Ch. 8 Medical Terminology Flashcards
Abbreviation
A shortened form of a word or phrase
Prefix
A word element at the beginning of a word; it changes the meaning of the word
Root
A word element that contains the basic meaning of the word
Suffix
A word element at then end of a word; it changes the meaning of the word
Word element
A part of a word
Aphasia
Lack of speaking ability
Cyanosis
Condition of having bluish color
Dysphagia
Difficulty swallowing
Dyspnea
Difficult or painful breathing
Endocarditis
Inflammation of the inner part of the heart
Gastroenterology
The study of the stomach and intestines
Gastrostomy
A surgically created opening in the stomach
Mastectomy
Removal of the breast
Nephritis
Inflammation of the kidney
Oliguria
A small amount of urine
a-, an-
without, not, no, lack of
ab-
away from
ad-
to, toward, near
ante-
before, forward, in front of
anti-
against
auto-
self
bi-
double, two (2), twice
brady-
slow
circum-
around
contra-
against, opposite
cyan-
blue
de-
down, from, off, opposite
dia-
across, through, apart
dis-
apart, free from
dys-
bad, difficult, abnormal, painful
ecto-
outer, outsider
en-
in, into, within
endo-
inner, inside
epi-
on, upon, over
erythro-
red
eu-
normal, good, well, healthy
ex-
out, out of, from, away from
hemi-
half
hyper-
excessive, too much, high
hypo-
under, decreased, less than normal
in-
in, into, within, not
inter-
between
intra-
within
intro-
into, within
leuko-
white
macro-
large
mal-
bad, illness, disease
meg-
large
micro-
small
mono-
one, single
neo-
new
non-
not
olig-
small, scant
para-
beside, beyond, after
per-
by, through
peri-
around
poly-
many, much
post-
after, behind
pre-
before, in front of, prior to
pro-
before, in front of
re-
again, backward
retro-
backward, behind
semi-
half
sub-
beneath, under
super-
above, over, excess
supra-
above, over
tachy-
fast, rapid
trans-
across
uni-
one
abdomin (o)
abdomen
aden (o)
gland
adren (o)
adrenal gland
angi (o)
vessel
arteri (o)
artery
arthr (o)
joint
bronch (o)
bronchus, bronchi
carcin (o)
cancerous, cancer
card, cardio (o)
heart
cephal (o)
head
cerebr (o)
cerebrum (largest part of the brain)
chole, chol (o)
bile
chondr (o)
cartilage
col, colon (o)
colon, large intestine
cost (o)
rib
crani (o)
skull
cyst (o)
bladder, cyst
cyt (o)
cell
dent (i)
tooth
derm, dermat (o)
skin
duoden (o)
duodenum (part of the small intestine)
dur (o)
dura mater (outer lining of the brain and spinal cord)
electr (o)
electricity
encephal (o)
brain
enter (o)
intestines
fibr (o)
fiber, fibrous
gastr (o)
stomach
gloss (o)
tongue
gluc (o)
sweetness, glucose
glyc (o)
sugar
gyn, gyne, gynec (o)
woman
hem, hema, hem (o), hemat (o)
blood
hepat (o)
liver
hydro (o)
water
hyster (o)
uterus
ile (o)
ileum (part of the small intestine)
ili (o)
ilium (part of the hip bone)
jejun (o)
jejunum (part of the small intestine)
lapar (o)
abdomen, loin, flank
laryng (o)
larynx (voice box)
lith (o)
stone
mamm, mast (o)
breast, mammary gland
men (o)
menstruation
my (o)
muscle
myel (o)
spinal cord, bone marrow
necr (o)
death
nephr (o)
kidney
neur (o)
nerve
ocul (o)
eye
onc (o)
tumor
oophor (o)
ovary
opthalm (o)
eye
orth (o)
straight, normal, correct
oste (o)
bone
ot (o)
ear
path (o)
disease
ped (o)
child, foot
pharyng (o)
pharynx (throat)
phleb (o)
vein
pneum (o)
lung, air, gas
proct (o)
rectum
psych (o)
mind
pulmon (o)
lung
py (o)
pus
rect (o)
rectum
ren (o)
kidney
rhin (o)
nose
salping (o)
eustachin tube, fallopian tube
splen (o)
spleen
stern (o)
sternum
stomat (o)
mouth
therm (o)
heat
thorac (o)
chest
thromb (o)
clot, thrombus
thyr (o)
thyroid
toxic (o)
poison, poisonous
trache (o)
trachea (windpipe)
urethr (o)
urethra
urin (o)
urine
ur (o)
urine, urinary tract, urination
uter (o)
uterus
vas (o)
blood vessel, vas deferens
vascul (o)
blood vessel
ven (o)
vein
vertebr (o)
spine, vertebrae
-ac, -al
pertaining to
-algia
pain
-asis
condition, usually abnormal
-cardia
heart action or location
-cele
hernia, herniation, pouching
-centesis
surgical puncture to remove fluid
-cyte
cell
-ectasis
dilation, stretching
-ectomy
excision, removal of
-emesis
vomiting
-emia, -emic
blood condition
-genesis
development, production, creation
-genic
producing, causing
-gram
record
-graph
a diagram, a recording instrument
-graphy
making a recording
-iasis
condition of
-ic
pertaining to
-ism
a condition
-itis
inflammation
-logy
the study of
-lysis
breakdown, destruction of, decomposition
-megaly
enlargement
-mentia
condition of the mind
-meter
measuring instrument
-oma
tumor, mass
-opsy
to view
-pathy
disease
-osis
condition
