lesson 4 dynamics of medical vocabulary...

30 Medical Terminology I © 2002 ‐ 2010 All rights reserved.

LESSON 4 ‐ DYNAMICS OF MEDICAL VOCABULARY AND WORD STRUCTURE

1. ROOT WORD OR STEM

The root or stem is the main body or foundation of a word. Every word has at least one root, but

a word can have two, three, or four. Any word containing more than one root word is known as a

compound word. The English language has many compound words and thousands of compound

combinations are possible. For example: crosswalk, everyday, milkman, storefront, backhoe,

moonlighter, sidewalk, sidewinder, etc. In true compound words, both segments can stand alone

as independent words as noted in the examples just provided. Latin words are combined too,

similar to those noted above in English ‐ lymphadenopathy (lymph + adenopathy) ‐ but others

require a combining letter, usually ‐o‐: atherosclerosis (ather/o/sclerosis). The choice of the

vowel (if needed) depends upon the vowel/consonant combination rules. Greek adds some other

possibilities, the ato‐ words, like hematochezia.

It is important when learning root words to pay special attention to the combining vowels or

vowel‐consonant combinations that link them to other word parts. These vowels are essential to

medical word building, as they are required between roots and roots and suffixes to make

appropriate compound words. In most cases, the added “connector” makes it much easier to

pronounce a word. Say “hem/globin,” then add an ‐o‐ and say “hemoglobin.” Ease of speech

makes sense in any language. Remember though that surgical words that add the suffix, ‐ectomy,

do not require a combining vowel.

2. MEDICAL PREFIXES (LATIN = PREFICES)

A prefix is a syllable or syllables placed before a root word or compound word to modify it or give

it new meaning.


Prefices generally do not require a hyphen, though occasionally English rules require one (when a

combining word ends with the same vowel as the next word in the formation, intra‐abdominal).

Though the plural of prefix is commonly used as prefixes in the U.S., we will be using the Latin

form hereafter: prefices. The same is true with suffix, affix, etc.

Read through the table to see how the prefix establishes the meaning of the word formed.

PREFIX MEANING EXAMPLE

ab‐ away from abduct

ad‐ toward adduct

bi‐/di‐ two bilateral/diplegia

hypo‐/sub‐

beneath/below normal/under

hypodermic/subtalar

retro‐ behind, backward retroflexion

3. MEDICAL SUFFIXES (LATIN = SUFFICES)

Suffices are placed at the end of a word to modify it or change its meaning. As with prefices,

suffices are a vital part of understanding and researching medical terms. Sometimes a suffix may

stand alone as a word in and of itself. In most medical dictionaries, standard suffices are noted

with a hyphen, ‐emia.

SUFFIX MEANING EXAMPLE

‐algia pain myalgia

‐edema swelling lymphedema

‐oid resembling sphenoid

‐plegia paralysis paraplegia


ENGLISH PREFICES

Next, Table A shows English prefices, adding a root, making a word, and listing the word meaning.

Table B shows a list of medical prefices.

A. PREFICES – ENGLISH

Prefix Root Word Meaningpre‐ school preschool before school mis‐ spell misspell incorrect spelling inter‐ lock interlock hook together hyper pituitary hyperpituitary overactive – too much pituitary dys‐ trophy dystrophy degeneration of or defective uni‐ lateral unilateral affecting only one side

NOW YOU TRY IT.

Make words with the following prefices and roots. pre‐ existence

pre‐ certify

mis‐ appropriate

mis‐ apply

inter‐ mingle

inter departmental

MEDICAL PREFICES Next is a table of common medical prefices, meanings, and completed words. Read each one.

B. PREFICES ‐ MEDICAL

Prefix Meaning Example

a‐ without aseptic

an‐ not anaerobic


ab‐ away from abnormal

ante‐ before antepartum

anti‐ against antiseptic

bio‐ life biography

brady‐ slow bradycardia

contra‐ against or not contraindicate

de‐ take away/remove dehydrate

dis‐ reversal/separation dislocate

dys‐ painful/difficult dysfunction

hemi‐ half or one side hemisphere

hemo‐ blood hemoglobin

hydro‐ water hydrodynamic

hyper‐ too much hypertension

hypo‐ too little – not enough hypoactive

inter‐ between intervertebral

intra‐ within intravenous

lip‐ fat lipoma

mal‐ bad, poor malnutrition

noct‐ night nocturia

poly‐ many polyuria

pre‐ before prenatal

post‐ following, after postoperative

tachy‐ fast tachycardia

NOW YOU TRY IT.

