Building Medical Terms

1
Building Medical Terms
Building Medical Terms
Word Root
Prefix
Suffix
Combining forms
2
Objectives
Objectives
After studying this chapter, you will be able to

• Define the four word parts used to build medical
  terms.
• Define common medical combining forms.
• Define common medical prefixes.
• Define common medical suffixes.
• Describe how word parts are put together to form
  words.

3
Forming Medical Terms
Forming Medical Terms
Medical Term
Word root
Suffix
Prefix
Combining forms
4
Forming Medical Terms Part 2
Forming Medical Terms
Medical terms are formed from two or more word
parts.
5
Word Roots and Combining Forms ACANTH(O)
Word Roots and Combining Forms
Combining Forms
Meaning
acanth (o) actin (o) aer (o) athero bacill
(i) bar (o)
6
Word Roots and Combining Forms BLAST(O)
Word Roots and Combining Forms
Combining Forms
Meaning
blasto carcin(o) chrondro cry(o) crypt(o) cya
n(o)
7
Word Roots and Combining Forms CYT(O)
Word Roots and Combining Forms
Combining Forms
Meaning
cyt(o) dextr(o) dips(o) dors(o) erythr(o) est
hesio
8
Word Roots and Combining Forms GALACT(O)
Word Roots and Combining Forms
Combining Forms
Meaning
galact(o) gluco gero glyco gyn(o) home(o) ki
n(o)
9
Word Roots and Combining Forms KINESI(O)
Word Roots and Combining Forms
Combining Forms
Meaning
kinesi(o) lact(o) leuk(o) lith(o) mio narco
necro
10
Word Roots and Combining Forms NOCT(O)
Word Roots and Combining Forms
Combining Forms
Meaning
noct(i) oncho path(o) phago phon(o) pseud(o)
pyo
11
Word Roots and Combining Forms PYRO
Word Roots and Combining Forms
Combining Forms
Meaning
pyro salping(o) schiz(o) scler(o) scolio soma
to spiro
12
Word Roots and Combining Forms TEL(O)
Word Roots and Combining Forms
Combining Forms
Meaning
tel(o) tono tropho xanth(o) xeno Xer(o)
13
Prefixes
Prefixes

• Prefixes are attached to the beginning of words.
• Modifies the meaning of the word or word root.
• Indicates size, quantity, position of, and
  location.

14
Prefixes (aaut)
Prefixes
Prefix
Meaning
a ab ambi ana ante anti aut(0)
15
Prefixes (brachyhypo)
Prefixes
Prefix
Meaning
brachy brady contra dys hemi hyper hypo
16
Prefixes (interperi)
Prefixes
Meaning
Prefix
inter iso mal meta micr(o) olig(o) peri
17
Prefixes (proun)
Prefixes
Prefix
Meaning
pro re retro semi supra tachy un
18
Suffixes
Suffixes

• Attaches to the end of the word and carries the
  underlying meaning of the word.
• Suffixes can also be combining forms.

19
Suffixes (adcrine)
Suffixes
Suffix
Meaning
-ad -algia -asthenia -blast -cidal -clast -c
rine
20
Suffixes (critectomy)
Suffixes
Suffix
Meaning
-crit -cyte -cytosis -derma -dynia -ectasis
-ectomy
21
Suffixes (emesisgraphy)
Suffixes
Suffix
Meaning
-emesis -emia -esthesia -globin -gram -graph
-graphy
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Suffixes (icmalacia)
Suffixes
Suffix
Meaning
-ic -ism -itis -kinesia -logist -lysis -mala
cia
23
Suffixes (mania-pathy)
Suffixes
Suffix
Meaning
-mania -megaly -oid -opia -ostomy -para -pat
hy
24
Suffixes (penia-phrenia)
Suffixes
Suffix
Meaning
-penia -pepsia -pexy -phage -phobia -phonia
-phrenia
25
Suffixes (phylaxis-rrhaphy)
Suffixes
Suffix
Meaning
-phylaxis -plasty -plegia -pnea -ptosis -rrha
gia -rrhaphy
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Suffixes (rrhexis-tropia)
Suffixes
Suffix
Meaning
-rrhexis -spasm -stasis -stenosis -tomy -trop
hy -tropia
27
Apply Your Knowledge
Apply Your Knowledge
Using various word parts, build terms for the
following meanings.
Meaning
Term
anemia

• Absence of blood
• Bluish color of hands and feet
• Equal vision in both eyes.
• Fast heart.
• Breakdown of sugar.

cyanosis
isopia
tachycardia
glycolysis
28
Apply Your Knowledge Part 2
Apply Your Knowledge
Using various word parts, build terms for the
following meanings.
Meaning
Term

• Lack of white blood cells.
• Softening of bone.
• Inflammation of a vein.
• Nerve pain.
• Science of skin and its diseases.

leukopenia
osteomalacia
phlebitis
neuralgia
dermatology