1. Medical Word Building – Chapter 1

2. Specialized language used by health-care providers.
Medical Terminology
Specialized language used by health-care providers.
Medical words consist of some or all of the following elements (word parts):
Word root (WR)
Combining Form (CF)
Suffix
Prefix

3. Word Root (WR)
Foundation of a medical word that contains its main meaning.
Usually derived from Latin or Greek language.
Most medical words contain at least one WR.
hepat in hepat/itis
tonsill in tonsill/ectomy
gastr in gastr/oma
laryng in laryng/itis 3

4. Combining Form (CF)
Created when a WR is combined with a vowel, known as a combining vowel.
Combining vowel usually an o, but sometimes an i or an e.
Difficulty pronouncing certain combinations of WRs requires insertion of a vowel.
No meaning of its own but enables two or more word elements to be connected. 4

5. Combining Form Examples
mamm/o in mamm/o/gram
psych/o in psych/o/logy
laryng/o in laryng/o/spasm
hepat/o in hepat/o/megaly 5

6. Suffix Word element at the end of a word.
Changes the meaning of a medical word.
Contained in most medical words.
Usually an indication of a pathology, condition, symptom, therapeutic or diagnostic procedure, or part of speech.
Pedagogical Note: Throughout the textbook, when suffixes stand alone, they are highlighted blue; when prefixes stand alone, they are highlighted pink; and when word roots and CFs stand alone, they are boldface.
Pedagogical Note: Throughout the textbook, when suffixes stand alone, they are highlighted blue; when prefixes stand alone, they are highlighted pink; and when word roots and CFs stand alone, they are boldface. 6

7. Suffix -ectomy in append/ectomy -itis in appendic/itis
-scope in bronch/o/scope
-oma in gastr/oma
Pedagogical Note: Throughout the textbook, a hyphen precedes a suffix that stands alone.
Pedagogical Note: Throughout the textbook, a hyphen precedes a suffix that stands alone. 7

8. Prefix Word element at the beginning of a word.
Many are the same as those used in the English language.
Changes the meaning of a medical word.
Not contained in all medical words.
Usually an indication of a number, time, position, measurement, direction, or negation. 8

9. Prefix hyper- in hyper/tension hemi- in hemi/plegia
inter- in inter/cost/al
Pedagogical Note: Throughout the textbook, a hyphen follows a prefix that stands alone
Pedagogical Note: Throughout the textbook, a hyphen follows a prefix that stands alone. 9

10. Three steps for defining medical words
Define the suffix first.
2. Define the first part of the word (WR, CF, or prefix).
3. Define the middle part of the word (WR or CF). 10

11. gastr/itis: oste/o/arthr/itis: poly/neur/itis:
Pedagogical Note: In the order shown above, these are examples of words with a WR + Suffix; CF + WR + Suffix; and Prefix + WR + Suffix. Discussion can focus on the different combinations of these elements. You may wish to add more slides with various types of examples to tailor the presentation to meet your individual classroom needs. 11

12. gastr/itis: inflammation of the stomach
2. oste/o/arthr/itis: inflammation of the bone and joint
3. poly/neur/itis: inflammation of many nerves
Pedagogical Note: Questions only are presented on the first slide. Questions with answers (in red) are presented on the following slide. For testing purposes, you may wish to use only the question slides. 12 12

16. 4. append/ectomy: 5. gastr/ectomy:
6. mast/ectomy:
Pedagogical Note: Questions only are presented on the first slide. Questions with answers (in red) are presented on the following slide. For testing purposes, you may wish to use only the question slides. 16 16

17. 4. append/ectomy: excision of the appendix
5. gastr/ectomy: excision of the stomach (either all or partial)
6. mast/ectomy: excision of a breast
Pedagogical Note: Questions only are presented on the first slide. Questions with answers (in red) are presented on the following slide. For testing purposes, you may wish to use only the question slides. 17 17

19. Three rules for building medical words
Rule 1: WR links a suffix that begins with a vowel.
Rule 2: CF (root + o) links a suffix that begins with a consonant.
Rule 3: CF (root + o) links a root to another root to form a compound word.
Rule 3 holds true even if the next root begins with a vowel, as in gastr/o/intestin/al. 19

20. 1
INTRODUCTION TO PROGRAMMED LEARNING AND MEDICAL WORD BUILDING Building Medical Words Exercise
Determine which of the three rules for building medical words applies to the following terms.
arthr/itis
gastr/o/intestin/al
hepat/o/cyte
Pedagogical Note: Discussion can focus on the different combinations of the three rules. You may wish to add more slides with various types of examples to tailor the presentation to meet your individual classroom needs. 20

21. Pronunciation
Pronunciation guidelines are located in the back of the textbook.
Pronunciation Help table is located at the end of the “Word Elements” and “Pharmacology” tables in each body system chapter.
Diacritical marks and capitalization are used to aid pronunciation of terms throughout the text and to help you understand pronunciation marks used in most dictionaries. 21

22. Pronunciation Pronunciation tools:
Visit the Medical Language Lab (MLL).
Visit DavisPlus Online for audio recordings. 22

23. Surgical Suffixes - centesis Surgical puncture (remove fluid)
-desis binding/fixation
-ectomy excision/removal
-lysis separation, destruction, loosening 23

