Medical Terminology

• -Word root
• -Combining form
• -Suffix
• -Prefix

The foundation of a medical term and contains its primary meaning.

Build words that describe a disease, condition, treatment or diagnosis.

Describe anatomical structure.

• Greek: dermat
• Latin: cutane

• Greek: nephr
• Latin: ren

• Greek: stomat
• Latin: or

Inflammation of the skin

Pertaining to the skin

Tumor of the kidney

Pertains to the kidney

Inflammation of the mouth

Pertaining to the mouth

Red

Stomach

Liver

Immune, immunity, safe

Kidney

Bone

A word element placed at the end of a word that changes the meaning of the word.  This usually describes a pathology (disease or abnormality), symptom, surgical or diagnostic procedure, or part of speech.

Inflammation of the stomach

Enlargement of the stomach

Tumor of the stomach

Inflammation of the liver

Enlargement of the liver

Tumor of the liver

Inflammation

Enlargement

Tumor

Without, not

feeling

condition 

condition of not feeling 

excessive, above normal

heat

condition of excess heat 

in, within

muscle

pertaining to

pertaining to within the muscle 

near, besides, beyond

nose

pertaining to

pertaining to (area) near the nose

many, much

urine

condition of much urine

• 1.) suffix or last part of word (itis)
• 2.) first part of word (gastro)
• 3.) middle (enter)

Hepat (liver) + itis (inflammation) = hepatitis (inflammation of the liver)

hepat/o (liver) + cyte (cell) = hepatocyte (liver cell)

osteo/o (bone) + chondr (cartilage) + itis (inflammation) = osteochondritis (inflammation of bone and cartilage)

inflammation of bone and joint

word root, combining form, suffix, prefix

arthr 

False, it is usually an o

False, a word root links a suffix that begins with a vowel

True

True

False, first define the suffix or end of the word

Compound words

blood

vomiting 

vomiting blood 

joint

pain 

paint in the stomach

study of 

study of blood 

surgical puncture 

surgical puncture of a joint 

bone

brain

meninges

inflammation of the brain and meninges 

TRUE 

small or minute artery

the process of recording 

erythropenia 

specialist in the study of 

-ia

FALSE

toward the sternum

False 

small head 

first pregnancy

different than normal

behind the peritoneum 

eu

hepatitis

inflammation of the kidney

fixation of a joint 

inflammation of the skin 

specialist in teeth 

excision in the stomach

inflammation of cartilage 

tumor of the liver

pertaining to muscle

pertaining to the stomach

tumor of the bone 

surgical puncture 

to break; surgical fracture 

binding, fixation (of a bone or joint)

excision, removal 

separation, destruction, loosening 

fixation (of an organ)

surgical repair 

suture 

puncture of a joint space with a needle and the withdrawal of fluid 

surgical fracture of a bone to correct a deformity 

binding together of a joint 

excision of the appendix

destruction of a blood clot 

blood clot 

• fixation of the breasts
• an elective surgery, affixes sagging breasts in a more elevated position, commonly improving their shape

surgical repair of the nose

suture of a muscle 

forming an opening (mouth)

forming an opening into the trachea

instrument to cut

instrument to cut bone 

incision

incision (through the neck) into the trachea 

crushing 

crushing a stone 

stone, calculus

record, writing 

record of the electrical activity of the heart 

instrument for recording

instrument for recording electrical activity of the heart 

process of recording 

process of recording blood vessels 

instrument for recording 

act of measuring 

instrument for measuring the pelvis 

act or process of measuring the dimensions of the pelvis 

instrument for examining 

visual examination

pain

pain

• -algia
• -dynia 

hernia, swelling

dilation, expansion

swelling

vomiting 

blood condition 

forming, producing, origin

forming, producing, origin 

pain of a nerve

pain in the ear, also called earache

hernia of the liver

dilation or expansion of one or more bronchi 

swelling and accumulation of tissue fluid

excessive vomiting 

blood condition caused by a decrease in red blood cells (erythrocytes)

forming, producing, or origin of cancer

abnormal condition (produced by something specified)

inflammation 

stone, calculus

softening

enlargement

tumor 

abnormal condition, increase (used primarily with blood cells)

disease

decrease, deficiency

eating, swallowing 

speech

fear

formation, growth 

abnormal condition of gallstones 

inflammation of the stomach

gallstone 

softening of the articular cartilage, usually involving the patella 

enlargement of the heart 

tumor composed of nerve tissue

dark blue or purple discoloration of the skin and mucus membrane 

disease of muscle

decrease in red blood cells 

inability or difficulty in swallowing 

absence or impairment of speech

fear of blood 

abnormal formation or growth of cells, tissues, organs

formation, growth

paralysis

prolapse, downward displacement

bursting forth 

bursting forth

discharge, flow 

rupture 

abnormal condition of hardening 

involuntary contraction, twitching

narrowing, stricture

poison

nourishment, development 

bad nourishment 

pertaining to an agent (poison) that damages the liver (such as alcohol and drugs)

abnormal narrowing of an artery

twitching of the eyelid

rupture or an artery

abnormally frequent discharge or flow of fluid fecal matter from the bowel

profuse discharge of blood during menstration

bursting forth of blood 

drooping of the upper eyelid

paralysis of one side of the body

new formation or growth of tissue