Medical terminology

By

Ph. Zahraa haider jasim

MSc in pharmacology and toxicology
2023-2024
First Lecture
stage one

Medical terminology

• Define as language used to describe anatomical structures, procedures, conditions,

processes and treatments in the medical field.

• Most medical terms are a combination of two or more parts.

• If you can successfully interpret each part, you can usually grasp the essential
meaning of the word. Thus, interpreting the meaning of a medical term requires
knowledge of common medical roots, prefixes, and suffixes.
 Components of medical word

A medical word consists of some or all of the following elements:

◦ Word root
◦ Combining form
◦ Suffix
◦ Prefix.

Word Roots
• A word root is the main part of a word; all medical words have at least one-word root.
Many medical roots signify a disease, procedure, or body part.
• e.g.: Identify the roots in the following words:
 Word Roots Roots

• Some roots appear at the beginning of a word, whereas others appear after a prefix, before a
suffix, or between a prefix and a suffix.
• a root at the beginning of a word—angioedema (angi is a root that means vessel)
• a root in the middle of a word—encephalic (cephal is a root that means head)

• a root at the end of a word—scleroderma (derm is a root that skin)

• a combination of roots—phototherapy (photo is a root that means light; therapy is a root that
means treatment).

Word Roots Roots

 Combining Vowel

• Combining vowel usually an O, is a word part but has no meaning, it is

attached to the word root in order to make a word easier to pronounce,
and is used:

• Between two word roots

• It is NOT used when a suffix begins with a vowel

• It is used when a suffix begins with a consonant

 Combining Forms
• A combining form (CF) is created when a word root is combined with a
vowel, this vowel is usually an o.
A word root + a vowel (usually an o) = a combining form (CF)
• A word root with the combing vowel attached, separated by a vertical
slash like Arthr/o= joint

Combining Forms
Prefix
Prefix prefix
• A prefix consists of one or more letters attached to the beginning of a root to modify its
meaning; usually indicates location, time, or number. Not all words have prefixes.

• To determine the meaning of a prefix in a medical term, consider a familiar word that begins
with the same prefix.

• For example:

the prefix anti- has the same meaning—against—in both

 antislavery

 Antihistamine

literally against slavery and against histamine

Suffix

 A suffix is one or more letters attached to the end of a root to modify its meaning; indicates
the procedure, disease, or condition

• Examples:

 itis= inflammation

 algia= pain

 ic= pertaining to
Basic Rules of Word Building
• There are three important rules of word building :

• Rule 1: A word root links a suffix that begins with a vowel .

• Rule 2: A combining form (root + o) links a suffix that begins with a consonant .

• Rule 3: A combining form (root + o) links a root to another root to form a compound
word. (This rule holds true even if the next root begins with a vowel.)

• Rule 1: A word root links a suffix that begins with a vowel.

• e.g.: Link the following roots with suffixes, each of which begins with a vowel.
• Rule 2: A combining form (root + o) links a suffix that begins with a consonant.
• e.g.: Change the following roots to combining forms and link them with suffixes
that begin with a consonant.

• Rule 3: A combining form (root + o) links a root to another root to form a

compound word. (This rule holds true even if the next root begins with a vowel.)

• Oste + chondr + -itis becomes Oste/o/chondr/itis

• gastr + enter + -itis becomes gastr/o/enter/itis

 Analyzing Medical Terms
When you analyze a medical term, begin at the end of the word. The ending is called a suffix then
move to the beginning of the term to complete the definition (does not apply to all medical terms)
For example, the term HEMATOLOGY is divided into three parts:

HEMAT /O/ LOGY

↓ ↓ ↓
root combining suffix
(blood) vowel (study of)

Now put together the meanings of the suffix and the root: HEMATOLOGY means study of blood.

Analyzing Medical Terms

Another familiar medical term is ELECTROCARDIOGRAM. this term, often abbreviated as ECG (or EKG).
ELECTR /O/ CARDI /O/ GRAM
1. Root …… ELECTR …… (electricity)
2. Combining vowel … O …… (no meaning)
3. Root ……. CARDI ……. (heart)
4. Combining vowel … O …… (no meaning)
5. Suffix …… GRAM…….. (record).

