Introduction Medical Terminology

Medical Terminology is composed of the following

● Word Parts or Elements
o
o
o
o

How is M.T. learned?

● By learning the meaning of each _ ____________________________

Two points to Remember

● Pronunciation is ________ as important as……..
● _________________ – M.T. must be _____________________

How does anyone decipher the meaning of a medical term?

● ______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
o root
o suffix
o prefix

Example: Pre + nat + al

▪ al = _____________________
▪ nat = _____________________
▪ pre = _____________________

Prefixes
● _________________________________________________________
● “how, why, where, when, how much, how many, position, direction, time. or
status

Ex – ab-, ad-, hypo-, hyper-, poly-

Root Word
● __________________________________________
● The foundation
● ___________________________________________

● Gives you a clue as to what the word is dealing with

● Ex – Cardi/o, hem/o, ot/o

Suffixes
● ____________________________________________
● Tell us what is happening with a specific body part or system
● Entail what is wrong with you or the procedure used to diagnose or fix it

● EX – -megaly, -rrhea, -sclerosis

Connecting Vowels
● When prefixes, suffixes, and/or word roots are joined together,
_________________________________
● Vowels are ________ used if the word root or suffix begins with a vowel.

● O, I, U
● EX: Cardi/o, rhin/o, chondr/i, aur(i,o)

encephal(o) = ___________________
+
Itis = ____________________________________

Encephalitis = _________________________________________

The vowel “o” is not used because the suffix “itis” begins with a vowel.

The medical term is deciphered from …

___________________________

What does this Mean??? You break the term down starting with the…
●
●
●

EXAMPLE:
OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGY
Starting from Right to Left
- suffix = ______________________
- word root =_________________________
- word root = _________________________
- word root = _________________________

A few Pronunciation rules

● ph –pronounced together as “______”. example: phlegm

● ch –pronounced together as “______”. example: cholera
● qu - pronounced together as “_____” example: quadriplegia
● pn = pronounced together as “_____” no P sound. example: pneumonia
● ps – pronounced together as “_____” example: psychology
● X – is pronounced as a “____” example: xeroderma