Medical Terminology Roots

Medical Terminology Roots

Medical terminology roots are the foundation of medical words. They are the core of the word and provide the main meaning.

Characteristics of Roots

• Always appear in the middle of the word
• Usually derived from Greek or Latin words
• Never change, even when combined with prefixes and suffixes
• Can be combined with multiple prefixes and suffixes to form different words

Examples of Medical Terminology Roots

• Cardi-: heart
  • Example: Cardiology (study of the heart)
• Neur-: nerve
  • Example: Neurology (study of the nervous system)
• Gastr-: stomach
  • Example: Gastritis (inflammation of the stomach)
• Pulmon-: lung
  • Example: Pulmonology (study of the lungs)
• Hem-: blood
  • Example: Hematology (study of the blood)
• Oste-: bone
  • Example: Osteoporosis (disease of the bones)

Rules for Combining Roots with Prefixes and Suffixes

• Roots can be combined with prefixes to form new words
• Roots can be combined with suffixes to form new words
• Prefixes can be combined with suffixes to form new words
• Roots can be combined with multiple prefixes and suffixes to form new words

Importance of Knowing Medical Terminology Roots

• Helps in understanding medical words and their meanings
• Enables healthcare professionals to communicate effectively
• Facilitates accurate diagnosis and treatment
• Essential for medical transcription and documentation

Medical Terminology Roots

• Medical terminology roots are the foundation of medical words and provide the main meaning.

Characteristics of Roots

• Roots always appear in the middle of a word.
• They are usually derived from Greek or Latin words.
• Roots never change, even when combined with prefixes and suffixes.
• They can be combined with multiple prefixes and suffixes to form different words.

Examples of Medical Terminology Roots

• Cardi- refers to the heart, as seen in Cardiology (study of the heart).
• Neur- refers to the nerve, as seen in Neurology (study of the nervous system).
• Gastr- refers to the stomach, as seen in Gastritis (inflammation of the stomach).
• Pulmon- refers to the lung, as seen in Pulmonology (study of the lungs).
• Hem- refers to the blood, as seen in Hematology (study of the blood).
• Oste- refers to the bone, as seen in Osteoporosis (disease of the bones).

Combining Roots with Prefixes and Suffixes

• Roots can be combined with prefixes to form new words.
• Roots can be combined with suffixes to form new words.
• Prefixes can be combined with suffixes to form new words.
• Roots can be combined with multiple prefixes and suffixes to form new words.

Importance of Knowing Medical Terminology Roots

• Knowing medical terminology roots helps in understanding medical words and their meanings.
• It enables healthcare professionals to communicate effectively.
• It facilitates accurate diagnosis and treatment.
• It is essential for medical transcription and documentation.

Derivative Words in Medicine

• Derivative words are formed by adding prefixes and suffixes to root words to create new words with specific meanings in medicine.

Prefix Derivatives

• Prefixes are added to root words to change their meanings.
• Examples of prefix derivatives:
  • "endo-" (within) + "card" (heart) = endocard (within the heart)
  • "epi-" (upon) + "card" (heart) = epicard (upon the heart)
  • "neuro-" (nervous system) + "neur" (nerve) = neurology (study of the nervous system)

Suffix Derivatives

• Suffixes are added to root words to change their meanings.
• Examples of suffix derivatives:
  • "path" (disease) + "-ology" (study of) = pathology (study of disease)
  • "path" (disease) + "-ic" (relating to) = pathic (relating to disease)
  • "arter" (artery) + "-ial" (relating to) = arterial (relating to an artery)
  • "arter" (artery) + "-itis" (inflammation) = arteritis (inflammation of an artery)

Combining Prefixes and Suffixes

• Prefixes and suffixes can be combined to form more complex words.
• Examples of combined prefix and suffix derivatives:
  • "hypo-" (under) + "gastr" (stomach) + "-ic" (relating to) = hypogastric (relating to under the stomach)
  • "anti-" (against) + "neph" (kidney) + "-ic" (relating to) = antinephric (against the kidney)

Learn about the foundation of medical words, including characteristics and examples of medical terminology roots.