Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Semester 1 2020/2021
ENG114- English for the Professions Level 1
Objectives
You should be able to:
R Analyze medical terms using prefixes, suffixes, and word roots
R build medical terms using prefixes, suffixes, and word roots
R Describe medical terms using prefixes, suffixes, and word roots
MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY Unit 1
Introduction
Everybody uses medical terminology. If you work in a hospital, you use medical words every
day. If you are a patient, you hear medical terms at your doctor’s, read about health matters in the
newspaper, and use them to make daily decisions about your own health care and the health care of
your family. Terms such as arthritis, electrocardiogram, hepatitis, and anemia describe conditions
and tests.
Other medical words may seem more complicated, but this course will help you to understand
them even if you have never studied biology or science.
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MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY Unit 1
If you divide the terms into their component parts and learn the meaning of each part, you can
use that knowledge to produce and understand many other new terms.
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MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY Unit 1
Most medical terms consist of some or all of the following word parts:
1. Word roots
2. Suffixes
3. Prefixes
4. Combining vowels
5. Combining Forms
1. WORD ROOT
The word root is the word part that is the core of the word. The word root contains the fundamental
meaning of the word.
Examples:
In the word ………………… play/er,
play is the word root.
2. SUFFIX
The suffix is a word part attached to the end of the word root to modify its meaning.
Examples:
In the word …………………… play/er, -er is the suffix.
In the medical term ………… hepat/ic, -ic (which means pertaining to) is the suffix.
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MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY Unit 1
As mentioned above, hepat is the word root for liver; therefore hepatic means pertaining to the
liver.
The prefix is a word part attached to the beginning of a word root to modify
its meaning.
Examples:
In the word re/play,
re- is the prefix.
A prefix may be
used to modify the
In the medical term sub/hepat/ic,
meaning of a
sub- (which means under) is the prefix. word; therefore,
not all medical
terms have a
Hepat is the word root for liver, and –ic is the suffix for pertaining to. The prefix.
medical term subhepatic means pertaining to under the liver.
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MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY Unit 1
4. COMBINING VOWEL
The combining vowel is a word part, usually an o, and is used between two word roots or between a
word root and a suffix to ease pronunciation.
Examples:
In the word therm/o/meter,
o is the combining vowel used between two word parts.
5. Combining Forms
A combing form is a word root with the combining vowel attached, separated by a diagonal line.
Examples: arthr/o
oste/o
ven/o
The combining form is not a word part; rather it is a presentation of two word parts.
The combining vowel is used to ease pronunciation, hence not all medical terms have combining vowels.
Medical terms introduced throughout the text that have combining vowels other than O are highlighted
at their introduction.
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MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY Unit 1
GUIDELINE ONE: When connecting a word root and a suffix, a combining vowel is usually not used
if the suffix beings with a vowel.
Example:
In the medical term hepat/ic,
The suffix –ic beings with the vowel i;
Therefore a combining vowel is not used.
GUIDELINE TWO: When connecting two word roots, a combining vowel is usually used even if
vowels are present at the junction.
Example:
In the medical term oste/o/arthr/itis,
o is the combining vowel used, even though the word root oste(which means
bone) ends with the vowel e and the word root arthr begins with the vowel a.
Activity 1A Match the phrases in the first column with the correct terms
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MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY Unit 1
in the second column.
_____ 2. A combining vowel is always used when connecting a word root and
a suffix.
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MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY Unit 1
Analyzing and Defining Medical Terms
Analyzing
To analyze medical terms divide the medical terms into word parts, label each word part, and label
the combining forms. Follow the procedure below:
Example: oste/o/arthr/o/pathy
WR CV WR CV S SUFFIXES
-itis inflammation
Examples: oste / o / arthr / o / pathy
-ic pertaining to
CF CF -ous
-al pertaining to
-pathy disease
COMBININGVOWEL
-o-
WR CV S
Answer: oste / o / pathy
CF
Defining
To define medical terms apply the meaning of each word part in the term.
oste/o/arthr/o/pathy
Write the definition of osteoarthropathy. Begin by defining the word pathy, then move to the beginning
of the term. Use the box on page 98 to find the meaning of the word part.
Answer: disease of the bone and joint.
A helpful rule:
Begin by defining the suffix, then move to the beginning of the term to complete the definition
Building medical terms means using word parts to build a medical term that matches the definition.
Using the box on page 98 as a reference, complete the following steps to build the medical term for
disease of a joint
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MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY Unit 1
STEP 1: Find the suffix for disease. Write the word part in the space below.
STEP 2: Find the word root for joint. Write the word part in the space below.
STEP 3: The suffix does not begin with a vowel. So a combining vowel is needed.
Insert the combining vowel in the correct space below.
Summary
To complete this worksheet successfully, you do not need to know what the word parts, such as arthr,
mean. You will learn these in subsequent worksheets.
