Medical Terminology: Basic Word Structure

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Medical Terminology Basic
Word Structure
This tutorial has some nice use of audio, and the
assessment is done well. The screen design is not
so good, and the font is too large throughout.
The use of cheesy clip art cost points. Overall
it looks too much like a presentation.
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Click here to move to the next screen
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Directions for Using This Tutorial
Use your mouse to click on the buttons at the
bottom of each screen to perform the following
actions
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Objectives

• After completion of this tutorial, the learner
  will be able to
  
• relate the study of medical terms to the study of
  a foreign language
  
• list all the possible component parts of a
  medical term, including the root, combining
  vowel, prefix, and suffix.
  
• build medical terms with a variety of component
  parts by following the rules for forming and
  spelling medical terms.
  
• define medical terms by analyzing their component
  parts.

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The Language of Medicine
Studying medical terminology is very similar to
learning a new language. This is because most
medical terms stem from Greek or Latin origins.
Other languages, such as German and French, have
also influenced medical terminology.
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The Components of Medical Terms
Medical terms are like individual jigsaw puzzles.
They are constructed from small pieces
(prefixes, combining forms, and suffixes) that
make each term unique.
Once you understand the basic medical term
structure and how these components fit together,
you will be able to build almost any medical
term.
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Start with the ROOT of the term
The root is the foundation of the medical term.
All medical terms have one or more roots.
Examples of medical term roots are
lip which means fat
hemat which means blood
cardi which means heart
gastr which means stomach
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Add the combining VOWEL
The combining vowel (usually o) is used to link
the root to the suffix or the root to another
root. The combining vowel has no meaning of its
own. When a vowel is linked to a root, this
combination is called a combining form.
lip o lipo the combining form of fat
When the suffix begins with a vowel, the
combining vowel is dropped.
lip f oid lipoid (resembling fat)
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Now add the SUFFIX
The suffix is the term ending. All medical terms
have a suffix.
Examples of medical term suffixes are
emia which means blood condition
itis which means inflammation
logy which means study of
ic which means pertaining to
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And sometimes a PREFIX
The prefix is a small part that is attached to
the beginning of a term. Not all medical terms
contain prefixes, but if present, the prefix can
have an important influence on the meaning of the
term.
Examples of medical term prefixes are
hyper- which means above or excessive
peri- which means around or surrounding
epi- which means upon, above, or beside
endo- which means within
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Put all the pieces together and.
Youve got a medical term!
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Test Your Knowledge
Studying medical terminology is like learning a
new ____ language dance step math skill
sport
Which of the following is not a medical term
component? root suffix consonant combini
ng vowel
a
a
b
b
c
c
d
d
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Test Your Knowledge (again)
The ___ is the foundation of the medical term.
suffix
root prefix vowel
The root plus vowel combination is called the
___ prefix suffix medical term combining
form
a
a
b
b
c
c
d
d
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Summary of Rules for Forming and Spelling Medical
Terms
a. A combining vowel is used to join root to
root as well as root to any suffix beginning with
a consonant
electr o cardi o gram
root vowel root vowel
suffix
electrocardiogram (electrical record of the heart
)
b. A combining vowel is not used before a suffix
that begins with a vowel
vasectomy (excision of a vessel)
vas f ectomy root no vowel suffix
beginning with a vowel
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Summary of Rules for Forming and Spelling Medical
Terms (continued)
c. If the root ends in a vowel and the suffix
begins with the same vowel, drop the final vowel
from the root and do not use a combining vowel
carditis (inflammation of the heart)
cardi f itis
root ending in i no vowel suffix
beginning with i
d. Usually, a combining vowel is inserted
between two roots even when the second root
begins with a vowel
cardioesophageal (pertaining to the heart and
esophagus)
cardi o esophag f eal root
ending with i vowel root beginning with e
no vowel suffix beginning with e
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Summary of Rules for Forming and Spelling Medical
Terms (continued)
e. Occasionally, when a prefix ends in a vowel
and the root begins with a vowel, the final vowel
is dropped from the prefix
parenteral (pertaining to alongside
of the intestine)
para enter f al
prefix ending in a root beginning with e no
vowel suffix beginning with a
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Quiz Rules for Forming and Spelling Medical Terms
A ___ is not used before a suffix that begins
with a vowel. prefix combining vowel root

consonant
If the root ends in a vowel and the suffix begins
with the same vowel, ___ the final vowel from the
root
change add drop double
a
a
b
b
c
c
d
d
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Quiz 2 Rules for Forming and Spelling Medical
Terms
A combining vowel is almost always inserted
between two ___ roots prefixes suffixes
combining forms
Occasionally, when a ___ ends in a vowel and the
root begins with a vowel, the final vowel is
dropped. suffix root combining form pref
ix
a
a
b
b
c
c
d
d
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Defining Medical Terms
You can usually define a term by interpreting the
suffix first, then the prefix (if present), then
the succeeding root or roots. For example
hyperlipemia medical term blood condition
of excessive fat
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You Gotta Have Heart
The following are examples and definitions of the
various medical terms that can be formed using
the root cardi (heart)
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Medical Term/Definition Matching
See if you can pick the correct definition for
the following terms
the study of blood pertaining to the interior of
the abdomen inflammation surrounding the heart p
ertaining to the area above the stomach
pericarditis epigastric hematology endoabdomina
l
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How did you do?
Here are the correct term-definition matches
inflammation surrounding the heart
pertaining to the area above the stomach
the study of blood pertaining to the interior of
the abdomen
pericarditis epigastric hematology endoabdomina
l
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Summary

• The important components of medical terms are
• Root foundation of the term
• Suffix word ending
• Prefix word beginning
• Combining vowel vowel that links the root to the
  suffix of the root to another root.
  
• Combining form combination of the root and the
  combining vowel.

• Remember these three rules for forming and
  defining medical terms
  
• Read the meaning of medical terms from the suffix
  back to the beginning and then across.
  
• Drop the combining vowel before a suffix
  beginning with a vowel (ex. gastritis, not
  gastroitis).
  
• Keep the combining vowel between two roots (ex.
  gastroenterology).

End Show