24. Thoracentesis

25. Ankle Arthrodesis

26. Surgical Suffixes - pexy fixation (of an organ)
- plasty surgical repair
- rrhapy suture
- stomy forming an opening

27. Rhinoplasty
Rhino – nose
-plasty – surgical repair

28. Tracheostomy
Trache/o – trachea/windpipe
- stomy – form an opening

29. Surgical Suffixes - tripsy crushing Lith/o/tripsy crushing of stones
Lith/o - stone

30. Diagnostic Suffixes - gram record/writing
- graph instrument for recording
- graphy process of recording
- meter instrument for measuring

31. Diagnostic Suffixes - metry act of measuring
- scope instrument for viewing
- scopy visual examination

32. Term with diagnostic suffixes
electr/o/cardio/gram (ECG, EKG)
gram – record, writing
electr/o – electricity
cardio – heart
Meaning: record of electricity through the heart.
This test allows diagnosis of cardiac abnormalities
Pedagogical Note: Throughout this chapter, all medical terms are broken down into their basic word elements to reinforce the word building rules. 32

33. Pathological Suffixes
-algia, -dynia pain
-cele hernia, swelling
-ectasis dilation, expansion
-edema swelling

34. Neuralgia
Neur/aglia – pain in the nerves

35. Pathological Suffixes
- emesis vomiting
- emia blood condition
-iasis abnormal condition
- itis inflammation

36. GASTR / ITIS

37. Dermatitis

38. Pathological Suffixes
- lith stone, calculus
- malacia softening
- megaly enlargement
- oma tumor, mass

39. Pathological Suffixes
- osis abnormal condition
- pathy disease
- penia decrease, deficiency
- phobia fear

40. Acrophobia – fear of heights

41. Pathological Suffixes
- plegia paralysis
- rrhage, rrhagia bursting forth
- rrhea discharge, flow
- rrhexis rupture

42. Pathological Suffixes
- stenosis hardening
- toxic poison
- trophy nourishment, development

43. Shorter noun suffixes er one who -ia condition -ist ________________
-ole little, small
-ule little, small
- -us structure, substance
-y condition, process

44. Adjective suffixes -al pertaining to -ar, ary pertaining to
-ac, iac pertaining to
-al pertaining to
-ar, ary pertaining to
-eal pertaining to
-genic pertaining to producing, produced by or in

45. Adjective Suffixes -ic, ical pertaining to -oid resembling
-ose pertaining to, full of
-ous pertaining to
-tic pertaining to

46. 2. Noun suffixes -esis, -ia, and -ism mean: condition1
INTRODUCTION TO PROGRAMMED LEARNING AND MEDICAL WORD BUILDING Define Adjectives and Nouns
1. Adjective suffixes -ac, -al, -ar, -ary, -ic, -ile, and -ous mean: pertaining to
2. Noun suffixes -esis, -ia, and -ism mean: condition
3. Noun suffixes -ician and -ist mean: specialist
4. Noun suffix -iatry means: medicine; treatment 46 46

47. 1
INTRODUCTION TO PROGRAMMED LEARNING AND MEDICAL WORD BUILDING Singular Words to Plural Forms
Suffix changes when a word is modified from a singular to a plural form.
diagnosis to diagnoses
bronchus to bronchi
deformity to deformities
pleura to pleurae
Pedagogical Note: Discussion can focus on reinforcing the rules for changing terms from plural to singular form. Also, you can review the meaning of the various word elements in each term. You can also review the rules for singular and plural forms by going over the material on the back inside cover of the textbook and encouraging your students to use it as a reference. 47

48. Prefixes Word element placed at the beginning of a word.
Changes the meaning of the word.
Not contained in all medical terms. ff
Most prefixes same as in the English language.
Pedagogical Note: Discussion can focus on the similarity of prefixes used in a medical term and those in the English language. Students can cite examples of prefixes in the English language. An early discussion of this type helps them feel confident in their ability to absorb the information in this chapter. 48

49. Common Prefixes a-, an- without, not ante- before anti- against
bi- two

50. Common Prefixes circum-, peri- around dia-, trans- through, across
dipl-, diplo- double

51. Apnea a-
-pnea: breathing

52. antibiotic anti- against bi/o - life -tic – pertaining to
Pertaining to against (germ) life
Inhibits the growth of microorganisms

53. Bilateral
bi-
later/o - side
-al – pertaining to

54. Common Prefixes
dys- bad, painful, difficult
Dyspnea:

55. Common Prefixes endo-, intra- _________________
hemi- _________________
homo-, homeo- _________________
hyper- _________________
hypo- _________________

56. Endotracheal
endo-:
trache/o
-al
Pertaining to within
the trachea

57. Hypoglycemia
hypo-
glyc/o
-emia
Decreased blood
sugar

58. Hyperglycemia
hyper-
glyc/o
-emia
High blood
sugar

59. Common Prefixes macro- _________________ micro- _________________
mono-, uni- _________________
post- _________________
pre-, pro- _________________

60. insomniac
in-:
somn/o:
-iac:
Pertaining to not sleeping

61. Somnombutalist

62. Post partum
post-
-partum
After birth

63. Common Prefixes primi- first retro- backward, behind sub- Below
super- upper, above
supra- above, excessive, superior

64. sublingual
sub-
lingu
-al

65. Common Prefixes tachy- fast brady- slow ante- before
See pages 548 – 557 Glossary of Medical Word Elements

66. Terms
Tachycardia:
Bradycardia:
Tachypnea:
Bradypnea:
Apnea: