1

BASIC TERM COMPONENTS

Acute: Opposite of an ugly
Artery: The study of paintings
Bacteria: Back door of a cafeteria
Barium: What doctors do to dead patients

Benign: What you are after you're eight.

Bowel: Letter like A,E,I,O, or U

Definition through analysis

2

You can usually define a term by interpreting the

1.
2.
3.

suffix first
then the prefix (if one is present)
then the root or roots

Think of Medical Terms as sentences

Definition through analysis

3

Interenterocolitis

Definition through analysis

4

Inter/ - between
enter/o intestines
col/ - colon
-itis - inflammation

Definition through analysis

5

Inflammation between the intestines and colon

suffix (1)
prefix (2)
cf (3)
root (3)

Refining your definitions

6

Melanedema

Refining your definitions

7

Melanedema
Melan/o black
-edema - swelling

Refining your definitions

8

Melanedema
Melan/o - black
-edema swelling
Following the rule: Swelling black
Literal definition: Black swelling

Literal vs. Medical definition

9

Melanedema
Melan/o - black
-edema swelling
Literal meaning: Black swelling
Medical definition: Black deposit in the lungs, typically
found in coal miners.

Melanedema vs. Anthracosis

10

Anthracosis
[Gr. anthrax, anthrakos coal]

Anthrax
11

Carbuncle

Roots With More Than One Meaning

12

acr- summit, end; extremity

acromegaly, acrophobia, acropolis

orth- straight; correct, normal, upright

orthodontist, orthodox, orthostatic

phren- mind, diaphragm, seat of emotion

phrenic, phrenicotomy, bradyphrenia

Refining Your Definitions

13

You get the orders for a cervical exam. What will

you be examining?

14

May refer to more than one

anatomical structure

15

Synonyms: Multiple roots with same

meaning
Hyster/o - (Gr. hystera womb)
Metr/o - (Gr. metra womb)
Uter/o - (L. uterus womb)

hysterectomy
endometrium
in utero

Homomorphisms
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Sometimes 2 different roots simplify to the

same spelling
homo (L. homo a human being) vs. homo- (Gr.
homos same) homo sapiens, homogenous

ped- (L. pes -meaning foot) vs. ped- (Gr. paes meaning child) pediatrics, pedestrian, orthopedics

Homomorphisms
17

Bacteriolysin/ Streptolysin/ Staphylolysin

Bacteri/o
Strept/o
Staphyl/o

-lysin
-lysin
-lysin

Homomorphisms
18

Gr. lysis dissolution or destruction

-lysis (process of dissolution)
-lysin (substance causing dissolution)

Homomorphisms
19

Bacteriolysin- A substance destructive to bacteria

Streptolysin and Staphylolysin A substance

destructive to the blood, which is produced by
streptococci and staphylococci

Staphyl/o
20

Strept/o

Inflection and Roots

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Gr. psyche, psyches mind, soul = psych-, -psyche

Gr. soma, somatos body = soma, somat-, -some
L. fero, ferre, tuli, latum = lat-, fer-, -fer

Inflection and Number: Latin Plural

Forms
Singular Latin

Vertebra
Fungus
Diverticulum
Foramen
Matrix

Plural Latin

Vertebrae
Fungi
Diverticula
Foramina
Matrices

Inflection and Number: Greek

Plural Forms
Singular Greek

Arthritis
Condyloma
Phenomenon

Plural Greek

Arthritides
Condylomata
Phenomena

Common Traditional Plural Forms

-a
-is
-on
-um
-ax (-ex, -ix)
-us
-oma (-ma)
-itis
-en
-ens (-ans)

-ae
-es
-a
-a
-aces (-ices)
-i
-omata
-itides
-ina
-entes (-antes)

Plurals
vertebra
analysis
phenomenon
stratum
matrix
fungus
condyloma (-ma)
arthritis
foramen
deferens (ans)

vertebrae
analyses
phenomena
strata
matrices
fungi
condylomata
arthritides
foramina
deferentes

vertebras

matrixes
funguses
condylomas
foramens

Plurals and Singulars

What is the plural of hemolysis?
What is the singular of thrombi?
What is the singular of stigmata?
What is the singular of cacumina?