Download - Medical Terminology
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Medical terminology is a special vocabulary used by health care professionals
for effective and accurate communication
consistent and uniform throughtout the world, because it is based mainly on Greek and Latin words
Most medical terms can be divided into component parts-roots, prefixes, and suffixes-that maintain the same meaning whenever they appear.
The fundamental unit of each medical world is the root. This establishes the basic meaning of the word and is the part to which modifying prefixes and suffixes are added.
Prefix Root Suffix
Prefix Root Suffix
examples
The Greek word kardia, meaning “heart,” gives us theroot cardi
The Latin word pulmo, meaning “lung,” gives us theroot pulm
We find both the Greek root nephr and the Latin rootren used in words pertaining the kidney
Some compound medical words are cardiovascular(pertaining to the heart and blood vessels), urogenital(pertaining to the urinary and reproductive systems)
COMBININGRoot – o – Suffix
A combining vowel (o) may be added between a root and a suffix
Neur + o + logy = neurology (study of the nervous system)
Root - 0
Neur/o
Neur + itis = neuritis (inflamation of a nerve)
Word derivations
Muscle comes from a latin word that means “mouse”because the movement of a muscle under the skin wasthought to resemble the scampering of a mouse.
The coccyx, the tail end of the spine, is named for thecuckoo because it was thought to resemble thecuckoo’s bill.
Pronunciation a is in hat
e is in meti as in bino as in someu as in run
ā as is in sayē as is in teaī as is in lieō as in hoseū as is in sue
The accented syllable in each word is shown with capital letters
Cerebrum (SER-e-brum)
Cerebrospinal (ser-e-brō-SPĪ-nal)
Duodenum (dū-ō-DĒ-num)
Skeletal (SKEL-e-tal)
Apnea (AP-nē-a) meaning cessation of breathing
Prognosis (prog-NŌ-sis) meaning prediction of the outcome of disease
SYMBOLS Symbols are commonly used in case histories as a form
of shorthand.
Some examples are L and R for left and right; and for increase and decrease.
SILENT LETTER
LETTERS PRONUNCIATION EXAMPLE DEFINITION OF EXAMPLE
ch k chemical Pertaining to chemistry
dys dis dystrophy Poor nourishment of tissue
eu u euphoria Exaggerated feeling of well-being
gn n gnathic Pertaining to the jaw
ph f pharmacy A drug dispensary
pn n pneumonia Inflammation of the lungs
ps s Pseudo- False
pt t ptosis Dropping
rh r rheumatic Pertaining to rheumatism, a disorder of muscles and joints
x z xiphoid Pertaining to cartilage attached to the sternum
NOUN SUFFIXESSUFFIXES THAT MEANS CONDITION OF
SUFFIX EXAMPLE DEFINITION OF EXAMPLE
-ia phobia Persistent and exaggerated fear
-ism alcoholism Impaired control of alcohol use
-sis acidosis Acid condition of boy fluids
-y tetany Sustained musclecontraction
SUFFIXES FOR MEDICAL SPECIALTIESSUFFIX MEANING EXAMPLE DEFINITION OF
EXAMPLE
-ian Specialist in a field of study
physician Practioner of medicine (root physilo=nature)
-iatrics Medical specialty geriatrics Study and treatment of the aged (root ger/i=old age)
-ics Medical specialty orthopedics Study and treatment of the skeleton and joints (fromm root pedlo=child, and prefix ortho=straight)
-iatry Medical specialty Podiatry Study and treatment of the foot (root pod/o, meaning foot)
-ist Specialist in a field of study
Cardiologist Specialist in the study and treatment of the heart
-logy Study of physiology Study of function in aliving organism