1. 1
Introduction to Word Parts and Word Construction

2. Learning Objectives
Use the technique of programmed learning and frames.
Apply the phonetic pronunciation guides that are used in frames.
Recognize that medical terminology has both constructed and nonconstructed terms.

3. Learning Objectives (cont.)
Identify each of the three word parts (word roots, prefixes, and suffixes) used to construct medical terms.
Identify the function of a combining vowel that is added to a word root to form a combining form.
Recognize that many medical terms are constructed from word parts and can be deconstructed into their word parts.

4. The Programmed Learning Approach
Missing word is provided in the frame in the left margin.
Each frame consists of a block of information, with the blank in the box on the right side of the page.
Programmed learning: consists of blocks of information, known as frames, which contain one or more blanks.

5. The Programmed Learning Approach (cont.)
Write the missing word in the blank as you proceed from frame to frame.
Work without looking at the answer first, to make each frame a challenge.
Always check your answer before moving to the next frame, making sure the spelling is correct.

6. The Programmed Learning Approach (cont.)
Pronunciation
Syllable Emphasis
Use the website for pronunciation
To help with pronunciation, the phonetic form of the word is provided in parentheses whenever a new term is introduced.
Syllable emphasis: The syllable with the greatest spoken emphasis is shown in all capital letters.

7. Constructed and Nonconstructed Terms
Constructed medical terms
Learning constructed medical terms
Deciphering constructed words
Constructed medical terms are made up of multiple word parts that are combined to form a new word.
The key to learning constructed medical terms is to learn the meaning of the various word parts first.
The meaning of a constructed word can be deciphered by defining the parts.

8. Constructed and Nonconstructed Terms (cont.)
Examples of constructed terms:
Pathology (path/o – disease) + (-logy – study of)
Tonsillectomy (tonsill/o – tonsil) +
(-ectomy – surgical excision, removal)
Neonatologist (neo – new) + (nat/o – birth) + (-logist – one who studies)
Pathology: the study of disease
Tonsillectomy: surgical excision of the tonsils
Neonatologist: physician who specializes in newborns

9. Terms (cont.) Nonconstructed terms
Include eponyms, terms derived from other languages, acronyms, and abbreviations.
Nonconstructed words must be memorized.
Nonconstructed terms are terms that are not formed from individual word parts.
Nonconstructed terms include eponyms, terms derived from other languages, acronyms, and abbreviations.
Nonconstructed words must be memorized.

10. Constructed and Nonconstructed Terms
Examples of nonconstructed terms:
Impetigo
Coma
Cushing syndrome
Impetigo: a contagious skin infection characterized by the transformation of vesicles into a yellowish crust.
Coma: a general term describing several levels of abnormally decreased consciousness
Cushing syndrome: a syndrome caused by excessive secretion of the hormone cortisol

11. Figure 1.1 Medical terms are either constructed words or words you must memorize.

12. The Word Parts
There are three primary types of word parts: prefixes, word roots, and suffixes.
Prefix
Word root
Suffix
A prefix is a word part that is affixed to the beginning of a word.
A word root is a word part that provides the primary meaning of the term.
A suffix is a word part that is affixed to the end of a word.

13. Figure 1.2 Most medical terms are formed by assembling word parts.

14. The Word Parts (cont.)
Not every medical term has all three word parts.
Many medical terms have more than one word root.
Some medical terms are made simply of a prefix and a suffix.
A fourth word element is the combining vowel.

15. Figure 1.3 The human body, with many of the common combining forms.

16. The Word Parts (cont.) Combining form
The most common combining vowel is the letter o.
Use the combining vowel properly.
Combining vowel connects word root with a suffix that begins with a consonant.
Some constructed medical terms use combining vowels to unite two word roots.
Combining form: A word root plus combining vowel is called a combining form and involves the use of a slash between the word root and the combining vowel.
When forming words from word parts, use the combining vowel properly.
As a general rule, the combining vowel is used only to connect a word root with a suffix that begins with a consonant.
Some constructed medical terms use combining vowels to unite two word roots.

