Overview
This lecture introduces key medical terminology, focusing on common prefixes, roots, suffixes, and essential word parts to help students understand and build medical terms.
Basic Structure of Medical Terms
- Medical terms often consist of a prefix, root word, combining vowel, and suffix.
- Prefixes appear before the root to alter meaning.
- Suffixes appear at the end of the word and often indicate procedure, condition, or disease.
- Combining vowels connect roots to suffixes or other roots, making terms easier to pronounce.
- The root word is the main part of the word and provides the primary meaning.
Common Prefixes
- a/an- means not, without, lacking, or deficient.
- dys- means painful or difficult.
- hypo- means under or below.
- hyper- means excessive, over, above, or high.
- post- means after.
- mal- means bad or evil.
- tachy- means fast or rapid.
- brady- means slow.
- inter- means between.
- sub- means under or below.
- hemi- means half.
- macro- means large.
- micro- means very small.
- my-, myo- refers to muscle.
Common Suffixes
- -algia means pain.
- -pnea means breathing.
- -scopy means the process of viewing.
- -ostomy means creating an opening.
- -otomy means cutting into.
- -ology means the study of.
- -ia means condition of.
- -sclerosis means hardening.
- -megaly means enlargement.
- -emia means blood condition.
- -itis means inflammation.
- -stasis means stopping or controlling.
- -lysis means destruction.
- -paresis means weakness.
- -plegia means paralysis.
- -graphy means the process of recording.
- -pathy means disease or condition.
- -osis means a (usually abnormal) condition.
- -ism means condition of.
Common Root Words
- cardi/o refers to heart.
- colp/o refers to vagina.
- col refers to colon.
- hemo/hem refers to blood.
- phleb/o refers to vein(s).
- oste/o refers to bone or bone tissue.
- arthr/o refers to joint.
- thromb/o refers to blood clot.
- fibrin is a protein forming blood clots.
- pyrexia means fever.
- benign means mild, not cancerous.
- malignant means cancerous.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Prefix — a word part added to the beginning of a root to change meaning.
- Root Word — the core part of a medical term containing its main meaning.
- Suffix — a word ending that modifies the root.
- Combining Vowel — a letter (usually ‘o’) used for easier pronunciation when joining roots and suffixes.
- Benign — not cancerous, mild.
- Malignant — cancerous, harmful.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review and memorize these medical term building blocks.
- Practice creating and decoding medical terms using these prefixes, roots, and suffixes.
- Complete assigned flashcard activities or quizzes if provided.