PREFIX EXERCISESUse the prefix a‐ (not, without), make the new word, and define it in two or three words (feel free to use your dictionary or the Internet).

Root word New Word Meaning1 typical


2 symptomatic

3 septic

Now add the prefix an‐ (not, loss of, absence of) to make the new word and define it. 4 aerobic

5 osmic

6 ovular

Now add the prefix ab‐ (away from) 7 normal

8 irritant

Now add the prefix ante‐ (before) 9 partum

10 brachium

11 cubital

Add the prefix anti‐ (against) 12 biotic

13 body

14 cholinergic

Add the prefix bio‐ (life) 15 chemistry

16 logy

17 kinetics


Add the prefix brady‐ (slow) 18 arrhythmia

19 esthesia

20 phemia

Add the prefix contra‐ (against, not) 21 indicate

22 conception

23 lateral

Add de‐ (take away, remove) 24 centralization

25 capitation

26 cannulation

Add dis‐ (removal, separation) 27 locate

28 ease

29 order

Add dys‐ (painful, difficult) 30 tocia

31 tonia

32 trophy


Add hemi‐ (half/one side) 33 plegia

34 pylorectomy

35 spasm

Add hemo‐ (blood) 36 cytoma

37 dynamic

38 cyte

Add hydro‐ (water) 39 metry

40 phobia

41 thorax

Add hyper‐ (over or too much) 42 active

43 ostosis

44 parathyroid

Add hypo‐ (too little or under) 45 thyroid

46 dermic

47 natremia


Add poly‐ (many) 48 uria

49 cellular

50 centric


ANSWERS —PREFICES 1. atypical not typical 2. asymptomatic without symptoms 3. aseptic without sepsis; without pathogenic microorganisms 4. anaerobic without presence of oxygen 5. anosmic absence of sense of smell 6. anovular without ovulation 7. abnormal away from normal/not normal 8. abirritant away from irritant/an agent that relieves irritation 9. antepartum before partum; predelivery, before childbirth 10. antebrachium before the brachium; the forearm 11. antecubital before /in front of the elbow 12. antibiotic destruction of life /drug that kills bacteria is most common meaning 13. antibody against the body; an immunoglobin 14. anticholinergic blocking passage of parasympathetic nerve impulses 15. biochemistry life organisms and their processes 16. biology study of living organisms 17. biokinetics movements of living organisms 18. bradyarrhythmia slow, irregular rhythm (heart rate) 19. bradyesthesia slow or dullness of perception 20. bradyphemia slowness of speech 21. contraindicate against what is indicated; not indicated 22. contraception prevent conception/pregnancy 23. contralateral pertaining to or affecting the opposite side 24. decentralization away from the center 25. decapitation removal of head 26. decannulation removal of cannula 27. dislocate not located properly; displacement of a joint bones 28. disease not at ease; pathological process with signs and symptoms 29. disorder not in order 30. dystocia difficult childbirth 31. dystonia impaired muscle tone 32. dystrophy disorder from defective or faulty nutrition 33. hemiplegia paralysis of one side of the body 34. hemipylorectomy excision of half of the pylorus 35. hemispasm spasm affecting one side only 36. hemocytoma tumor containing blood cells 37. hemodynamic pertaining to blood circulation 38. hemocyte any blood corpuscle formed 39. hydrometry measurement of fluid 40. hydrophobia frightened of water 41. hydrothorax collection of fluid in the pleural cavity 42. hyperactive too active 43. hyperostosis too much bone 44. hyperparathyroid too much parathyroid gland secretion 45. hypothyroid too little thyroid production 46. hypodermic under dermal layer of the skin 47. hyponatremia too little sodium in blood 48. polyuria too much urine /increased frequency of urination 49. polycellular multicellular; pertaining to many cells 50. polycentric many centers


C. SUFFICES As described earlier, suffices are the endings attached to root words. In medicine, when the suffix used begins with a vowel, it is simply added. Examples are card‐itis, and cardi‐ectomy. When the suffix begins with a consonant, e.g., ‐dynia or ‐logy the new word requires an ‐o‐, to connect the word parts as in cardi/o/logy.

