This document provides an overview of the basic elements used to build medical words, including word roots, combining forms, suffixes, and prefixes. It explains that medical terms are constructed by combining these elements according to specific rules. Word roots typically come from Greek or Latin and indicate what a word describes, such as a disease or anatomical structure. Combining forms unite a root with a vowel and act as the foundation for a term. Suffixes and prefixes modify the meaning by indicating additional information like a pathology, procedure, or number. The document outlines the steps for defining terms based on their constituent parts and rules for combining elements to form new words according to their structure.

1. Chapter 1: Basic Elements of a Medical WordCreated by: Courtney E. PadgettSources:Barbara A. Gylys and Mary Ellen Wedding. Medical Terminology Systems: A Systems Approach. F. A. Davis Company, 6th Edition, 2009.

2. Chapter 1: Basic Elements of a Medical WordMedical Terminology originated as early as the first century B.C. by Hippocrates. He is known as the father of western medicine. Chapter OverviewMedical Word ElementsWord Roots

3. Combining Forms

4. Suffixes

5. PrefixesBasic RulesDefining Medical Words

6. Building Medical WordsPronunciation Guidelines

7. Medical Word ElementsAmedical wordconsists of some or all of the following elements:Word Root Combining Form Suffix PrefixIdentify the four word elements used to build medical words.

8. Divide medical words into their component parts.

9. Apply the basic rules to define and build medical words.

10. Locate the pronunciation guidelines chart and interpret pronunciation marks.

11. Pronounce medical terms in this chapter.