Medical Terminology Flashcards
Word Root
the foundation of the word
prefix
what occurs before the root word
suffix
what occurs after the root word
combining vowels
vowels that join one or more word roots to other components of a term
Right and left
refers to the patient’s right and left sides, not to your right and left sides
Superior and inferior
Superior: Above a body part or nearer the head
Inferior: Below a body part or nearer to the feet
Lateral and medial
Parts of the body that lie farther from the midline
medial: Parts of the body that lie closer to the midline; also called inner structures
proximal and distal
Proximal: closer to the trunk
Distal: farther from the trunk or nearer to the free end of the extremity
superficial and deep
Superficial: closer to or on the skin
Deep: Farther inside the body and away from the skin
ventral and dorsal
ventral: the anterior surface of the body (the belly side of the body)
Dorsal: the posterior surface of the body, including the back of the hand.
Anterior and posterior
Anterior: the front surface of the body
Posterior: the back surface of the body
palmar and plantar
Palmar: the front region of the hand
plantar: the bottom of the foot
apex
the tip of a structure
flexion
bending of a joint
extension
straightening of a joint
adduction
motion toward the midline
abduction
motion away from the midline
bilateral
a body part or condition that appears on both sides of the midline
quadrants
the four sections of the abdominal cavity, created by the intersection of two imaginary lines Right upper quadrant left upper quadrant right lower quadrant left lower quadrant
Prone and Supine
prone: lying face down
supine: lying face up
fowler position
an inclined position in which the head of the bed is raised
pathy
suffix meaning disease
o
combining vowel
nephr
kidney
ia
condition of
dys
difficult, painful, or abnormal
ur
urine
hyper
excessive
emesis
vomiting
ic
pertaining to
an
without, absence of
alges
pain
