1. Learning Medical Terminology
For nursing students

2. It’s all Greek (or Latin) to me!
Learning and understanding the roots of most words in the field of Health and Medicine can help you to understand what is being discussed ORIGIN OF MEDICAL TERMS 75% of medical terms are based on either Greek or Latin words.

3. Medical Terms You Probably Know
Appendectomy
Tonsillitis
Inflammation
Umbilical
gastritis

4. Categories of Medical Terms
Descriptive:
describes the shape, color, size, function Example: Erythrocyte (Erythr means red, cyte means cell)

5. Eponyms(giving name): terms named after a person (usually the first person to discovered or described a disease or organ)
Virginia Apgar – the Apgar score, used to determine the general health of neonate.

6. Eponyms
Example: Eustachian tubes are named after Bartolommeo Eustachii ( )

7. Categories of Medical Terms
3. Acronyms: An abbreviation that forms a pronouncible word
Examples:
CT : Computed Tomography
CABG: coronary artery bypass graft
AIDS: acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

8. CABG: coronary artery bypass graft

9. Test
How did we get the name “Foley Catheter”

10. Test
How did we get the name “Salmonella”?

11. Answers
Dr. Frederick Foley ( )
Dr. Daniel Salmon ( )

12. Basic Parts of Medical Words
Roots: usually the middle of the word and its central meaning
Prefix: a syllable at the beginning of the word which usually identifies some subdivision or part of the central meaning
Suffix: comes at the end of the central meaning and refers to what or who is interacting or what is happening regarding it.

14. Prefix Root Suffix beginning of the word
identifies some subdivision or part of the central meaning
Root
middle of the word
its central meaning
Suffix
end of the word
what is happening or who is referred to

15. Myocarditis Root: card (referring to the heart)
Prefix: myo (referring to the muscle)
Suffix: itis (inflammation)
Meaning: inflammation of the muscle layer of the heart
Read the meaning of medical terms from the suffix, back to the beginning of the term, and then across.

16. Myocarditis

17. Combining vowels
is used between two elements of a medical term to make the term easier to pronounce
Usually is the letter “O” but may be A, E, I, U or Y
Root + combining Vowel + Element = Medical Term
Gastr o enteric = gastroenteric

18. ELECTR O CARDI O GRAM
GASTR O ENTER IT IS
Colon + o + scope = colonoscope
(colon) (instrument to view)

19. Examples GASTR O ENTER O LOGY GASTR O SCOPE GASTR IC (ROOT) (SUFFIX)
(ROOT) (ROOT) (SUFFIX)
GASTR O SCOPE
(ROOT) (SUFFIX)
GASTR IC
(ROOT) (SUFFIX)

20. Oste + o + arthr + itis = osteoarthritis (bone) (joint) (inflammation)

21. Stethoscope

22. Some Root word cardi = heart gastr or ventr = stomach hepat = liver
nephr or ren = kidney
oste or ossi = bone
thorac or steth = chest
arthr = joint
cyt = root for cell
derm = skin

23. Suffixes
A suffix is a word ending. Changing the suffix gives medical words a new meaning.
Usually indicates a procedure, condition, disorder or disease.
Most suffixes are derived from Greek
or Latin words.
(A suffix that is well known is – ology – the study of)

24. Suffixes – terms used in surgery
Enterotomy
Appendectomy
Gastrorrhaphy
Cystoplasty
Tomy – cut or incision
Ectomy-removal
Rhaphy- sewing
Plasty – molding/repair

25. Rhino = nose
What is this procedure?

26. Quick review of surgical terms
Incision of the kidney
Surgical operation for morbid obesity that changes the shape of the stomach
Removal/cutting of appendix
Nephrotomy is…
Gastroplasty is…
Appendectomy is…
Source:

27. Arthr/o + centesis = arthrocentesis (joint) (puncture)
Suffixes
Arthr/o + centesis = arthrocentesis
(joint) (puncture)
Thorac/o + -tomy = thoracotomy
(chest) (incision)
Gastro/o + -megaly = gastromegaly
(stomach) (enlargement)

28. Suffix-disease/change in body/used for diagnoses
Hepatitis: hepa - liver; itis- inflammation of
Splenomegaly: Spleno – spleen; megaly-large
Arteriosclerosis: arterio-artery; sclerosis- hardening of
Cardiogram: cardio-heart; gram - record or write
Laparoscopy: laparo-abdomen; scopy- to look in or search