• Start with the suffix at the end of the term -GRAM means a record. Now look at the beginning of the
term. ELECTR is a word root, and it means electricity. Read the meaning of medical terms from the
suffix, back to the beginning of the term, and then across.
Analyzing Medical Terms

GASTR /O/ ENTER /O/ LOGY

Root Root suffix
(stomach) (intestine) (study of)

• Gastroenterology has two combining forms are GASTR/O and ENTER/O. The entire word
(reading from the suffix, back to the beginning of the term, and across) means study of the
stomach and the intestines.

GASTR /O/ SCOPE

Root suffix
(stomach) (instrument to visually examine)

• Gastroscope means instrument to visually examine the stomach.

Analyzing Medical Terms

CARDI / AC
root suffix
(heart) (pertaining to)
means pertaining to the heart. Again, the combining vowel (O) is dropped when the suffix (-AC) begins
with a vowel. Words ending in -AC are adjectives.

ENTER/ITIS
Root suffix
(intestines) (inflammation)

inflammation of the intestines. Notice again that the combining vowel (O) is dropped because the suffix
(-ITIS) begins with a vowel.
• Which rule is applied on the following?
1) (carcin) and (–oma)
2) (colon) and (-scope)

• Answar
1)
• Rule 1: A word root links a suffix that begins with a vowel.
• Carcinoma
 Defining Medical Words
When defining a medical word, first define the suffix. Second, define the
beginning of the word; and finally, define the middle of the word.
Here is an example using the term osteoarthritis.
Oste/o/arthr/itis
(2) (3) (1)
1. Define the suffix first: -itis means inflammation.
2. Define the beginning of the word: oste/o means bone.
3. Define the middle of the word: arthr means joint.
Therefore, oste/o/arthr/itis is an inflammation of the bone and joint.

e.g.: Using the technique for defining medical words as described above,
define the following

• Angioma
• Hematemesis
• Tonsillitis
• Leukocyte
• Thromblysis
 Medical terminology

By

Ph. Zahraa haider jasim

MSc in pharmacology and toxicology
2023-2024
First Lecture
stage two

prefix
• A prefix is a word element located at the beginning of a word.
• Note that the word prefix itself contains (pre-). The second part of the word
prefix is “fix,” which gives us a perfect, definition of prefix: something affixed
(attached) to the front of or before (pre-) something else.

• A prefix that stands alone is followed by a hyphen (-).

• Thus, a prefix is a group of letters placed before the root word.

 Prefix
Prefix prefix
• A prefix keeps its same meaning in every term in which it is used.

• For example:

the prefix anti- has the same meaning—against—in all

 antislavery

 Antihistamine

literally against slavery and against histamine

Prefixes prefix
• Substituting one prefix by another prefix changes the meaning of the word.

• Two similar-sounding prefix pairs that may lead to creating errors such as:
(ante-) and (anti-).

• The prefix (ante-) means “before, anterior, forward”, e.g., antepartum refers to occurring
before childbirth

• the prefix (anti-) means “against, counter, prevent”, e.g., anticoagulant is an agent that is
against the clotting process.
 prefix
• When defining a medical term that has both a prefix and a suffix, define the suffix
first, the prefix next, and the word root last.
• Note in the following example how the meaning of the word changes:
(peri–) = prefix for around,
(cardi) = root word for heart, and
(–itis) = suffix for inflammation.
• Term: pericarditis
• Definition: inflammation around the heart (muscle)

prefix
• Not all medical terms include a prefix, but when one is present, it is critical to the
term’s meaning.