Root Suffix Word Meaning

thyroid ‐ectomy (removal) removal of thyroid

conscious ‐ness (state of) state of being aware, awake

encephal ‐itis (inflammation) inflammation of the brain

encapsul ‐ation (process) enclosing something in a covering

Examples of various suffices are listed below. Just read through them to familiarize yourself with

how they work. Remember, at this point, you are not trying to memorize anything.

SUFFICES SUFFIX MEANING ‐algia painful condition

‐cele related to a tumor or swelling

‐centesis perforation or tapping

‐ectasis dilatation, expansion or distention

‐ectomy excision of an organ or part

‐emia presence of substance in the blood

‐fication/‐ation action of, process of

‐genic producing or productive of

‐gram that which is drawn, written or recorded

‐graphy/y writing, recording, drawing

‐iasis process or condition resulting from

‐ics science or art of


‐itis inflammation

‐malacia morbid softening of a part or tissue

‐megaly abnormal enlargement

‐o/dynia painful condition

‐oma tumor or neoplasm

‐osis process of disease or increase

‐o/logy study of

‐o/stomy opening to the outside of the body

‐o/tomy cutting into

‐pathy morbid condition/disease

‐penia deficiency

‐pexy surgical fixation

‐plasty plastic surgery

‐rraphy suture or repair

‐tomy cutting into

‐tripsy stricture in surgery intentional (crushing)

NOW YOU TRY IT.

SUFFIX EXERCISES The word carcinoma is based on the Greek word karkin, meaning crab or cancer (think of the Zodiac). The root is carcin; then the suffix is added, ‐oma, meaning tumor or swelling. The new word, carcinoma, indicates a malignant growth. In the following sentences we will use the root, add the suffix and make a new word. You may be able to figure out what the new word means without much trouble. If you don’t know, look it up in a dictionary.

Formula: Root + suffix ‐oma = Word formed by adding ‐oma Example: carcin + ‐oma = carcinoma 1 lymph

2 myel


3 glauc

Now use ‐cele.

4 hydro

5 spermato

Now use –ectasia.

6 telangi

Now use –iasis.

7 psor

8 candid

Now use ‐itis (change the ‐x‐ to ‐g‐ on 9, ‐c‐ on 10).

9 larynx

10 appendix

Use ‐malacia (change the ‐a‐ to ‐o‐).

11 ostea

Use ‐osis (drop the ‐e‐).

12 fibre

Use –emia.

13 an

Use ‐dynia (drop the ‐x‐) – add ‐o‐.

14 coccyx

Use –gram.

15 radio

Use – megaly. (Don’t forget the rules; hint: add the combining letter ‐o‐ since you have two consonants ‐n‐ and ‐m‐ together.) 16 organ

Surgical suffices such as –e/ctomy, ‐o/stomy, ‐o/tomy, ‐o/rrhaphy, ‐o/pexy, ‐o/plasty, ‐o/tripsy and ‐o/centesis


17 If ‐ectomy means removal of, then appendectomy means removal of the _________________.

18 If ‐otomy means cutting into, then laryngotomy means ______________.

19. If gastrium (for our purposes, gastr since we are dropping the ium) means stomach, make words that mean the following; changing the ‐i‐ to ‐o‐ (refer to the above suffix surgical listing ‐ just before #17): a Make a hole in the stomach (cut into)

b Bring an opening from the stomach to the outside of the body

c Remove the stomach

d Repair the stomach

20. If hyster means uterus, make words that mean the following:

a Remove the uterus

b Make a hole in the uterus

21. If arthr means joint, make a word that means the following:

a Perform plastic surgery on the joint

b Fix the joint

22. If pleur means lung, make a word that means removal of fluid from that organ.

ANSWERS ‐ SUFFIX EXERCISES 1. lymphoma 2. myeloma 3. glaucoma 4. hydrocele 5. spermatocele 6. telangiectasia 7. psoriasis 8. candidiasis 9. laryngitis 10. appendicitis 11. osteomalacia 12. fibrosis 13. anemia 14. coccyodynia; sometimes coccydynia 15. radiogram 16. organomegaly


