Otorhinolaryngology Chapter 17 Word Parts

Otorhinolaryngology Word Parts

• adenoid/o: Refers to adenoids, lymphoid tissue located in the nasopharynx.
• aud/o and audit/o: Both indicate hearing; crucial for understanding auditory processes.
• aur/o: Denotes the ear, essential for hearing and balance functions.
• cochle/o: Relates to the cochlea, a spiral-shaped organ in the inner ear responsible for sound processing.
• epiglott/o: Pertains to the epiglottis, a flap that covers the trachea during swallowing to prevent food entry.
• laryng/o: Refers to the larynx, commonly known as the voice box, vital for sound production.
• myring/o and tympan/o: Both refer to the tympanic membrane (eardrum), a crucial component in hearing.
• nas/o and rhin/o: Both denote the nose, central to respiration and olfaction (sense of smell).
• ot/o: Indicates the ear, an important organ for auditory functions.
• pharyng/o: Refers to the pharynx (throat), a passage that connects both the digestive and respiratory systems.
• sinus/o: Denotes sinuses, air-filled spaces that impact breathing and resonance of voice.
• tonsil/o: Refers to tonsils, lymphatic tissue involved in immune response.
• trache/o: Indicates the trachea (windpipe), which delivers air to the lungs.

Additional Medical Word Parts

• gastr/o: Related to the stomach, involved in digestion.
• myc/o: Refers to fungus, important in understanding certain infections.
• neur/o: Denotes nerve, essential for nervous system functions.
• py/o: Refers to pus, commonly associated with infection responses.
• -al, -ar, -ic, -eal, -ory: Suffixes meaning "pertaining to," used to specify conditions in medical terminology.
• -algia: Indicates pain, significant in diagnosing conditions.
• -ectomy: Refers to surgical removal, used in various medical procedures.
• -gram: Indicates a record or image, vital in diagnostic imaging.
• -itis: Denotes inflammation, a common condition in various diseases.
• -logist: Means one who studies, typically used for specialists in a field.
• -logy: Refers to the study of a subject, like otology for hearing.
• -megaly: Indicates enlargement, often seen in organ assessment.
• -meter: An instrument used for measurement, important in diagnostics.
• -metry: Refers to the process of measuring, used in medical evaluations.
• -oma: Indicates tumor, crucial in oncology.
• -osis: Refers to an abnormal condition, important in pathology.
• -otomy: Denotes cutting into; used in surgical procedures.
• -phonia: Pertains to voice, relevant in speech and language pathology.
• -plasty: Asserts surgical repair, a common term in surgery.
• -plegia: Indicates paralysis; essential in neurology.
• -rrhea: Refers to discharge or flow, significant in understanding various conditions.
• -rrhexis: Indicates rupture; relevant in surgical contexts.
• -sclerosis: Refers to hardening, significant in various diseases.
• -scope: An instrument for viewing, crucial in diagnostics.
• -scopy: The process of viewing, commonly used in procedures like endoscopy.
• -spasm: Indicates involuntary muscle contraction, relevant in muscle disorders.
• -stenosis: Refers to narrowing, often seen in conditions affecting blood vessels or airways.
• a-, an-, de-: Prefixes indicating absence; significant in understanding conditions.
• dys-: Indicates difficulty, important in describing various disorders.
• endo-: Means within, used in terminology relating to internal structures.
• pan-: Refers to all, often used in conditions affecting multiple systems.
• para-: Indicates alongside or abnormal; used in terminology for conditions.