Medical Terminology Chapter 1: Basics of Medical Terminology Flashcards
What is a root word?
The central part of a medical word, usually indicating a body part. It can never stand alone and must have a prefix, suffix, or other root word added to make it a medical term.
What is a combining vowel?
A vowel attached to the end of a root word, most commonly ‘o’, used to link parts making a word easier to pronounce.
What is a combining form?
A root word plus a combining vowel.
What is a prefix?
A single letter or group of letters attached to the front of a root word, usually indicating location, time, and number.
What is a suffix?
A single letter or group of letters attached to the end of a root word, usually indicating a condition, disease, diagnostic procedure, or surgical or therapeutic treatment.
What is the plural of ‘larva’?
The plural is ‘larvae’.
What is the plural of ‘thorax’?
The plural is ‘thoraces’.
What is the plural of ‘index’?
The plural is ‘indices’.
What is the plural of ‘prosthesis’?
The plural is ‘prostheses’.
What is the plural of ‘appendix’?
The plural is ‘appendices’.
What is the plural of ‘condyloma’?
The plural is ‘condylomata’.
What is the plural of ‘ganglion’?
The plural is ‘ganglia’.
What is the plural of ‘atrium’?
The plural is ‘atria’.
What is the plural of ‘bronchus’?
The plural is ‘bronchi’.
What is the plural of ‘myopathy’?
The plural is ‘myopathies’.
What does ‘alveol/o’ refer to?
‘Alveol/o’ refers to alveolus or air sac.
What does ‘arthr/o’ refer to?
‘Arthr/o’ refers to joint.
What does ‘aur/o’ refer to?
‘Aur/o’ refers to ear.
What does ‘bi/o’ refer to?
‘Bi/o’ refers to life.
What does ‘cardi/o’ refer to?
‘Cardi/o’ refers to heart.
What does ‘caud/o’ refer to?
‘Caud/o’ refers to tail.
What does ‘cephal/o’ refer to?
‘Cephal/o’ refers to head.
What does ‘cervic/o’ refer to?
‘Cervic/o’ refers to neck or cervix (neck of uterus).
What does ‘col/o, colon/o’ refer to?
‘Col/o, colon/o’ refers to large intestine or colon.
What does ‘cost/o’ refer to?
‘Cost/o’ refers to rib.
What does ‘cutane/o’ refer to?
‘Cutane/o’ refers to skin.
What does ‘enter/o’ refer to?
‘Enter/o’ refers to intestines, usually the small intestine.
What does ‘gastr/o’ refer to?
‘Gastr/o’ refers to stomach.
What does ‘glyc/o’ refer to?
‘Glyc/o’ refers to sugar or glucose.
What does ‘hem/o’ refer to?
‘Hem/o’ refers to blood.
What does ‘hepat/o’ refer to?
‘Hepat/o’ refers to liver.
What does ‘lip/o’ refer to?
‘Lip/o’ refers to fat.
What does ‘log/o’ refer to?
‘Log/o’ refers to study.
What does ‘my/o’ refer to?
‘My/o’ refers to muscle.
What does ‘nas/o’ refer to?
‘Nas/o’ refers to nose.
What does ‘nephr/o’ refer to?
‘Nephr/o’ refers to kidney.
What does ‘neur/o’ refer to?
‘Neur/o’ refers to nerve.
What does ‘or/o’ refer to?
‘Or/o’ refers to mouth.
What does ‘oste/o’ refer to?
‘Oste/o’ refers to bone.
What does ‘path/o’ refer to?
‘Path/o’ refers to disease.
What does ‘pulmon/o’ refer to?
‘Pulmon/o’ refers to lung.
What does ‘rhin/o’ refer to?
‘Rhin/o’ refers to nose.
What does ‘sarc/o’ refer to?
‘Sarc/o’ refers to flesh or connective tissue.
What does ‘thorac/o’ refer to?
‘Thorac/o’ refers to chest.
What does ‘uter/o’ refer to?
‘Uter/o’ refers to uterus.
What does the prefix ‘a-, an-‘ mean?
Not or without.
What does the prefix ‘ante-‘ mean?
Before.
What does the prefix ‘anti-‘ mean?
Against.
What does the prefix ‘bi-‘ mean?
Two or both.
What does the prefix ‘brady-‘ mean?