30. Suffixes: at the end of a word
SUFFIX MEANING EXAMPLE
al pertaining to neural
Algia pain arthralgia
cyte cell leukocyte
ectomy removal, excision gastrectomy
Emia blood condition leukemia
globin protein hemoglobin
Gram record (xray) arthrogram
ia condition hyperglycemia
ic pertaining to gastric

31. Suffixes ism condition, process hypothyroidism
itis inflammation appendicitis
logist specialist in the neurologist
study of
logy study of neurology
oma tumor, mass hepatoma
opsy to view biopsy
osis abnormal condition nephrosis
plasty surgical repair arthroplasty
(with hardware)

32. Hepatoma

33. Suffixes scope visual exam with gastroscope an instrument
scopy visual exam arthroscopy
(with an instrument)
sis state of prognosis
tomy cutting into, appendectomy
incision
uni one unilateral

34. Test
What do you think is the name of the surgical procedure pictured in the next slide?

36. Prefixes

37. A prefix is a word element located at the beginning of a word.
PREFIXES
A prefix is a word element located at the beginning of a word.
Prefixes can alter the meaning of the word.
Usually indicates
a number, time,position, direction, color,

38. prefix peri - prefix means around (pericardium)
hemi - prefix means half (hemiplegia)
micro - prefix means small (microcephaly)
Neo - prefix means new (neonatal)

39. Peri + cardio + logy = pericardiology
Some Prefixes
Peri + cardio + logy = pericardiology
(around) (heart-pericardium) (study of)
Hyper + therm + -ia = hyperthermia
(excessive) ( heat) (condition)
Intra + muscul + -ar = intramuscular
(in, within) (muscle) (relating to)
Macro + gloss + -ia = macroglossia
(large - enlargement) (tongue) (condition)

40. Cardi ---?
Do you remember what cardi means? – it is a root that means …
-ogist – suffix that means one who
-ology – is a suffix that means the study of So
Cardiology is…
Cardiologist is…
heart.
the study of the heart.
one who studies the heart.

41. Prefixes: At the beginning of a word
Prefix Meaning Example
A, an no, not, without Apnea
Ab away from abduction
Ad toward adduction
Ana up, apart analysis
Ante before, forward antepartum
Anti against antibody
Bi two, both bilateral

42. Prefixes Brady slow bradycardia Circum around circumoral
Con with, together congenital
Contra against contraindicated
Dys bad, painful, difficult,abnormal
dysuria
dyspnea

43. Prefixes Ec out, outside ectopic pregnancy
Endo within, in, inner endoscopy
Epi above, upon epidermis
Ex out excision
Extra extra extrahepatic
Hemi half hemiplegia
Hyper too much, above hyperthyroidism
Hypo deficient, too little hypothermia

44. Prefixes In in, into incision Inter between intervertebral
Intra within intravenous
Mal bad malignant
Mega big megakaryocyte
Meta change, beyond metastasis
Micro small microscopic
Neo new neonatal

45. Prefixes Para beside, near, alongside of parathyroid
Peri surrounding periosteum
Poly many, much polyuria
Post after, behind postpartum
Pre before precancerous
Pro before, forward prolapse
Pros before, forward prosthesis

46. Prefixes Trans across, through transabdominal
Quadri four quadriplegia
Re back, behind relapse
Retro back, behind retroperitoneal
Sub under, less than subcutaneous
Syn with, together syndrome
Tachy Fast tachycardia
Trans across, through transabdominal
Tri three tricuspid valve

47. Review quiz
1. The part of the word which gives the basic meaning to the word is called the ___________.
stem

48. 2. Dermatology is _____________________________.
The study of skin
The branch of medicine concerned with the study of the skin, diseases of the skin, and the relationship of cutaneous lesions to systemic disease 57

49. 3. Osteo is a stem which means bone
3. Osteo is a stem which means bone. A person who has osteo-arthritis, for example, has inflammation of the ______ and joint.
bone

50. 4. Rhino and naso are stems which mean nose
4. Rhino and naso are stems which mean nose. A person who has rhinitis has inflammation of the __________.
nose

51. ____________________________.
5. So…rhinoplasty is
____________________________.
Surgery to reshape the nose

52. 6.Nephritis is Nephritis is inflammation of the kidney.

