Medical Terms Medical Terminology Utah State Office of Education

Medical Terms

Medical Terminology

Utah State Office of Education


Overview

Medical terminology is a language in itself. Learning medical terminology can initially

seem like studying a strange new language. Once you understand some of the basic ruls

as to how medical terms are formed using word building, it will become much like piecing together a puzzle.


Overview Rather than setting out to memorize

thousands of words and phrases, you will analyze medical terms and begin to build a vocabulary or word parts.

Learning the meanings of basic medical word parts will provide important tools and shortcuts for mastering this language of medicine, but the process of mastering medical terminology still requires significant amount of memorization.


Overview

Most medical terms follow the general rule that there is a word root – fundamental meaning for the word, prefixes and suffixes – modify the meaning of the word root, and sometimes a combining vowel – connect other word parts.

The parts combine to form a complete term that conveys a specific idea.

There are always exceptions to every rule, however.


The Origins of Our Medical Language

We owe most of the development of early medical language to the ancient Greeks and Romans.

Hippocrates (460 – 370 BC) and other early Greek anatomists dissected cadavers and attempted to treat disease in living humans.



They named body structures using terms familiar to them. For example – they thought of the thyroid

gland as shaped like a shield and named it with the Greek word for shield, thyreos.

The eardrum looked to them like a tambourine, and they named it accordingly, with the Greek word tympanon, which is the source for our term tympanic membrane.



During the Roman Empire, Latin became the dominant language, and many new anatomy terms used Latin words. For example, the term bowel (intestine) originated

from the Latin botulus, meaning sausage. In ancient times as now, sections of animal intestines

were used as sausage casings.



Over subsequent centuries, German, French, and English researchers and physicians tended to dominate medicine in the Western world and gave names based in those languages to new discoveries about the body, diseases, and therapies.



For example: The old English drogge gave us the word drug. French terms yielded fontanel (the soft spot in an

infant’s skull), and tourniquet (a band pressed against an artery to stop bleeding).

Trendelenburg position (a position in which the body is placed with the legs/feet higher than the head) is named after the German physician who first used it.



The result is a medical language that is 90% Greek and Latin in origin, with influences of several other cultures.


Medical Terminology

There are three areas you must concentrate on when you learn a new word element or medical term: PronunciationPronunciation SpellingSpelling MeaningMeaning

Each of these are essential to the correct use and understanding of medical terminology.


Word Roots

Each body system has a set of word roots. For example, many terms used to describe the

cardiovascular system (the heart and blood vessels) derive from the roots cardi- (heart) and angi- (vessel).

Many terms relating to the respiratory system (the lungs and airways) use the roots pneum- (air or lung), pulmon- (lung), or bronch- (airway).

Many words related to the nervous system (the brain, spinal cord, and nerves) are formed from roots neur- (nerve) or cerebr- (brain).


Word Roots

Sometimes two or three roots have the same meaning. You will use one root word in some contexts, and

a different root word in other contexts. When there are two or more roots with the same

meaning, they are not interchangeable – certain roots make specific words. Example: Kidney = “ren” (Latin) and “nephr” (Greek).

Why do we have more than one root with the same meaning? Because medical terminology grew in several places

at once.


Word Roots

Not all roots are associated with a specific body system.

Some roots are used more broadly and can be applied to any body system.

These terms may be used to describe something (adjectives or adverbs) or name something (nouns).


Common Anatomical Roots

Twelve body systems make up the human body:

1. Integumentary

2. Skeletal

3. Muscular

4. Nervous

5. Endocrine

6. Cardiovascular

7. Lymphatic/Immune

8. Respiratory

9. Digestive

10. Urinary

11. Male Reproductive

12. Female Reproductive

These systems work together to perform all the necessary functions of life.


