Putting It All Together

Medical Terminology

Laura S. Kabiri, PT, DPT, PhD, CSCS

A Word on Roots
How do you distinguish a root from a suffix or prefix?
Combining Vowel (/o)
What is the purpose of “/o”?

What is a combining form?

Some examples:
 When To Keep The Combining Vowel
You will keep the combining vowel
when …

Examples:
 When To Keep The Combining Vowel
You will keep the combining vowel
when …

Examples:
When To Drop The Combining Vowel
You will drop the combining vowel
when …

Why?

Examples:
Translating a
Medical Term
 Step 1:

Give it a try. Try it on the

word “PSYCHOLOGY”...

Find another term to apply this step:

* Note: Some terms might have more than 2

parts.
Step 2:

Give it a try. Try it on the word

“PSYCHOLOGY”...
Step 1:

Step 2:

Find another term to apply this step:

 Step 3:

Find a term to apply steps 1à 3:

Term:

Step 1:

Step 2:

Step 3:

What about “PSYCHOLOGY”?

Step 4:

Find a term to apply steps 1à 4:

Term:

Step 1:

Step 2:

Step 3:

Step 4:
 Step 5:

Find a term to apply steps 1à 5:

Term:

Step 1:

Step 2:

Step 3:

Step 4:

Step 5:
Practice #1
Translate “tachycardia”
1. Break it down:
2. Translate suffix:
3. Translate prefix:
4. Translate root(s):
5. Assemble:
Practice #2
Translate “subcutaneous”
1. Break it down:
2. Translate suffix:
3. Translate prefix:
4. Translate root(s):
5. Assemble:
Thus Ends This Lecture