1. Can you identify and define the four word parts? yes no
4. Can you use word parts to build medical terms for a given definition? yes no
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MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY Unit 1
Activity 2A. Using the box on page 98, identify the word parts and their
meaning, analyze and define the following terms.
WR CV WR CV S
Example: oste/o/arthr/o/pathy = disease of bone and joint
CF CF
1. arthr/itis ________________________
2. hepat/itis ________________________
3. sub/hepat/ic ________________________
4. intra/ven/ous ________________________
5. arthr/o/pathy ________________________
6. oste/itis ________________________
Activity 2B. Using the box on page98as a reference, build medical terms for the
following definitions.
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MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY Unit 1
4. pertaining to within the vein _________________
In a term that has more than one root there is no rule as to which goes first. The order is usually
dictated by common practice. You will eventually become accustomed to the accepted order.
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MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY Unit 1
Examples of the four word-parts
-logy
cardi- -o- cardiology study of the heart
decrease in number of
-ia condition of red blood cells/
an- (h)aem- anaemia
no blood decreased haemo-
globin in the cells
pain in the upper
-algia pain above
epi- gastr- epigastralgia region of the
the stomach
abdomen
the branch of
ot- -o- medicine dealing
otorhino-
rhin- -o- -logy with diseases of the
laryngology
laryng- -o- ear, nose and
throat (ENT)
oste- inflammation of the
-o- -it is osteoarthritis
arthr- bone and joints
oste- -o- disease of the bone
-pathy osteoarthropathy
arthr- -o- and joints
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MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY Unit 1
DEFINITION TERM
____ 1. Fatima had a cough and fever. Her doctor instructed her to go to the ______
department for a chest x-ray.
a. pathology b. radiology c. hematology
____ 2. Layla had problems holding her urine. She made an appointment with a ____ a.
gastroenterologist b. neurologist c. urologist
____ 3. The doctor told the patient she had lost much blood during delivery of her
child. She therefore had _______________.
a. anemia b. leukocytosis c. adenitis
____ 4. Juma was having chest pain during his morning walks. He made an
appointment to see a _________.
a. nephrologist b. neurologist c. cardiologist
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MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY Unit 1
The principles of word construction and analysis outlined on the previous pages can
be illustrated by looking at some of the terms used for different branches of medical science.
The study of living things forms the subject of biology (from the Greek bio-, meaning life, and -logy,
meaning science or study). Bio- appears in many related words:
An important branch of biology is the science of the functions of living things, or physiology (from the
Greek physi/o-, meaning nature, and -logy). Physic- meaning natural appears in words like:
The branch of biology which deals with the structure of the body is known as anatomy. This word is
derived from the Greek words ana-, meaning up or back and
-tomy, meaning cutting. The derivation reveals that the study of anatomy is largely based on
dissection, or cutting up.
Two subjects related to anatomy are histology, the study of the structure of the tissues of the body
(from the Greek hist/o-, meaning web or tissue, and -logy), and cytology, the study of cells (from the
Greek cyt/o-, meaning cell, and -logy).
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MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY Unit 1
Medicine and its Branches I
The word medicine means the art, or science, of restoring and preserving health. It is derived directly
from the Latin word medicina.
Many of the specialities into which medicine is divided are named by the addition of the suffix -logy
meaning study, to the appropriate root. Examples include:
Other branches of medicine are named by the addition of the suffixes -iatry or -iatrics to the
appropriate root. These suffixes are derived from the Greek iatric- meaning treatment. Examples
include:
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MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY Unit 1
Activity 3A Match the definitions on the right with the sciences on the
left.
SCIENCE DEFINITION
___ 10. dermatology j. the branch of medicine concerned with the skin
1. embryology
2. enzymology
4. histology
5. laryngology
6. microbiology
7. neurology
8. osteology
9. symptomatology
10. urology
11. parasitology
12. pathology
13. psychopathology
14. physiology
The study of medicine often involves the study of the causes of disease, or aetiology (from the Greek
aetio-, meaning cause, and -logy).
The practice of medicine employs the arts of diagnosis and prognosis. Both of these words are
derived from the Greek word gnosis, meaning knowledge or judgment. The prefix dia- means
through or thorough. Hence diagnosis means thorough knowledge and is used in medicine in the
sense of the identification of a disease.
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MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY Unit 1
The prefix pro- means before, hence prognosis means foreknowledge and is used in medicine in the
sense of forecasting the course of a disease.
The purpose of medicine is healing. The Greek root for to heal is therap-, from which the words
therapy and therapeutics are derived. The suffix -therapy meaning treatment, appears in many
words, for example:
Although the strict meaning of the term chemotherapy is the treatment of disease by chemicals, the
word is commonly used in the more restricted sense of the use of a chemical substance or drug to kill
an infective organism or cancerous cell. Chemotherapy is therefore a branch of pharmacotherapy,
the treatment of disease by drugs. Pharmacotherapy is derived from the Greek pharmaco-,
meaning drug, medicine or poison. This word appears as a root in such words as:
pharmacist: chemist
Finally, there is one important branch of medicine which has not yet been mentioned, namely
surgery. (This word is derived from the Greek words cheir-/chir- meaning hand and erg-, meaning
work, by way of the early English word chirurgery.)
