1. Dr. Walid Daoud A. Professor
Medical Terminology
Dr. Walid Daoud
A. Professor

2. Introduction
Medical Terminology is the study of words that relate to body systems, anatomical structures, medical processes and procedures, and a variety of diseases that afflict human organism.

3. Word Root (WR)
It is the basic stem word, usually derived from Greek or Latin language.
WR is the building blocks for many Prefixes, Suffixes, Anatomical Words, Medical procedures.
Word Root (WR)
Greek Word
cardi
oste
nephr
gastr
erythr
Kardia (heart)
osteon (bone)
nephros (kidney)
gastros (stomach)
erythros (red)

4. Combining Form (CF)
It is a WR to which a final vowel (usually “O”) is added (CF = WR / O).
Meaning CF WR
heart
cell
bone
kidney
stomach
red
cardi / o
cyt / o
oste / o
nephr / o
gastr / o
erythr / o
cardi
cyt
oste
nephr
gastr
erythr

5. Building Compound Words
The vowel performs a connecting function. If second WR begins with a consonant:
leuk / o cyt / o = white
erythr / o cyt / o = red
If the second WR begins with a vowel, the “O” is sometimes retained:
gastr / o / enter / o = stomach and intestine
In others, a combining vowel is not added:
hem / angio = blood vessel

6. Suffixes
A suffix is a word element placed at the end of a word or stem to form a new word.
Suffixes beginning with vowels:
WR Suffix = Medical Word
gastr itis (inflammation) = gastritis
gastr algia (pain) = gastralgia
gastr ectomy (excision) = gastrectomy

7. Suffixes Combining Form + Suffix = Medical Word WR + O
Suffixes beginning with consonants:
Combining Form + Suffix = Medical Word
WR O
col O tomy (incision) = colotomy
col O scopy (examination) = coloscopy
col O rrhaphy (suture) = colorrhaphy

8. Summary of Rules Build medical words by the following rules: RULE 1.
Add suffixes that begin with an initial vowel directly to the word root.
RULE 2.
Add a connecting vowel “O” to the word root when the suffix begins with a consonant.

9. Surgical Procedure Suffixes
Example
Meaning
Suffix
append/ectomy
appendix
arthr/o/centesis
joint
col/o/stomy
colon
phleb/o/tomy
vein
excision
puncture
mouth, forming an opening
incision to cut
into
-ectomy
-o/centesis
-o/stomy
-o/tomy

10. Surgical Procedures Suffixes
Example
Meaning
Suffix
arthr/o/desis
joint
neur/o/rrhaphy
gastr/o/pexy
stomach
rhin/o/plasty
nose
binding,
stabilization
suture
fixation,
suspension
formation,
plastic repair
-desis
-o/rrhaphy
-o/pexy
-o/plasty

11. Surgical Procedure Suffixes
Example
Meaning
Suffix
oste/o/clasis
bone
enter/o/lysis
small intestine
lith/o/tripsy
stone
to break down, refracture
loosen, free
from adhesions,
destruction
to crush
-o/clasis
-o/lysis
-o/tripsy

12. Diagnostic and Symptomatic Suffixes
Example
Meaning
Suffix
cephal/algia
head
cephal/o/dynia
hepato/cele
liver
bronchi/ectasis
bronchus
carcin/o/gen
cancer
pain
hernia, swelling
dilatation
beginning, origin
-algia
-o/dynia
-o/cele
-ectasis
-o/gen

13. Diagnostic and Symptomatic Suffixes
Example
Meaning
Suffix
chole/lith/iasis
gall stone
gastr/itis
stomach
bio/logy
life
oste/o/malacia
bone
hepat/o/megaly
liver
condition, formation of
Inflammation
study of
softening
enlargement
-iasis
-itis
-o/logy
-o/malacia
-o/megaly

14. Diagnostic and Symptomatic Suffixes
Example
Meaning
Suffix
lip/oid
lipid
aden/oma
gland
dermat/osis
skin
nephr/o/pathy
kidney
leuk/o/penia
white (cell)
resemble
tumor
abnormal condition
disease
decrease, deficiency
-oid
-oma
-osis
-o/pathy
-o/penia

15. Diagnostic and Symptomatic Suffixes
Example
Meaning
Suffix
dys/phagia
difficult
a/phasia
without
hemi/plegia
half
acro/phobia
extremities
hyster/o/ptosis
uterus
eating
speech
paralysis
fear
prolapse, falling
-phagia
-phasia
-plegia
-phobia
-o/ptosis

16. Diagnostic and Symptomatic Suffixes
Example
Meaning
Suffix
hem/o/rrhage
blood
men/o/rrhea
menses
angi/o/rrhexis
blood vessel
arteri/o/sclerosis
artery
ot/o/scopy
ear
hemorrhage
discharge, flow
rupture
hardening
examination
-o/rrhage
-o/rrhea
-o/rrhexis
-o/sclerosis
-o/scopy

17. General Review-Suffixes
For building a medical term The CF is used when a suffix begins with
a consonant:
gastr/o/pexy leuk/o/cyte
nephr/o/pexy oste/o/cyte
The WR is directly joined to the suffix when the suffix begins with a vowel:
gastr/algia dermat/osis
nephr/oma mast/ectomy

18. Suffixes: Adjective Endings
Example
Adjective Ending
cardi/ac (heart)
neur/al (nerve)
saliv/ary (saliva)
hypo/derm/ic (under skin)
med/ical (medicine)
sub/cutane/ous (under skin)
paraly/tic (paralysis)
-ac
-al
-ary
-ic
-ical
-ous
-tic

19. Suffixes: Noun Endings
Example
Meaning
Noun Ending
Hemo/o/phil/iac
(Blood love)
Pneumon/ia
Cut/is (skin)
Alcohol/ism
Uro/log/ist
Myo/path/y
(muscle disease)
Indicates person afflicted with disease
Forms noun from root
Abnormal condition
One who specializes
Condition or process
-iac
-ia
-is
-ism
-ist -y

20. Plural Endings Plural Singular Plural Form pleurae thoraces lumina
appendices
diagnoses
ganglia
bacteria
digiti
deformities
carcinomata
pleura
thorax
lumen
appendix
diagnosis
ganglion
bacterium
digitus
deformity
carcinoma ae
aces
ina
ices
ses a i
ies
mata ax en ix
sis on um us y ma