Chapter 1 Flashcards
Learn medical terminology by using the
programmed learning technique.
The principal technique used throughout the book is known as
programmed learning, which consists of a series of teaching units called frames.
medical word consists of some or all of the following elements
word root (WR); • combining form (CF); suffix; prefix
HOW YOU COMBINE THE 4 ELEMENTS OF A MEDICAL WORD DETERMINES WHAT
THE MEANING OF THE WORD
A word root (WR)
is the main part, or foundation, of a word. All medical words have at least one WR.
A word root, also called a root, may be used alone or
combined with other elements to form another word with a different meaning.
alcohol + ISM
alcoholism (condition marked by impaired control over alcohol use)
sperm + ICIDE
spermicide (agent that kills sperm)
thyroid + ECTOMY
thyroidectomy (excision of the thyroid gland)
alcohol/ic - WHAT IS WR
alcohol
dent/ist - WHAT IS WR
dent
lump/ectomy - WHAT IS WR
lump
insulin/ism - WHAT IS WR
insulin
gastr/it is - WHAT IS WR
gastr
scler/o/derma
sklĕr- ō-DĔR-mă
mast/o/dynia
măst-ō-DĬN-ē-ă
arthr/o/plasty
ĂR-thrō-plăs-tē
the root usually indicates a
body part (anatomical structure).
will find that the roots in medical words are usually derived from
Greek or Latin words.
A CF is created when
a WR is combined with a vowel. This vowel is usually an o. The vowel has no meaning of its own, but enables the connection of two or more word elements. The difficulty of pronouncing certain combinations of WRs requires insertion of a vowel.
Like the WR, the CF is the basic foundation on which
other elements are added to build a complete word
The vowel has no meaning of its own but enables
two elements to be connected to each other.
A combining vowel is used to
link a root to another root to form a compound word. This rule holds true even if the next root begins with a vowel, as in gastr/o/enter/itis.
A suffix
is a word element located at the end of a word. Substituting one suffix for another suffix changes the meaning of the word.
In medical terminology, a suffix usually indicates a
procedure, condition, disease, or part of speech.
A word root links a suffix that
begins with a vowel.
A combining form (root + o) links a suffix that
begins with a consonant.
Elements preceding a suffix can be a
WR or a CF
Three Rules of Word Building
• Rule 1: A 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.)
A prefix is a word element located
at the beginning of a word. Substituting one prefix for another prefix changes the meaning of the word. A prefix usually indicates a number, time, position, or negation. Many prefixes found in medical terminology are also found in the English language.
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. (2,3,1)
- The diacritical mark ˘ is called a
BREVE
- The diacritical mark ¯ is called a
MACRON
- The macron (¯) above a vowel is used to indicate ___________vowel pronunciations
LONG
- The breve (˘) above a vowel is used to indicate _________ vowel pronunciations
SHORT
- The letters c and g have a _____________ sound before the letters a and o. Examples are cardiac, cast, gastric, gonad.
hard
- When pn is at the beginning of a word, pronounce only ___________. Examples are pneumonia, pneumotoxin
p, n, pn). Examples are pneumonia, pneumotoxin.
- When i is at the end of a word (to form a plural), it is pronounced like__________ . Examples are bronchi, fungi, nuclei.
eye
- For ae and oe, only the _____________ vowel is pronounced. Examples are bursae, pleurae, roentgen.
second
- When e and es form the final letter or letters of a word, they are commonly pronounced as _____________ syllables. Examples are syncope, systole, appendices.
separate
Changing the suffix modifies the
meaning of the word
A combining form (root + o) links a suffix that
begins with a consonant.
