Building a medical word

1 Chapter One: Word Elements, Prefixes and Suffixes

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Basic Word Elements

There are three basic word elements:  prefix, word root (with a combining vowel), and suffix.  Not all medical terms contain all three of these elements and some terms contain more than one of each element.  At first, this may seem confusing, but it will make sense as the course progresses.

A prefix is located at the beginning of a word. As mentioned before, some medical terms will not contain a prefix.  When there is a prefix, the prefix serves to modify the word in some manner.  Prefixes usually signify a number, time, position, direction, or negation (absence of).

Let’s look at some examples:

Perhaps you are familiar with the terms prenatal and postnatal.  Nat/o is the main part of the word, or combining form, which means birth.  Pre- is a prefix which means before.  Post- is a prefix that means after.  When you put these meanings together, prenatal means before birth and postnatal means after birth.

Another example is febrile, which means with fever.  If you add the prefix, a- to febrile, the meaning of the word is completely changed because a- means without.  Therefore, afebrile means without or no fever.

As you can see, the prefix can completely change the meaning of a word.  Therefore, it is very important to learn the meanings of prefixes to correctly interpret medical terms.

Both prefixes and suffixes are combined with the other basic element of a medical word – the word root/combining form.

Defining Medical Words

After you learn prefixes, suffixes, and the word roots related to the various body systems, you will be able to roughly define the medical term by defining the various word parts.  In general, you will define the word parts in the following order:

Define the suffix or last part of the word first.

Next, define the first part of the word which may be a word root or a prefix.

Finally, define the middle part(s) of the word.

So, let’s put that into other words.  Define the words in this order:

last

first

middle

As an example, look at the word macro/card/ia.  Define the suffix or last part of the word first.  In this case, –ia means a condition.  Next, define the first part of the word which in this case is a prefix, macro-.  Macro- means large.  Next, define the middle part of the word which in this case is a word root, card.  Card means heart.  When put together, you get the definition for macro/card/ia:  a condition of a large heart.  The definitions sometimes have to be refined,  but you can use the last, first, middle method of defining a medical term to get a good sense of what the word means.

Building Medical Words

Convention has us follow three rules for building medical words.  Those rules are:

A word root links a suffix that begins with a vowel.

A combining form (WR + CV) links a suffix that begins with a consonant.

When combining two word-roots (which makes a compound word), link them together using the combining form (i.e., the first word root will have a combining vowel added to it that links it to the second word-root).

Let’s take the suffix -itis which means inflammation.  The suffix begins with a vowel, so the preceding word root does not use a combining vowel to link it.  As an example, take the word root gastr– which means stomach.  Link the word root and suffix and you get gastritis.  Note that the word does not use the combining vowel “o” to link gastr- and -itis.  In other words, the word is not gastroitis.

When the suffix begins with a consonant, use a combining form of the word root (which is the WR + CV) to link to the suffix.   Take the suffix –dynia which means pain.  The suffix begins with a consonant, so the preceding word root must be in its combining form (WR + CV) in order to properly link the two.  As an example, for the word root ot- which means ear, you must add a combining vowel (o) linking it to the suffix, –dynia.  You get the word otodynia (ot/o/dynia) which means pain in the ear, or earache.  Note the word is not otdynia.  It is important to note that in most instances, the combining vowel used to make combining forms is the letter o.  There are instances, however, where other vowels will be used.

Finally, you often build compound words in your daily life.  An example is base+ball, or baseball.  Another example is chalk+board, or chalkboard.  When building compound words, you are simply putting two words together to make a new word.  In medical terminology, you also will build compound words.  In most cases, linking the word roots in medical words to make a compound word requires adding a combining vowel.  Here is an example:  osteoarthritis (oste/o/arthr/itis).  The word roots oste (bone) and arthr (joint) are linked with the combining vowel “o”.  To define the word you just built, define the last part first and then the beginning of the word and subsequent terms in order.  Following this guideline, osteoarthritis is defined as inflammation (itis) of the bone (oste) and joint (arthr).

