MEDICAL MEDICAL TERMINOLOGYTERMINOLOGY

The Language of the Health The Language of the Health ProfessionProfession

ORIGIN OF MEDICAL ORIGIN OF MEDICAL TERMSTERMS

Hippocrates was a Hippocrates was a Greek physician Greek physician and is known as and is known as the “father of the “father of medicine.”medicine.”

75% of medical 75% of medical terms are based terms are based on either Greek or on either Greek or Latin words.Latin words.

ROOT WORDSROOT WORDS A root is the A root is the

foundationfoundation or or basic meaning of basic meaning of a word.a word.

May appear with May appear with a prefix or suffix, a prefix or suffix, or between a or between a prefix or suffix.prefix or suffix.

cardi - heartcardi - heart hepat- liverhepat- liver neur - nerveneur - nerve nephr - nephr -

kidneykidney cyt- cellcyt- cell

PREFIXPREFIX Pre - beforePre - before peri- aroundperi- around hemi - halfhemi - half micro - smallmicro - small neo- newneo- new

The prefix is a The prefix is a part of the word part of the word that precedes that precedes the word root the word root and changes its and changes its meaning.meaning.

Often indicates Often indicates location, time, location, time, or number.or number.

SUFFIXSUFFIX A suffix is the word A suffix is the word

ending that follows ending that follows the word root and the word root and changes its changes its meaning.meaning.

Often indicates the Often indicates the procedure, procedure, condition, disorder, condition, disorder, or disease.or disease.

-itis- -itis- inflammationinflammation

-ology - study of-ology - study of - ectomy- - ectomy-

surgical removalsurgical removal -plast- surgical -plast- surgical

repairrepair

CardiologyCardiology Cardi - root Cardi - root

means heart.means heart. -ology - suffix -ology - suffix

means the study means the study of.of.

Cardi/ology - the Cardi/ology - the study of the heart.study of the heart.

NephritisNephritis Nephr - root words Nephr - root words

means kidneymeans kidney -itis suffix means -itis suffix means

inflammationinflammation Nephr/itis means Nephr/itis means

inflammation of the inflammation of the kidneykidney

Break down and define the Break down and define the following medical terms.following medical terms. pericarditispericarditis leukocyteleukocyte hepatitishepatitis neuroplastyneuroplasty

Separation by word Separation by word elementelement

Peri/card/itisPeri/card/itis

leuko/cyteleuko/cyte

hepat/itishepat/itis

neuro/plastyneuro/plasty

pericarditispericarditisPericaridits

Peri-m eans around

-card i-m eans the heart

-itism eans in flam m ation

leukocyteleukocyte leuko- prefix leuko- prefix

means whitemeans white cyte - root word cyte - root word

means cellmeans cell leukocyte means leukocyte means

white cellwhite cell

hepatitishepatitis hepat - root word hepat - root word

means livermeans liver -itis - suffix means -itis - suffix means

inflammationinflammation hepatitis - means hepatitis - means

inflammation of the inflammation of the liverliver

neuroplastyneuroplasty neuro - root word means neuro - root word means

nerve or nervesnerve or nerves -plasty - suffix means -plasty - suffix means

surgical repairsurgical repair neuroplasty means surgical neuroplasty means surgical

repair of the nerverepair of the nerve

Combining FormsCombining Forms Combining form consists of the Combining form consists of the

word root and a word root and a connecting vowelconnecting vowel to to make it easier to pronounce and make it easier to pronounce and attach another root word or suffix.attach another root word or suffix.

Combining form for heart is cardiCombining form for heart is cardi Combining form associated with Combining form associated with

cells is cytcells is cyt

Basic Rules for the Basic Rules for the Combining VowelCombining Vowel

The combining vowel is not used The combining vowel is not used when the suffix begins with a when the suffix begins with a vowel. (neuritis)vowel. (neuritis)

The combining vowel is used when The combining vowel is used when the suffix begins with a consonant. the suffix begins with a consonant. (neuroplasty)(neuroplasty)

THE ENDTHE END