Medical Terminology: Prefixes, Roots, Suffixes

Medical Terminology

• Medical terms are built using prefixes, roots, suffixes, and combining vowels.
• Prefixes are at the beginning of a word and often describe location, direction, number, quantity, amounts, size, color, etc.
• Roots are in the middle of a word and often relate to a body part or system.
• Suffixes are at the end of a word and often describe diseases, disorders, conditions, procedures, processes, specialties, tests, etc.
• Affixes are word parts that attach to the beginning or end of a word or word base.
• Prefixes are one or two syllables used before a word to modify its meaning.
• Prefixes are often prepositions or adverbs.
• Prefixes describe the appearance or location of an anatomical part.
• Combining forms are used when a suffix begins with a consonant.
• Combining forms include the vowel that has been added to the end of a word root (e.g. gastr/o is the combining form of the word root stomach).

Prefixes, Roots, Suffixes

• A prefix is the first part of a medical word. It can be attached to the beginning of the root to modify its meaning.
  • Example: Polyadenoma (tumor of many glands)
    • poly- prefix: many
    • aden- root: gland
    • -oma suffix: tumor, mass
• A suffix is the ending of a medical word often describes a condition, disease, process, etc.
  • Example: Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)
    • dys- prefix: difficulty
    • phag- root: swallowing
    • -ia suffix: condition

Combining Forms Explained

• Combining form includes the vowel that has been added to the end of the root or word root.
• The letter "o" is commonly used as a combining vowel.
• The rules apply to a combining form when a suffix begins with a consonant, easier to pronounce.
• Combining Forms can join two roots (Osteoarthritis is an example of this)
• A combining form includes the vowel that has been attached to the end of a word root. For example: gastr/o is the combining form of the word root stomach.

Examples of Combining Forms

• Gastroenteritis
• Osteoarthritis
• Cardiology
• Cardiomyopathy

Additional Information

• Medical terminology objective of a given course to include identifying medical terminology parts, recognizing prefixes, roots, combining vowels and recognizing new medical terms.
• There are different combining forms for Greek and Latin.
• The letter o is used as a combining vowel.
• Parts of speech such as prepositions and adverbs appear in prefixes.
• Roots relate to a body part or system.
• Suffixes often describe diseases, disorders, conditions, etc.

This quiz provides an overview of medical terminology, focusing on the structure and meaning of prefixes, roots, and suffixes. Understanding these components is essential for grasping medical language and terms related to the human body. Test your knowledge on how these elements combine to form meaningful terms in the medical field.