Slow.
What does the prefix ‘endo-‘ mean?
In or within.
What does the prefix ‘epi-‘ mean?
On, over, or upon.
What does the prefix ‘hyper-‘ mean?
Above, above normal, or excessive.
What does the prefix ‘hypo-‘ mean?
Below, below normal, or deficient.
What does the prefix ‘inter-‘ mean?
Between.
What does the prefix ‘intra-‘ mean?
Within or into.
What does the prefix ‘peri-‘ mean?
Around or surrounding.
What does the prefix ‘sub-‘ mean?
Below or under.
What does the prefix ‘supra-‘ mean?
Above.
What does the prefix ‘tachy-‘ mean?
Fast.
What does the prefix ‘trans-‘ mean?
Across.
What does the prefix ‘ultra-‘ mean?
Beyond or excess.
What do the suffixes ‘-ac, -al, -ar, -ary, -iac, -ial, -ic, -ical, -ior’ indicate?
Pertaining to.
What does the suffix ‘-algia’ mean?
Pain.
What does the suffix ‘-cyte’ mean?
Cell.
What does the suffix ‘-ectomy’ mean?
Surgical removal or excision.
What does the suffix ‘-emia’ mean?
Blood condition.
What does the suffix ‘-gen’ mean?
Substance that produces.
What does the suffix ‘-ia’ mean?
Condition.
What does the suffix ‘-ine’ mean?
A substance (noun) pertaining to.
What does the suffix ‘-itis’ mean?
Inflammation.
What does the suffix ‘-logist’ mean?
Specialist or one who studies.
What does the suffix ‘-logy’ mean?
Study of.
What does the suffix ‘-megaly’ mean?
Enlargement.
What does the suffix ‘-oma’ mean?
Tumor or mass.
What does the suffix ‘-osis’ mean?
Process or abnormal condition.
What does the suffix ‘-pathy’ mean?
Disease.
What does the suffix ‘-plasty’ mean?
Surgical repair.
What does the suffix ‘-stomy’ mean?
Surgical opening.
What does the suffix ‘-tomy’ mean?
Process of cutting or incision.
What does the suffix ‘-um’ mean?
Structure, tissue, or thing.
What is etiology?
The study of the causes of pathological conditions, or diseases and disorders.
What is a condition?
Acute (short-term) health issues.
What is a disease?
Chronic (long-term) health issues.
What is acute?
An illness or injury characterized by rapid onset, severe symptoms, and short duration.
What is autoimmune?
Abnormal condition in which the immune system produces antibodies against its own tissues (ex: rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis).
What does benign mean?
Nonrecurring; nonmalignant.
What is chronic?
An illness or injury characterized by long duration and slow progression (ex: congestive heart failure).
What does congenital mean?
A condition present at birth, possibly due to genetic or environmental factors (ex: cerebral palsy).
What is convalescence?
A period of gradual recovery after illness or injury.
What does debilitating mean?
Having a weakening or fatiguing effect.
What does endemic mean?
A disease ongoing and restricted to a specific population or area.
What does endogenous mean?
An injury or condition originating within the body (ex: circulatory diseases, diabetes).
What does epidemic mean?
A sudden, widespread outbreak of a disease within a population.
What does exogenous mean?
An injury or condition originating outside the body (ex: trauma, chemical injury).
What does genetic mean?
Inherited; passed on from biological parents.
What is hypersensitivity?
Condition with an exaggerated response to an antigen; allergy.
What does iatrogenic mean?
An infection or disease arising as a complication of medical or surgical intervention (ex: radiation and chemotherapy).
What does idiopathic mean?
A disease with an unknown etiology.
What does immunological mean?
Pertaining to a reaction between an antigen and an antibody.
What does infectious mean?
Capable of causing an infection.
What does inflammatory mean?
Marked by inflammation or caused by inflammation.
What does ischemic mean?
A condition caused by a temporary deficiency in blood flow to an organ or tissue (ex: ischemic stroke).
What does malaise mean?
A feeling of general discomfort or uneasiness.
What does malignant mean?
Used to describe cancers that tend to spread and become life-threatening.
What does metabolic mean?
A disorder that interferes with normal metabolism (ex: diabetes).
What is metastasis?
Spread of cancer beyond its borders.