• For example,

 hyperglycemia (high blood sugar)

 hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)

• are conditions that are exact opposites, confusing those two prefixes creates errors.
 Categories of prefixes
• Dividing prefixes into functional categories makes them easier to learn.
• There are 4 divisions:
1. Prefixes of time or speed
2. Prefixes of direction
3. Prefixes of position
4. Prefixes of size or number

1. Prefixes of Time or Speed

.
2. Prefixes of Direction

3. Prefixes of Position
4. Prefixes of size or number
Other prefixes:
 Medical terminology

By

Ph. Zahraa haider jasim

MSc in pharmacology and toxicology
2023-2024
First Lecture
stage three

Suffix
• A Suffix is a word element located at the end of a word.
• A Suffix that stands alone is preceded by a hyphen (-).
• For example the suffix –logy, when it appears by itself, will be written -logy, with
the hyphen indicating that one or more word elements will always come before it.
• Not all root words have a suffix.
• Some suffixes are attached to a prefix only, e.g., dia- = prefix (through, across, or
between) and -rrhea = suffix (discharge, flow). When they form a complete word,
as in this example (diarrhea), the resulting word may be considered a root word,
depending on its use.
 Suffix
• Substituting one suffix for another suffix changes the meaning of the word.
• E.g., carditis, cardiologist, cardiopathy.
• In medical terminology, a suffix usually indicates a procedure, condition, disease,
or part of speech.
• Although the suffix is last in a medical term, it most often comes first in its
definition.
• e.g.: appendicitis means "inflammation (-itis) of the appendix." So, the suffix, in
this case –itis, provides us with the first word of the defining phrase.
Categories of Suffix
• Dividing Suffix into functional categories makes them easier to learn.
• There are 4 divisions:
1) suffixes that signify medical conditions
2) suffixes that signify diagnostic terms, test information, or surgical procedures
3) suffixes associated with a medical specialty or specialist
4) suffixes that convert a noun to an adjective
1. Suffixes Signifying Medical Conditions

• The suffix (-stenosis), for example, indicates a narrowing or blockage in a body

part, which is a condition. Consider the term (arteriostenosis). Because the root
(arter/i/o) means artery, we may conclude that arteriostenosis is a narrowing of an
artery.

• The suffix (-porosis), which means porous, is added to the root (oste/o), to form
the term (osteoporosis), which means “a porous condition of bone.”
 2. Suffixes Signifying Diagnostic Terms, Test Information,
or Surgical Procedures

• Suffixes that form terms related to test information, diagnoses, and procedures
are often attached to a root that signifies a body part.

• The term (appendectomy) is an example.

• The suffix (-ectomy) means “removal of,” and append is the root for appendix.
Thus, the term means “removal of the appendix.”
3. Suffixes That Name a Medical Practice or Practitioner

• Some suffixes relating to a medical practice or practitioner are derived

from the Greek word iatros, which means “physician” or “medical
treatment.”
• Although both (-ician) and (-ist) are used in referring to a specialist, the
suffix (-ist) is perhaps the more common one.
• Gerontologist, a physician who diagnoses and treats disorders of aging.
• Terms referring to a field or medical specialty may also end with the suffix
(-logy). Example:
• Gynecology which means the study of the functions and diseases specific
to women and girls, especially those affecting the reproductive system.
4. Suffixes that denote adjectives
• In creating adjectives, you will also sometimes change noun terms that name specialties.
• For example, psychiatry and pediatrics are the names of specialties.
• Dropping the y from psychiatry and adding the adjective suffix –ic converts the specialty
name to an adjective:
• Psychiatric medicine
• Psychiatric hospital
With pediatrics, on the other hand, all one needs to do to form the adjective is to drop
the s:
• Pediatric medicine
• Pediatric hospital
Suffix – Adjective

• -ous = possessing, having, full of

ex: Nervous (having nerves),
Serous (having serum),
Spinous (having spines)

• -able = ability
ex: Injectable, inflatable

• -ible = ability
ex: Edible, reducible
 Medical terminology

By

Ph. Zahraa haider jasim

MSc in pharmacology and toxicology
2023-2024
First Lecture
stage four

The Major Body Cavities

• The two major body cavities, one in the front of the body and one in the back, are
dividable into sub cavities.

