BMS 101

BASICS OF MEDICAL
TERMINOLOY
 MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY
• Word parts in medical terms
• Identifying the word parts in medical terms
• Language rules for building medical terms
• Some Latin and Greek words in medicine
• Prefixes
• Suffixes
• Anatomical and other related positions
• Directional terms
• Terms for body movement
• Body planes
• Abdominal quadrants and regions
 WORD PARTS IN MEDICAL AND ANATOMICAL TERMS
Medical terms are built from word parts
prefix e.g intra-, ante-, contra-, trans-, dis-, di-, ventra-
word root e.g ven, oste, chondr, arthr, gastr
Suffix e.g –ous, -logy, -itis, -pathy
combining vowel e.g o, i, e, u, a

When a word root is combined with a combining vowel the word part is
referred to as a combining form e.g
gastr + o = gastro
oste + o = osteo
aur + i = auri
 IDENTIFYING THE WORD PARTS MEDICAL TERMS

Osteoarthritis
Oste/o/arthr/itis – Inflammation of bone and joint
oste/o is a combining form that means bone
arthr/o is a combining form that means joint
-itis is a suffix that means inflammation

Intravenous
Intra/ven/ous – Pertaining to within a vein
Intra- is a prefix that means within
ven/o – is a combining form that means vein
 LANGUAGE RULES FOR BUILDING MEDICAL TERMS

1. When combining two combining forms, keep the combining vowel

2. When combining a combining form with a suffix that begins with a
consonant, keep the combining vowel
Examples
Gastr/o/enter/o/logy (study of the stomach and the intestines)
◦ Following rule 1, when we join combining form gastr/o (meaning
stomach) with the combining form enter/o (meaning
intestines) we keep the combining vowel o
◦ Following rule 2, when we join the combining form enter/o
(meaning intestines) with the suffix -logy (that starts with a
consonant letter and means the study of) we keep the
 LANGUAGE RULES FOR BUILDING MEDICAL TERMS (CONTD.)

3. When combining a combining form with a suffix that begins with a vowel
letter, drop the combining vowel
4. A prefix goes at the beginning of the word and no combining vowel is used
Examples
Intra/ven/ous – Pertaining to within the vein
◦ Following rule 3, notice that when combining the combining form
ven/o (meaning vein) with the suffix -ous (that starts with a
vowel and means pertaining to) we drop the combining form
vowel o
◦ Following rule 4, the prefix intra- (meaning within) is at the
beginning of the medical term with no combining form vowel
used.
 SOME GREEK WORDS IN MEDICAL TERMS
Aden - gland Kranion - skull Pyon - pus
Aorta - aorta Larynx - voice box Pyr - fire, fever
Bronchos - windpipe, gullet Mania - madness, frenzy Sarx - flesh
Cheir - hand Nausea - seasickness Soma - body
Chole - bile Neuron - nerve Spasmos - spasm
Derma - skin Osteon - bone Splen - spleen
Gaster - belly Ophthalmos - eye Stoma - mouth
Haima - blood Pepsis - digestion Stomachos - stomach
Hepar - liver Pharmakon - drug Tracheia - windpipe
Hygieia - health Pharynx - throat Trauma - wound
Hymen - membrane Pleura -side, rib
Kardia - heart Pneuma - air, breath
Kephal - head Psyche - soul
 SOME LATIN WORDS IN MEDICAL TERMS
anus - ring ilium - flank ruga - wrinkle
aqua - water labium - lip saliva - spittle
bacillus - little rod latius - side scrotum - pouch
bucca - cheek, cake lens - lentil sella - chair
cancer - crab ligamentum - binding semen - seed
caput - head lingua - tongue spina - thorn
caries - decay lues - plague stimulus - goad
cella - chamber lupus - wolf succus - juice
cerebrum - brain Manus - hand sudor - sweat
cervix - neck Meatus - opening tabes - wasting
cor - heart Mens - mind talus - ankle
corpus - body Mensis - month tergum - back
cortex - bark Morbus - disease tonsilla - pointed
cutis - skin Nodus - knot tunica - garment
 SOME LATIN WORDS IN MEDICAL TERMS
dens - tooth oculus - eye tussis - cough
facies - face os - mouth ulcus - ulcer
fascia - land ovum - egg, pan uterus - womb
febris - fever patella - shallow vagina - sheath
femur - thigh bone pectus - chest valva - valve
fetus - embryo pelvis - basin vas - vessel
foramen - perforation placenta - flat, pole vena - vein
fornix - arch pons - bridge venter - belly
fossa - ditch pulmo - lung vermis - worm
frons - forehead pupilla - little vesica - bladder
fundus - base, bottom, furrow, girl ren - kidney virus - poison
glans - gland retina - net vivo -in the living body
hernia - rupture
 PREFIXES OF BODY PARTS

