1. Introduction

2. Basics Most medical words are comprised of 3 sections
Root
Prefix
Suffix
To define a medical word you must:
Divide the word into its sections
Analyze each section

3. 1. Prefix
A prefix is the word Element placed at beginning of word root that changes its meaning
Normally deals with size, number, time, or direction
Medical 1) “Poly”
Many- “Polyuria”
Medical 2) “Hyper”
High, above, excessive- “hyperthyroidism”
Medical 3) “Sub”
Below, under- “sublingual gland”

4. 2. Word Root The word root is the heart or meaning of a word
Medical speech
“gastro”=stomach (gastritis, gastroma, gastric)
“osteo”=bone (“osteoma” “osteomegaly”)

5. 3. Suffix
The suffix is the word element at end of word after the root that changes the meaning of the word
Usually describes a pathology (i.e. disease)
Medical English “itis”
Inflammation
Medical “ectomy”
Removal
Medical “oma”
Tumor/Cancer
Medical “ia”
Condition

6. Origins of Medical Words
The Ancient Greeks and Romans were the first to dissect and name the parts of the body.
The Romans spoke Latin.
After the fall of Rome, Latin continued to be the language of the educated until the modern time.
For this reason, much of our medical terms originate from Latin.
General Rule
Most diseases come from the Greek language:
“pneumonia,” “encephalitis,” “hepatitis,” “
Most anatomy comes from the Latin language
“Vertebrae,” “Oral,” “Abdomen,” “Larynx”

7. Roots (Most roots have an “o” to connect it to suffix, but not always
Liver “Hepato”
Heart “Cardio”
Brain “Encephalo”
Bone “Osteo”
Mouth “Oro”
Ear “Oto”
Throat “Pharyngo”
Vein “Phlebo”
Kidney “Nephro” “Reno”
Blood “Hemo”
Skull “Cranio”
Uterus/Womb “Hysto”
Ovaries “Oophoro”
Bladder “Cysto”
Gall bladder “Cholecysto”
Fallopian Tubes “Salpingo”
Rib “Costo”
Stomach “Gastro”
Chest “Thoraco”
Lung “Pulmano” “Pneumo”
Intestines “Entero”
Arm “Brachio”
Armpit “Axillo”
Eye “Ophthalmo”
Muscle “Myo”
Nerves “Neuro”
Skin “Dermo”
Nose “Rhino”
Breast “Mast”
Testicles “Orchido”
Joint “Arthro”
Penis “Phallo”
Spinal Cord “Myelo”
Mind “Psycho”
Urine “Uro”

8. Suffixes “itis”-inflammation “ectomy”-removal “plasty”-surgical repair
tonsillitis
“ectomy”-removal
tonsillectomy
“plasty”-surgical repair
rhinoplasty
“logy”- study of
dermatology
“scopy”- study involving camera
bronchoscopy
“emia” – blood condition
Leukemia, uremia
“ia”- medical condition
uremia
“megaly” – enlargening
cardiomegaly
“oma”- cancerous tumor
hepatoma
“pathy”- disease
encephalopathy
“ “plegia” – paralysis
Quadriplegia
“rrhea” – discharge/flow
diarrhea
“algia” and “dynia”- pain

9. Common Prefixes “hypo”-below, deficient “hyper”- too much, excessive
“pre”- before
“post”- after
“infra” –under, below
“supra” above
“sub” –under below
“inter”- between
“retro” – behind, backward
“a”- no, lack of
“bi” or “di”- two
“hemi”-half
“macro”- large
“micro” – small
“poly”- many
“endo”- inside
“peri” –outside, around
“circum”- around
“dys”- abnormal/diseased
“brady”- too slow
“tachy” -too fast

10. Medical Abbreviations
Used to make patient charting easier and shorter
Originate from Latin

11. Common Abbreviations q.d. – every day q.h.- every hour b.i.d.- 2x/day
t.i.d.- 3x/day
q.i.d- 4X/DAY
n.p.o.-nothing by mouth
s- without
c- with
fx –fracture
sx- surgery
hx- history
dx- diagnosis

12. Vocabulary for Test Sycophant (n) – brown-noser, kiss-ass
Ambivalent (adj) {(ambivalence (n)} –to have simultaneously conflicting feelings about something
Touche- a word stated as a response to when someone makes a good point.
Precocious (adj)- {precocity (n)}to be mature beyond your years
Coquette (n)- a flirt
Euphemism-(n)- a politically-correct term for an old term considered offensive (e.g. “African-American” “Sanitation Engineer” “Little Person”

13. Group Activity Break into pairs
Begin writing flashcards (1 or 2 terms per card)

14. Group Assignment Groups no bigger than 4 persons
Put a line b/t prefix, root, and suffix.
Must have entire word correct for full credit
Group with most correct answers will receive 5 extra points on Friday quiz.
You are competing with other groups, so
SHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!