Basic Word Structure: Chapter One Flashcards
When you analyze a a medical term, begin at the ___ of the word.
end
The ending of a term is called a
Suffix
All medical terms contain..
Suffixes
The suffix in HEMATOLOGY is
-LOGY
The meaning of the suffix -LOGY is
Study of
The meaning of the root word HEMAT- is
Blood
After you analyze the end of the medical term, look at the
Beginning of the term
The root gives the ____ ____ of the term.
Essential meaning
The important connector between the root and the suffix is called a..
Hint: the letter has no meaning of its own.
Combing vowel
Ex: /o/
HEMATOLOGY means
Study of blood
ELECTROCARDIOGRAM is often abbreviated as
ECG ( or sometimes EKG)
How many root words does ELECTROCARDIOGRAM have
2 root words:
ELECTR-
CARDI-
The suffix -GRAM means
Record
The root ELECTR- means
Electricity
The root word CARDI- means
Heart
What order do you read the meaning of medical terms?
- The suffix
- Back to the beginning of the term
- And then across
ELECTROCARDIOGRAM means
Record of the electricity in the heart
(It is the electrical current flowing within the heart that causes the heart muscle to contact, pumping blood throughout the body.)
The sound made by the contraction and relaxation of the heart muscle is called
The heartbeat
The combining vowel plus the root is called a
A combining form
Ex: ELECTR/O and CARDI/O
The two combining forms in the term GASTROENTEROLOGY are
GASTR/O and ENTER/O
GASTROENTEROLOGY means
The study of the stomach and the intestines.
GASTR- means
Stomach
ENTER- means
Intestines
GASTROSCOPE means
Instrument to visually examine the stomach.
The suffix -SCOPE means
Instrument to visually examine
The suffix -IC means
Pertaining to
GASTRIC means
Pertains to the stomach
The combing vowel (O) is dropped when the suffix begins with a…
Vowel
Ex: (-IC)
Words ending in -IC are ____ that modify a ___.
Adjectives
Noun
Ex: gastric pain, gastric cancer
CARDI/AC means
Pertaining to the heart
The suffix -AC means
Pertaining to
Why is the combing vowel (O) dropped in the term CARDIAC?
Because the suffix (-AC) begins with a vowel.
The suffix -ITIS means
Inflammation
ENTERITIS means
Inflammation of the intestines
GASTROENTERITIS means
Inflammation of the stomach and intestines
What is the small word part attached/added to the beginning of the term
Prefix
The prefix SUB- means
Below
SUB/gastr/ic means
Pertaining to below the stomach
The prefix TRANS- means
Across
TRANS/gastr/ic means
Pertaining to across the stomach
The prefix RETRO- means
Behind
RETRO/gastr/ic means
Pertaining to behind the stomach
ADEN/OMA means
tumor/mass in the gland
ADEN/ITIS means
inflammation in the gland
ARTHR/ITIS means
inflammation in the joint
BI/O/LOGY means
the study of life
CARCIN/OMA means
tumor/mass that is cancerous
CARDI/O/LOGY means
study of the heart
CEPHAL/IC means
pertaining to the head
CEREBR/AL means
pertaining to the cerebrum (largest part of the brain)
The suffix -AL means
Pertaining to
How many functions does the cerebrum have?
Ten
- Reading
- Vision
- Hearing
- Writing
- Sensations from body
- Movement
- Eye Movement
- Thought Process
-Smell
- Speech
CERE/O/VASCULAR accident (CVA) means
An accident pertaining to blood vessels in the cerebrum (stroke)
The root word CERE- means
Cerebrum
The word VASCULAR means
Pertaining to blood vessels
What happens in a stroke?
- blood is prevented from reaching areas of the cerebrum
- brain cells die
Depending on the location and extent of reduced blood flow during a stroke, the 4 signs and symptoms may include
- loss of movement (paralysis),
- loss of speech (aphasia),
- weakness,
- changes in sensation
The root word CYST- means
Urinary bladder
The word CYST/O/SCOPE means
Instrument to visually examine the urinary bladder
In the male urinary tract, the prostrate gland lies ____ the urinary bladder.
Below
What does the prostrate gland do?
secretes fluid that combines with sperm to form semen.
