Overview
This lecture covers common medical root words, their meanings, and examples of how they are used in medical terminology, focusing on roots related to body parts and miscellaneous concepts.
Structure of Medical Words
- Medical words often consist of a prefix (beginning), root (middle), and suffix (end).
- Not all words have a prefix; some may combine multiple roots.
- A combining vowel (often "o") links roots to other elements.
Body Part Root Words
- Capito — head; e.g., fovea capitus (depression in femoral head).
- Entero — intestine; e.g., enterocolitis (inflammation of intestine and colon).
- Genu — knee; e.g., genu varum (bow legs), genu valgum (knock knees).
- Veno — vein; e.g., venostasis (slowing of blood in a vein).
- Laparo — abdomen; e.g., laparotomy (incision into abdomen).
- Fronto — forehead; e.g., frontoparietal (frontal and parietal bones/lobes).
- Dorso — back; e.g., dorsal column (posterior spinal cord).
- Oto — ear; e.g., postauricular (behind the ear).
- Digit — finger or toe; e.g., digitorum muscles (control digits).
- Psycho — mind; e.g., psychology (study of the mind).
Miscellaneous Root Words
- Acousto — hearing; e.g., acoustic (sound related).
- Aero — air or gas; e.g., aerogastria (stomach distension by gas).
- Ankyl(o) — crooked, stiff, or fused; e.g., ankylosing spondylitis (spinal inflammation and stiffness).
- Auto — self; e.g., autopilot (self-steering device).
- Bacterio — bacteria; e.g., bactericide (kills bacteria).
- Blasto — immature cell; e.g., myeloblast (immature white blood cell).
- Brachy — short; e.g., brachycephaly (short head).
- Toxi/Toxico — poison; e.g., toxicology (study of poisons).
- Litho — stone; e.g., nephrolithiasis (kidney stone).
- Lacrimal — tear; e.g., lacrimal gland (secretes tears).
Additional Root Words
- Acro — extremities; e.g., acromegaly (abnormal growth of extremities).
- Chemo — chemical; e.g., chemotherapy (chemical treatment).
- Andro — male; e.g., androgen (male hormone).
- Estro — female; e.g., estrogen (female hormone).
- Hidro — sweat; e.g., hidradenitis (inflammation of sweat gland).
- Kypho — humpback; e.g., kyphosis (outward spinal curvature).
- Myco — fungus; e.g., mycosis (fungal disease).
- Myringo — eardrum; e.g., myringomycosis (fungal infection of eardrum).
- Patho — disease; e.g., pathology (study of disease).
- Scolio — crooked; e.g., scoliosis (sideways spinal curvature).
Final Group of Roots
- Somato — body; e.g., somatosensory (body sensation).
- Splanchno — viscera (internal organs); e.g., splanchnic nerves (supply viscera).
- Gluco — glucose; e.g., glucometer (measures blood glucose).
- Glyco — sugar; e.g., glycolysis (breakdown of sugar).
- Thermo — heat; e.g., thermometer (measures temperature).
- Thrombo — clot; e.g., thrombectomy (removal of blood clot).
- Tono — tension; e.g., tonoclonic (muscle tone and jerking).
- Phono — sound; e.g., phonocardiogram (heart sound record).
- Topo — place/position; e.g., topography (study by region).
- Varico — enlarged/twisted vessel; e.g., varicose veins (enlarged veins).
Key Terms & Definitions
- Root word — Main part of a word providing core meaning.
- Combining vowel — Vowel (often "o") connecting roots to suffixes or other roots.
- Prefix — Word beginning modifying the root.
- Suffix — Word ending modifying meaning.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review previous videos/notes on root words, prefixes, and abbreviations.
- Study the provided tables of root words and their meanings.
- Watch upcoming video on medical suffixes.