Chapter 1 Introduction To Medical Terminology

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Prefix

Back 1

To fix before or to fix to the beginning of a word. It can be a syllable or group of syllables. They are united with or placed at the beginning of words to alter or modify their meanings or create entirely new words.

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Word Root

Back 2

A word or word element from which other words are formed. It is the foundation of the word. It conveys the central meaning of the word and forms the base to which prefixes and suffixes are attached for word modification.

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Combining Form

Back 3

A word root to which a vowel has been added. It links the root to the suffix or the word root to another root. It does not have a meaning of its own. o is used more often than any other. They can be found at the beginning of a word or within the word.

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Suffix

Back 4

To fasten on, beneath or under. It can be a syllable or group of syllables united with or placed at the end of a word to alter or modify the meaning of the word or to create a new word. When you break down a word to understand it or when you give the meaning of the word or read its definition, you usually begin with the meaning of this.

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Greek

Back 5

Language from which terms describing diseases of that affect organs originated.

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Latin

Back 6

Language from which terms for the body's organs originated.

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ante-

Back 7

before, forward

Front 8

anti-

Back 8

against

Front 9

ecto-

Back 9

out, outside, outer

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endo-

Back 10

within, inner

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hyper-

Back 11

above, beyond, excessive

Front 12

hypo-

Back 12

below, under; deficient

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inter-

Back 13

between

Front 14

intra-

Back 14

within

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para-

Back 15

beside, alongside, abnormal

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peri-

Back 16

around

Front 17

per-

Back 17

through

Front 18

pre-

Back 18

before, in front of

Front 19

pro-

Back 19

before

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super-

Back 20

above, beyond

Front 21

supra-

Back 21

above, beyond

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-poiesis

Back 22

formation

Front 23

-ptosis

Back 23

prolapse, drooping, sagging, falling down

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-ptysis

Back 24

spitting

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-rrhagia

Back 25

to burst forth, bursting forth

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-rrhage

Back 26

to burst forth, bursting forth

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-rrhaphy

Back 27

suture

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-rrhea

Back 28

flow, discharge

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-rrhexis

Back 29

rupture

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-scope

Back 30

instrument for examining

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-scopy

Back 31

visual examination, to view, examine

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-tome

Back 32

instrument to cut

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-tomy

Back 33

incision

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-tripsy

Back 34

crushing

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-trophy

Back 35

nourishment, development

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If the suffix begins with a vowel

Back 36

drop the combining vowel from the combining form and add the suffix.

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If the suffix begins with a consonant,

Back 37

keep the combining vowel and add the suffix to the combining form.

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Keep the combining vowel

Back 38

between two or more roots in a term

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Singular Ending:

a as in bursa

Back 39

Plural Ending:

ae as in bursae

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Singular Ending:

ax as in thorax

Back 40

Plural Ending:

aces as in thoraces or

es as in thoraxes

Front 41

Singular Ending:

en as in foramen

Back 41

Plural Ending:

ina as in foramina

Front 42

Singular Ending:

is as in crisis

Back 42

Plural Ending:

es as in crises

Front 43

Singular Ending:

is as in iris

Back 43

Plural Ending:

ides as in irides

Front 44

Singular Ending:

is as in femoris

Back 44

Plural Ending:

a as in femora

Front 45

Singular Ending:

ix as appendix

Back 45

Plural Ending:

ices as in appendices

Front 46

Singular Ending:

nx as in phalanx

Back 46

Plural Ending:

ges as in phalanges

Front 47

Singular Ending:

on as in spermatozoon

Back 47

Plural Ending:

a as in spermatozoa

Front 48

Singular Ending:

um as in ovum

Back 48

Plural Ending:

a as in ova

Front 49

Singular Ending:

us as in nucleus

Back 49

Plural Ending:

i as in nuclei

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Singular Ending:

y as in artery

Back 50

Plural Ending:

i and add es as in arteries

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abbreviation

Back 51

a process of shortening a word or phrase into appropriate letters.

