Medical Terminology

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dr. Legiran, M.Kes

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S1 FK Unsri Palembang
S2 Anatomi PPs UGM Yogyakarta
Pengajar Anatomi Manusia
Koordinator Komisi IV Unit Pendidikan
Kedokteran FK Unsri (UPK)

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Concepts of Medical Terminology

Special vocabulary used by health care
professionals for effective and accurate
communication
Consistent and uniform throughout the world
Most medical terms are based on Latin and
Greek words
A few are adapted from modern languages

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Four Parts
Word Root
the word part that is the core of the word

Suffix
a word part attached to the end of the word root to
modify its meaning

Prefix
a word part attached to the beginning of a word root
to modify its meaning

Combining Vowel
a word part, usually an O
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Word Root
The word root is the word part that is the
core of the word
Fundamental unit of each medical word
Establishes basic meaning of word
It cannot stand alone a suffix must be
added.
Part to which prefixes and suffixes are
added
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Word Root (contd)

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Word Root (contd)

Begin with learn
Learn + -er = one who learns
Re + learn = to learn again

Greek word for heart is kardia

Forms word root cardi

Latin word for lung is pulmo

Forms word root pulm

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Word Root (contd)

Word Roots Indicating Color
Cyanosis
Cyan/o ( blue color of skin caused by lack of O2 ) + osis
(condition)

Erythrocytes
erythr/o (red) + cytes (cells)

Poliomyelitis
Polio (gray) + myel (spinal cord) + itis (inflammation)

Melanocytes
Melano/o (black) + cytes (cells)

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Suffixes

Suffixes

Suffix = word ending that modifies a root

Modifies the meaning of the root
May indicate a noun or adjective
Usually indicates
procedure,
condition,
disorder, or
disease.
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Suffixes (contd)
Tonsill/o means tonsils.
A suffix completes the word and tells what
is happening to the tonsils.
Tonsillitis.
tonsill (tonsil) + itis (inflammation).

Tonsillectomy
tonsill (tonsil) + ectomy (surgical removal).
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Suffixes (contd)
Some suffixes change the word root into
an adjective.
Cardiac
cardi/o (heart) + ac (pertaining to).

Some suffixes change the word root into a

noun.
Cranium
crani (skull) + um (noun ending).
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Suffixes (contd)
Suffixes Meaning Abnormal Condition
osis means an abnormal condition or disease
Gastrosis means any disease of the stomach

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Suffixes (contd)
Suffixes Related to Pathology
algia means pain
Gastralgia

dynia means pain

Gastrodynia

itis means inflammation

Gastritis

malacia means abnormal softening

Arteriomalacia
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Suffixes (contd)
Suffixes Related to Pathology
Megaly means enlargement
Hepatomegaly

Necrosis means tissue death

Arterionecrosis

Sclerosis means abnormal hardening

Arteriosclerosis

Stenosis means abnormal narrowing

Arteriostenosis
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Suffixes (contd)
Suffixes Related to Procedures
centesis surgical puncture to remove fluid
Abdominocentesis

ectomy surgical removal

Appendectomy

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Suffixes (contd)
Suffixes Related to Procedures
graphy means the process of recording a
picture or record
Arteriography

gram - a record or picture

Arteriogram

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Suffixes (contd)
The Double RRs
rrhage and rrhagia mean abnormal
excessive fluid discharge or bleeding
Hemorrhage

rrhaphy to stitch
Aneurysmorraphy

rrhea abnormal flow or discharge

Diarrhea

rrhexis rupture
myorrexis
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Words Ending in x
Change x to c or g when adding a suffix
Pharynx (throat) becomes pharyngeal (faRIN-je-al) (pertaining to the throat)
Thorax (chest) becomes thoracotomy (thor-aKOT-o-me) (an incision into the chest)

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Suffixes (contd)
Look-alike Sound-alike Terms and Word
Parts
Arteri/o = artery
Ather/o = plaque or fatty substance
Arthr/o = joint

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Suffixes (contd)
Look-alike Sound-alike Terms and Word
Parts
Ileum = part of small intestine
Ilium = part of the hip bone

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Suffixes (contd)
Look-alike Sound-alike Terms and Word
Parts
Mucous adjective that describes specialized
mucous membranes that line the body
cavities.
Mucus a noun and the name of the
substance secreted by the mucous
membranes.