17. Forming Words from Word Parts (cont.)
A prefix usually requires no change when another word part unites with it to form a new term.

18. Origin of Medical Terms
Most medical terms come from Latin and Greek.
The ancient Greeks are considered the fathers of modern medicine.
The Romans advanced medicine with their own experiments and observations and added Latin terms to the growing body of medical language.

19. Origin of Medical Terms (cont.)
Sometimes the origins of medical terms relate to history, poetry, mythology, geography, physical objects, and ideas.
Figure 1.4 The Greek father of medicine, Hippocrates, who originated many medical terms. Source: Courtesy of the National Library of Medicine.

20. Word Parts: Prefixes anti- brady- endo- epi- neo- pre-
anti- = against, opposite of
brady- = slow
endo- = within
epi- = upon, over, above, on top
neo- = new
pre- = to come before

21. Word Parts: Word Root / Combining Vowel
append/o, appendic/o
bi/o
cardi/o
cerebr/o
dermat/o
dermat/o
= skin
append/o, appendic/o = appendix
bi/o = life
cardi/o = heart
cerebr/o = brain, cerebrum
dermat/o = skin
-logy
= study of
dermatology

22. Word Parts: Word Root / Combining Vowel (cont.)
electr/o
encephal/o
gastr/o
hem/o
hepat/o
electr/o = electricity
encephal/o = brain
gastr/o = stomach
hem/o = blood
hepat/o = liver

23. Word Parts: Word Root / Combining Vowel (cont.)
hyster/o
laryng/o
leuk/o
mamm/o
mast/o
hyster/o = uterus
laryng/o = larynx, voice box
leuk/o = white
mamm/o = breast
mast/o = breast

24. Word Parts: Word Root / Combining Vowel (cont.)
ment/o
nat/o
neur/o
path/o
proct/o
neur/o
= nerve
-itis
= inflammation
neuritis
ment/o = mind
nat/o = birth
neur/o = nerve
path/o = disease
proct/o = rectum or anus

25. Word Parts: Word Root / Combining Vowel (cont.)
psych/o
rhin/o
tonsill/o
vas/o
psych/o = mind
rhin/o = nose
tonsill/o = almond, tonsil
vas/o = vessel

26. Word Parts: Suffixes -al -ectomy -emia -gram -ia -al = pertaining to
-ectomy = surgical excision, removal
-emia = condition of blood
-gram = a record or image
-ia = condition of

27. Word Parts: Suffixes (cont.)
-iatry
-ic
-itis
-logist
-logy
-iatry = treatment, specialty
-ic = pertaining to
-itis = inflammation
-logist = one who studies
-logy = study or science of

28. Word Parts: Suffixes (cont.)
-pathy
-philia
-plasty
-scope
-tic
proct/o
= rectum or anus
-scope
= instrument used for viewing
-pathy = disease
-philia = loving
-plasty = surgical repair
-scope = instrument used for viewing
-tic = pertaining to
proctoscope

29. Summary
Medical terms are deciphered by breaking them into word parts, then defining first the suffix, then the prefix, then the word root(s) or combining forms.

30. Summary (cont.) Prefix Word root or combining form Suffix
A prefix comes before the word root or combining form.
A suffix is a word ending and comes after the word root(s) or combining form(s).
The word root or combining form provides the essential meaning of the term.

31. Summary (cont.) Most common combining vowel
Infrequently used combining vowels
Retaining the combining vowel
Dropping the combining vowel
The combining vowel for most word roots is the letter “o”.
“i” and “e” are infrequently used as combining vowels for some word roots.
If the combining form is to be joined with another word root or combining form that begins with a consonant, the vowel is retained.
If it is to be joined with a suffix that starts with a vowel, the combining vowel is dropped.

32. Combining Form Quiz bi/o a. breast gastr/o b. liver mast/o c. vessel
hepat/o d. life
vas/o e. stomach
bi/o answer is d.
gastr/o answer is e.
mast/o answer is a.
hepat/o answer is b.
vas/o answer is c.