Chapter 1Basic Word Structure

Chapter Goals

• Identify basic objectives to guide your study of the medical language.

• Divide medical words into their component parts.

• Learn the meanings of basic combining forms, prefixes, and suffixes of the medical language.

• Use these combining forms, prefixes, and suffixes to build medical words.

Objectives in Studying The Medical Language

• Analyze words by dividing them into component parts.

• Relate the medical terms to the structure and function of the human body.

• Be aware of spelling and pronunciation problems

Word Analysis

• HEMAT/O/LOGY

Word Analysis (cont’d)

HEMAT/O/LOGY

root suffix

combining vowel

hemat means blood

-logy means process of study

Word Analysis (cont’d)

Important elements:Root: foundation of the termSuffix: word endingPrefix: word beginningCombining vowel: vowel (usually o) that links the root to the suffix

or the root to another root and aids pronunciationCombining form: combination of the root and the combining

vowel

Word Analysis (cont’d

ELECTR/O/CARDI/O/GRAM

root root suffix

combining vowels

electr means electricity

cardi means heart

-gram means record

Word Analysis (cont’d)

THREE General Rules: 1. Read the meaning of medical terms from the suffix back to the

beginning of the term and across2. Drop the combining vowel (usually o) before a suffix beginning

with a vowel: gastritis not “gastroitis”3. Keep the combining vowel between two roots: gastroenterology

not “gastrenterology”

Chapter 3Suffixes

Chapter Goals

• Define new suffixes and review those presented in previous chapters.

• Gain practice in word analysis by using these suffixes with combining forms to build and understand terms.

• Identify the functions of the different types of blood cells in the body.

Chapter Goals

• Define new suffixes and review those presented in previous chapters.

• Gain practice in word analysis by using these suffixes with combining forms to build and understand terms.

• Identify the functions of the different types of blood cells in the body.

Suffixes and Terminology

NOUN SUFFIXES

-algia pain

-cele hernia

-centesis surgical puncture to remove fluid

-coccus (plural: berry-shaped bacterium

-cocci)

-cyte cell

Suffix Meaning

Suffixes and Terminology (cont’d)

NOUN SUFFIXES

-dynia pain

-ectomy excision, removal, resection

-emia blood condition

-genesis condition of producing, forming

-gram record

Suffix Meaning

Suffixes and Terminology (cont’d)

NOUN SUFFIXES

-graph instrument for recording

-graphy process of recording

-itis inflammation

-logy study of

-lysis breakdown, destruction, separation

Suffix Meaning

Suffixes and Terminology (cont’d)

NOUN SUFFIXES

-malacia softening

-megaly enlargement

-oma tumor, mass, collection of fluid

-opsy to view

-osis condition, usually abnormal

Suffix Meaning

Suffixes and Terminology (cont’d)

NOUN SUFFIXES

-malacia softening

-megaly enlargement

-oma tumor, mass, collection of fluid

-opsy to view

-osis condition, usually abnormal

Suffix Meaning

Chapter 4Prefixes

Chapter Goals

• Define basic prefixes used in the medical language.

• Analyze medical terms that combine prefixes and other word elements.

• Learn about the Rh condition as an example of an antigen-antibody reaction.

a-, an- no, not, without

ab- away from

ad- toward

ana- up, apart

ante- before, forward

Prefix Meaning

Prefixes and Terminology

contra- against, opposite

de- down, lack of

dia- through, complete

dys- bad, painful, difficult, abnormal

ec-, ecto out, outside

endo- in, within

Prefix Meaning

Prefixes and Terminology (cont’d)

epi- upon, on, above

eu- good, normal

ex- out, outside, away from

hemi- half

hyper- excessive, above

hypo- deficient, under

Prefix Meaning

Prefixes and Terminology (cont’d)

in- not

in- into, within

infra- beneath, under

inter- between

intra- in, within, into

macro- large

Prefix Meaning

Prefixes and Terminology (cont’d)

mal- bad

meta- beyond, change

micro- small

neo- new

pan- all

para- abnormal, beside, near

Prefix Meaning

Prefixes and Terminology (cont’d)

per- through

peri- surrounding

poly- many, much

post- after, behind

pre- before, in front of

pro- before, forward

Prefix Meaning

Prefixes and Terminology (cont’d)

pros- before, forward

re- back, again

retro- behind, backward

sub- under

supra- above, upper

syn-, sym- together, with

Prefix Meaning

Prefixes and Terminology (cont’d)

tachy- fast

trans- across, through

ultra- beyond, excess

uni- one

Prefix Meaning

Prefixes and Terminology (cont’d)

The Language Of Medicine

10th editionDavi-Ellen Chabner

All information taken from