Chapter 1: Introduction to Medical Terminology Flashcards
Eponyms
Terms that are named after after a person or place associated with the term
(i.e. Alzheimer’s disease and Achilles’ tendon)
Symbols
Terms that have a graphic representation
➕ stands for present
➖ stands for absent
⬆️ stands for increased
⬇️ stands for decreased
Simple Abbreviations
A combination of letters (often, but not always the first of the significant word parts) and sometimes numbers
(i.e. IM- intramuscular and C2- second cervical vertebra)
Acronyms
Abbreviations that are also pronounceable
i.e. CABG- coronary artery bypass graft
Decodable Terms
Terms that can be broken down into their Greek and Latin word parts and given a working definition based on the meanings of those word parts. MOST MEDICAL TERMS ARE DECODABLE
Decodable terms include combining form (word part and combining vowel), a suffix, and sometimes a prefix
(i.e. Glossitis- inflammation of the tongue and sublingual- pertaining to under the tongue)
Wood Root
Word orgin
i.e. Gloss- tongue (Greek)’ lingu- tongue (Latin)
Combining Vowel
A letter sometimes used to join word parts, usually an “o”, but could also be an “a, e, i, or u”
Suffix
Word part appearing at the end of a term, used to indicate whether the term is anatomic, pathologic, diagnostic, or therapeutic intervention term
(i.e. Ary- pertaining to, itis- inflammation, and al- pertaining to)
Prefix
Word part sometimes appearing at the beginning of a term, furthered used to define the absence, location, number, quantity, or state of the term
(i.e. Bi- two and sub- under)
Nondecodable Terms
Words used in medicine whose definitions must be memorized without the benefit of word parts
(i.e. Cataract, asthma, diagnosis, prognosis, sequels, acute, chronic, sign, symptom)
arthr/o
Joint
gastr/o
Stomach
ophthalm/o
Eye
ot/o
Ear
rhin/o
Nose
hepat/o
Liver
-algia
Pain
-tomy
Incision
-scope
Instrument to view
-logy
Study of
-plasty
Surgical repair
-itis
Inflammation
-icle
Small, tiny
-is
Structure, thing
-ole
Small, tiny
-ule
Small, tiny
-um
Structure, thing, membrane
-y
Process of
-ac
Pertaining to
-al
Pertaining to
-ar
Pertaining to
-ary
Pertaining to
-eal
Pertaining to
-ic
Pertaining to
-ous
Pertaining to
-algia
Pain
-cele
Herniation
-dynia
Pain
-emia
Blood condition
-ia
Condition
-malacia
Softening
-megaly
Enlargement
-oma
Tumor, mass
-osis
Abnormal condition
-pathy
Disease process
-ptosis
Prolapse, drooping, sagging
-rrhage, -rrhagia
Bursting forth
-rrhea
Discharge, flow
-rrhexis
Rupture
-sclerosis
Abnormal condition of hardening
-stenosis
Abnormal condition of narrowing
-graphy
Process of recording
-metry
Process of measuring
-opsy
Process of viewing
-ectomy
Removal, resection, excision
-rrhaphy
Suture
-stomy
New opening
-tripsy
Crushing
-graph
Instrument to record
-meter
Instrument to measure
-scope
Instrument to view
-tome
Instrument to cut
-tripter
Machine to crush
-trite
Instrument to crush
-er
One who
-iatrician
One who specializes in treatment
-iatrics
Treatment
-iatrist
One who specializes in treatment
-iatry
Process of treatment
-ist
One who specializes
-logist
One who specializes in the study of
-logy
Study of
a-
No, not, without
an-
No, not, without
ante-
Forward, in front of, before
anti-
Against
dys-
Abnormal, difficult, bad, painful
endo-, end-
Within
epi-
Above, upon
hyper-
Excessive, above
hypo-
Below, deficient
inter-
Between
intra-
Within
neo-
New
par-
Near, beside
para-
Abnormal
per-
Through
peri-
Surrounding, around
poly-
Many, much, excessive, frequent
post-
After, behind
pre-
Before, in front of
sub-
Under, below
trans-
Through, across
arteri/o
Artery
bacteri/o
Bacteria
bi/o
Living, life
cardi/o
Heart
cephal/o
Head
cervic/o
Neck, cervix
chondr/o
Cartilage
col/o
Large intestine, colon
coron/o
Crown, head
cut/o, cutane/o
Head
cyst/o
Bladder, sac
dent/I
Tooth
derm/o
Skin
duoden/o
Duodenum
electr/o
Electricity
enter/o
Small intestine
esophag/o
Esophagus
gloss/o
Tongue
glyc/o
Glucose, sugar
hem/o
Blood
hyster/o
Uterus
lingu/o
Tongue
lipid/o
Lipid, fat
lith/o
Stone (i.e. Gallstones)
mamm/o
Breast
muscul/o
Muscle
my/o
Muscle
nat/o
Birth, born
neur/o
Nerve
oste/o
Bone
path/o
Disease
ped/o
Child
phil/o
Attraction
pne/o
Breathing
psych/o
Mind
somn/o
Sleep
spir/o
Breathing
splen/o
Spleen
therm/o
Heat, temperature
tonsill/o
Tonsil
trache/o
Trachea, windpipe
troph/o
Nourishment
urethr/o
Urethra
valvul/o
Valve
ven/o
Vein
vers/o
Turning
vertebr/o
Backbone, vertebra
Adjective Suffixes
Usually mean “pertaining to”
i.e. -ac, -al, -ary, -eal, -ic, -ous
Noun-Ending Suffixes
Used most often to describe anatomic terms
i.e. -icle, -is, -ole, -ule, -um, -y
Pathology Suffixes
Describe a disease process or a sign or symptom
i.e. -algia, -dynia, -emia, -is, -itis, -osis, -pathy, -ptosis, -rrhea
Diagnostic Procedure Suffixes
Indicate a procedure that helps determine the diagnosis
i.e. -graphy, -metry, -opsy, -scopy
Therapeutic Intervention Suffixes
Indicate types of treatment, may be surgical or medical in nature
(i.e. -ectomy, -plasty, -stomy, -tomy, -tripsy)
Speciality and Specialist Suffixes
(i.e. -er, -ist, -iatry, -logist, -logy)