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acronym

Back 52

a word formed by the combining of initial letters or syllables and letters of a series of words or a compound term.

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Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act

Back 53

HIPPA

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Initialism

Back 54

another type of abbreviation formed by the initial letters of a series of words or a compound term but is not pronounced as a word. Ex: DOB

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Eponym

Back 55

a disease, structure, operation or procedure named for the person who discovered or described it first. Alzheimer disease named for Alois Alzheimer, a neuropathologist who in 1906 identified the disease.

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Single Accent Mark

Back 56

Used to indicate stress on certain syllables; also called a primary accent and is used with the syllable that has the strongest stress (primary syllable)

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Double Accent Mark

Back 57

Used to indicate syllables that are stressed less than primary syllables. It is also called a secondary accent.

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Accent Marks

Back 58

marks used to indicate stress on certain syllables.

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Diacritics

Back 59

Marks placed over or under vowels to indicate the long or short sound of the vowel.

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Macron

Back 60

Indicates the long sound of the vowel

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Breve

Back 61

Indicates the short sound of the vowel.

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Schwa

Back 62

Indicates the central vowel sound of most unstressed syllables.

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abate

Back 63

To lessen, ease, decrease or cease. Used to note the lessening of pain or decrease in severity of symptoms.

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abnormal

Back 64

ab- away from

norm rule

-al pertaining to

Pertaining to away from the norm or rule. A condition that is considered to be not normal

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abscess

Back 65

Localized collection of pus, which may occur in any part of the body.

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acute

Back 66

Sudden, sharp, sever; used to describe a disease that has a sudden onset, severe symptoms, and a short course.

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adhesion

Back 67

adhes stuck to

-ion process

Literally means a process of being stuck together.

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afferent

Back 68

Carrying impulses toward a center

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ambulatory

Back 69

Condition of being able to walk, not confined to a bed.

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antidote

Back 70

Substance given to counteract poisons and their effects

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antipyretic

Back 71

anti- against

pyret fever

-ic pertaining to

Pertaining to an agent that is used to lower an elevated body temperature (fever)

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antiseptic

Back 72

anti- against

sept putrefaction

-ic pertaining to

Pertaining to an agent that works against sepsis (putrefaction); a technique or product used to prevent or limit infections.

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antitussive

Back 73

anti- against

tuss cough

-ive nature of, quality of

Pertaining to an agent that works against cough.

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apathy

Back 74

Condition in which one lacks feelings and emotions and is indifferent.

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asepsis

Back 75

a- without

-sepsis decay

Without decay; sterile, free from all living microorganisms

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autoclave

Back 76

An apparatus that sterilizes instruments and items using steam under pressure (15 pounds of pressure per square inch) to reach a heat of 250 degrees F to 254 degrees F for a specified time, such as 30 minutes for single wrapped items.

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autonomy

Back 77

auto- self

nom law

-y condition

Condition of being self-governed; to function independently

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axillary

Back 78

axill armpit

-ary pertaining to

Pertaining to the armpit

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biopsy

Back 79

bi(o) life

-opsy to view

Surgical removal of a small piece of tissue for microscopic examination; used to determine a diagnosis of cancer or other disease processes in the body.

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cachexia

Back 80

cac- bad

-hexia condition

Condition of ill health, malnutrition, and wasting. It may occur in chronic diseases such as cancer and pulmonary tuberculosis.

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centigrade (C)

Back 81

centi- one hundred, one hundredth

-grade a step

Literally means having 100 steps or degrees; unit of temperature measurement (Celsius scale) with a boiling point at 100 degrees and a freezing point at 0 degrees. Each degree of temperature change is 0.01 (1/100) of the scale.

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centimeter (cm)

Back 82

centi- one hundred, one hundredth

meter measure

Unit of measurement in the metric system; one hundredth of a meter.