Common Anatomical RootsRoot Meaning

Body As A Whole

bi/o Life

cephal/o Head

cervic/o Neck

cyt/o Cell

hist/o; histi/o Tissue

lip/o Fat

path/o Disease

viscer/o Internal organs



Root Meaning

Integumentary System

cil/o; pil/o Hair

derm/o; dermat/o; cutane/o Skin

onych/o; ungu/o Nail

Skeletal System

arthr/o Joint

chondr/o Cartilage

oste/o Bone



Root Meaning

Muscular System

my/o; muscul/o Muscle

tend/o; tendin/o Tendon

Nervous System, Ears, Eyes

cerebr/o; encephal/o Brain

myel/o Spinal cord; Bone marrow

neur/o Nerve

ophthalm/o; ocul/o Eye

ot/o Ear



Root Meaning

Endocrine System

aden/o Gland

adren/o Adrenal gland

pituitar/o Pituitary gland

thyroid/o Thyroid gland



Root Meaning

Cardiovascular System

angi/o; vascul/o; vas/o Vessel

arteri/o Artery

cardi/o Heart

hem/o; hemat/o Blood

ven/o; phleb/o Vein



Root Meaning

Lymphatic and Immune Systems

lymphaden/o Lymph gland; node

lymphangi/o Lymph vessel

splen/o Spleen

tonsill/o Tonsil



Root Meaning

Respiratory System

bronch/o Bronchus

laryng/o Larynx; Voice box

naso; rhin/o Nose

pharyng/o Pharynx; Throat

pneum/o; pneumon/o Lung

thorac/o Chest

tracheo/o Trachea; Windpipe



Root Meaning

Digestive Systemabdomin/o Abdomen

col/o Colon; Large Intestine

enter/o Small Intestine

esophag/o Esophagus

gastr/o Stomach

gloss/o; lingu/o Tongue

hepat/o Liver

or/o; stomat/o Mouth

pharyng/o Pharynx, Throat



Root Meaning

Urinary Systemcyst/o Bladder

ren/o; nephr/o Kidney

ureter/o Ureters

urethr/o Urethra

Male Reproductive Systemorchid/o; test/o Testicle; Testis

prostat/o Prostate

vas/o Vas Deferens



Root Meaning

Female Reproductive System

colp/o; vagin/o Vagina

gynec/o Female

mast/o; mamm/o Breast

oophor/o; ovari/o Ovary

salping/o Fallopian/Uterine Tube

hyster/o Uterus


Combining Forms

Add a connecting or combining vowel to a root word creates a word part called a combining form.

Connecting forms make medical terms easier to spell and pronounce.

They can also connect a root with another root when more than one root is used to form a term. For example: Musculoskeletal.


Combining Forms

In addition, a combining vowel may be used to join a word root and a suffix. The most commonly used combining vowel is “o”. The second most common is “i”.

Note that when combining forms are shown in medical terminology lists, there is usually a slash separating the root and the connecting vowel. For example, carcin/o, abdomin/o, cardi/o.


Combining FormsDescribing Colors

Why learn combining forms about colors? We use them in many areas of medicine.

Dermatologists apply them to skin lesions, cytologists use them to discuss various cell types, and all physicians use them to describe various conditions.

Cyan/o blue cyanosis Erythr/o red erythrocytosis, erythroderma Leuk/o white leukocyte Melan/o black melanocyte Xanth/o yellow xanthochromia


Suffixes

The language of medicine uses a large number of suffixes (at the end of words). Every medical term must have a suffix.

Many medical terms are formed by adding a suffix to a root or combining form.

Pay particular attention to the spelling of suffixes since changing a single letter may change the meaning. For example, -logy and –logist.


Suffixes

Two or more suffixes can have the same meaning. For example, suffixes meaning “related to” or

“pertaining to”: -ac (cardiac) -ic (pelvic) -al (caudal) -ose (cellulose) -ar (vascular) -ous (callous) -e (melanocyte) -ry (secretory) -eal (congeal) -tic (arthritic)


Suffixes

Suffixes indicating a condition or process: -emia (anemia) -ia (insomnia) -ism (aneurism) -itis (phlebitis) -lysis (hemolysis) -oma (sarcoma) -osis (keratosis) -y (ambulatory)


Suffixes Suffixes indicating form, size, and formation:

