Overview
This lecture introduces common root words, prefixes, and suffixes used in medical terminology to help students understand and decipher medical terms.
Common Medical Roots
- aden/o refers to glands that secrete substances like hormones or enzymes.
- adip/o pertains to fat or fat tissue, used in terms related to obesity.
- anter/o indicates the front or forward position in anatomy.
- caud/o refers to the lower body or tail end.
- cephal/o means head and is used in terms referring to head conditions.
Prefixes Indicating Location or Direction
- end-, endo- signify 'in', 'within', or 'inside' (e.g., endoscopy).
- exo- means 'out of', 'outside', or 'away from' (e.g., exocrine glands).
- poster/o indicates 'behind' or 'toward the back' (e.g., posterior).
Common Medical Suffixes
- -ologist refers to a specialist in a particular field (e.g., cardiologist).
- -ology means the science or study of a subject (e.g., biology).
- -pathy indicates disease, suffering, or emotion (e.g., neuropathy).
Suffixes Related to Growth and Maintenance
- -cyte refers to a cell (e.g., erythrocyte, a red blood cell).
- -plasia means development, growth, or formation (e.g., hyperplasia).
- -stasis, -static refer to control or maintenance of a constant level (e.g., homeostasis).
Key Terms & Definitions
- Root word — the base part of a word that provides core meaning.
- Prefix — a word part added to the beginning of a term to alter its meaning.
- Suffix — a word part added to the end, often indicating procedure, condition, or specialty.
- Pathology — the study of disease causes and effects.
- Homeostasis — maintenance of stable internal body conditions.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review the listed medical roots, prefixes, and suffixes for memorization.
- Practice applying these components to unfamiliar medical terms.
- Answer the discussion questions to deepen understanding of terminology use in healthcare.