1. Medical Terminology
Word Building

2. 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)

3. 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.

4. 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)

5. 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

6. Rhinoplasty = Rhin/o/plasty
Combining Form
Word root with a combining vowel
Rhinoplasty = Rhin/o/plasty
Combing Form
Suffix
Root
Combing Vowel

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. Let’s Look at an Example
Prefix Root Suffix Medical Term (none) + gastr + itis = gastritis
stomach inflammation = inflammation of the
stomach

11. Quick Review!

12. Main element of a medical term is called the ______?
Prefix
Suffix
Combining vowel
Root

13. Word part that appears at the end of the term is called _________.
Prefix
Suffix
Combining vowel
Root

14. What are the 4 steps in translating medical terms?
Identify
Assign
Reverse
Define

15. 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

16. 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!

17. 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?!

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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)