MEDICAL

TERMINOLOGY
OBJECTIVES
 The student will be able to properly use the terms in
different medical fields

 The students will be exposed to more definitions and

terms used in different medical departments
An antispasmodic drug is one that
relieves spasm.

Ache = Pain.

Backache is pain in the back. Headache,

toothache, etc.
 Tripsy is the intentional crushing as in
lithotripsy that is fragmentation and crushing of
stones.

 Tropic,
tropism: Affinity for…
Neurotropic or hepatotropic viruses.
Epidermotropisim... affinity to epidermis.
Trophy: Growth, nutrition. Ex. trophic
hormones or factors.

Adrenocorticotrophic hormone
stimulates the adrenal cortex to secrete its
hormones.
 Trophoblast is that layer of placenta that
is responsible for implantation and
nutrition of the embryo.
 Trophozoite is the vegetative form of a
protozoan as opposed to the resting or
reproductive form.
Atrophy: Decrease in size or wasting away of
a tissue or part of a body.
Ex. Muscle atrophy after prolonged
immobilization.

Hypertrophy: Increase in size of an organ or

tissue without multiplication of its constituents.
Ex. Exercise induced muscular hypertrophy.
 
Pores: A minute opening…Ex. Millipore filters.
 
Hidro: sweat (Hidradenoma is a benign
tumor of sweat gland origin;
Hidradenitis is inflammation of sweat
glands).
 
Kinesis: Movement -(dyskinesia: difficulty in
movement; kinetic energy is energy
associated with motion).
 
 Auditory: Related to hearing. Ex. Auditory nerve.
 
 Meatus: A natural body passage or opening. Ex.
auditory meatus. 

 Ox/o: Presence of oxygen. Ex. Anoxia: deficiency of

oxygen;
 Hypoxemia is low oxygen tension in blood.
Bacterio/o: Related to bacteria. Examples:

Bacteriology is the science that studies bacteria.

Bactricidal: Bacterial killing drugs.

Bacteriostatic drugs are drugs that arrest

bacterial proliferation like tetracyclins.
Carcin/o: Related to cancer. Examples:
Carcinogenic substances are substances that
induce cancer like the tar in cigarette smoke.
Carcinogenesis is the process of cancer induction.
 
Onco: Related to tumor;
Oncogenic viruses are viruses that induce tumors
like Human papilloma virus, Epstein Bar virus;
Hepatitis B virus.
Oncologist is a physician specialized in treating
tumors.
Etio: cause Examples:

Etiology of a disease is its cause.

Etiological classification is one that is based on

causes.

Gravid: Pregnancy. Examples:

Primigravida is a lady in her 1st pregnancy.

Gravid uterus is a pregnant uterus.

Litho: stones.
Cholelithiasis are biliary passages
and gallbladder stones.
Urolithiasis are stones of the urinary
tract.
Lithotomy is to remove a stone
surgically. 
  
AERO = Air.
Aerobic bacteria need air or oxygen while anaerobic
bacteria can grow in absence of air or oxygen.
 
BARO = Pressure.
Barometer is a pressure- measuring device.
Baro-receptors are those sensitive to the changes in
pressure.
 
 CHRONO = Time
Chronic inflammation or illness is one of long duration.
Chronophobia is fear of time seen in prisoners.
Chronological order of events is in order of time or age.
 
ELECTRO = Electricity
Electrocardiogram is an instrument that displays the
electrical impulses generated by the heart.
Electrocution is death by exposure to a high electric
current.

ERGO = work.
Ergonomics are the rules of work.
Ergophobia is fear of work including surgical operations.
  ACRO = Extremity, top part, height.

 Acrophobia is fear of heights.

 Acrodermatitis is inflammation of the skin

of acral parts of the extremities including
tips of fingers and toes, tip of the nose and
pinna of the ears.
 IMMUNO = safe, protect.

Immunity is protection from disease.

Immunological diseases result from derangement of the

immune system.

Immunodeficiency disorders result from lack or disorder

of immune responses as in AIDS (Acquired immune
deficiency syndrome resulting from infection of T
lymphocytes by HIV-I).
MYCO = Fungus.
Mycology is the science concerned
with the study of viruses.
Mycological culture media are used
to grow fungi in vitro e.g. Sabraud’s
medium.
PATHO = Disease
Pathology is the study of causes and effects of
disease.
Pathogenic viruses are disease-causing viruses.

PYO = pus
Pyogenic infections are infections
by pyogenic bacteria.

Purulent discharge is yellowish thick and viscid pus

containing discharge.

Pyonephrosis is distention of the

pelvi-calyceal system of the
kidney by pus.
Sepsis = Infection
Septicemia is bacterial proliferation in blood.
Antiseptics are chemical used to kill infective
microorganisms.

Toxic/o = Poison.
Toxemia is the circulation of toxins in blood stream.
Antitoxin is a substance that counteracts the effect of
a toxin.

PYRO = Related to fever.

Pyrogen is a fever inducing substance.
Pyrexia is fever.
Antipyretic is a drug that lowers high body
temperature.
THROMBO = related to coagulation.
Thrombosis is coagulation of blood.

Thrombus is a solid mass derived from blood

constituents (fibrin and entangled blood cells that
arrests bleeding from injured blood vessel).

 
 Thrombocytes are the platelets, the cells concerned with
coagulation

 Thrombocytopenia is reduced platelet count in

peripheral blood.

 SPERMATO = Related to sperms

 Spermatogenesis is the process of development and

maturation of germ cells into spermatozoa.

 Aspermia is absence of spermatozoa in semen.

 Oligospermia is low sperm count in semen.
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