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Adjective Suffixes
Adjective endings meaning pertaining to
or resembling include:
-ac as in cardiac
-form as in muciform
-ory as in respiratory

No rules for which ending to use with a

given noun

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Forming Plurals
Special plural forms
Words ending in a carry plural ending ae:
Gingiva vs. gingivae

Words ending in is carry plural ending es:

Diagnosis vs. diagnoses

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Some Exceptions to the Rules

Plural of virus is viruses
Plural of serums is sera
Plural of carcinoma is carcinomata

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Prefixes

Prefixes
Prefix = short word part added before a
word root to modify the meaning
Uni- (one) + lateral = unilateral (affecting or
involving one side)
Contra- (against) + lateral = contralateral
(opposite side)

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Prefixes (contd)
Prefixes usually indicate location, time or
number.
Natal means pertaining to(al) + birth (nat).
Prenatal means time & events before birth.
Perinatal means time and events just before,
during, & after birth.
Postnatal means time & event after birth.

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Prefixes for Numbers

Mono = 1; Uni = 1
Bi = 2 Di = 2
Tri = 3
Quad = 4
Nulli = none
Hemi = half
Multi = many
Poly = many Semi = partial or half
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Prefixes for Numbers

Prim/i- = first
primitive (occurring first in time)

Bi- = two, twice

bicuspid (a tooth with two points)

Tetra- = four
tetrahedron (a figure with four surfaces)

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Prefixes for Colors

Cyan/o- = blue
cyanosis (bluish discoloration of the skin due
to lack of oxygen)

Leuk/o- = white, colorless

leukoplakia (white patches in the mouth)

Xanth/o- = yellow
xanthodermia (yellow discoloration of the
skin)
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Negative Prefixes
A-, an- = not; without
aseptic (free of infectious organisms)

Dis- = absence, removal, separation

dissect (to separate tissues for anatomical
study)

Non- = not
noninfectious (not able to spread disease)

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Prefixes for Direction

Ad- = toward; near
adhere (to attach or stick together)

Per- = through
percutaneous (through the skin)

Trans- = through
transfusion (introduction of blood or blood
components into the blood stream)

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Prefixes for Degree

Hyper- = over, excess, abnormally high
hyperventilation (excess breathing)

Hypo- = under; below

hypoxia (decreased oxygen in the tissues)

Super- = above, excess

supernumerary (in excess number)

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Prefixes for Size and

Comparison
Iso- = equal, same
isograft (graft between two genetically
identical individuals)

Micro- = small
microscopic (extremely small; visible only
through a microscope)

Re- = again; back

regurgitation (backward or return flow)
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Prefixes for Time and/or Position

Ante- = before
antenatal (before birth)

Pro- = before, in front of

prodrome (symptom that precedes a disease)

Post- = after, behind

postmenopausal (after menopause)

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Prefixes for Position

Ec-, ecto- = out; outside
excise (to cut out)

End/o = in; within

endoscope (device for viewing the inside of a
cavity or organ)

Mes/o- = middle
mesencephalon (midbrain)

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Combining Form

Combining Form

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Combining Form (contd)

Combining Vowel

It is usually an o
It is between two root words
It can be between a root word and a suffix
It eases pronunciation
When combining a word root and a suffix, if suffix
begins with vowel a combining vowel is not
necessary. For example gastr/ectomy.
When connecting two root words the o is used even if
the second root begins with a vowel, example:
gastroenteritis.
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Combining Form (contd)

Insert an o before a suffix beginning with
a consonant when added to a root
-logy = study of
Neur = nerve or nervous system

Neur + o + logy = neurology (study of the

nervous system)

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Combining Form (contd)

Roots shown with a combining vowel are
called combining forms
Vowels added after a slash
Called roots
Neur/o

Combining vowel omitted if suffix begins

with a vowel
Neur + it is = neuritis (inflammation of a nerve)
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Combining Form (contd)

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Word Derivations
Most word parts derived from Greek (G)
and Latin (L)
Muscle is Latin for mouse
Coccyx named for the cuckoos bill

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Pronunciation
Use phonetic pronunciations provided
Repeat words aloud
Pronunciations may change when parts
are combined

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Pronunciation (cont)
Vowels with no pronunciation marks get
short pronunciation
a as in hat

Short line over vowel gives it long

pronunciation
a as in say

Accented syllable indicated with capital

letters
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Soft and Hard c and g

Soft c, as in racer = (RA-ser)
Hard c, as in candy = (KAN-de)
Soft g, as in page, written as j = (paj)
Hard g, as in grow = (gro)

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Silent Letters and Unusual

Pronunciations
Gnathic = (NATH-ic)
Pertaining to the jaw

Apnea = (AP-ne-a)
Cessation of breath

Nephroptosis = (nef-rop-TO-sis)
Dropping of the kidney

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Symbols
Used as shorthand in case histories
= right
= increase

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Abbreviations
Can save time
May cause confusion
Acronym = abbreviation formed from first
letter of each word in a phrase
ASAP = as soon as possible

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