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centrifuge

Back 83

centr/i center

-fuge to flee

Device used in a laboratory to separate solids from liquids

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chemotherapy

Back 84

chem/o chemical

-therapy treatment

The use of chemical agents in the treatment of disease, specifically drugs used in cancer therapy.

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chronic

Back 85

Pertaining to time; denotes a disease with little change or of slow progression; the opposite of acute

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diagnosis (Dx)

Back 86

dia- through

-gnosis knowledge

Determination of the cause and nature of the disease, which is most often determined through the process of knowledge.

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diaphoresis

Back 87

dia- through

-phoresis to carry

To carry through sweat glands; profuse sweating.

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disease

Back 88

Literally means lack of ease; a pathological condition of the body that presents with a series of symptoms, signs and laboratory findings peculiar to it and sets it apart from normal or other abnormal body states; a disruption of normal functioning of the body by a process that can be congenital, infectious, or the failure of normal activity to maintain and sustain health.

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disinfectant

Back 89

dis- apart

infect to infect

-ant forming

Chemical substance that can be applied to objects to destroy pathogenic microorganisms such as bacteria

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efferent

Back 90

Carrying impulses away from a center

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empathy

Back 91

The ability to sense intellectually and emotionally the feelings of another person

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epidemic

Back 92

epi- upon

dem people

-ic pertaining to

Pertaining to upon the people; the rapid, widespread occurrence of an infectious disease that can be spread by any pathological organism transmitted by and to humans, birds, insects, etc.

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etiology

Back 93

eti/o cause

-logy study of

Study of the cause(s) of disease.

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excision

Back 94

ex- out

cis to cut

-ion process

Process of cutting out, surgical removal

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febrile

Back 95

Pertaining to a fever; a sustained body temperature above 98.6 degrees F.

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gram (g)

Back 96

Unit of weight in the metric system; a cubic centimeter or a milliliter of water is equal to the weight of a gram.

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heterogeneous

Back 97

hetero- different

gene formation, produce

-ous pertaining to

Literally means pertaining to a different formation; composed of unlike substances; the opposite of homogenous

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illness

Back 98

State of being sick

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incision

Back 99

in- in, into

cis to cut

-ion process

Process of cutting into

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kilogram (kg)

Back 100

kil/o a thousand

-gram a weight

Unit of weight in the metric system; 1000 g; a kilogram is equal to 2.2 lb.

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liter (L)

Back 101

Unit of volume in the metric system; 1000 mL;

a liter is equal to 33.8 fl oz or 1.0567 qt

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macroscopic

Back 102

macr/o large

scop to examine

-ic Pertaining to

Pertaining to objects large enough to be examined by the naked eye

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malaise

Back 103

A general feeling of discomfort, uneasiness; often felt by a patient who has a chronic disease

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malformation

Back 104

mal- bad

format a shaping

-ion a process

Literally means a process of being badly shaped, deformed; a structural defect that fails to form normal shape and therefore can affect the function; e.g. cleft palate

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malignant

Back 105

malign bad kind

-ant forming

Literally means formation of a bad kind; growing worse, harmful, cancerous

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maximal

Back 106

maxim greatest

-al pertaining to

Pertaining to the greatest possible quantity, number or degree

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microgram (mcg)

Back 107

micro- small

-gram a weight

Unit of weight in the metric system; one-millionth of a gram or one-thousandth of a milligram (0.001mg)

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microorganism

Back 108

micro- small

organ organ

-ism condition

Small living organisms that are not visible to the naked eye.

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microscope

Back 109

micro- small

-scope instrument for examining

Scientific instrument designed to view small objects

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milligram (mg)

Back 110

milli- one-thousandth

-gram a weight

Unit of weight in the metric system; 0.001g

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milliliter (mL, ml)

Back 111

milli- one-thousandth

-liter liter

Unit of volume in the metric system; 0.001 L

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minimal

Back 112

minim least

-al pertaining to

Pertaining to the least possible quantity, number or degree