• the ventral cavity located in front body which is subdivided into the thoracic and
abdominal pelvic cavities. The ventral cavity contains all the other internal organs,
sometimes referred to as viscera (singular viscus)

• the dorsal cavity located in the back of the body, Which subdivided into the cranial
and spinal cavities. The dorsal cavity contains the brain and spinal cord, which make
up the central nervous system.
 Body Systems
• Body Systems Apart from their locations in body cavities, each of the organs, tissues, bones, and so
on, belongs to one or more specific body system, in which they work together to carry out physiologic
functions The body systems are listed below

• Endocrine System
• Integumentary System
• Digestive System
• Skeletal System
• Immune System
• Muscular System
• Urinary System
• Heart
• Reproductive System
• Blood Vessels
• Nervous System
• Respiratory System
• Eye Ear
 New roots related to the body

The Digestive
System
 The Digestive System:
• common word elements related to the digestive system
 Common Disorders And Procedures Associated With The
Digestive System
Term Definition

Cholecystectomy excision of the gallbladder

Cholecystitis inflammation of the gallbladder

cholecystopathy any disease of the gallbladder

cholecystotomy incision into the gallbladder

colectomy excision of all or part of the colon

colitis inflammation of the colon

Common Disorders And Procedures Associated With The Digestive

System
Term Definition
• colonoscope device used in colonoscopy
• colonoscopy visual inspection of the colon with a colonoscope
• colopexy fixation of the colon
• colorrhagia abnormal discharge from the colon
• colostomy surgical establishment of an opening into the colon
• colostomy incision into the colon
• duodenectomy excision of the duodenum
• duodenitis inflammation of the duodenum
• duodenorrhaphy suture of the duodenum
• duodenoscopy visual inspection of the duodenum with an endoscope
 Common Disorders And Procedures Associated With The
Digestive System
Term Definition
• enteralgia abdominal pain
• enterectomy excision of part of the intestine
• enteritis inflammation of the intestine
• enterodynia abdominal pain
• enterogastritis inflammation of the intestine and stomach
• enterohepatitis inflammation of the intestine and liver
• enteropathy any intestinal disease
• enteropexy surgical fixation of part of the intestine
• enterorrhagia bleeding in the intestinal tract

Common Disorders And Procedures Associated With The

Digestive System
Term Definition
• enterorrhagia bleeding in the intestinal tract
• enterorrhaphy suturing of the intestine
• enterospasm painful peristalsis
• enterostenosis narrowing within the intestinal tract
• esophagology study of the structure and diseases of the esophagus
• gastrectomy excision of part of the stomach
• gastritis inflammation of the stomach
• gastrocele hernia of the stomach
• gastrocolitis inflammation of the stomach and colon
 Common Disorders And Procedures Associated With The
Digestive System
Term Definition
• gastroduodenitis inflammation of the stomach and duodenum
• gastroenteritis inflammation of the stomach and intestine
• hepatitis inflammation of the liver
• hepatopathy any disease of the liver
• hepatopexy fixation of the liver
• hepatorrhaphy suturing of the liver
• hepatorrhexis rupture of the liver
• hepatoscopy examination of the liver

Common Disorders And Procedures Associated With The

Digestive System
Term Definition
• pancreatalgia pain in the general area of the pancreas
• pancreatitis inflammation of the pancreas
• pancreatopathy any disease of the pancreas
• pancreatotomy incision into the pancreas
• sialoadenitis inflammation of a salivary gland
• sialoadenectomy excision of a salivary gland
• sialoadenotomy incision of a salivary gland
• sialoangiitis inflammation of a salivary duct
• sialography radiography of the salivary glands
• sialorrhea excessive production of saliva
• sialostenosis a narrowing of a salivary duct
Common Abbreviations:
• Abbreviation Meaning

• DM diabetes mellitus
• GERD gastroesophageal reflux disorder
• GI gastrointestinal
• NGT nasogastric tube