Medical terminology

A consonant is a speech sound that is not a vowel A consonant is a speech sound that is not a vowel. It also refers to letters of the alphabet that represent those sounds: Z, B, T, G, and H are all consonants.Consonants are all the non-vowel sounds, or their corresponding letters: A, E, I, O, U and sometimes Y are not consonants. Adjective - a word or phrase naming an attribute, added to or grammatically related to a noun to modify or describe it. Noun - a word (other than a pronoun) used to identify any of a class of people, places, or things Verb- a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence, and forming the main part of the predicate of a sentence, such as hear, become, happen.

Word parts Formed from Greek and Latin words Medical words are divided into parts: Word Root Combining Form Prefix Suffix

Word root Basic meaning of the medical term. Normally indicates a body part. If a medical term contains more than one word root it’s a compound word. All medical terms MUST have one or more word roots. ROOT: Neur --- Meaning: nerve ROOT: Cost --- Meaning: Rib Ex. Perineuritis means “inflammation around the nerve

Combining form A word root plus a vowel that is used to help pronounce certain medical terms. Used between word roots in a compound word or when a suffix (word ending) starts with a consonant. The most common vowel added to a word root is the letter O. Combining Form: neur/o – Meaning: nerve Combining Form: cost/o – Meaning: rib Ex. Neurobiology means study of the life of nerves. Roots are often joined to other elements of a medical term by placing a combining vowel on the end of the root. A root + a combining vowel = a combining form. Example: pneum + o pneum/o

Combining form examples Cardi/ + o = cardi/o heart gastr/ + o = gastr/o stomach hepat/ + o = hepat/o liver nephr/ + o = nephr/o kidney oste/ + o = oste/o bone

Suffix Suffix is the word ending. ALL medical terms have suffixes. To change the meaning of a term, frequently we change the suffix. When connected to the word root, the suffix will make the word a noun (N), and adjective (A), or a verb (V). An example of a NOUN suffix is –logist “a specialist in the study of” Ex. -ectomy meaning “excision or surgical removal” Use the combining form of a word root when the suffix begins with a constant. Ex. Neur + o + pathy (suffix=neur) When the suffix begins with a vowel, do NOT use the combining form of the word root. Ex. Neuritis Neur +it is (the suffix it is begins with a vowel)

Suffix examples

prefix Used at the beginning of a medical term. NOT all medical terms have prefixes Describes, modifies, or limits the term. Usually indicates a number, time, position, direction, color, or sense of negation Examples: trans – across, through intra – in, within sub – less than, under

Prefixes examples hyper- therm -ia excessive heat condition intra- muscul -ar in muscle relating to

Basic rules Start with the suffix (the word ending), and define the suffix. Go to the prefix; define the prefix. Then, go to the middle of the word; define the word root, combining form, or both if both exist in the same word. Combine the definitions.