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MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY Unit 1
1. Electrotherapy _____________________________________________
2. Radiotherapy _____________________________________________
3. Physiatrics _____________________________________________
1. Aetiology is _____________________________________________
2. Pharmacology is _____________________________________________
3. Neurosurgery is _____________________________________________
1. Neurophysiology is _________________________________________
2. Neurology is ________________________________________
3. Neuropathy is ________________________________________
Activity 5 Select from the following terms to complete the sentences below.
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MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY Unit 1
1. The medical term for pain from joints is ________________.
3 Mr. Bell’s white blood cell count is 10 times higher than normal. Examination of his blood
shows cancerous white blood cells. His diagnosis is ________________.
4. The biopsy sample was removed during surgery and sent to a ______________ to be
examined under the microscope for a proper diagnosis.
6. Mr. Jordan has a disease caused by abnormal hemoglobin in his erythrocytes. The
erythrocytes change shape, collapsing to form sickle-shaped cells that can become clots and
obstruct the flow of blood. He has a condition called sickle-cell _______________
9. A/An _____________ is a medical doctor who treats mentally ill patients and can prescribe
medications for them.
10. A/An _____________ is a medical doctor who specializes in the treatment of diseases of the
skin.
THE BODY
In this section annotated diagrams are used to show the roots from which medical terms referring to
the body are constructed. In the annotations the commonly used English word is shown in capital
letters. The appropriate roots derived from Greek and Latin are shown underneath the English word.
Any relevant notes are added underneath the Greek and/ or Latin roots.
Where more than two roots are in common use, all the roots are shown in the appropriate typeface.
Where only one root is in common use, only that root is shown. For example :
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MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY Unit 1
somat- corpor-
This is the Greek root from This is the Latin root from
which some medical terms which some medical terms are
are derived. derived.
MIND
FACE
faci-
Note: The word facies is often used to designate a specific surface of a body structure.
BODY
CHEST
RIB ARM
pleur- cost-
brachi-
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WRIST
MEDICALBREAST
TERMINOLOGY Unit 1
carp-
mast- mamm-
HAND
FINGER, TOE
FOOT dactyl- digit-
pod- ped-
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MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY Unit 1
arm brachial
chiroplasty/
hand manual plastic surgery on the hand
cheiroplasty
pleura
(membrane pleural pleurisy Inflammation of the pleura
around lungs)
rib costal
FACE
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MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY Unit 1
MOUTH
stom(at)- or-
SINUS
sin-
LIP
TONGUE
TOOTH
gloss- lingu-
odont- dent-
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MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY Unit 1
HEAD
HEAD
cephal- capit-
SKULL
crani-
BRAIN FOREHEAD
EYE
EAR
ophthalm- ocul-
ot- aur-
NOSE
CHEEK
rhin- nas-
bucc-
NECK
trachel- cervic-
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MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY Unit 1
In medical terminology, adjectives are not normally formed from the English noun. Instead, the Latin
or Greek roots are used. In this table the strong part of each word is in bold type. Study the table,
and then answer the questions.
English Latin Greek ‘Inflammation
Noun Adjective Adjective of the ..........’
brain cerebral encephalic encephalitis
cheek buccal
ear aural otic otitis
eye ocular ophthalmic ophthalmitis
face facial
forehead frontal
head capital cephalic cephalitis (= encephalitis)
lip labial cheilitis, chilitis
mind mental phrenic, phrenetic, psychic
mouth oral stomatic stomatitis
neck cervical
nose nasal rhinal rhinitis
sinus sinusitis
skull cranial
tongue lingual glossal glossitis
tooth dental odontic odontitis
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MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY Unit 1
B. Pronounce the words in the third and fourth columns after your teacher.
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MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY Unit 1
Activity 1
A. Which of the diseases on the right affect the parts of the body listed on the left?
b. lip 2.cheilocarcinoma
c. ear 3. rhinitis
a) somatic ______________________
b) phrenic ______________________
c) cephalic ______________________
d) cranial ______________________
a) ophthalmoscope ______________________
b) otoscope ______________________
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MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY Unit 1
c) craniometer ______________________
d) encephalometer ______________________
Activity 2
B. On which parts of the body are the following surgical procedures carried out?
1. laparotomy ______________________
2. mastectomy ______________________
3. thoracocentesis ______________________
4. cheiroplasty ______________________
Activity 3
Choose the correct form of the word and give its definition.
Definition: ___________________
Definition: ___________________
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MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY Unit 1
Definition: ___________________
Definition: ___________________
Definition: ___________________
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