What does neoplastic mean?
A new, abnormal growth that may be cancerous or noncancerous.
What does nosocomial mean?
An infection acquired in a hospital setting (ex: pneumonia).
What does nutritional mean?
Relating to chemical processes in the body after ingesting food.
What does opportunistic mean?
A pathogen that normally does not cause disease unless the immune system is weakened (ex: AIDS).
What does pandemic mean?
A disease that spreads over most of the world (ex: COVID-19).
What does prophylaxis mean?
For prevention.
What is a syndrome?
A set of signs or symptoms that occur together as part of a disease process.
What does terminal mean?
A disease with treatments but no cure; fatal (ex: malignant cancers).
What is observation in healthcare?
When healthcare workers observe the patient and ask questions.
What is manifestation?
The ways in which a disease presents or shows itself.
What are signs in medical terms?
Objective observations (ex: temperature, blood pressure).
What are symptoms?
A patient’s awareness of abnormalities or discomfort, not observable or measurable.
What is patient history?
The written description of symptoms in a patient’s record.
What is a physical examination?
Medical examination (physical).
What is inspection?
Observation of one or more areas of the body.
What is auscultation?
Use of a stethoscope to listen to sounds within body cavities.
What is palpation?
Application of pressure on the skin above internal organs to check for abnormalities.
What is percussion?
Tapping areas on the surface of the body to produce a vibrating sound.
What is olfaction?
Use of the sense of smell to detect abnormalities.
What is diagnostic testing?
Use of laboratory tests, x-rays, and other tests to help diagnose a condition.
What is diagnosis?
The identification of a health condition.
What is prognosis?
A forecast or prediction of the probable course and outcome of a disease.
What does ‘a’ (with line on top) mean?
Before.
What does AAF stand for?
African American female.
What does ‘abd’ mean?
Abdomen or abdominal.
What does ABX stand for?
Antibiotic.
What does ‘ad lib’ mean?
As desired.
What does AM, am stand for?
Morning or before noon.
What does ‘b.i.d.’ mean?
Twice a day.
What does ‘c’ (with line on top) mean?
With.
What does ‘c/o’ mean?
Complains of or complaining of.
What does CBC stand for?
Complete blood cell count.
What does consult mean?
Consultation.
What does CT stand for?
Computerized tomography or computed tomography.
What does CXR stand for?
Chest x-ray.
What does DOB stand for?
Date of birth.
What does ECG, EKG stand for?
Electrocardiogram.
What does ER stand for?
Emergency room.
What does H2O stand for?
Water.
What does ‘hs’ mean?
Half strength or bedtime.
What does ‘ht’ mean?
Height.
What does IV stand for?
Intravenous.
What does ‘lb, #’ mean?
Pound.
What does ‘min’ mean?
Minute(s).
What does NKDA stand for?
No known drug allergies.
What does NPO mean?
Nothing by mouth (nil per os).
What does OB/GYN stand for?
Obstetrician/gynecologist.
What does OR stand for?
Operating room.
What does OTC stand for?
Over-the-counter.
What does OV stand for?
Office visit.
What does ‘oz’ mean?
Ounce.
What does ‘p’ (with line on top) mean?
After.
What does PM, pm stand for?
After noon.
What does ‘postop’ mean?
After surgery or postoperative.
What does ‘pre-op’ mean?
Before surgery or preoperative.
What does Pro. Time stand for?
Prothrombin time (blood-clotting test).
What does Pt, pt. stand for?
Patient.
What does PTT stand for?
Partial thromboplastin time (blood-clotting test).
What does ‘q’ mean?
Every.
What does Rx, Rhx stand for?
Prescription.
What does ‘s’ (with line on top) mean?
Without.
What does SOB stand for?
Shortness of breath.
What does ‘stat, STAT’ mean?
Immediately.
What does Sx stand for?
Symptoms.
What does T&C stand for?
Type and crossmatch.
What does ‘t.i.d’ mean?
Three times a day.
What does TPR stand for?
Temperature, pulse, respiration.
What does UA stand for?
Urinalysis.
What does ‘ung’ mean?
Ointment.
What does VS, V/S stand for?
Vital signs.
What does WNL stand for?
Within normal limits.
What does wt stand for?
Weight.
What does ‘y/o’ mean?
Years old or year-old.