53. 7. Laryngo is a stem meaning larynx or voice box
7. Laryngo is a stem meaning larynx or voice box. A laryngoscopy is an examination of the interior of the __________.
Larynx

54. 8. Phlebo and veno are stems which mean vein
8. Phlebo and veno are stems which mean vein. A phlebectomy is the _____________________________
Surgical removal of veins such as varicose veins on the surface of the legs.

55. 9. Arterio is a stem which means artery
9 . Arterio is a stem which means artery. A person who has arteriosclerosis has ________________________.
Hardening of the arteries

56. There are many sources for medical terminology on the internet
There are many sources for medical terminology on the internet. Always consult your instructor for recommended ones.
ions/article.htm

57. Plurals Words ending in a, retain the a add ae : vertebra - vertebrae
Words ending in is, drop the is and add es: Diagnosis - diagnoses
Words ending in ex or ix, drop the ex or ix and add ices:
apex - apices

58. Words ending in on, drop the on and add a:
ganglion - ganglia
5. Words ending in um, drop the um and add a:
bacterium - bacteria
Words ending in us, drip the us and add i:
bronchus - bronchi

59. Terms for Body Systems: Cardiovascular
angi/o vessel
aorto/o aorta
arteri/o artery
cardi/o heart
coron/o heart
phleb/o vein
ven/o vein

60. bicuspid valve (having two cusps)
Stenosis (narrowing of an opening)
Stasis (Stoppage of normal blood normal flow)
Vegetation (Irregular outgrowths of bacteria on the heart valves)

61. Terms for Body Systems: Digestive
an/o anus
append/o appendix
cholecyst/o gallbladder
col/o colon
duoden/o duodenum
esophag/o esophagus
gastr/o stomach
hepat/o liver
ile/o ileum

62. Terms for Body Systems: Digestive
jejun/o jejunum
or/o mouth
pancreat/o pancreas
pharyng/o pharynx
proct/o anus and rectum
rect/o rectum
sigmoid/o sigmoid
stomat/o mouth

63. Terms for Body Systems: Endocrine
adren/o adrenal
hypophys/o pituitary
pancreat/o pancreas
parathyroid/o parathyroid
thym/o thymus
thyroid/o thyroid

64. Terms for Body Systems: Musculoskeletal
arthr/o joint
chondr/o cartilage
cost/o rib
crani/o skull
ligament/o ligament

65. Terms for Body Systems: Musculoskeletal
my/o muscle
muscul/o muscle
myel/o bone marrow
oste/o bone
pelv/o pelvis
vertebr/o vertebra

66. Terms for Body Systems: Nervous System
cerebell/o cerebellum
cerebr/o cerebrum
encephal/o brain
medull/o medulla
myel/o spinal cord
neur/o nerve

67. Terms for Body Systems: Respiratory
alveol/o alveolar
bronch/o bronchial tube
cyan/o blue
laryng/o larynx
nas/o nose

68. Terms for Body Systems: Respiratory
rhin/o nose
pharyng/o pharynx
phren/o diaphragm
pneumon/o lung
tonsill/o tonsils
trache/o trachea

69. Terms for Body Systems: Eye, Ear, Nails, Skin
aur/o ear
ot/o ear
ocul/o eye
ophthalm/o eye
retin/o retina

70. Terms for Body Systems: Eye, Ear, Nails, Skin
cutane/o skin
derm/o skin
onych/o nail
trich/o hair
pil/o hair

71. Structures of the Fingernails and Toenails

72. Terms for Body Systems: Urinary
cyst/o urinary bladder
nephr/o kidney
ren/o renal
pyl/o renal pelvis
ureter/o ureter
urethr/o urethra

73. Terms for Body Systems: Urinary
Hematuria: Presence of blood in the urine
Oliguria : Elimination of small amounts of urine
Dysuria : Painful or difficult urination
pyuria : Presence of pus in the urine
lithotripsy : Crushing of a stone
Anuria : Lack of urine formation

74. Test: Identify the type of specialist
Neurolgist
Orthopedist
Pathologist
Urologist
Pulmonologist