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Chabner: The Language of Medicine, 11 Edition
Answers to Pronunciation of Terms

Chapter 4: Prefixes

abductor Muscle that draws a limb away from the body.

abnormal Pertaining to away from rule, order
adductor Muscle that draws a limb toward the body.
adrenal glands Endocrine glands above the kidney.
anabolism Process of building up proteins in cells.
analysis Separation of a substance into various parts.
anoxia Without oxygen.
ante cibum (a.c.) Before meals.
anteflexion Bending forward.
antepartum Before birth.
Chemical substance that has the ability to inhibit or destroy foreign
antibiotic organisms in the body.
Protein made by white blood cells in response to foreign substances
antibody (antigens) in the blood.
antigen Substance that stimulates the production of antibodies.
antisepsis Destruction of microorganisms to prevent infection.
antitoxin Substance produced against a toxin (poison); an antibody.
apnea Without breathing.
Antibodies that are produced against an individual’s own normal
autoimmune disease cells.
benign Non-cancerous.
bifurcation Branching or forking into two parts.
bilateral Pertaining to both or two sides.
bradycardia Slow heartbeat.
catabolism Cellular process of breaking down of a complex substance into simple
compounds. Energy is released to do the work of the cell.

congenital anomaly Abnormality present at birth; birth defect.

Tissue that supports and binds other tissues and parts. Examples are
connective tissue bone, cartilage, muscle or fibrous tissues.
A factor that prohibits the administration of a drug or procedure in
contraindication the care of a patient.
contralateral Affecting the opposite side of a part of the body.
dehydration Excessive loss of water.
Separation of nitrogenous wastes from the blood when the kidneys
dialysis no longer function.
Measurement between opposite for example, blood vessel or
intestine) points on the periphery of a circular body part (for
diameter example, blood vessel or intestine).
diarrhea Frequent passage of loose, watery stools.

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dysentery Condition of painful intestines (often caused by bacterial infection).
dysplasia Condition of abnormal formation.
dyspnea Difficult breathing.

ectopic pregnancy Pregnancy that is not in the normal location (uterus); a fallopian tube
is the most common ectopic site.
endocardium Inner lining of the heart.

endoscope Instrument to visually examine the interior of the body.

endotracheal Pertaining to within the trachea.
Layer of cells covering the external surface of the body and lining
epithelium the hollow tubes within the body.
euphoria Exaggerated feeling of well-being; elevated mood, “high.”
euthyroid Normal thyroid function.
exophthalmos Protrusion of the eyeball (proptosis); symptom of hyperthyroidism.
hemiglossectomy Removal (resection) of half the tongue.
High levels of sugar in the bloodstream; often associated with
hyperglycemia diabetes mellitus.
hyperplasia Condition of increased formation of cells.
Increase in size of tissue or an organ due to increase in size of
hypertrophy individual cells.
hypodermic injection Placement of a needle below the skin.
hypoglycemia Low/deficient levels of sugar in the bloodstream.
incision Process of cutting into or making an incision.
infracostal Pertaining to below the ribs.
Pertaining to without sleep; an insomniac is a person who cannot
insomniac sleep.
intercostal Pertaining to between the ribs.
intravenous Pertaining to within a vein.
macrocephaly Condition of a larger than normal head.
malaise General feeling of bodily discomfort.
malignant Cancerous; harmful.
metacarpal bones Hand bones.
metamorphosis Condition of change of shape or form.
Spread of a malignant tumor beyond its original location to a distant
metastasis site.
microscope Instrument to view small projects.
neonatal Pertaining to a new birth.
neoplasm New growth.
pancytopenia Deficiency of all (blood) cells.
Destruction of nerve tissue leading to loss of sensation or motion in
paralysis a part of the body.
Four endocrine glands on the posterior (dorsal) region of the thyroid
parathyroid glands gland.
percutaneous Pertaining to through the skin.
pericardium Double-layered membrane surrounding the heart.
Pertaining to a multi-lobed nucleus (in granulocytic white blood
polymorphonuclear cells).
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polyneuritis Inflammation of many nerves.
postmortem After death.
postpartum After birth.
precancerous Pertaining to occurring before a malignant condition.
prenatal Pertaining to before birth.
Symptom that appears before the onset of a more serious an illness.
An example of a prodrome is the fever that signals the onset of a viral
prodrome illness.
prolapse Sliding forward or downward.
prosthesis An artificial substitute for a missing body part.
Insertion of a gene (region of DNA) from an organism into the DNA
recombinant DNA of another organism.
Sliding or falling back; as in recurrence of symptoms or decline after
relapse apparent recovery.
remission Disappearance of symptoms of disease.
retroflexion Bending backward.
Pertaining to behind the peritoneum (membrane surrounding the
retroperitoneal abdominal cavity).
subcutaneous Pertaining to under the skin.
suprapubic Pertaining to above the pubic bones.
Close association between organisms of different species or a state in
symbiosis which two people are emotionally dependent on each other.
symmetry Equality of parts, literally measured together.
Bones that grow together separated by a piece of fibrocartilage. The
symphysis pubic symphysis of the pelvis is an example.
symptom A symptom is a subjective change in condition as perceived by the
syndactyly Fusion of fingers or toes; a congenital anomaly.
Group of symptoms that occur together indicating a particular
syndrome condition or disorder.
Combination of simple substances to create something new and more
synthesis complex.
tachypnea Excessively fast breathing.

transfusion Transfer of blood from one person to another.

transurethral Pertaining to across or through the urethra.
Ultrasonography is the use of high frequency sound waves to produce
ultrasonography a record or picture of an organ or tissue.
unilateral Pertaining to one side.

Copyright © 2017 by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.