Body part Greek root Latin root

abdomen lapar- abdomin-
aorta aort- –
arm brachi- arm-
armpit maschal- axill-
artery arteri- –
back not- dors-
big toe – allic-, hallic-
bladder cyst- vesic-
haem(at)- (Br. English);
blood sangui-, sanguin-
hem(at)- (Am. English)
 PREFIXES OF BODY PARTS (CONTD.)
blood vessel angi- vas-, vascul-
body soma-, somat- corpor-
bone oste- ossi-
bone marrow myel- medull-
brain encephal- cerebr-
breast mast- mamm-
chest steth- pector-
cheek parei- bucc-
ear ot(o)- aur(i)-
eggs, ova oo- ov-
eye ophthalm(o)- ocul(o)-
 PREFIXES OF BODY PARTS (CONTD.)
eyelid blephar(o)- cili-, palpebr-
face prosop(o)- faci(o)-
fallopian tubes salping(o)- –
fat, fatty tissue lip(o)- adip-
finger dactyl(o)- digit-
forehead – front(o)-
gallbladder cholecyst(o)- fell-
genitals, sexually
gon(o)-, phall(o)- –
undifferentiated
gland aden(o)- –
glans penis/clitoris balan(o)- –
 PREFIXES OF BODY PARTS (CONTD.)
gums – gingiv-
hair trich(o)- capill-
hands cheir(o)-, chir(o)- manu-
head cephal(o)- capit(o)-
heart cardi(o)- cordi-
hip, hip-joint – cox-
horn cerat(o)- cornu-
intestine enter(o)- –
jaw gnath(o)- –
kidney nephr(o)- ren-
 PREFIXES OF BODY PARTS (CONTD.)
knee gon- genu-
lip cheil(o)-, chil(o)- labi(o)-
liver hepat(o)- jecor-
loins, pubic region episi(o)- pudend-
lungs pneumon- pulmon(i)-, (pulmo-)
marrow, bone marrow myel(o)- medull-
mind psych- ment-
mouth stomat(o)- or-
muscle my(o)- –
nail onych(o)- ungui-
 PREFIXES OF BODY PARTS (CONTD.)
navel omphal(o)- umbilic-
neck trachel(o)- cervic-
nerve; the nervous
neur(o)- nerv-
system
nipple thele- papill-, mammill-
nose rhin(o)- nas-
ovary oophor(o)- ovari(o)-
pelvis pyel(o)- pelv(i)-
penis pe(o)- –
pupil (of the eye) cor-, core-, coro- –
rib pleur(o)- cost(o)-
rib cage thorac(i)-, thorac(o)- –
 PREFIXES OF BODY PARTS (CONTD.)
shoulder om(o)- humer(o)-
sinus – sinus-
skin derm-, dermat(o)- cut-, cuticul-
skull crani(o)- –
stomach gastr(o)- ventr(o)-
testis orchi(o)-, orchid(o)- –
throat (upper throat
pharyng(o)- –
cavity)
throat (lower throat
laryng(o)- –
cavity/voice box)
thumb – pollic-
tooth odont(o)- dent(i)-
tongue gloss-, glott- lingu(a)-
 PREFIXES OF BODY PARTS (CONTD.)
toe dactyl(o)- digit-
tumour cel-, onc(o)- tum-
ureter ureter(o)- ureter(o)-
urethra urethr(o)-, urethr(a)- urethr(o)-, urethr(a)-
urine, urinary system ur(o)- urin(o)-
uterine tubes salping(o)- salping(o)-
uterus hyster(o)-, metr(o)- uter(o)-
vagina colp(o)- vagin-
vein phleb(o)- ven-
vulva episi(o)- vulv-
womb hyster(o)-, metr(o)- uter(o)-
wrist carp(o)- carp(o)-
 PREFIXES OF COLOUR
black melan- atr-, nigr-
blue cyan- cerule-
gold chrys- aur-

gray, grey poli- can-

green chlor- vir-

purple porphyr- purpur-, purpureo-
red erythr-, rhod- rub-, rubr-, ruf-
red-orange cirrh- –

silver – argent-
white leuc-, leuk- alb-, cand-
yellow xanth- flav-
 PREFIXES OF POSITION, NUMBER, MEASUREMENT AND DIRECTION