Don’t worry if you are still a little bit confused about this process.  As we learn more terms and work through the activities, this will become more clear.  Eventually, you should feel confident about your ability to build and define medical terms based on their word parts.

One last word of caution: although knowledge of the various parts of medical terms will give you a general idea of the meaning of the term, a medical dictionary will usually provide more detail and specific information relating to the term. For example, the term “appendicitis” can be defined as inflammation of the appendix by its word parts –itis (inflammation) and appendic/o (appendix). If you look it up in a medical dictionary – in this case, Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, 20th edition, the word is defined as “Inflammation of the vermiform appendix, caused by blockage of the lumen of the appendix and following by infection.  It may be acute, subacute, or chronic and occasionally is difficult to diagnose because many other illnesses may cause acute abdominal pain.”  As you can see, the medical dictionary provides important additional information.

Pronunciation

The pronunciation of medical terms can be challenging.  Medical dictionaries can be very helpful in providing pronunciation guides.  Most dictionaries include phonetic pronunciation in parentheses after the word. The following are some general pronunciation guidelines:

Letters

Guidelines

ae, oe

Pronounce only the ē (long e)

es

May be pronounced as a separate syllable when located at the end of a word

g

Pronounce as “j” when located before “e” “i” and “y”

Pronounce as “g” when located before other letters

c

Pronounce as “s” when located before “e” “i” and “y”

Pronounce as “k” when located before other letters

i

When located at the end of a word, it generally indicates a pleural.  Pronounce as a long i or long e

pn

Pronounce only the “n” (the “p” is silent)

ps

Pronounce only the “s” (the “p” is silent)

There are also several online resources that can help you with pronunciation.  Word of caution:  Different providers may pronounce terms differently, depending on where they attended medical school and/or what country they are from.

Pleural Endings

Medical terminology also has different rules for pleural endings.  The following is a list of common pleural endings.

Terms ending with “a”

Add e (ae)

Terms ending with “is”

Change to “es”

Terms ending with “ex” or “ix”

Change to “ices”

Terms ending with “on”

Change to “a”

Terms ending with “um”

Change to “a”

Terms ending with “us”

Change to “i”

Terms ending with “itis”

Change to “idites”

Terms ending with “nx”

Change to “nges”

Terms ending with “y”

Change to “ies”

Terms ending with “x”

Change to “ces”

What is a prefix?

P = prefix or word element that is added to the beginning of the word root.

Some medical terms have prefixes while others do not. If they are present, they are added before the word root.  It is important to note that adding a prefix changes the meaning of the word root.  Prefixes usually signify a number, time, position, direction or negation

Note:  When writing a prefix, use a hyphen after the prefix to indicate it is a prefix and a word element will follow the prefix.  Examples include bi- (which means two), macro- (which means large), and micro- (which means small).

List of Common Prefixes

The following is a list of common prefixes.  Although different medical terminology books may have slightly different lists and slightly different meanings, the following is a fairly inclusive list.

Prefix

Pronunciation

Meaning

Example

a-

an-

ā

ăn

without, absence of, lack of

afebrile (without fever)

ab-

ăb

away from

abduction (away from the midline of the body)

ad-

ăd

toward, near

adductioni (toward the midline of the body)

ambi-

ăm-bē

both sides

ambidextrous (using both hands)

ante-

ăn-tē

before, forward, in front of

antemortem (before death)

anti-

ăn-tē

against

antidote (a therapeutic substance that counteracts the actions of a different substance)

apo-

ā-pō

off, away from, separated from, derived from

apomorphine (a morphine derivative formed by removing one molecule of water from the morphine molecule)

auto-

ăw-tō

self

autobiography (an account of someone’s life written by that person)

bi-

bī

two, both

bilateral (both sides of the body)

brady-

bră-dē

slow

bradycardia (pertaining to slow heart beat)

circum-

sĕr-kŭm

around

circumflex (bending around)