Semen leaves the body through the ___ during ejaculation.
Urethra
The root word CYT- means
Cell
The word CYT/O/LOGY means
Study of a cell
The root word DERM- means
Skin
The root word DERMAT- means
Skin
The word DERM/AL means
Pertaining to the skin
The word DERMAT/ITIS means
Inflammation of the skin
The root word ENCEPHAL- means
Brain
The word ENTER/ITIS means
Inflammation in the intestines (often the small intestine)
COL/O and COLON/O are combing forms for the
Large intestine (colon)
What is the ELECTR/O/ENCEPHAL/O/GRAM helpful in determining
Whether a patient has a seizure disorder, such as epilepsy.
The root word ERYTHR- means
Red
The word ERYTHR/O/CYTE means
Blood cell that is red
The three major types of blood cells are
Erythrocytes
Leukocytes
Thrombocytes/Platelets
What does the blood cell ERYTHROCYTES do?
Carry oxygen
What do the blood cells LEUKOCYTES do?
Fight disease
The suffix -SCOPY means
PROCESS of visual examination using an instrument
The word GASTR/O/SCOPY means
A process of visual examination using an instrument in the stomach
The prefix DIA- means
Complete
The root word -GNOS- means
Knowledge
The suffix -SIS means
State of
The word DIA/GNOS/IS means
(State of) complete knowledge (that is gained after testing and examining the patient)
OR determination of the nature and cause of disease
The plural of diagnosis is
Diagnoses
The prefix PRO- means
Before
The word PRO/GNOS/IS means
A prediction (before knowledge) that is made after the diagnosis. It forecasts the outcome of treatment based on the diagnosis.
FORMATION OF PLURALS
Words ending in A ____ the a and add ___.
Retain
-e
Ex:
Singular, Plural
vertebra, vertebrae
bursa, bursae
What is the singular term meaning of vertebra?
Backbone
What is the singular term meaning of bursa?
Sac of liquid near a joint
FORMATION OF PLURALS
Words ending in IS ___ the is and add ___.
Drop
-es
Ex:
Singular, Plural
diagnosis, diagnoses
psychosis, psychoses
What is the singular term meaning of psychosis?
Abnormal condition of the mind
FORMATION OF PLURALS
Words ending in EX or IX ____ the ex/ix and add ____.
Drop
-ices
Ex:
Singular, Plural
Apex, apices
Cortex, cortices
Varix, varices
What is the singular term meaning of apex?
Pointed end of an organ
What is the singular term meaning of cortex?
Outer part of an organ
What is the singular term meaning of varix?
Enlarged, swollen vein
FORMATION OF PLURALS
Words ending in ON ____ the on and add ___.
Drop
-a
Ex:
Singular, Plural
Ganglion, ganglia
What is the singular term meaning of ganglion?
Group of nerve cells; benign cyst near a joint (such as wrist).
FORMATION OF PLURALS
Words ending in UM ___ the um and add ___.
Drop
-a
Ex:
Singular, Plural
Bacterium, bacteria
Ovum, ova
What is the singular term meaning of bacterium?
Type of one-celled organism
What is the singular term meaning of ovum?
Egg cell
FORMATION OF PLURALS
Words ending in US ____ the us and add ___*.
Drop
-i (*exceptions to this rule are viruses and sinuses)
Ex:
Singular, Plural
Bronchus, bronchi
Calculus, calculi
What is the singular term meaning of bronchus?
Tube leading from the windpipe to the lungs
What is the singular term meaning of calculus?
Stone
The root word GYNEC- means
Woman, female
The word GYNEC/O/LOGY means
The study of female/ woman disorders
The suffix -GLOBIN means
Protein
The word HEM/O/GLOBIN means
Protein in red blood cells (erythrocytes) that helps carry oxygen in the blood.
The word HEMAT/OMA means
Mass/swelling containing blood
What does a Gynecologist do?
Specializes in diseases of the female reproductive organs.
What is SUB/UNGU/AL Hematoma
Blood pertaining to below the nail caused by trauma
The root word LAPAR- means
Abdomen (area between the chest and hips)
The suffix -TOMY means
Cutting into (incision)
The word LAPAR/O/TOMY means
Cutting into (incision) the abdomen
What does the surgeon do in an exploratory laparotomy?
