Medical Terminology Basics Quiz

Medical Terminology Basics

• Medical terminology is broken down into component parts to make it easier to understand and remember.

• Word parts are derived from Greek and Latin.

Basic Word Parts

• Root word: Foundation of the word; indicates the body part involved. Examples: cardi (heart), cephal (head), gastr (stomach), cyt (cell).
• Suffix: Word ending; usually indicates a procedure, condition, disorder, or disease. Read from the suffix backwards to understand the meaning. Examples: -itis (inflammation), -ic (pertaining to), -logy (study of), -lysis (breakdown).
• Prefix: Word beginning; usually indicates location, time, or a number. Examples: a- (without), pre- (before), hyper- (above normal), sub- (under).
• Combining vowel: A vowel that links two word parts together, usually 'o'. It has no meaning on its own.
• Combining form: Root word plus a combining vowel. Examples: hemat/o- (blood), cardi/o- (heart), gastr/o- (stomach), oste/o- (bone).

Combining Vowel Rules

• Use a combining vowel when the root word ends in a consonant and the suffix begins with a consonant. (Example: hemat/o/logy)
• Don't use a combining vowel when the root word ends in a consonant and the suffix begins with a vowel. (Example: gastr/itis)
• Always use a combining vowel when two root words are joined. (Example: cardi/o/thorac/ic)
• A prefix does not require a combining vowel. (Example: epi/gastr/ic)

Taking Terms Apart

• To understand a medical term, break it down into its component parts, starting with the suffix.
• Identify if there is a prefix.
• Locate the root words.
• Determine the meaning of each word part as you separate them.

Medical Terminology

• Medical terminology is broken down into component parts for better understanding
• Medical word parts generally come from Greek and Latin
• Root Word: the foundation of the word, often indicating the body part involved
  • Examples: cardi (heart), cephal (head), gastr (stomach), cyt (cell)
  • A medical term can have one or more root words (e.g., cardi/o/thorac/ic = pertaining to heart and chest)
• Suffix: the word ending, indicating a procedure, condition, disorder, or disease
  • Suffixes can be nouns or adjectives
  • All medical words have suffixes
  • Examples: -itis (inflammation), -ic (pertaining to), -logy (study of), -lysis (breakdown)
• Prefix: the word beginning, indicating location, time, or a number
  • Not all medical words have prefixes
  • Examples: a- (without), pre- (before), hyper- (above normal), sub- (under, below)
• Combining Vowel: a vowel that links two word parts together, usually an 'o'
  • Has no meaning of its own
• Combining Form: a root word plus a combining vowel
  • Examples: Hemat/o (blood), Cardi/o (heart), Gastr/o (stomach), Oste/o (bone)
• Combining Vowel Rules
  • Use a combining vowel when the ending of the root word and the beginning of the suffix are both consonants (e.g., hemat/o/logy)
  • Do not use a combining vowel when the ending of the root word is a consonant and the beginning of the suffix is a vowel (e.g., gastr/itis)
  • Always use a combining vowel when joining two root words (e.g., cardi/o/thorac/ic)
  • A prefix does not require a combining vowel (e.g., epi/gastr/ic)
• Taking Medical Terms Apart:
  • Start at the suffix to decipher the word's meaning
  • Identify if there is a prefix
  • Locate the root word(s)
  • Determine the meaning of each word part as you separate them

Medical Terminology

• Medical terminology is easily understood and remembered by dividing words into component parts.
• Medical terms originate from Greek and Latin.

Word Parts

• Root word: The foundation of a word, typically indicating the involved body part.
  • Cardi - heart
  • Cephal - head
  • Gastr - stomach
  • Cyt - cell
• Suffix: Word ending, usually indicating a procedure, condition, disorder, or disease. Read backward from the suffix to the root word for the correct meaning.
  • -itis - inflammation
  • -ic - pertaining to
  • -logy - study of
  • -lysis - breakdown
• Prefix: Word beginning, usually indicating location, time, or a number.
  • a- - without
  • pre- before
  • hyper- excessive
  • sub- under
• Combining vowel: A vowel linking two word parts together, usually an "o." It has no meaning on its own.
• Combining form: Root word plus a combining vowel.
  • Hemat/o - blood
  • Cardi/o - heart
  • Gastr/o- stomach
  • Oste/o - bone

Combining Vowel Rules

• When the ending of a root word and the beginning of a suffix are both consonants, a combining vowel is used. Example: hemat/o/logy
• When the ending of a root word is a consonant and the beginning of a suffix is a vowel, a combining vowel is not used. Example: gastr/itis
• A combining vowel is always used when two root words are joined. Example: cardi/o/thorac/ic
• A prefix does not require a combining vowel. Example: epi/gastr/ic

Taking Terms Apart

• Determine a medical word's meaning by looking at its component parts.
• Start at the suffix, then identify the prefix (if present), followed by the root word(s).
• Identify the meaning of each word part as you separate them.