This document provides an overview of medical terminology. It begins by defining key elements of medical words such as prefixes, suffixes, roots, and combining forms. It then lists and defines numerous examples of prefixes, suffixes, and roots pertaining to various topics like anatomy, pathology, procedures, and body systems. Combining forms are also presented with their meanings. The document concludes with instructions on analyzing and building medical terms from their component word parts. In summary, this document serves as an introduction to medical terminology by defining the basic structures of medical words and providing many examples of prefixes, suffixes, and roots.

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