Medical Terminology Word Building
Medical Terms A word or phrase made up of a combination of elements to express a specific idea. Element + Element + Element = Medical Term hemi + gastr + ectomy = hemigastrectomy (surgical removal of half of the stomach)
Basic Elements To analyze medical words, you need to understand four elements that are used to form words. Prefix Root Combining form Suffix An element is a word part used to form a medical term. Each element has its own meaning.
epi- (above), hypo- (below, deficient) Prefix used at the beginning of a medical term changes in some manner the meaning OR makes it more specific epi- (above), hypo- (below, deficient)
Root main element in a medical term frequently more than one root element within the term gastroenterology always the subject or main topic of the medical term frequently a body part root root
Rhinoplasty = Rhin/o/plasty Combining Form Word root with a combining vowel Rhinoplasty = Rhin/o/plasty Combing Form Suffix Root Combing Vowel
Suffix used at the end of a medical term (after the root element) describes a condition of a body part OR action to a body part
How Do We Figure this Out? Simple 4 step process 1.Identify the word parts in a term 2.Assign meanings to the word parts 3.Reverse the meaning of the suffix to the front of your definition 4.Define the term
Let’s Look at an Example Prefix Root Suffix Medical Term hemi + gastr + ectomy = hemigastrectomy half + stomach + surgical removal = surgical removal of half the stomach
Let’s Look at an Example Prefix Root Suffix Medical Term (none) + gastr + itis = gastritis stomach + inflammation = inflammation of the stomach
Quick Review!
Main element of a medical term is called the ______? Prefix Suffix Combining vowel Root
Word part that appears at the end of the term is called _________. Prefix Suffix Combining vowel Root
What are the 4 steps in translating medical terms? Identify Assign Reverse Define
Combining Vowels Vowel used between two elements of a medical term to make the term easier to pronounce. Usually “o”, “i”, less frequently “u”. enter/o/plasty blephar/o/spasm
Combining Vowels The combining vowel links a root to suffix that begins with a consonant to make the pronunciation less awkward scler-derma becomes scler/o/derma mast-dynia becomes mast/o/dynia arthr-plasty becomes arth/o/plasty Consonants!
Combining Vowels A combining vowel is NOT used before a suffix that begins with a vowel. tonsill-itis becomes tonsill/itis scler-osis becomes scler/osis gastr-ectomy is gastr/ectomy See the vowel?!
Combining Vowels When a combining vowel ends with the same vowel that begins a suffix, one of the vowels is dropped. endocarditis endo-inside; cardi – heart; itis -inflammation The “i” on the end of “cardi” is dropped
Combining Vowels When a word has more than one root, a combining vowel is also used to link the roots to each other. leukocytopenia leuk/o/cyt/o/penia Word roots: Leuk cyt Combining vowels: o (twice!) Suffix: penia
Combing Vowels When two or more combining forms are used in a term, the combining vowel stays regardless of whether the second combining form begins with a vowel or a consonant gastroenteritis The “o” stays despite the vowel “e” Combining form – gastro (stomach) Combining form – entero (intestine)