
A root is the basic element of a word, and it is the foundation
on which the meaning of a word is built.
Many roots are real words in their own right and term.
Although these roots can have other elements, they don't
need other elements to be complete.
A root can be a whole word or a part of a
word.
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11. WORD ROOTS
All medical terms have at least one word root
• E.g. of Respiratory system word roots and the
meaning
Alveol ………. Alveolus(one), Alveoli(many)
Bronch……….Bronchus/bronchi
Epiglott ………Epiglottis
Lob……………..Lobe
Nas …………….Nose
Or ………………Mouth

12. COMBINING FORMS
Combining (Linking) forms is formed when a word root is
combined with a vowel.
usually “o”, but occasionally “e” or “i”.
i.e Combined form= word root + o
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13. COMBINING FORMS
vowel
Word root
Bronch + i/o/u
Epiglott + I
eg Bronchus/Bronchiectasis
eg Epiglottitis
Pharyng + i/o
Or + a
eg Pharyngitis/
pharyngotonsilitis
eg oral

14. PREFIX
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A prefix is a word component placed in front of a
root/word to change or modify its meaning.
A prefix can give a root direction or position. It can also
give a root a specific type/ classification, quality, or
quantity.

15. COMMON PREFIXES
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• Homo- same, similar
• Hyster- uterus
• Men- menstruation
• Quadri- four
• Re- back, again
• Super- above, beyond
• Tri- three
• Ab- away from midline
• Acu- needle
• Anti- against
• Auto- self
• Bi- two, both, double
• Dys- abnormal, bad, painful
• Hemi- half
• Hetero- opposite, different

16. MORE PREFIXES!
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• Epi- upon, over, above
• Ex- out, out of
• Hyper- excessive, above,
too much, over, beyond
• Hypo- less than, under,
below, deficient
• A-, An- without, none
• Bio- life
• Brady- slow
• Circum- around, encircling
• Contra- against
• Dys- difficult, painful, bad,
abnormal
• Endo- within

17. PREFIXES CONTINUED
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• Poly- many, much
• Post- after, behind
• Sub- under, below, beneath
• Supra- above, on the top side
• Tachy- fast
• Trans- across, over
• Hydro- fluid, water
• Inter- between
• Intra- within
• Mal- ill, bad
• Multi- many, more than
one
• Neo- new or abnormal

18. SUFFIX
A suffix is a word component added to the end of a
root/word that changes or modifies its usage,
function, or meaning.
SUFFIX
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19. SUFFIXES: SURGICAL PROCEDURES
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-centesis – to puncture/tap to draw fluid from
-ectomy – excision, removal, cut out
-pexy - fixation
-plasty – surgical repair, correction
-rrhaphy – suture
-sect – to cut
-stomy – forming a new opening
-tomy – incision into, cut into
-tripsy – to crush, break down
-puncture – to pierce a surface
Moe, after the
bandages come off
and the wounds
heal, you’ll still be a
pig.

20. SUFFIXES: DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURES
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-gram – written record, recording
-graph – instrument for recording
-graphy – process of recording
-manometer – instrument for measuring pressure
-manometry – process of measuring pressure
-meter – instrument for measuring
-metery – process of measuring
-opsy – to view
-scope - instrument for examining
-scopy – process of examining, examination

21. SUFFIXES: 5 RRH’S
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-rrhagia – excessive flow, profuse fluid discharge
-rrhage – excessive flow, profuse fluid discharge
-rrhaphy – suture
-rrhea – flow, discharge
-rrhexis - rupture

22. SUFFIXES: PERTAINING TO…
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Suffixes that all mean pertaining to:
-ac (cardiac)
-al (dental)
-ar (tonsilar)
-ary (pulmonary)
-ia (bradycardia)
-ic (gastric)
-ical (chemical)
-ium (cardium)
-ous (mucous)
-tic (pancreatic)
-us (hydrocephalus)

23. MORE SUFFIXES!
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-algia, -algesia – pain
-cele – herniation, swelling
-cide – killing, agent that kills
-cyte - cell
-emia – blood condition
-ist – specialist
-itis – inflammation
-logist – one who studies, specialist
-logia, -logy – the study of
-lysis – destruction, break down
-megaly – enlarged

24. MORE SUFFIXES
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-oma – tumor, mass
-opia, -opsia – vision
-pathy – disease
-plasm – growth/formation of tissue
-pnea – breath, breathing
-porosis – porous, decrease in density
-ptosis – drooping, prolapsed
-ptysis – spitting, spit up
-spasm – twitching, involuntary contraction
-therapy – treatment

25. RULES!
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To define medical terms, divide or slash them into their
component parts; these word components are called
prefixes, suffixes, and roots.
Use the hyphen ( - ) after the word component to
indicate that it is a prefix; use it after the combining
form to indicate that it needs a suffix; use it before the
word component to indicate it is a suffix.
For example: Epi-gastr/o/-cele

26. MORE RULES!
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Use the combining vowel “o” when a suffix begins with a consonant.
i.e Termin/o/logy
Use the combining vowel “o” when combining two roots only if the
second root begins with a consonant. i.e. Pneum/o/thorax
Do not use the combining vowel “o” if you are combining a second
root that begins with a vowel or a suffix that begins with a vowel (a,
e, i, o, u, and sometimes y). i.e. Pneum/arthr/osis
Add –y to a word to indicate a procedure (gastroscopy) or –ly to
indicate an act or process (splenomegaly).

27. AND MORE RULES!!
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The suffix –osis always denotes a condition (usually abnormal).
When combined with the color roots erythr/o- (red) and
leuk/o- (white), it represents a condition of abnormally
increased blood cells.
Most of the time, word components denoting color are used as
prefixes. However, sometimes they are the root of the
medical term.

28. CASE STUDY
 Which of the following is a root word?
A. anti-
B. hepat-
C. -itis
D. -emia

29. CASE STUDY (CONT’D)
 The prefix “tachy-” means:
A. above
B. outside
C. fast
D. higher

30. CASE STUDY (CONT’D)
 If a patient is complaining of dyspnea, he
has what condition?
A. chest pain
B. stomach ache
C. nausea
D. trouble breathing

31. CASE STUDY (CONT’D)
 The suffix “-logy” refers to:
A. study of
B. occurring after
C. within
D. pertaining to

32. CASE STUDY - MATCHING
______ 1. Arthritis
______ 2. Myodynia
______ 3. Hepatomegaly
______ 4. Apnea
______ 5. Hematuria
______ 6. Dysuria
______ 7. Hysterectomy
______ 8. Osteomalacia
______ 9. Aphasia
______10. Otorrhea
a. difficult or painful
urination
b. absence of breathing
c. pain in a muscle
d. softening of the bone
e. discharge from the ear
f. surgical removal of the
uterus
g. enlargement of the
liver
h. inflammation of a joint
i. loss of speech
j. blood in the urine