Chapter 1 - Basic Elements of a Medical Word

Question 1

Word Root

Answer 1

The foundation of a medical term and contains its primary meaning.

• all have at least one WR
• Greek WR used to build words that describe a disease, condition, treatment, or diagnosis
• Latin WR used to build words that describe anatomical structures

Question 2

Skin

Answer 2

Dermatos (Gr) WR - dermat

Cutis (L) WR - cutane

Question 3

Kidney

Answer 3

Nephros (Gr) WR - nephr

rênes (L) WR - ren

Question 4

Mouth

Answer 4

Stomatos (Gr) WR - stomat

Oris (L) WR - oris

Question 5

Combining Forms

Answer 5

Is created when a word root is combined with a vowel.

- the vowel (combining vowel is usually an o, but is sometimes an i

Question 6

erythr/ + o = erythr/o

Answer 6

red

Question 7

gastric/ + o = gastr/o

Answer 7

stomach

Question 8

hepat/ + o = hepat/o

Answer 8

liver

Question 9

immun/ + o = immun/o

Answer 9

immune, immunity, safe

Question 10

nephr/ + o = nephr/o

Answer 10

kidney

Question 11

oste/ + o = oste/o

Answer 11

bone

Question 12

Suffix

Answer 12

A word element placed at the end of a word that changes the meaning of the word.
- usually describes a pathology (disease or abnormality), symptom, surgical or diagnostic procedure, or part of speech.

Question 13

-itis

Answer 13

inflammation

Question 14

-megaly

Answer 14

enlargement

Question 15

-oma

Answer 15

tumor

Question 16

Prefix

Answer 16

Word element attached at the beginning of a word or word root.

• not all medical words have a prefix
• prefix usually indicates a number, time, position, direction, or negation

Question 17

an-

Answer 17

without, not

Question 18

hyper-

Answer 18

excessive, above normal

Question 19

intra-

Answer 19

in, within

Question 20

para-

Answer 20

near, beside; beyond

Question 21

poly-

Answer 21

many, much

Question 22

pre-

Answer 22

before

Question 23

Rules for defining medical words

Answer 23

1. Define the suffix, or last part of the word
2. Define the first part of the word (might be a word root, combining form, or prefix
3. Define the middle parts of the word

Question 24

Rules for building medical words

Answer 24

1. A word root links a suffix that begins with a vowel
2. A combining form (root + o) links a suffix that begins with a consonant
3. A combining form links one root to another root to form a compound word (rule holds true even if second root beings with a vowel such as osteoarthritis