Prefix Lay Description Examples Meaning

ab- away from abductor leading away from
ad- towards adductor leading towards
ante- before antenatal before birth
bi- two biceps two-headed (muscle)

anter(o)- front anterior at the front, front

epi- on top of epidural on top of the dura

endo- inside endoscopy looking inside
 PREFIXES OF POSITION, NUMBER, MEASUREMENT AND DIRECTION

intra- in between intracostal between the ribs

para- alongside parathyroid alongside the thyroid
peri- around perinatal around birth
intra- in between intracostal between the ribs

post- after para- alongside postnatal

parathyroid after birth
alongside the thyroid

peri- around perinatal around birth

pre- beforepost- after

prenatal
postnatal after birth
before birth
pre- before prenatal before birth

behind
poster(o)-
behind
posterior
at
at the back
the
back
poster(o)- back
posterior behind

back inter- between interpersonal

behind
between people
beyond secondary growth
meta- metastasis
after secondary spread (of cancer)
inter- between interpersonal between people
beyond secondary growth
meta- metastasis
after secondary spread (of cancer)
 PREFIXES OF POSITION, NUMBER, MEASUREMENT AND DIRECTION

around, surrounding peri- circum-

internal, within endo- intra-
left levo- laev-, sinistr-
middle meso-, mes- medi-
right dexi- dex-, dextr-, dextro-
side - lateral
outside ec- exo extra-
underneath hypo- sub-
within - intra
above epi- super, supra
across, through dia trans/per
around/surrounding peri- circum-
 PREFIXES OF POSITION, NUMBER, MEASUREMENT AND DIRECTION

away from apo de

deriving from
before ante- pre, pro
beneath - infra-
behind, in the back - dors(o)-, dors(i)-
behind, after meta post
between, among inter
inside, within endo- intra
left levo- laev(o)-, sinistr-
middle mes(o)- medi-
right dexi(o)- dextr(o)-
 SUFFIXES: SURGICAL, DIAGNOSTIC, PATHOLOGICAL, GRAMMATICAL

Procedure Lay
Term Meaning
Suffixes Description
mastectomy surgical removal of the breast
-ectomy cutting out
hysterectomy surgical removal of the womb
-emia in the blood uremia urea in the blood
blood vessel imaging
result of
-gram angiogram recording (visible result of the
imaging
procedure)
process of blood vessel imaging
-graphy angiography
imaging recording (the procedure)
 SUFFIXES: SURGICAL, DIAGNOSTIC, PATHOLOGICAL,
GRAMMATICAL
inflammatio
-itis arthritis inflammation of the joint
n of
study
-logy neurology study of nerves
science of
-plasty repair angioplasty blood vessel repair
gastroscopy looking inside the stomach
-scopy looking
arthroscopy looking inside the joint
-(o)tomy cutting gastrotomy operation on the stomach
 SUFFIXES OF ANOMALIES
abnormal condition -iasis
abnormal fear -phobia
abnormal softening -malacia
pain -algia -dynia
embryonic/immature -blast
condition of -sis, -y
dilation, expansion -ectasis
disease -pathy
disintegration -lysis

displacement -ectopia
 SUFFIXES OF ANOMALIES
drooping -ptosis
enlargement -megaly
excessive abnormal flow -rrhage, -rrhagia
flow; discharge -rrhea
formation, development -plasm
-plasia
hardening -sclerosis
hernia, protrusion -cele
inflammation -itis
narrowing -stenosis
paralysis -plegia
 SUFFIXES OF ANOMALIES
presence of blood -emia
produces, generates -genesis
producing -genic
rupture -rrhexis
state, condition -ia; -ism
substance in urine -uria
swelling -edema
tumor, mass -oma
unusual or diseased condition -osis
vomiting -emesis
weakness -paresis
 ANATOMICAL AND OTHER RELATED POSITIONS
ANATOMICAL POSITION
standard body “map”
standing upright with the lower
limbs together or slightly apart, feet
flat on the floor and facing forward,
upper limbs at the sides with the
palms facing forward and thumbs
pointing away from the body, and
head and eyes directed straight ahead

CADAVERIC POSITION
Supine anatomical position for dead
bodies/cadavers
RECUMBENT POSITION
any position that involves lying
down horizontally
 Supine position
 Dorsal recumbent position
 Prone position
 Left lateral recumbent position
 Right lateral recumbent position

