1. Introduction to Veterinary Medical Terminology
Building Blocks of Words

2. It’s all Greek to me! Some may say that veterinarians speak
Greek, they are right!
Most terms used in veterinary medicine are based on Latin or Greek.
Latin is the universal language of medicine and the Greeks were the founders of modern medicine.
The following will be some common examples, be sure to record these terms on your worksheet.

3. Latin (Scientific) Adjectives:
Common Name
Latin
Derived Adj.
Dog
Canis
Canine
Cat
Felis
Feline
Horse
Equus
Equine
Cattle
Bos
Bovine
Sheep
Ovis
Ovine
Goat
Capra
Caprine
Pig
Sus
Pocine
Bird
Avis
Avian
Mouse
Mus
Murine
Rat
Rattus

4. The
Building Blocks
Suffix
Root
Prefix
Combining Form

5. Word Structure Root Word Prefix Suffix Combining Vowel Compound Word
The key to learning terminology is to break down each word into parts and learn the most common roots, prefixes, suffixes, and combing forms.

6. Root Word Suffix Prefix Root Definition - the foundation of the word
Gives substance to the meaning.
Like a box car in a train, they give the train volume and substance.
They come in a variety of different sizes and volumes.
There can be more than one in a word.
Suffix
Root
Prefix
Combining Form

7. Root Word Examples - 1 Cardi/o – Heart Cephalo/o – Head
Dent/o – Tooth, Teeth
Mamm/a, Mamm/o – Mammary Gland
Nas/o – Nose, Nasal

8. Root Word Examples - 2 Ophthalm/o – Eye Ot/o – Ear Steth/o – Chest
Thorac/o – Thorax
Trache/o - Trachea

9. Root Word Examples - 3 Abdomin/o – Abdomen Copr/o – Feces
Cyan/o – Blue
Derm/o, Dermat/o – Skin
Enter/o – Intestines

10. Root Word Examples - 4 Erythr/o – Red Blood Cell Gingiv/o – Gums
Hepat/o – Liver
Hydr/o – Water
Peritone/o – Peritoneum Membrane

11. Word Structure
Root Word
Prefix
Suffix
Combining Vowel
Compound Word

12. Prefix
Word that precedes/BEFORE the root, modifying the roots meaning to form a new word.
Alone they have some meaning, but they are not complete words without the rest of the word parts.
They are like the train’s engine with its whistle.
Leads the train and announces the coming train.
Without the box cars, together with the engine there is not a complete train.

13. Prefix Examples - 1 A-, an- Not, Without Anti- Opposing, Against
Brady- Slow
De- Away from
Dys- Difficult

14. Prefix Examples - 2 Hyper- High, Above, Beyond
Hypo- Low, Below, Behind
Mal- Bad, Poor
Poly- Many

15. Prefix Examples - 3 Ep-, Epi- On, Upon Eu- Normal Iso- Equal, Same
Multi- Many, Much
Neo- New

16. Prefix Examples - 4 Pan- All Peri- Around Post- After Pyo- Pus
Uni- Single Celled

17. Prefix brady + cardi/a bradycardia Example:
Prefix + Root Word New word
brady + cardi/a bradycardia
“slow” “heart” slow heart (rate)

18. Exercise on Prefixes ________ biotic (against life)
________ thermia (high temperature)
________ horn (remove the horn)
a-, an- (without or not having)
anti - (against)
brady- (slow)
contra- (against, opposed)
de- (remove, take away, loss of)
dys- (difficult, troubled)
pyo - (pus)
hyper- (high)

19. Word Structure
Root Word
Prefix
Suffix
Combining Vowel
Compound Word

20. Suffix Written AFTER a root word to form a NEW word.
Follows root word altering the words meaning.
Determines if word is a noun, adjective or other type of word.
Like a caboose, it is always last.

21. Suffix Examples - 1 -ectomy – Removal of -emia – Blood condition
-pnea – Breathing
-iasis – Infestation or infection
-itis – Inflammation

22. Suffix Examples - 2 -ism – State or condition -logy – Study of
-oma – Tumor
-penia – Deficiency of
-scope – Instrument for exam
-tomy – Cutting, Incision

23. Suffix Examples - 3 -al –ic, -ac, -ous– Pertaining to
-graphy – Recording of
-lysis- Destruction of
-megaly– Abnormally Large
-natal– Birth

24. Suffix Examples - 4 -osis – Abnormal condition
-spasm– Involuntary Contraction

25. Word Structure: Suffix
Example:
Root Word + Suffix New word
Tonsil + -itis Tonsilitis
-itis = inflammation of Inflammation of the tonsils

26. Exercise on Suffixes Hyper- adrenocortic -________ (state…)
(Adrenal cortex)
Acar/i -________ (tick/mite infestation)
Gastr/i-________(inflammation of the stomach lining)

27. Word Structure
Root Word
Prefix
Suffix
Combining Vowel
Compound Word

28. Word Structure: Combining Vowel
Vowel commonly used: “o”
General Rule 1: If the suffix starts with a consonant, connect the rootword and the suffix with the vowel “o”.
Example 1:
Root Word + CV Suffix New word
Cardi + -o- -logy Cardiology
“Heart” study of Study of the heart

29. Word Structure: Combining Vowel
Vowel commonly used: “o”
General Rule 2: If the suffix starts with a vowel (a,e,i,o,u) DO NOT USE the vowel “o”.
Just attach the suffix to the root word.
Example 2:
Root Word + Suffix New word
Hepat/o -osis Hepatosis
liver -disease process - disease process in the liver

30. Word Structure: Combining Vowel
Vowel commonly used: “o”
General Rule 3: If the suffix begins with the same vowel as the root word, DO NOT repeat the vowel.
Example 3:
Root Word + Suffix New word
Cardi -itis Carditis
heart inflammation of - inflammation of the heart

31. Word Structure
Root Word
Prefix
Suffix
Combining Vowel
Compound Word

32. Word Structure: Compound Word
Rootword 1 + CV Rootword 2 + Suffix New word
Heart worm Heartworm
Medi + “o” + later + -al Mediolateral
Crani + “o” + caud/al al Craniocaudal
Dors + “o” palm +-ar Dorsopalmar

33. Review: Word Structure
What is a Root Word?
Where can you find a prefix in a word?
Where can you find a suffix in a word?
What is the most commonly used vowel?
a. If first letter of suffix = consonant?
b. If first letter of suffix is = vowel?
c. If first letter of suffix = last letter of RW?
Create a compound word.

34. Create a Word Activity For each group there are three “dice.”
Prefix
Rootword
Suffix
Each person is to take three rolls of each dice to create three words.
Write out the correct notation, including combining vowels/words and its meaning.