This document provides an overview of medical terminology structure and components. It explains that medical terms are composed of prefixes, word roots, combining vowels, and suffixes. Prefixes provide additional meaning and can indicate color, position, direction, number, or mutual relations. Word roots refer to the organ or condition being described. Combining vowels join word roots and prefixes/suffixes for pronunciation. Suffixes can indicate a condition, specialist, area of study, surgical procedure, or other attributes. Examples are given to illustrate how these components are combined to form medical terms.

1. Pre-Med Course ‘14

2. Medical
Terminology
BY: KAREEM HUSSEIN

3. Medical Term structure
.1Prefix
.2Word root
.3Combining vowel
.4suffix

4.  Medical terms are “compound words”
 Compound terms are either
1. Prefix
2. Word root + Word root
3. Suffix
 Combining vowels are “ o, i , e , u , a or y “
They are used to make the words easier to pronounce.
Ex. Gastr/o Cardi/o

5. Prefixes
Color position Direction number
Mutual
relations

6. 1. color
1. Erythro/ ex. Erythro/cytes
2. Leuko/ ex. Leuko/cytes
3. Melano/ ex. Melanoma
4. Xantho/ ex. Xanthoma
5. Cyano/ ex. Cyanosis

7. 2. position
Ex.meaningprefix
Epidermis-supraclavicularaboveEpi = supra
Sublingual-infraredbelowSub = infra
Perianal-circumoralAroundPeri = circum
Extra&intranuclearOutside X insideExtra X intra
percutaneousthroughper
retrosternalbehindretro
mesotheliummiddlemeso

8. 3. direction
Ex.meaningprefix
upward X downwardSuperior X inferior
Near X farProximal X distal
Near center X away from
center
Medial X lateral
In front X at the backAnterior X posterior
In front X at the backVentral X dorsal
Abduction - adductionTowars X away fromAb- X ad-
Levo-rotatoryRight X leftdextro- X levo
Towards the head X away
from the head
Cranial X caudal

10. 4. number
greek latin english
Hemi- Semi- Half
Mono- Uni- One
Di- Bi- Two
Tri- Tri- Three
Tetra- Quadr- Four
Penta- Quint five
Prefix Meaning Ex.
Multi- X nulli- Many X none Multi/para
Micro- X macro- Small X big Macro/gloss/ia
Iso- equal Iso/tonic
Brady- X tachy- Slow X fast Brady/card/ia
Hyper- X hypo- Increased X decreased Hypo/therm/ia

11. 5. Mutual relations
Prefix Meaning Ex.
Homo- X hetero- Same X different homo/sexual
A- / An- Without a/pnea& an/emia
Anti- = contra- against Anti/toxin&
contra/indicated(forbidden)
Trans- Across Blood Trans/fusion
Dys- Painful or difficult Dys/pnea
Pseudo- False Pseudo/cyst
Auto- Self Auto/immunity

12. Word root
 The foundation of the medical term
 2 word roots can form medical term (combound word)
Ex. Gastr/o/spleen/ic
Root (Organ) meaning
Encephalo- Brain
Oculo- Eye
Naso- Nose
Stomato- Mouth
Dento- Teeth
Glosso- = lingo- Togue
Gastro- Stomach
Entero- Intestine
Recto- Rectum
Hepato Liver
Spleno- Spleen
Pancratico- Pancreas
Nephro- Kidney
Cardio Heart
Pulmo- lung

14. Word root + Suffix
Noun adjective
Singular & blural
Suffix meaning Ex.
Ism- / osis- Condition Hyper/thyroid/ism
Cyan/osis
Ist- Specialist card/i/olog/ist
Ology- Study of Card/i/ology
Scope- Tool to see Larynge/o/scope
itis- Inflammation Tonsil/itis
Ectomy- Surgical removal Mast/ectomy
Suffix Meaning
Ous- Having Fam/ous
Able- Ability Inject/able
ic- State of An/aem/ic

15. Singular & plural
Single plural
Gangli/on Gangli/a
Carcino/ma Carcino/mata
Cris/is Cris/es
Laryn/x Laryn/ges
Vertebr/a Vertebr/ae
Bacill/us Bacill/I
Bacteri/um Bacteri/a
Cort/ex append/ix Cort/ices append/ices
Thor/ax Thor/aces