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Medical terminology
Barbara Cohen
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Medical terminology is a special
vocabulary used by health care
professionals for effective and accurate
communication. Every health-related field
requires an understanding of medical
terminology, and this book highlights
selected health care occupations in special
boxes (see Box 1-1).
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Because it is based mainly on Greek and
Latin words, medical terminology is
consistent and uniform throughout the
world. It is also efficient; although some
of the terms are long, they often reduce an
entire phrase
to a single word.
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The one word gastroduodenostomy, for
example, stands for “a communication
between the stomach and the first part of
the small intestine” (Fig. 1-1).
The part gastr means stomach; duoden
stands for the duodenum, the first part of
the small intestine; and ostomy means a
communication.
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The medical vocabulary is vast, and
learning it may seem like learning the entire
vocabulary of a foreign language.
Moreover, like the jargon that arises in all
changing fields, it is always expanding.
Think of the terms that have been added to
our vocabulary with the development of
computers, such as software, search
engines, e-mail, chatrooms, and blogs. 8
The task may seem overwhelming, but
there are methods to aid in learning and
remembering words
and even to help make informed guesses
about unfamiliar
words.
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Most medical terms can be divided into
component parts—roots, prefixes, and
suffixes—that maintain the same
meaning whenever they appear.
By learning these meanings,
you can analyze and remember many
words.
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Word Parts
Word components fall into three categories:
1. The root is the fundamental unit of each medical
word. It establishes the basic meaning of the word and
is the part to which modifying word parts are added.
2. A suffix is a short word part or series of parts added
at the end of a root to modify its meaning. This book
indicates suffixes by a dash before the suffix, such as
-itis (inflammation).
3. A prefix is a short word part added before a root to
modify its meaning. This book indicates prefixes by a
dash after the prefix, such as pre- (before).
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Building Medical Terms
Word Root
Building Medical Terms
Prefix
Suffix
Combining forms 12
Forming Medical Terms
Forming Medical Terms
Medical Term
Word root
Prefix Suffix
Combining forms
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Forming Medical Terms
Forming Medical Terms Part
Medical terms are formed from two or more word parts.
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Word root Prefix Suffix
• Word parts • Word parts
•The main part of a attached to the
attached to the
word which contains end of a word that
beginning of a
the basic meaning. modifies the
word that
modifies the meaning.
meaning.
Combining forms
• The word root and a combining vowel that enable two parts
to be connected. 14
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The simple word learn can be used as a root
to illustrate.
If we add the suffix -er to form learner, we
have “one who learns.”
If we add the prefix re- to form relearn, we
have “to learn again. “
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Not all roots are complete words. In fact, most
medical roots are derived from other languages and
are meant to be used in combinations.
The Greek word kardia, for example, meaning
“heart,” gives us the root cardi.
The Latin word pulmo, meaning “lung,” gives us the
root pulm.
In a few instances, both the Greek and Latin roots
are used for the same structure.
We find both the Greek root nephr and
the Latin root ren used in words pertaining to the
kidney. 17
Note that the same root may have different meanings
in different fields of study, just as the words spam, menu,
browser, surfing, and cookie have different meanings in
common vocabulary other than in “computerese.”
The root
myel means “marrow” and may apply to either the bone
marrow or the spinal cord. The root scler means “hard”
but may also apply to the white of the eye. Cyst means “a
filled sac or pouch” but also refers specifically to the urinary
bladder.
You will sometimes have to consider the context of
a word before assigning its meaning.
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Compound words contain more than one root.
The words eyeball, bedpan, frostbite, and
wheelchair are examples.
Some examples of compound medical words
are cardiovascular (pertaining to the heart and
blood vessels), urogenital (pertaining to the
urinary and reproductive systems), and
lymphocyte (a white blood cell found in the
lymphatic system).
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COMBINING FORMS
When a suffix or another root beginning with
a consonant is added to a root, a vowel is
inserted between the root and the next word
part to aid in pronunciation.
This combining vowel is usually an o, as seen
in the previous example of
gastroduodenostomy, but may occasionally be
a, e, or i.
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Thus, when the suffix -logy, meaning “study
of,” is added to the root neur, meaning “nerve
or nervous system,” a combining vowel is
added:
neur + o + logy = neurology (study of the
nervous system)
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A combining vowel usually is not used if the
ending begins with a vowel.
For example, the root neur is combined with
the suffix -itis, meaning “inflammation of,” in
this way:
neur + itis = neuritis (inflammation of a nerve)
This rule has some exceptions, particularly
when they affect pronunciation or meaning,
and you will observe these
as you work.
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consonant Neur + o + logy
root vowel suffix
A vowel inserted when:
A root/suffix started with a consonant
These words called combining forms/words
Combining forms do not use if
The ending (suffix) begins with a vowel
Neur + itis
vowel
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WORD DERIVATIONS
As mentioned, most medical word parts come
from Greek (G.) and Latin (L.).
They are interesting, however, and may aid in
learning.
For example, muscle comes from a Latin word
that means “mouse” because the movement of a
muscle under the skin was thought to resemble
the scampering of a mouse.
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WORD DERIVATIONS
The coccyx, the tail end of the spine, is named
for the cuckoo because it was thought to
resemble the cuckoo’s bill.
For those interested in the derivations of
medical words, a good medical dictionary will
provide this information.
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WORDS ENDING IN x
When you add a suffix to a word ending in x,
the x is changed to a g or a c.
If there is a consonant before the x, such as yx
or nx, the x is changed to a g. For example,
pharynx (throat) becomes pharyngeal (fa-
RIN-jē-al), to mean “pertaining to the throat;”
coccyx (terminal portion of the spine) becomes
coccygeal (kok-SIJ-ē-al), to mean “pertaining
to the coccyx.” 28
WORDS ENDING IN x
If a vowel comes before the x, such as ax or ix,
you change the x to a c.
Thus, thorax (chest) becomes thoracic
(thō-RAS-ik) to mean “pertaining to the chest”
and
Cervix (neck) becomes cervical (SER-vi-kal)
to mean “pertaining to a neck.”
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SUFFIXES BEGINNING WITH rh
When you add a suffix beginning with rh to a
root, the r is doubled.
For example:
hem/o (blood) + -rhage (bursting forth) =
hemorrhage (a bursting forth of blood)
men/o (menses) + -rhea (flow, discharge) =
menorrhea (menstrual flow)
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Note
1. Words ending in X:
X change to g or c Pervious is
vowel
Pervious is
consonant
Pharynx…….. Pharyngeal
Thorax………. Thoracic
2. Add a suffix beginning with rh to a root:
R is doubled…..rrh
Hem/o + rhage ……………… hemorrhage
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Abbreviations
Shortened words or initials can save time in
writing medical reports and case histories.
We commonly use TV for television, Jr. for
junior, F for Fahrenheit temperature readings,
UV for ultraviolet, and Dr. for doctor.
A few of the many medical abbreviations are
mL for the metric measurement, milliliter; dB
for decibels, units of sound intensity; CA for
cancer; hgb for hemoglobin; and ECG for
electrocardiogram. 32
PHRASE ABBREVIATIONS
An acronym is an abbreviation formed from the first
letter of each word in a phrase.
Some everyday acronyms are ASAP (as soon as
possible), ATM (automated teller machine), and
a computer’s RAM (random access memory).
Acronyms have become popular for saving time and
space in naming objects, organizations, and
procedures.
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