Medical terminology is composed of combining forms, prefixes, roots, and suffixes that are mainly derived from Latin and Greek. The root usually indicates a body part and contains the essential meaning, while prefixes indicate things like number, position, or negation. Suffixes usually indicate a condition or disease. Combining forms consist of a root plus a vowel, usually "o", and indicate a body part. Some examples of medical terms and their meanings are provided such as pericarditis meaning inflammation around the heart, and bradycardia meaning an abnormal slow heart state. Common prefixes, roots, and suffixes are also outlined.

1. Medical Terminology
-Medical terminology is the words that make up
the language of medicine.
- The majority of medical terms are based on Latin
or Greek.
Latin word
Greek word
Cardi
Kardia (heart)
Gastr
Gaster(stomach)
Hepat
Hepar (liver)
Nephr
Nephros (kidney)
Oste
Osteon (bone)

2. How does medical terminology work?
Component parts of medical terminology
Prefix Root suffix Linking Vowel
- Any given medical term may contain one, some or
all of these parts.

3. Component parts of medical terms
-prefix
-root
-suffix
-linking
vowel
- It is a word beginning.
- It usually indicates number, time, position, direction, color or
sense of negation.
- It is the main part or stem which contains the essential
meaning of a word and usually derived from Latin or Greek.
- It indicates a body part.
- Most of medical terms have one or more roots.
- It is a word ending.
- It indicates condition, disease, or part of speech.
- It is added between roots and suffixes, or roots and other
roots, but NOT between prefixes and roots
- it is used to help with pronunciation.
- The most used vowel is “o”. “i” and “a” are also used.

4. Examples
1- Pericarditis
Peri-card-itis
prefix root suffix
surrounding heart inflammation
= an inflammation of the area around the heart.
2- Bradycardia
Brady-card-ia
prefix root suffix
slow heart abnormal state
=abnormal state of slow heart.
3- sternocleidomastoid
stern-o-cleid-o-mastoid
root lv. root lv. root
=a muscle that has attachments at the sternum, the clavicle and the mastoid.
4- Myocarditis
myo-card-itis
root root suffix
muscle heart inflammation of
=inflammation of the heart muscle.
5- Supra-scapular
prefix root
above shoulder blade
=the area above the shoulder blade.

5. Combining forms
- The combining form is a word root plus a vowel ,
usually an “o”.
Word root +”o” combining form
- Like the word root, the combining form indicates
a body part.
Meaning
Combining form
Combining
vowel
Word root +
Heart
cardi/o
+o=
cardi/
Stomach
Gastr/o
+o=
Gastr/
Liver
Hepat/o
+o=
Hepat/
Kidney
Nephr/o
+o=
Nephr/
Bone
Oste/o
+o=
Oste/

6. Some examples of root words and their combining forms
1- derm-, derma-, dermat-, dermot-, dermo-, =root word for skin and its combining form
Ex. *Dermatitis
dermat (skin) & -itis (inflamation) = inflammation of the skin
*Dermatology
dermat (skin) & -ology(branch of knowledge or science of=Medical specialty of diagnosis and treatment of skin diseases
*Pyoderma
pyo(pus) & derma(skin)=skin infection involving pus
2- cardio-, cardi-, = the root word for heart and its combining vowels
Ex. *cardiovascular
cardio(heart)& vascular(blood vessels)= pertaining to heart and vessels
*cardiocentesis
Cardio(heart) & centesis (surgical puncture)= surgial puncture of the heart
3- hem-, hema-, hemo-, haem-, and hemato- = root word for blood and its combining forms
Ex. *hematology
hemat(blood) & -ology (branch of knowledge or science of) = science of blood & blood-forming
tissues
*hemorrhage
hemo( blood) & -rrhage( bursting forth)= escape of blood from tissues
4- hepat-, hepatico-, hepato- = root word for liver and its combining forms
Ex. *hepatoma
hepat(liver) & -oma(tumor or neoplasm)= tumor of the liver
*hepatotoxic
hepato(liver) & -toxic (poisonous) = toxic to liver cells

7. Some common prefixes
Look at pages 97, 98, 99, 100,108 &109
example
meaning
prefix
autoimmune, autogenous
self
Auto-
antisepsis, antibiotic
against
Anti-
dehydrate, defibrillate
reverse, removal
De-
dyspnea, dysuria
abnormal, difficult
Dys-
Contraception, contraindication
opposed
Contra-
hypertensive, hyperglycemia
above , excessive
Hyper-
Anemia=lack of RBCs
without/lack of
An-, A-
Bilateral Wilm’s = tumour in both kidneys
two/both
Bi-
Ectopic pregnancy=outside uterine cavity
outside
Ecto-
Endoscope=to look inside the body cavities…
inside
Endo-
Intercostals=between the ribs
between
Inter-
Parathyroid=beside the thyroid gland
Beside, about, near
Para-

8. Some examples of root words
Example
Meaning
Component
Blastoma=a cancer made of immature cells
Germ, immature cells
BLAST-
Carcinogenic=cancer causing
Cancer
CARCIN-
Cardio toxicity=toxicity to the heart
Heart
CARDIO-
Cytotoxic= toxic to the cell
Cell
CYTO-
Dermatitis= inflammation of the skin
Skin
DERMAT-
Histology = study of tissue
Tissue
HISTIO-
Hepatoblastoma= liver cancer
Liver
HEPAT-
Malignant= growing or spreading
Bad/harmful
MALIGN-
Nephrotoxic= harmful to the kidneys
Kidney
NEPHRO-
Neuroblast= an immature nerve cells
Nerves
NEURO-
Oncology= the study of cancer
Mass/tumour
ONCO-
Osteosarcoma= bone cancer
Bone/bony tissue
OSTEO-
Pediatric oncology= study of childhood cancer
Child
PAED-
Sarcoma= tumor of bone, muscle or connective tissue
Tissue
SARCO-
Toxicology= study of poisons
poison
TOXO-

9. Some examples of suffixes
Example
Meaning
Component
Leukemia= cancer of blood cells
Condition of blood
-AMIA
Hepatitis= inflammation of the liver
Inflammation
-ITIS
Cytology= the study of cells
Study/science of
-OLOGY
Retinoblastoma= tumor of the eye
Tumor
-OMA
Neuropathy= disease of the nervous system
Disease
-PATHY
Neurosis= dying cells
Disease/ condition
-OSIS
Cerebral= pertaining to cerebrum (the largest part of the brain)
Cephalic= pertaining to cephal ( head )
Pertaining to
-AL / -IC
thyroidectomy
Surgical removal/excision
-ECTOMY
angioplasty
Surgical repair
-PLASTY
Colonostomy
Surgical creation of new opening
-STOMY
Electrocardiography
Recording instrument
-GRAPH
endoscope
Visually examine inst.
-SCOPE
chemotherapy
treatment
-THERAPY