Medical Terminology Bio22

Fall 2014 - 909D

Prof. Carlos Liachovitzkycarlos.liachovitzky@bcc.cuny.edu

ME410

Medical Terminology• It is the language of medicine.

• It is the language spoken throughout the world by people in the health professions.

• It is a language that includes rules of pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar.

• Many medical terms are composed of multiple Greek and Latin word parts (e.g. word roots, prefixes, and suffixes)

Word Root

• Usually contains primary meaning

• It is the main body of the word

• Medical terms usually contain at least one word root– Abnormal– Bilateral

Prefixes

• It is the word part that is placed before the root to modify its meaning

• Prefix means: pre = before + fix = fasten/fix; to fix at the beginning of a word– Abnormal • Ab- = away from

– Intravenous• Intra- = within

Suffixes

• A suffix is the word that is attached to the end of a word root.

• Suffix means: su(b) = upon + fix = fasten/fix; fix “on top” (at the end) of a word – Abnormal• -al = pertaining to

– Endocarditis• -itis = inflammation

CONSTRUCTION

CON STRUCT ION

• con(com)- = “with, together”• struct (struere) = “to pile up,

make, erect, build, accumulate”• -ion = action or result

Singular and Plural

• -a/-ae vertebra/vertebrae• -is/-es diagnosis/diagnoses• -on/-a ganglion/ganglia• -um/-a bacterium/bacteria• -us/-i fungus/fungi• -y/-ies appendicectomy/-ies

Also as MT…

• Eponyms e.g. Hodgkin’s lymphoma (William Hodgkin)

• Acronyms e.g. CAT scan (computer axial tomography scan)

Source http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/m/medical_terminology.asp

Greek MythologyArachnoid Mater and The Story of Arachne

Sourcehttp://vovat.livejournal.com/741200.html

Sourcehttp://www.shands.org/health/In-depth%20Reports/10/000044.htm