1. Medical Terminology: Basic Word Structure
This tutorial has some nice use of audio, and the assessment is done well. The screen design is not so good, and the font is too large throughout. The use of cheesy clip art cost points. Overall it looks too much like a presentation.
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2. Directions for Using This Tutorial
Use your mouse to click on the buttons at the bottom of each screen to perform the following actions:
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Click on the underlined words in red to hear their pronunciation
Try it!
epicardium
tachycardia
Let’s get started!
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3. Objectives
After completion of this tutorial, the learner will be able to:
relate the study of medical terms to the study of a foreign language
list all the possible component parts of a medical term, including the root, combining vowel, prefix, and suffix.
build medical terms with a variety of component parts by following the rules for forming and spelling medical terms.
define medical terms by analyzing their component parts.

4. The Language of Medicine
Studying medical terminology is very similar to learning a new language. This is because most medical terms stem from Greek or Latin origins. Other languages, such as German and French, have also influenced medical terminology.
caries (bone or tooth decay) = Latin for "rottenness"
cardiogram (tracing of the heart's activity) = Greek for "heart drawing"
curettage (removal of growths) = French for "scraping"

5. The Components of Medical Terms
Medical terms are like individual jigsaw puzzles. They are constructed from small pieces (prefixes, combining forms, and suffixes) that make each term unique.
Once you understand the basic medical term structure and how these components fit together, you will be able to “build” almost any medical term.

6. Start with the ROOT of the term
The root is the foundation of the medical term. All medical terms have one or more roots.
Examples of medical term roots are:
lip which means “fat”
hemat which means “blood”
cardi which means “heart”
gastr which means “stomach”

7. …Add the combining VOWEL
The combining vowel (usually o) is used to link the root to the suffix or the root to another root. The combining vowel has no meaning of its own. When a vowel is linked to a root, this combination is called a combining form.
lip + o = lipo = the combining form of “fat”
When the suffix begins with a vowel, the combining vowel is dropped.
lip + f + oid = lipoid (“resembling fat”)

8. …Now add the SUFFIX
The suffix is the term ending. All medical terms have a suffix.
Examples of medical term suffixes are:
–emia which means “blood condition”
–itis which means “inflammation”
–logy which means “study of”
–ic which means “pertaining to”

9. …And sometimes a PREFIX
The prefix is a small part that is attached to the beginning of a term. Not all medical terms contain prefixes, but if present, the prefix can have an important influence on the meaning of the term.
Examples of medical term prefixes are:
hyper- which means “above or excessive”
peri- which means “around or surrounding”
epi- which means “upon, above, or beside”
endo- which means “within”

10. Put all the pieces together and….
You’ve got a medical term!
Prefix +
Root +
Vowel +
Suffix =
hemat o
logy
epi
gastr f ic
cardi
pathy
peri
itis
lip
oma
Medical Term
hematology
epigastric
cardiopathy
pericarditis
lipoma

11. Test Your Knowledge a a b b c c d d
Studying medical terminology is like learning a new ____
language
dance step
math skill
sport
Which of the following is not a medical term component?
root
suffix
consonant
combining vowel a a b b c c d d

12. Test Your Knowledge (again)
The ___ is the foundation of the medical term.
suffix
root
prefix
vowel
The root plus vowel combination is called the ___
prefix
suffix
medical term
combining form a a b b c c d d

13. Summary of Rules for Forming and Spelling Medical Terms
a. A combining vowel is used to join root to root as well as root to any suffix beginning with a consonant:
electr + o + cardi + o + gram =
root + vowel + root + vowel + suffix
electrocardiogram
(electrical record of the heart)
b. A combining vowel is not used before a suffix that begins with a vowel:
vas + f + ectomy =
root + no vowel + suffix beginning with a vowel
vasectomy
(excision of a vessel)

14. Summary of Rules for Forming and Spelling Medical Terms (continued)
c. If the root ends in a vowel and the suffix begins with the same vowel, drop the final vowel from the root and do not use a combining vowel:
cardi + f + itis = root ending in i + no vowel + suffix beginning with i
carditis
(inflammation of the heart)
d. Usually, a combining vowel is inserted between two roots even when the second root begins with a vowel:
cardi + o + esophag + f + eal = root ending with i + vowel + root beginning with e + no vowel + suffix beginning with e
cardioesophageal (pertaining to the heart and esophagus)

15. Summary of Rules for Forming and Spelling Medical Terms (continued)
e. Occasionally, when a prefix ends in a vowel and the root begins with a vowel, the final vowel is dropped from the prefix:
para + enter + f + al = prefix ending in a + root beginning with e + no vowel + suffix beginning with a
parenteral (pertaining to alongside of the intestine)

16. Quiz: Rules for Forming and Spelling Medical Terms
A ___ is not used before a suffix that begins with a vowel.
prefix
combining vowel
root
consonant
If the root ends in a vowel and the suffix begins with the same vowel, ___ the final vowel from the root
change
add
drop
double a a b b c c d d

17. Quiz 2: Rules for Forming and Spelling Medical Terms
A combining vowel is almost always inserted between two ___
roots
prefixes
suffixes
combining forms
Occasionally, when a ___ ends in a vowel and the root begins with a vowel, the final vowel is dropped.
suffix
root
combining form
prefix a a b b c c d d

18. Defining Medical Terms
You can usually define a term by interpreting the suffix first, then the prefix (if present), then the succeeding root or roots. For example:
hyper
prefix
excessive
lip
root
fat
emia
suffix
blood condition
= hyperlipemia
medical term
blood condition of excessive fat

19. You Gotta Have Heart…
The following are examples and definitions of the various medical terms that can be formed using the root “cardi” (heart):
Root/Suffix
cardi/ac
heart/pertaining to
(pertaining to the heart)
Prefix/Root/Suffix
epi/cardi/um
upon/heart/tissue
(tissue upon the heart)
Combining Form/Suffix
cardi/o/logy
heart/study of
(study of the heart)
Combining Form/ Combining Form/Suffix
electr/o/cardi/o/gram
electricity/heart/record
(electrical record of the heart)
Prefix/Prefix/Root/Suffix
sub/endo/cardi/al
beneath/within/heart/ pertaining to
(pertaining to beneath and within the heart)
Prefix/Combining Form/Root/Suffix
peri/cardi/o/mediastin/itis
surrounding/heart/mediastinum/ inflammation
(inflammation of the area surrounding the heart and the mediastinum)

20. Medical Term/Definition Matching
See if you can pick the correct definition for the following terms:
pericarditis
epigastric
hematology
endoabdominal
the study of blood
pertaining to the interior of the abdomen
inflammation surrounding the heart
pertaining to the area above the stomach

21. How did you do? Here are the correct term-definition matches:
pericarditis
epigastric
hematology
endoabdominal
inflammation surrounding the heart
pertaining to the area above the stomach
the study of blood
pertaining to the interior of the abdomen

22. Summary The important components of medical terms are:
Root: foundation of the term
Suffix: word ending
Prefix: word beginning
Combining vowel: vowel that links the root to the suffix of the root to another root.
Combining form: combination of the root and the combining vowel.
Remember these three rules for forming and defining medical terms:
Read the meaning of medical terms from the suffix back to the beginning and then across.
Drop the combining vowel before a suffix beginning with a vowel (ex. gastritis, not gastroitis).
Keep the combining vowel between two roots (ex. gastroenterology).
End
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