FOWLER’S POSITION
 semi-sitting position with the bed
angle at 45-60 degrees

TRENDELENBURG POSITION
 achieved by elevating the feet and
legs of the patient above the level of
LITHOTOMY POSITION

lying on the back/supine

position of the body, the patient
is face-up, arms to the sides,
the legs separated, raised, and
supported in a boot-style leg
holder or stirrup-style position
with the legs flexed 90 degrees
RECOVERY POSITION
when someone is rolled onto their
side (left or right) allowing gravity
to help their tongue flop forward
and the contents of the stomach to
drain out, to keep the airway clear
and allow the casualty to keep
breathing
DIRECTIONAL TERMS

Anterior (or ventral): front or direction toward the front of the

body The toes are anterior to the foot.
Posterior (or dorsal): back or direction toward the back of the body
The popliteus is posterior to the patella.
Superior (or cranial): position above or higher than another part of
the body proper. The orbits are superior to the oris.
Inferior (or caudal): position below or lower than another part of
the body proper; near or toward the tail. The pelvis is inferior to the
abdomen
Lateral: side or direction toward the side of the body. The thumb
(pollex) is lateral to the digits
DIRECTIONAL TERMS (CONTD.)

Medial: middle or direction toward the middle of the body. The

hallux is the medial toe.
Proximal: a position in a limb that is nearer to the point of
attachment or the trunk of the body. The brachium is proximal to the
antebrachium.
Distal: a position in a limb that is farther from the point of
attachment or the trunk of the body. The crus is distal to the femur.
Superficial: a position closer to the surface of the body. The skin is
superficial to the bones.
Deep: a position farther from the surface of the body. The brain is
deep to the skull.
 TERMS FOR BODY MOVEMENT
FLEXION
• movement that decreases the angle between two body parts
• lateral flexion - bending of the neck or body toward the right or left side
EXTENSION
• movement that increases the angle between two body parts
ABDUCTION
• a movement away from the midline

ADDUCTION
• a movement towards the midline

CIRCUMDUCTION
• movement of a body region in a
circular manner
• involves the sequential combination of
flexion, adduction, extension, and
abduction at a joint
ROTATION
• twisting movement

• medial (internal) rotation - brings

the anterior surface of the limb
toward the midline of the body

• lateral (external) rotation - moves

anterior surface away from the
midline
PRONATION AND SUPINATION
• movements of the forearm
• upper limb held next to the body with the
palm facing forward in anatomical position
- supinated position of the forearm (radius
and ulna are parallel to each other)
• palm of the hand faces backward - forearm
in the pronated position (radius and ulna
form an X-shape)
• terms also apply to the whole body – when
lying flat on the back, the body is supine.
When lying flat on the front, the body is
prone
DORSIFLEXION AND
PLANTERFLEXION
• terms used to describe
movements at the ankle

• Dorsiflexion: flexion at the

ankle, so that the foot points
more superiorly

• Plantarflexion: extension at the

ankle, so that the foot points
inferiorly
INVERSION AND EVERSION
• movements at the ankle joint

• rotation of the foot around its long

axis

• Inversion - involves movement of the

sole towards the median plane, so that
the sole faces in a medial direction

• Eversion - involves movement of the

sole away from the median plane, so
that the sole faces in a lateral
direction
PROTRACTION AND RETRACTION
• anterior-posterior movements of the
scapula or mandible scapula protracts
when the shoulder is moved forward (as
when pushing against something or
throwing a ball)
• scapula retracts when the shoulder is
pulled posteriorly and medially, toward
the vertebral column
• mandible, protracts when the lower jaw
is pushed forward, to stick out the chin,
and retracts when the lower jaw is
pulled backward
ELEVATION AND DEPRESSION
• downward and upward movements of
the scapula or mandible
• upward movement of the scapula and
shoulder is elevation, while a
downward movement is depression
(used to shrug your shoulders)
• elevation of the mandible is the upward
movement of the lower jaw used to
close the mouth or bite on something,
and depression is the downward
movement that produces opening of the
mouth
OPPOSITION AND REPOSITION
• Opposition - brings the tips of thumb and little finger together

• Reposition - moves the thumb and the little finger away from each other
BODY PLANES
imaginary two-dimensional surfaces that pass
through the body
three planes commonly referred to in anatomy and
medicine:
sagittal plane: divides the body or an organ
vertically into right and left sides
 midsagittal or median plane
 parasagittal plane (less commonly longitudinal
section)
frontal plane/coronal plane: divides the body or
an organ into anterior portion and posterior
portions
transverse plane: divides the body or organ
horizontally into upper and lower portions,
produces images referred to as cross-sections
ABDOMINAL QUADRANTS AND REGIONS
ABDOMINAL REGIONS
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