-penia
lack, deficiency
-phagia
to eat or consume, swallowing
-phasia
speaking, speech
-phobia
an exaggerated fear
-plasty
surgical repair or reshaping
-plegia
paralysis
-pnea
breathing, respiration
-ptosis
falling, sagging, dropping down
-rrhage, rrhagia
excessive flow
-rrhaphy
stitching, suturing
-rrhea
flow, discharge
-sclerosis
hardening
-scope
examination instrument
-scopy
examination using a scope
-stomy, -ostomy
creation of an opening
-uria
urine
-stasis
maintenance, maintaining a constant level, controlling, stopping
-stenosis
narrowing
-tomy, -otomy
incision, cutting into
-trophy
growth, development, nourishment
abd
abdomen
AC; a.c
before meals
ADL
activities of daily living
ad lib
as desired
AIDS
acquired immunodeficiency symptoms
AM
morning
AMB; amb
ambulate (to walk); ambulatory (able to walk)
amt
amount
ap; AP
apical
BM; bm
bowel movement
BP
blood pressure
BRP
bathroom privileges
c with - over
with
C
centigrade; Celsius
cal
calories
cath
catheter
CBR
complete bed rest
C/O; c/o
complains of
CPR
cardiopulmonary resuscitation
CS
central service; central supply
drsg
dressing
Dx
diagnosis
ECG; EKG
electrocardiogram
ER;ED
emergency room; emergency department
F
Fahrenheit
fl; fld
fluid
Fx
fracture
GI
gastro-intestinal
h; hr
hour
H2O
water
HIV
human immunodeficiency virus
ht
height
hx
history
ICU
intensive care unit
I&O
intake and output
IV
intravenous
L
liter
Lab
laboratory
lb
pound
LOC
level of consciousness
lt; L
left
meds
medications
mid noc
midnight
min
minute
mL
milliliter
neg
negative
noc
night
NPO; npo
nothing by mouth (nil per os)
O2
oxygen
OOB
out of bed
OR
operating room
os
mouth
OT
occupational therapy
oz; OZ
ounce
PC; p.c
ounce
per
by, through
PM
afternoon
PO; po
by mouth; orally
prep
preparation
prn
when necessary
Pt; pt
patient
PT
physical therapy
q
every
qh
every hour
q2h, q3h, etc
every 2 hours, every 3 hours and so on
R
rectal temperature, respiration
ROM
range of motion
rt; R
right
s with - over
without
Spec; spec
specimen
stat
at once, immediately
tbsp
tablespoon
TPR
temperature, pulse, and respirations
tsp
teaspoon
U/a; U/A; u/a
urinalysis
UTI
urinary tract infection
VS; vs
vital signs
w/c
wheelchair
Wt; wt
weight
abnormal
different from what is normal or usual
activities of daily living (ADL)
the activities usually done during a normal day in a person’s life
adaptive (assistive) evidence
Any item used by the person or staff to promote the person’s function or safety (hand rail, grab bars, mechanical lifts, canes, walkers, wheelchairs, devices for eating or dressing, and so on)
aphasia
the total or partial loss of the ability to use or understand language
atrophy
the decrease in size or the wasting away of tissue
biological sex
male or female
call light
part of the call system allowing the person to signal the nurses station for help
care plan
a written guide about the person’s care
chronic
an on going illness that is slow or gradual in onset; it has no known cure; it can be controlled and complications prevented with proper treatment
cognitive function
involves memory, thinking, reasoning, ability to understand, judgement, and behavior
contracture
the lack of joint mobility caused by abnormal shortening of a muscle
dementia
the loss of cognitive and social function caused by changes in the brain
drug
a substance taken by mouth, injected, or applied to treat or prevent a disease or condition; medication, medicine
dysphagia
difficulty swallowing
feces
the semi solid mass of waste products in the colon that is expelled through the anus; stool or stools
fever
elevated body temperature
incontinence
not being able to control urination (urinary incontinence) or bowel movements (fecal incontinence)
mobility
the ability to move
orientation; oriented
awareness of one’s self and others; ones loction, and the time; pr awareness of one’s surroundings
perineal
the genital or anal areas
pressure injury
localized damage to the skin and underlying soft tissue; the injury is usually over a bony prominence or related to a medical or other device and results from pressure or pressure in combination with shear
range of motion (ROM)
the movement of joint to the extent possible without causing pain
stool
excreted feces
unconscious
being unaware of one’s setting and being unable to react or respond to people, places, or things
vital signs
temperature, pulse, respirations, and blood pressure (a pulse oximetry)and pain in some agenices
voiding
emptying urine from the bladder; urinating; urination
dyspnea
difficult, labored, or painful breathing
