Chapter 5: Medical Terminology Flashcards
compound
a word formed from two or more whole words
root
the foundation of a word that is not a word that can stand on its own.
combining form
a word root with an added vowel that can be joined with other words, roots, or suffixes to form a new word.
prefix
word part added to the beginning of a root or word to modify or qualify its meaning.
suffix
word part added to the end of a root or word to complete its meaning.
anatomy
the study of body structure
physiology
the study of body function
anatomic position
the standard reference position for the body in the study of anatomy. In this position, the body is standing erect, facing the observer, with arms down at the sides and the palms of the hands forward.
plane
a flat surface formed when slicing through a solid object.
midline
an imaginary line drawn down the center of the body, dividing it into right and left halves.
medial
toward the midline of the body.
lateral
to the side, away from the midline of the body.
bilateral
on both sides
unilateral
limited to one side
mid-axillary line
a line is drawn vertically from the middle of the armpit to the ankle.
anterior
the front of the body or body part.
posterior
the back of the body or body part.
ventral
referring to the front of the body. A synonym for anterior.
dorsal
referring to the back of the body or the back of the hand or foot. A synonym for posterior.
superior
toward the head (e.g., the chest is superior to the abdomen).
inferior
away from the head, usually compared with another structure that is closer to the head (e.g., the lips are inferior to the nose).
proximal
closer to the torso
distal
farther away from the torso
torso
the trunk of the body, or the body without the head and the extremities.
palmar
referring to the palm of the hand.
plantar
referring to the sole of the foot.
mid-clavicular
the line through the center of each clavicle.
abdominal quadrants
four divisions of the abdomen used to pinpoint the location of a pain or injury: the right upper quadrant (RUQ), the left upper quadrant (LUQ), the right lower quadrant (RLQ), and the left lower quadrant (LLQ).
supine
lying on the back
prone
lying facedown
recovery position
lying on the side; also called lateral
Fowler position
a sitting position
