Medical Terminology Chapter 4 Flashcards

Medical Terminology: Root Words, Suffixes, and Prefixes

• Root words form the basis of medical terms and represent fundamental concepts related to body structures, functions, and diseases.
• Suffixes modify the meaning of root words, often indicating a specific condition, procedure, or specialty.
• Prefixes specify location, number, or time and provide additional context to root words.

Key Root Words

• cyt/o: Refers to "cell," the smallest structural unit of an organism.
• hist/o: Denotes "tissue," a group of cells working together for a common purpose.
• kary/o and nucle/o: Both signify "nucleus," the central part of a cell containing genetic material.
• anter/o: Indicates "anterior" or "front."
• caud/o: Represents "tail," often used in anatomical direction.
• cephal/o: Refers to "head," used in various medical conditions and procedures.

Anatomical Direction Terms

• dist/o: Means "far" or "farthest," used to describe the position of structures relative to the trunk.
• dors/o: Refers to the "back" of the body.
• infer/o: Signifies "lower" or "below."
• later/o: Denotes "side" or a position closer to the side of the body.
• medi/o: Represents "middle," indicating central positioning.
• poster/o: Pertains to the "back" or "behind" aspect of the body.
• proxim/o: Means "near" or "nearest" to a point of reference.
• ventr/o: Refers to the "belly" or anterior surface of the body.

Specific Body Regions

• abdomin/o: Refers to the "abdomen."
• cervic/o: Denotes "neck" or the "cervix" of the uterus.
• crani/o: Indicates the "cranium" or skull.
• gastr/o: Represents the "stomach."
• ili/o: Refers to the "ilium," part of the hip bone.
• lumb/o: Means "loins," associated with lower back.
• pelv/i and pelv/o: Both denote "pelvis."
• spin/o: Refers to the "spine."
• thorac/o: Indicates the "chest."
• umbilic/o: Refers to the "umbilicus" or navel.

Color Terms

• albin/o and leuk/o: Both signify "white."
• chlor/o: Means "green."
• chrom/o: Denotes "color."
• cirrh/o, jaund/o, and xanth/o: All refer to "yellow."
• cyan/o: Represents "blue."
• erythr/o: Refers to "red."
• melan/o: Denotes "black."
• poli/o: Means "gray," especially in reference to gray matter in the nervous system.

Other Essential Terms

• acr/o: Refers to "extremity," such as arms and legs.
• eti/o: Signifies "cause," often used in diagnosis.
• idi/o: Pertains to something "unknown" or "peculiar."
• morph/o: Indicates "form," "shape," or "structure."
• path/o: Represents "disease."
• radi/o: Refers to "radiation" or "x-ray."
• somat/o: Means "body."
• son/o: Indicates "sound," used in ultrasound.
• tom/o: Refers to "to cut," used in surgical procedures.
• viscer/o: Denotes "internal organs."
• xer/o: Means "dry."

Suffixes and Their Meanings

• -genesis: Refers to "forming," "producing," or "origin."
• -gnosis: Indicates "knowing" or awareness of conditions.
• -gram: Denotes a "record" or written document of data.
• -graph: Means "instrument for recording" information.
• -graphy: Refers to the "process of recording."
• -logist: Indicates a "specialist in the study of" a particular field.
• -logy: Means the "study of."
• -meter: Refers to an "instrument for measuring."
• -metry: Indicates the "act of measuring."
• -pathy: Refers to "disease."

Prefixes and Their Meanings

• ab-: Means "from" or "away from."
• ad-: Indicates movement "toward."
• hetero-: Refers to something "different."
• homeo-: Means "same" or "alike."
• infra-: Denotes "below" or "under."
• peri-: Means "around."
• super-: Refers to "upper" or "above."
• trans-: Indicates "across" or "through."
• ultra-: Means "excess" or "beyond."