-cle = small (auricle) -ole = small (arteriole) -ule = small (pustule) -ula = small (fistula) -megaly = enlargement (hepatomegaly) -penia = abnormal reduction (cytopenia) -form = shape or resembling (vermiform) -asis = formation, presence of (lithiasis) -plasia = formation (achondroplasia) -trophy = development (dystrophy) -poiesis = formation (hematopoiesis)


Suffixes

Suffixes describing diagnostic procedures (identifying what the problem is): -gram = record (arteriogram) -graph = record, instrument (electrocardiograph) -graphy = process of recording (amniography) -meter = measure or measurement (sphygmometer) -metry = process of measuring (spectrometry) -scope = instrument used for viewing (arthroscope) -scopy = process of viewing with an instrument

(colonoscopy)


Suffixes

Suffixes indicating therapeutic procedures (curing or treating the problem): -centesis = puncture to withdraw fluid

(abdominocentesis) -desis = stablization or binding (arthrodesis) -iatric = treatment (geriatric) -plasty = repair (angioplasty) -rrhaphy = suturing (hepatorrhaphy) -stomy or –ostomy = creating an artificial opening

(traceostomy) -tomy = cut or incision (keratotomy) -tripsy = crushing (lithotripsy)


Suffixes

Suffixes beginning with two Rs are referred to as the “Double RRs”. -rrhage / -rrhagia = bleeding, bursting forth,

abnormal or excessive flow -rrhaphy = surgical suturing to close a wound -rrhea = flow or discharge -rrhexis = rupture


Prefixes

A prefix is a word part that comes before the root or combining form and usually begins the term.

Prefixes often give an indication of direction, location, number of parts, time, or orientation.

Not every medical term will have a prefix. There can be several prefixes associated

with one meaning. A few prefixes have more than one related

meaning.


Prefixes Prefixes related to

numbers or amounts: uni- = one, single (unilateral) mono- = one

(mononucleosis) bi- = two, both (bilateral) di- = two (diplegia) ambi- = both (ambivalent) tri- = three (trivalent) quadra- = four (quadraplegic) tetra- = four (tetralogy) pan- = all (pandemic) poly- = many (polycythemia)

multi- = many, several (multiphasic)

mega- = large, excessive (megaloblasts)

olig- = few, scant (oliguria) micro- = very small (microtension) hemi- = half (hemisphere) semi- = part of a whole

(semifluent) a- = without (anemia) an- = without (anaerobic) tachy- = fast (tachicardial) brady- = slow (bradicardial)


Prefixes Prefixes that indicate position/direction:

ad- = toward, near (adhere) ab- = away from (absolve) anti- = against (anticoagulant) contra- = against (contraindicated) circum- = around (circumcision) peri- = around (peritectomy) de- = not, from, down (descending) dia- = across, through (diagonal) trans- = across, through (transverse) dis- = separate, apart (distal) epi- = upon, above (epiglottis) para- = along, beside (parathyroid)


Prefixes Prefixes that indicate amount or position/direction:

Prefix Meaning: Amount

Example: Meaning:Position/Direction

Example:

hyper- more, excessive hypertensive above hyperflexion

hypo- less, deficient hypoglycemic below hypodermic

infra- less than infrasonic under, below infrared

sub- less than subnormal under, below substernal

meta- change metastasize behind metacarpus

super- excessive, more supernumerary above superimpose

supra- excessive, outside supraliminal beyond suprarenal

ultra- excessive ultramodern beyond ultraviolet


Prefixes

Prefix Meaning Example:

Time

Example:Position/Direction

per- through permanent percutaneous

post- after postsurgical posterior

pre- before precursor preaxial

re- again, back revive recline

retro- backward, behind retrospective retrobulbular

Prefixes that indicate time or position/direction:


Prefix + Suffix

Medical terms can also be built by combining a prefix directly with a suffix (without a word root). For example, dystrophy (DIS troh fee), which

means abnormal development, is built from the prefix dys- (meaning abnormal) and the suffix –trophy (meaning development).


Word Building

Word building consists of putting together several word elements to form a variety of terms.

Remember to break down every word into its components (prefix, word root/combining form, and suffix) when you are learning medical terminology.

