Copyright 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.

1
The Language Of
Medicine
10
th
edition
Davi-Ellen Chabner
Chapter 1
Basic Word Structure
Copyright 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.


2
Copyright 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.


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Chapter Goals
Identify basic objectives to guide your
study of the medical language.
Divide medical words into their
component parts.
Learn the meanings of basic combining
forms, prefixes, and suffixes of the
medical language.
Use these combining forms, prefixes, and
suffixes to build medical words.

Copyright 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.


4
Chapter 1
Lesson 1.1
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5
Objectives in Studying
The Medical Language
Analyze words by dividing them into
component parts.

Relate the medical terms to the structure
and function of the human body.

Be aware of spelling and pronunciation
problems.
Copyright 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.


6
QUICK QUIZ:
1. All medical terms have:
A. a combining vowel
B. two roots
C. a suffix
D. a prefix
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QUICK QUIZ: (contd)
2. Which element appears at the beginning
of a medical term?

A. Suffix
B. Prefix
C. Combining vowel
D. Combining form
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8
Word Analysis
HEMAT/O/LOGY

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Word Analysis (contd)
HEMAT/O/LOGY

root suffix
combining vowel


hemat means blood
-logy means process of study
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Word Analysis (contd)

Important elements:
Root: foundation of the term
Suffix: word ending
Prefix: word beginning
Combining vowel: vowel (usually o) that
links the root to the suffix or the root to
another root and aids pronunciation
Combining form: combination of the root
and the combining vowel
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Word Analysis (contd)
ELECTR/O/CARDI/O/GRAM

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12
Word Analysis (contd)
ELECTR/O/CARDI/O/GRAM

root root suffix
combining vowels

electr means electricity
cardi means heart
-gram means record

Copyright 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.


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Word Analysis (contd)
GASTR/ITIS

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Word Analysis (contd)
GASTR/ITIS

root suffix

gastr means stomach
-itis means inflammation

Note: Drop combining vowel when suffix starts
with a vowel (as in itis)
Copyright 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.


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Word Analysis (contd)
GASTR/O/ENTER/O/LOGY

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Word Analysis (contd)
GASTR/O/ENTER/O/LOGY

root root suffix
combining vowels

gastr means stomach
enter means intestines
-logy means process of study

Copyright 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.


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Word Analysis (contd)

THREE General Rules:
1. Read the meaning of medical terms
from the suffix back to the beginning
of the term and across
2. Drop the combining vowel (usually o)
before a suffix beginning with a vowel:
gastritis not gastroitis
3. Keep the combining vowel between
two roots: gastroenterology not
gastrenterology

Copyright 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.


18
Word Analysis (contd)
HYPO/GASTR/IC


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Word Analysis (contd)
HYPO/GASTR/IC

prefix root suffix

hypo- means below
gastr means stomach
-ic means pertaining to


Copyright 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.


20
Word Analysis (contd)
EPI/GASTR/IC

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Word Analysis (contd)
EPI/GASTR/IC

prefix root suffix

epi- means above
gastr means stomach
-ic means pertaining to


Copyright 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.


22
Combining Forms


aden/o _________
arthr/o _________
bi/o _________
carcin/o _________
cardi/o _________
Combining Form Meaning
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Combining Forms (contd)


aden/o gland
arthr/o joint
bi/o life
carcin/o cancerous, cancer
cardi/o heart
Combining Form Meaning
Copyright 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.


24
QUICK QUIZ:
3. Which term means inflammation
of the gland?
A. Arthritis
B. Adenitis
C. Adenoma
D. Cephalic
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Combining Forms


cephal/o _________
cerebr/o _________
cis/o _________
crin/o _________
cyst/o _________
Combining Form Meaning
Copyright 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.


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Combining Forms (contd)


cephal/o head
cerebr/o cerebrum
cis/o to cut
crin/o to secrete
cyst/o urinary bladder
Combining Form Meaning
Copyright 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.


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Combining Forms (contd)
cyt/o _________
derm/o or dermat/o _________
electr/o _________
encephal/o _________
enter/o _________
Combining Form Meaning
Copyright 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.


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Combining Forms (contd)


cyt/o cell
derm/o or dermat/o skin
electr/o electricity
encephal/o brain
enter/o intestines
Combining Form Meaning
Copyright 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.