They make a large incision in the abdominal wall to inspect organs for evidence of disease.
What is a LAPAROSCOPY ?
The process of visual examination of the abdomen using an instrument, using several small incisions for a LAPAROSCOPE.
What does the root word LEUK- mean?
White
The GREEK root word NEPHR- means
Kidney
The suffix -ECTOMY means
Cutting out (removal)- an excision or resection of an organ or other part of the body
The word NEPHR/ECTOMY means
Removal (cutting out) of the kidney.
The root word NEUR- means
Nerve
The word NEUR/O/LOGY means
The study of nerves ( disorders and nervous system)
The root word ONC- means
Cancerous tumor
The word ONCOLOGIST means
A specialist that studies cancerous tumors
The root word OPHTHALM- means
Eye
The word OPHTHALM/O/SCOPE is
An instrument to visually examine the eye ( both outer and inner areas )
The root word OSTE- means
Bone
The word OSTE/O/ARTHR/ITIS means
Inflammation of the bones and joints
(Disease of older people; degenerative changes with the thinking and loss of cartilage. Inflammation of the joint membrane occurs late in the disease)
The root word PATH/ means
Disease
The word PATH/O/LOGIST
A doctor who specializes in viewing samples/diseases to make a diagnosis and examines dead bodies (in an autopsy) to determine the cause of death.
The root word AUT- means
Self
The word AUT/OPSY means
The process of viewing for yourSELF (own eyes) what caused a patients death
The root word PSYCH- means
Mind
The suffix -OSIS means
Abnormal condition
The word PSYCH/OSIS means
The abnormal condition of the mind
The LATIN root word REN- means
Kidney
The word REN/AL means
Pertaining to the kidney
Th root word RHIN- means
Nose
The word RHIN/ITIS means
Inflammation of the nose
The root word SARC- means
Flesh
The word SARC/OMA means
Cancerous tumor that grows from the flesh
The root word THROMB- means
Clotting
A THROMBUS is
A blood clot
The word THROMB/O/SIS means
The state/condition of forming a blood clot (clotting)
The suffix -ALGIA means
Condition of pain
The suffix -emia means
Blood condition
The suffix -ia means
Condition
The root word HYPHER- means
Excessive
The suffix -ism means
Condition, process
The word HYPHER/THYROID/ISM means
The condition of excessive activity in the thyroid gland
The word LEUK/O/CYT/OSIS means
The abnormal condition (increase) of white blood cells. It is a response to infection
The root word RHEUMAT- means
Flow or watery discharge of the joints
The word RHEUMAT/O/LOGY means
The study of joint diseases
The root word UR- means
Urinary tract
The prefix a-, an- means
No, not (decrease)
The word AN/EMIA means
A blood condition with a decrease in numbers of red blood cells or hemoglobin
What is the difference between the root OPS- and the suffix -OPSY?
OPS- = viewing
-OPSY = the process of viewing
The suffix -METER means
Measurement
The prefix DYS- means
Bad, painful, difficult, abnormal
The suffix -Y means
Condition or process
The word DYS/ENTER/Y means
The condition of painful intestines
The prefix ENDO- means
Within
The root CRIN- means
To secrete
What do ENDO/CRINE glands do?
Secrete hormones within the body and into the bloodstream
The prefix EXO- means
Outside
What does the suffix -UM indicate?
a structure
The ENDO/CARDI/UM is
The inner lining (structure) within the heart
The root word GLYC- means
Sugar
The word Mellitus means
Sweet
The prefix HYPER- means
Excessive, too much, more than normal
The prefix HYPO- means
Below, less than normal, under
The prefix PERI- means
Surrounding
The word PERI/CARDI/UM means
Membrane (structure) surrounding the heart
The suffix -STATE means
Stands
The prefix RE- means
Back
The word RETRO/GASTR/IC means
Pertaining to behind the stomach
The suffix -SECTION means
Cutting into an organ
The word RESECTION means
Removing some or all of an organ (cutting out)
The word TRANSURETHRAL means
Pertaining to across the urethra
The root word HEPAT- means
Liver
