Medical Terminology Basics

Medical terminology is akin to learning a new language, consisting of prefixes, roots, and suffixes.

Structure of Medical Terms

• Prefix: The beginning of the word, often descriptive, indicating number, amount, size, location, or color.
• Root: The middle of the word, typically related to a part of the body.
• Suffix: The end of the word, detailing the condition, process, or procedure.

Common Prefixes

Size and Amount

• Macro: Large; visible to the naked eye (e.g., macroscopic).
• Micro: Small; not visible to the naked eye (e.g., microscopic).
• Hyper: High, above normal, elevated.
• Hypo: Low, below normal, decreased.
• Eu-/Normo-: Normal condition (e.g., euthermic).
• Pan/Omni: All (e.g., omnipotent).
• A/An: Absent, lacking.
• Megalo: Large, larger than average.

Numbers

• Mono: Single or singular.
• Di: Double or two.
• Tri: Triple or three.
• Quad: Four or quadruple.
• Poly: Many.
• Oligo: Few, several, or very little.

Speed

• Tachy: Rapid, fast.
• Brady/Brachy: Slow.

Location

• Epi, Peri, Circum: Around (e.g., perimeter, circumference).
• Endo/Intra: Inside, inner, interior (e.g., endocrine, intracellular).
• Exo/Extra: Outside, outer, exterior (e.g., exocytosis).
• Inter: Between (e.g., intercellular).
• Trans: Across (e.g., transmembrane).
• Dia/Per: Through or complete (e.g., diameter).
• Medi: Middle.
• Para: Nearby.
• Juxta: Next to, beside.

Movement

• AB: Away (e.g., abduction).
• Ad: Towards (e.g., adduction).
• Dis: To separate (e.g., displace).

Colors

• Chromo/Chromato: Color.
• Leuko: White (e.g., leukocyte).
• Erythro: Red.
• Cyano: Blue.
• Chloro: Green.
• Melan/Melano: Black.
• Flav: Yellow.

Body Parts

• Homeo: Body.
• Cephalo: Head.
• Cerv/Cervical: Neck.
• Thoraco: Chest.
• Abdomino: Abdomen.
• Pelvo: Pelvic.
• Periton: Peritoneum.
• Derm: Skin.
• Neuro: Nerve.
• Hemo: Blood.
• Arterio/Angio: Arteries.
• Veno/Vena: Veins.
• Vasculo: Vascular.
• Musculo/Sarco: Muscle.
• Osteo/Skelet-: Bone.
• Cyto/Cyt: Cell.

Specific Organs

Neck and Thoracic Organs

• Thyro: Thyroid.
• Tracheo: Trachea.
• Esophago/Esophageo: Esophagus.
• Thymo: Thymus.
• Masto/Mammo: Mammary gland.
• Pulmo/Pneumo: Lung.
• Cardio: Heart.

Abdominal Organs

• Gastro: Stomach.
• Hepato: Liver.
• Cholecysto: Gallbladder.
• Spleno: Spleen.
• Pancreato: Pancreas.
• Adreno: Adrenal gland.
• Nephro: Kidney.
• Entero: Intestine.
• Colo: Colon or large intestine.

Common Suffixes

• Ology: Study of (e.g., biology).
• Philia: Love of.
• Phobia: Fear of.
• Tension: Pressure (e.g., hypertension).
• Xia: Oxygen (e.g., hypoxia).
• Capnea: Carbon dioxide (e.g., hypercapnia).
• Pnea: Air (e.g., dyspnea).
• Ase: Enzyme.

Next Steps

• The next lesson will cover suffixes describing disease states and processes, followed by practice problems.

Conclusion

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