Pronouncing medical words correctly is crucial because
mispronunciations can result in incorrect medical interpretations and treatments. In addition, misspelled terms in a medical report may become a legal issue
arthr/o/scop/ic
ăr-thrōs-KŎP-ĭk
erythr/o/cyt/osis
ĕ-rĭth-rō-sī-TŌ-sĭs
append/ix
ă-PĔN-dĭks
dermat/itis
dĕr-mă-TĪ-tĭs
gastr/o/enter/itis
găs-trō-ĕn-tĕr-Ī-tĭs
orth/o/ped/ic
or-thō-PĒ-dĭk
oste/o/arthr/itis
ŏs-tē-ō-ăr-THRĪ-tĭs
vagin/itis
văj-ĭn-Ī-tĭs
micro/cyte
MĪ-krō-sīt
arthr/o:
joint
centesis
surgical puncture
arthr/o/centesis ; ăr-thrō-sĕn-TĒ-sĭs
surgical puncture of a joint, Arthrocentesis helps remove accumulated fluid or inject medications
desis
binding, fixation (of a bone or joint)
arthr/o/desis; ăr-thrō-DĒ-sĭs
binding or fixation of a joint
append:
appendix
ectomy
excision, removal
append/ectomy; ăp-ĕn-DĔK-tō-mē
excision or removal of the appendix
-lysis
separation; destruction; loosening
thromb/o
blood clot
thromb/o/lysis
thrŏm-BŎL-ĭ-sĭs; separation, destruction, or loosening of a blood clot
-pexy
fixation (of an organ)
mast/o
breas
mast/o/pexy
fixation of the breasts; mastopexy is performed to affix sagging breasts in a more elevated position; commonly improving their shape
-plasty
surgical repair
rhin/o
nose
rhin/o/plasty
surgical repair of the nose; to change size or shape
rrhaphy
suture
my/o
muscle
my/o/rrhaphy
suture of a muscle
-stomy
forming an opening (mouth)
trache/o
trachea (windpipe)
trache/o/stomy
forming an opening (mouth) into the trachea; Tracheostomy can help bypass an obstructed. upper airway
-tome
instrument to cut
oste/o
bone
oste/o/tome
instrument to cut bone
-tomy
incision
trache/o/tomy
incision into the trachea; tracheotomy can help gain access to an airway below a blockage
-tripsy
crushing
lith/o
caculus; stone
lith/o/tripsy
crushing a stone or calculus
leuk/emia
loo-KĒ-mē-ă
cephal/algia
sĕf-ă-LĂL-jē-ă
gastr/itis
găs-TRĪ-tĭs
append/ectomy
ăp-ĕn-DĔK-tō-mē
gastr/o/scope
GĂS-trō-skōp
men/o/rrhea
mĕn-ō-RĒ-ă
angi/o/rrhexis
ăn-jē-ō-RĔK-sĭs
ureter/o/lith
ū-RĒ-tĕr-ō-lĭth
oste/o/chondr/itis
ŏs-tē-ō-kŏn-DRĪ-tĭs
oste/o/chondr/oma
ŏs-tē-ō-kŏn-DRŌ-mă
oste/o/arthr/itis
ŏs-tē-ō-ăr-THRĪ-tĭs
gastr/o/enter/itis
găs-trō-ĕn-tĕr-Ī-tĭs
cardi/o/gram
KĂR-dē-ō-grăm
carcin/oma
kăr-sĭ-NŌ-mă
enter/o/cyst/o/plasty
ĕn-tĕr-ō-SĬS-tō-plăs-tē
leuk/o/cyt/o/penia
loo-kō-sī-tō-PĒ-nē-ă
erythr/o/cyt/osis
ĕ-rĭth-rō-sī-TŌ-sĭs
hepat/itis
hĕp-ă-TĪ-tĭs ; inflammation of the liver
pancreat/itis
păn-krē-ă-TĪ-tĭs; inflammation of the pancreas
cholecyst/itis
kō-lē-sĭs-TĪ-tĭs; inflammation of the gall bladder
append/ectomy
ăp-ĕn-DĔK-tō-mē; excision of the appendix
gastr/o/megaly
găs-trō-MĔG-ă-lē; enlargement of the stomach
splen/o/megaly
splē-nō-MĔG-ă-lē; enlargement of the spleen
colon/o/scopy
kō-lŏn-ŎS-kō-pē; visual examination of the colon
gram
record, writing