17. appendix 18. cutting – making a hole in the larynx 19.

a) gastrotomy; b)gastrostomy b) gastrectomy c) gastrorrhaphy

20. a) hysterectomy b) hysterotomy

21. a) arthroplasty b) arthropexy

22. pleurocentesis

EXERCISE BASED ON YOUR ANSWERS ON THE PREVIOUS PAGE In your dictionary or online, look up each of the words in the answer list on the previous page (1 through 22). Write down the meanings. This exercise is done to allow you to see the logic of the root words and how expanded words make new meanings. This exercise will also allow you to spend some time doing research. Pay attention to the roots. 1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15


16

17

18

19a

b

c

d

20a

b

21a

b

22

D. NOUNS As in English, in medical terminology, a noun is a word used to identify a person, place, thing, quality, condition or an action. A noun can also be an action not as it relates to being a verb, but in this way: Operate is a verb in the following context: James operates that lever; but a noun in the following: The operation was a success. As well, in both Greek and Latin, adding ‐um, ‐y, ‐a, ‐ia, or ‐ is to a root word (at the end of the word) changes it into a noun.


Using the words you looked up in the previous exercise, put a check mark beside the words which are nouns on the following list.

_____ fibroma _____ lymphoma _____ myeloma _____ hydrocele _____ spermatocele _____ telangiectasia _____ psoriasis _____ candidiasis _____ laryngitis _____ appendicitis _____ osteomalacia _____ fibrosis _____ anemia _____ coccyodynia

_____ radiogram _____ organomegaly _____ appendix _____ cutting _____ gastrotomy _____ gastrostomy _____ gastrectomy _____ gastrorrhaphy _____ hysterectomy _____ hysterotomy _____ arthroplasty _____ arthropexy _____ pleurocentesis

ANSWERS ‐ NOUNS EXERCISE

All of the words on the list are nouns. Were you fooled? ‘Cutting’ may also be a noun, a variance on

the way it was used as a verb (cutting into).

COMPOUND WORDS

In medical terminology, words are commonly compounded (consist of several combined words). It

would not be possible to create a dictionary listing every potential combined word, so you must

understand and be able to locate the word pieces (roots), then you can find those elements of the

word you are looking for in a dictionary or on‐line. No dictionary is large enough to fit every possible

combined word form, so you will learn to be sure you put them together correctly.

A compound word is formed from two or more independent words, the first word modifying,

depending on, or being the object of the next. In English, housewife, salesman, schoolboy, and


mailman are compound words. They undergo little change from their basic lexical forms and receive

the new meaning solely from the new combination.

ENGLISH COMPOUND WORDS – 2 ROOT WORDS Root 1 Root 2 COMPOUND WORD

auto mobile automobile

life saver lifesaver

leader ship leadership

The process is different in Latin and Greek. Remember, we are considering the influences of both

languages, but let us address just Latin for an example. In Latin, in most cases, the compound word

will consist of the stem of the first word, plus the connecting vowel, usually ‐i‐ sometimes ‐u‐, plus

the stem of the second word; then the inflection (accent). The language of medicine combines both

Latin and Greek linguistic rules. In Latin, dorsal combined with radial would be dorsiradial; however,

with the influence of Greek, it becomes dorsoradial. Most of the time, the vowel ‐o‐ is used as the

connecting vowel. This is known as the combining form.

The connecting vowel most commonly inserted is an ‐o‐.

neur + o + logy = neurology

cardi + o + logy = cardiology

In many textbooks, the combining vowels are separated from the root words with a virgule (/) such

as nephr/o, cephal/o, and hyster/o.

A combining vowel is not needed if the ending suffix begins with a vowel:

cyst + itis = cystitis

gastr + itis = gastritis


YOU DO NEED TO REMEMBER HOW WORDS ARE COMBINED!

In compound words there may be multiple root words in addition to prefices and suffices (these will

be discussed next). Some letters are dropped in the combining process: temporal and mandible are

combined by dropping the al in temporal, and adding the ‐o‐, making the combined word

tempor/o/mandible.

Many rules exist in the mix of languages; only the most simplistic will be used for our purposes.

• If the first root word ends in a consonant, the consonant is dropped.

• If a vowel remains it is typically eliminated and an ‐o‐ is added.

