Medical Terminology Basics

Medical Terminology

• Medical terminology is the language used to describe components and processes of the human body, medical procedures, diseases, disorders, and pharmacology.
• Most medical terms come from Greek and Latin languages.

Understanding Medical Terminology

• Medical terms can be understood by dividing them into three parts: prefix, root word, and suffix.
• A prefix usually indicates location, time, number, or status.
• A root word carries the basic meaning of the term.
• A suffix usually indicates the procedure, condition, disorder, or disease.

Word Root

• A word root is the main part or foundation of a word.
• All words have at least one word root.
• A word root may be used alone or combined with other elements to form a complete word.
• Word roots usually refer to a body part.

Examples of Word Roots

• "Dent" means tooth.
• "Dermat" means skin.
• "Cardi" means heart.
• "Gastr" means stomach.
• "Pancreat" means pancreas.

Combining Forms

• A combining form is a combination of a word root and a vowel to make pronunciation easier.
• Combining forms consist of a combining vowel, usually an "o".
• Combining forms are used to create a new word with a modified meaning.

Suffixes

• A suffix is added to the end of a word root or combining form to modify its meaning.
• A suffix creates a noun or adjective with a different meaning.

Suffix 'ology'

• The correct definition of the suffix 'ology' is "the study of".