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Basic Term Components

Chapter 2. Basic Term Components. Origins of Medical Terms. Most medical terms have Greek or Latin origins Most diagnostic and surgical terms have Greek origins Most anatomical terms have Latin origins Medical terms have also been influenced by German and French languages

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Basic Term Components

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  1. Chapter 2 Basic Term Components

  2. Origins of Medical Terms • Most medical terms have Greek or Latin origins • Most diagnostic and surgical terms have Greek origins • Most anatomical terms have Latin origins • Medical terms have also been influenced by German and French languages • Many new terms are derived from English

  3. Analysis of Term Components • Most medical terms have three components: • Root — foundation or subject of the term • Suffix — ending that gives essential meaning to the term • Prefix — added to the beginning of a term when needed to further modify the root

  4. Combining Vowels and Combining Forms • A vowel, usually an “o”, is used to join root to another root or a suffix • The letter “i” is the second most common combining vowel

  5. Rules for Forming and Spelling Medical Terms • A combining vowel is used to join root to root as well as to any suffix beginning with a consonant • A combining vowel is not used before a suffix that begins with a vowel • If the root ends in a vowel and the suffix beings with the same vowel, drop the final vowel from the root and do not use a combining vowel

  6. Rules for Forming and Spelling Medical Terms (continued) • Most often, a combining vowel is inserted between two roots even when the second root begins with a vowel. • Occasionally, when a prefix ends in a vowel and the root begins with a vowel, the final vowel is dropped from the prefix

  7. Defining Medical Terms throughWord Structure Analysis • You can usually define a term by interpreting the suffix first, then the prefix (if present), then the succeeding root or roots

  8. Note • It is difficult to know the difference between prefixes and roots (or combining forms) because the root is placed first in a medical term when a prefix is not needed • Memorize the most common prefixes so that you can recognize them when used in a term

  9. Formation of Medical Terms • Most medical terms build from the root • Prefixes and suffixes are attached to modify its meaning • Often two or more roots are linked before being modified • Occasionally, terms are formed by a root alone or a combination of roots • Sometimes, a term is formed from the combination of a prefix and suffix

  10. Spelling Medical Terms • Sometimes words sound exactly the same but are spelled differently and have different meanings: • Context is the clue to spelling • Some words sound similar but are spelled differently and have different meanings • When letters are silent in a term, they risk being omitted when spelling the word

  11. Spelling Medical Terms (continued) • Some words have more than one acceptable spelling • Some combining forms have the same meaning but different origins that compete for usage

  12. Types of Suffixes • Simple: form basic terms • For example: • -ic (pertaining to) • -ium (structure or tissue) • -y (condition or process of)

  13. Types of Suffixes (continued) • Compound: uses a combination of basic term components to modify a term • For example: • -tomy • -y + tom (root meaning to cut), refers to a process of cutting (incision) • -ectomy • -ec (prefix meaning out) + tom (to cut) + -y refers to a process of cutting out (excision or removal)

  14. Four Categories of Suffixes • Symptomatic suffixes: describe the evidence of disease • Diagnostic suffixes: provide the name of a medical condition • Operative suffixes: describe a surgical treatment • General suffixes: have a general application

  15. Root/Suffix cardi / acheart / pertaining to (pertaining to the heart)

  16. Prefix/Root/Suffix epi / card / iumupon / heart / tissue (tissue upon the heart, i.e.,external lining of the heart)

  17. Prefix/Root/Suffix (continued) sub / endo / cardia / albeneath / within / heart / pertaining to (pertaining to beneath and within the heart)

  18. Root/Combining Vowel/Suffix cardi / o / logyheart / / study (study of the heart)

  19. Root/Combining Vowel/Root/Suffix cardi / o / pulmon / ary heart / / lung / pertaining to (pertaining to the heart and lungs)

  20. Root/Combining Vowel/Suffix(symptomatic) cardi / o / dynia heart / / pain (pain in the heart)

  21. Root/Combining Vowel/Suffix(diagnostic) cardi / o / rrhexis heart / / rupture (a rupture of the heart)

  22. Root/Combining Vowel/Suffix(operative) cardi / o / rrhaphy heart / / suture (a suture of the heart)

  23. Exceptions: Root Alone ductroot (to lead)

  24. Exceptions: Combination of Roots ovi / duct root / root egg / to lead (Oviduct refers to the uterine tube)

  25. Exceptions: Prefix and Suffix meta / stasis prefix / suffix beyond, after, / stop or stand or change (Metastasis refers to the spread of a disease,such as cancer, from one location to another)

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