• This process is repeated if the second root is combined to a third, and from the third to the

fourth.

Here is an exception:

• When the root word ends in ‐h‐ it will usually combine with the second root word, without

adding an ‐o‐, if that word begins with a vowel.

• Still another exception is the word hem (blood), which sometimes uses an ‐o‐ to combine a

compound word or to use a suffix, e.g., hemoglobin; but in others, it requires ‐ato‐, as the

combining ingredient, as in hematocrit.

In the last example, the ato was not added to make things enormously complicated, rather, it was

done to allow more ease of speech. Say the word hemglobin (heem′ glow bin) without the –o‐; now

try it with the needed ‐o‐ to combine the two: hemoglobin (heem′ oh glow bin). It flows more

smoothly, doesn’t it? That’s the real reason it was done this way.


COMPOUND WORD EXERCISE Make compound words from the following root words.

Root 1 Root 2 Compound Word

1 cardiac vascular

2 anterior lateral

3 thoracic lumbar

4 acromion clavicular

5 glomerular nephritis

6 uterine sacrum

7 gastric colic

8 vascular thoracic

9 glenoid humerus

10 cricus pharyngeus

11 lymphus angial

12 nasal pharynx

13 thyroid arytenoid


ANSWERS — COMPOUND WORDS 1. cardiovascular 2. anterolateral 3. thoracolumbar 4. acromioclavicular 5. glomerulonephritis 6. uterosacrum 7. gastrocolic 8. vasculothoracic 9. glenohumerus 10. cricopharyngeus 11. lymphangial (did this one trick you?) 12. nasopharynx 13. thyroarytenoid

F. MULTIROOTED COMPOUND WORDS We warned you about this ‐‐ all the same rules and methods apply that you read regarding compound words, so we needn't beat this one to death. Multiple rooted compound words used in medicine may combine words until they have 25 or more root words (not likely, but it could be done).

Root 1 Root 2 Root 3 = Compound Word Hepar+ spleen+ megaly hepatosplenomegaly

The rules are really funky here. We dropped the r, but added ato, then dropped one ‐e‐ from spleen, and added an ‐o‐ to hook to the third word. All you really have to know is how to spell hepatosplenomegaly. As you hear or see compound words, you will get the hang of how to spell them based on your analysis of the component words. The combinations are used over and over in medical reports. Knowing why is important but not critical. Knowing which letters are used to combine word parts is critical. Most of the time it is the letter ‐o‐. Check this one out: cricus + larynx + pharynx = cricolaryngopharynx Or try this one on for size: lymphangiothyroarytenovasculohumerocartilaginous

(limf‐angee‐oh‐thigh‐row‐a‐writ‐n‐oh‐vask‐you‐low‐humor‐oh‐car‐till‐adj‐in‐us) Get it? Try to pronounce it.

You will probably never see or hear this word, but you get the point.


G. ADVERBS Adverbs are words used to modify a verb, an adjective or another adverb. In English adding ‐ly or ‐ially or ‐ally makes a word an adverb, adverbially speaking. Adapting the Latin‐Greek words to make adverbs works similarly (similar‐ly), though there are some other possibilities. Using the word and word extensions below, adverbs are made.

Word Extension Adverb

anterior ‐ly anteriorly

posterior ‐ly posteriorly

bilateral ‐ly bilaterally

oblique ‐ly obliquely

superior ‐ly superiorly

inferior ‐ly inferiorly

cephalic ‐ally cephalically

caudad ‐ally caudally

peripheral ‐ly peripherally

oblique ‐ly obliquely

subliminal ‐ally subliminally

ADVERBS EXERCISE Add the appropriate extension ("‐ly,” or "‐ally") to make the adverb.

1 transverse

2 sagittal

3 coronal

4 upright

5 decubitus

6 recumbent

7 supine

8 prone

9 rotation


10 internal

11 external

12 ventral

13 circumference

14 digit

15 clinic

ANSWERS –ADVERBS 1. transversely 2. sagittally 3. coronally 4. uprightly 5. decubitally 6. recumbently 7. supinely 8. pronely 9. rotationally 10. internally 11. externally 12. ventrally 13. circumferentially (this uses the root word, circumferent) 14. digitally 15. clinically

lesson 4 dynamics of medical vocabulary...

Documents