29
QUICK QUIZ:
4. Which term means study of cells?
A. Cystoscopy
B. Cystitis
C. Cytology
D. Hematology
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Combining Forms


erythr/o _________
gastr/o _________
glyc/o _________
gnos/o _________
gynec/o _________
hemat/o or hem/o _________
Combining Form Meaning
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Combining Forms (contd)


erythr/o red
gastr/o stomach
glyc/o sugar
gnos/o knowledge
gynec/o woman, female
hemat/o or hem/o blood
Combining Form Meaning
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Combining Forms (contd)


hepat/o _________
iatr/o _________
leuk/o _________
log/o _________
nephr/o _________
neur/o _________
Combining Form Meaning
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Combining Forms (contd)


hepat/o liver
iatr/o treatment, physician
leuk/o white
log/o study of
nephr/o kidney
neur/o nerve
Combining Form Meaning
Copyright 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.


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Combining Forms (contd)


onc/o _________
ophthalm/o _________
oste/o _________
path/o _________
ped/o _________
Combining Form Meaning
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Combining Forms (contd)


onc/o tumor
ophthalm/o eye
oste/o bone
path/o disease
ped/o child
Combining Form Meaning
Copyright 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.


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Combining Forms (contd)


psych/o _________
radi/o _________
ren/o _________
rhin/o _________
sarc/o _________
Combining Form Meaning
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Combining Forms (contd)


psych/o mind
radi/o x-rays
ren/o kidney
rhin/o nose
sarc/o flesh
Combining Form Meaning
Copyright 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.


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Combining Forms (contd)


sect/o _________
thromb/o _________
ur/o _________
Combining Form Meaning
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Combining Forms (contd)


sect/o to cut
thromb/o clot, clotting
ur/o urinary tract, urine
Combining Form Meaning
Copyright 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.


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Suffixes


-ac _________
-al _________
-algia _________
-cyte _________
-ectomy _________
Combining Form Meaning
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Suffixes (contd)


-ac pertaining to
-al pertaining to
-algia pain
-cyte cell
-ectomy excision, removal
Combining Form Meaning
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QUICK QUIZ:
5. Which suffix means to cut out or remove?
A. -ectomy
B. -scopy
C. -itis
D.-opsy

Copyright 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.


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Suffixes


-emia _________
-genic _________
-globin _________
-gram _________
-ic, ical _________
Combining Form Meaning
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Suffixes (contd)


-emia blood condition
-genic produced by or in
-globin protein
-gram record
-ic, ical pertaining to
Combining Form Meaning
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Suffixes (contd)


-ion _________
-ist _________
-itis _________
-logy _________
-oma _________
Combining Form Meaning
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Suffixes (contd)


-ion process
-ist specialist
-itis inflammation
-logy process of study
-oma tumor, mass, swelling
Combining Form Meaning
Copyright 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.


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Suffixes (contd)


-opsy _________
-osis _________
-pathy _________
-scope _________
-scopy _________
Combining Form Meaning
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Suffixes (contd)


-opsy process of viewing
-osis condition, usually abnormal
-pathy disease condition
-scope instrument to visually examine

-scopy process of visually examining

Combining Form Meaning
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Suffixes (contd)


-sis _________
-tomy _________
-y _________

Combining Form Meaning
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Suffixes (contd)


-sis state of; condition
-tomy process of cutting, incision
-y process, condition

Combining Form Meaning
Copyright 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.


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Prefixes
a-, an- _________
aut-, auto _________
dia- _________
end-, endo- _________
epi- _________
ex-, exo- _________
Combining Form Meaning
Copyright 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.


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Prefixes (contd)
a-, an- no, not, without
aut-, auto- self, own
dia- complete, through
endo- within
epi- above, upon
ex-, exo- out, outside of, outward

Combining Form Meaning
Copyright 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.


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Prefixes (contd)


hyper- _________
hypo- _________
in- _________
peri- _________
pro- _________
Combining Form Meaning
Copyright 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.


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Prefixes (contd)


hyper- excessive, above, more than normal
hypo- deficient, below, under, less than normal
in- into, in
peri- surrounding, around
pro- before, forward
Combining Form Meaning
Copyright 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.


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Prefixes (contd)


re- _________
retro- _________
sub- _________
trans- _________
Combining Form Meaning
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Prefixes (contd)


re- back, backward, again
retro- behind
sub- below, under
trans- across, through
Combining Form Meaning
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Pronunciation of Terms
When is above a vowel, the sound is long.
For example:
as in pe
as in pen
When is above a vowel, the sound is short.
For example:
as in pple
as in pt
The capitalized syllable is accented.

Copyright 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.


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Pronunciation of Terms
(contd)

Examples:
adenitis d--N-ts
biology b-OL--j
cephalic se-FL-k
iatrogenic i-t-r-JN-k
resection r-SK-shn