Figure out how the word is formed from its components.


Med Term Tip

To gain a quick understanding of a term, read the term from the end of the world (or the suffix) back to the beginning (the prefix), and then pick up the word root.

For example, pericarditis reads inflammation (-itis) surrounding (peri-) the heart (cardi/o) this gives us the meaning – “inflammation of the membrane surrounding the heart”.


Pronunciation

You will hear different pronunciations for the same terms depending on where people were born or educated.

As long as it is clear which term people are discussing, differing pronunciations are acceptable.

If you have any doubt about the term being discussed, ask for the term to be spelled.


Pronunciation

In the medical workplace, you will need to pronounce medical terms clearly and correctly so that others understand you precisely.

Be particularly attentive to your pronunciation if you are speaking on the phone, recording a voicemail message, or dictating for someone else to transcribe.


Pronunciation

Hints: Ch sounds like k.

Chyme, Cholecystectomy, Chronic. Ps sounds like s.

Psychiatric, Psychology, Psoriasis. Pn sounds like n.

Pneumonia, Pneumatic. C sounds like a soft s when it comes before e, i,

and y. Cycle, Cytoplasm, Centrifuge.


Pronunciation

G sounds like j when it comes before e, i, and y. Giant, Gestation, Generic, Gyration.

I sounds like “eye” when added to the end of a word to form a plural. Glomeruli, Villi, Alveoli, Bacilli.


Forming Plurals

In medical terminology, plural words can be confusing.

Some plural terms are formed based on Greek and Latin rules, while others are formed using English language rules.

Unfortunately, the rules are not applied consistently. Whenever you are uncertain of the correct plural

form of a term, consult your medical dictionary.


Forming Plurals

English usually forms plurals by adding s or es to the singular form. The plural of vein is veins.

Latin and Greek words form plurals by adding an ending based on the ending of the singular form.


Forming Plurals

For example: Singular words ending in a add the letter e to create

the plural form. Stria (singular) = Striae (plural).

Singular words ending in um replace the um with an a to create the plural form. Diverticulum (singular) = Diverticula (plural).

Words ending in nx change the nx to nges in the plurals. Larynx (singular) = Larynges (plural).


Frequently Used Plural FormsSingular Ending Plural

Apex -ex/-ices Apices

Appendix -ix/ices Appendices

Bacterium -ium/-ia Bacteria

Biopsy -y/-ies Biopsies

Condyloma -a/-ata Condylomata

Diagnosis -is/-es Diagnoses

Fungus -us/-i Fungi

Ganglion -on/-a Ganglia

Thorax -ax/-aces Thoraces

Phalanx -nx/-ges Phalanges

Ovum -um/-a Ova

Vertebra -a/-ae Vertebrae


Sound-a-likes

The correct spelling of a word can be critical in patient care.

In some instances, two or more words may sound alike but be spelled differently and have different meanings.

The difference in even one letter can make a dramatic difference in meaning.


Sound-a-likes

For example: Ilium (a pelvic bone) and Ileum (the terminal

portion of the small intestine). Osteal (bony or bonelike) and Ostial (relating to

an ostium, an opening). Viscous (sticky) and Viscus (a hollow,

multilayered, walled organ such as the heart).


Guessing at Meanings

Even when you are able to guess at the meaning of a term on the basis of word parts that make it up, you must always double check for accuracy, because some terms have more than one meaning. For example:

Lithotomy = surgical incision for the removal of a stone. Lithotomy is also the name of an examination position

in which the patient is lying on the back with the feet and legs raised and supported in stirrups.


Spelling

Whenever you are uncertain about the spelling of a term, consult a reliable medical dictionary or other reference book.

If you are not sure how to spell a drug name, look it up in the Physicians’ Desk Reference or a similar drug reference book.


Summary

If you have any doubt about the meaning or spelling of a word, llok it up in your medical dictionary.

Medical personnel who have been practicing in their profession for many years still need to look up a few words.

The student who is just learning medical terminology probably needs to look up words even more frequently.

Documents

Medical Terms Medical Terminology Utah State Office of Education