1. Medical Terminology Systems
Chapter 1

2. Basic Elements of a Medical Word
Chapter 1
Basic Elements of a Medical Word

3. Medical Word Elements
Specialized vocabulary used by health-care practitioners
A medical word consists of:
Word root
Combining form
Suffix
Prefix

4. Word Roots The core of a medical term Contains the fundamental meaning
Most are derived from Greek or Latin
Ex. Greek word derm and Latin word cutane both refer to the skin

5. Examples of Word Roots Greek or Latin Word Word Root Meaning
Nephros (Gr)
Nephr
Kidney
Oris (L) Or
Mouth
Renes (L)
Ren
Dermatos (Gr)
Derm
Skin

6. Combining Form Word root to which a vowel is added
Enables two elements to be connected

7. Examples of Combining Forms
Word Root
Vowel
Combining Form
Meaning
Gastr O
Gastr/o
stomach
Hepat
Hepat/o
Liver
Immun
Immun/o
Immune, safe
Oste
Oste/o
bone

8. Suffixes
Word element placed at the end of a word or word root that changes the meaning of the word
A suffix usually indicates a procedure, condition, disease, or part of speech

9. Examples of Suffixes Suffix Medical word Meaning Gastr/o (stomach)
Combining Form
Suffix
Medical word
Meaning
Gastr/o
(stomach)
-itis
(inflammation)
Gastritis
Inflammation of the stomach
-megaly
Gastromegaly
Enlargement of the stomach
-oma
Gastroma
Tumor of the stomach

10. Prefixes Word element attached to the beginning of a word or word root
A prefix usually indicates a number, time, position, direction, or negation

11. Examples of Prefixes Intra- Muscul -ar Prefix Word Root Suffix
Medical Word
Meaning
Hyper-
(above normal)
Therm
(heat)
-ia
(condition)
Hyperthermia
Condition of excessive heat
Intra-
(in, within)
Muscul
(muscle)
-ar
(relating to)
Intramuscular
Within the muscle

12. Basic Rules
Defining Medical Words
Building Medical Words

13. Defining Medical Words
Rule #1
Define the suffix or last part of the word
Rule #2
Define the first part of the word (word, root, combining form, or prefix)
Rule #3
Define the middle parts of the word

14. Example of Defining Rules “Gastroenteritis”
Combining Form
Middle
Suffix
Gastr/o
Enter/
-itis
Stomach
Intestine
inflammation
Rule 2
Rule 3
Rule 1
Definition – inflammation of the stomach and intestine

15. Building Medical Words
Rule #1
A word root links a suffix that begins with a vowel
Example
Hepat/ itis = hepatitis
Inflammation of the liver
Rule #2
A combining form links a suffix that begins with a consonant
Hepat/o cyte = hepatocyte
Liver cell

16. Building Medical Words
Rule #3
Use a combining form to link a root to another root to form a compound word
Example
Oste/o chondr/ itis =osteochondritis
Inflammation of bone and cartilage

17. Pronunciation Guidelines
Inside front cover of textbook