con-

kŏn

together, with

congenital (present at birth, born together)

contra-

kŏn-trŭh

against, opposite

contraception (the prevention of conception)

de-

dē

without, down, from

deactivation (process of making something inactive)

di-

dī

twice, two, double

diacidic (containing two acidic hydrogen ions)

dia-

dī-ŭh

through, across

diameter (the measure from one point to its opposite point)

diplo-

dĭ-plō

double

diploia (double vision)

dys-

dĭs

painful, difficult, abnormal

dysthyroid (abnormal thyroid functioning)

ec-

ecto-

ĕk

ĕk-tō

out, outside

ectoderm (the outermost layer of cells of an embryo in the early stages of development)

en-

end-

endo-

ĕn

ĕnd

ĕn-dō

in, within, inner, inside

endobiotic (pertaining to an organism living parasitidcally in the host)

epi-

ĕ-pē

above, upon

epigastric (pertaining to above the stomach)

eso-

ĕ-sō

inward

esophoria (tendency of the eyes to deviate inward)

eu-

ū

good, normal

euphoric (pertaining to good feelings)

ex-

exo-

extra-

ĕks

ĕk-sō

ĕk-stră

away from, outside, outwards, external

extrapleural (pertaining to the outside of the pleura or pleural cavity)

hemi-

hĕm-ē

half

hemiplegia (paralysis on one side of the body)

hetero-

hĕt-ĕr-ō

different

heterosexuality (attraction between persons of the opposite sex)

homo-

hō-mō

same

homosexuality (attraction between persons of the same sex)

hyper-

hī-pĕr

excessive, above

hypertension (high blood pressure)

hypo-

hī-pō

deficient, below

hypotension (low blood pressure)

in-

ĭn

without, not, absence of, in, within, inner

inhalation (breathing in)

infra-

ĭn-fră

beneath, below

Inframarginal (pertaining to below any margin or edge)

inter-

ĭn-tĕr

between

intervertebral (pertaining to between the vertebrae)

intra-

ĭn-trŭh

in, within, inner

intramuscular (pertaining to within the muscle)

iso-

ī-sō

same, equal

isoenergetic (pertaining to exerting equal force)

juxta-

jŭks-tŭh

near

juxtaglomerular (pertaining to close or adjoining a renal glomerulus)

macro-

mă-krō

large

macroglossia (pertaining to the enlargement of the tongue)

mal-

măl

bad, abnormal, inadequate

malnourished (inadequately nourished)

mega-

mā-gŭh

great, large

megacephaly (an abnormally large head)

meta-

mĕ-tŭh

change, beyond

metachromatism (condition regarding any color change)

micro-

mī-krō

small

microcolon (small colon)

mono-

mŏ-nō

one, single

monochromatic (pertaining to having only one color)

morpho-

mŏr-fō

shape

morphology (study of the configuration or structure of plants and animals)

multi-

mŭl-tē

many, much

multigravidia (pregnant woman who has been pregnant one or more times previously)

neo-

nē-ō

new

Neonatal (pertaining to the period of time just after birth; newborn)

nulli-

nŭl-ĭ

none

nullipara (woman who has never borne a child)

oligo-

ŏ-lĕ-gō

deficiency, scanty, little

oliguria (condition of abnormally low excretion of urine)

pan-

păn

all

pantalgia (pain involving the entire body)

para-

pă-rŭh

beside, near

paracystic (pertaining to alongside or near the urinary bladder)

peri-

pă-rĭ

beside, near, around, about

periapical (pertaining to at or around the apex of the root of a tooth)

poly-

pŏ-lē

many, much

polydipsia (extreme thirst)

post-

pōst

after, following

postpartum (after childbirth)

pre-

prē

before

precancer (growth or group of cells which is not currently malignant but may become cancerous)

pseudo-

soo-dō

false, deceptive

pseudodementia (condition of exaggerated indifference to people and surroundings but without any actual mental impairment)

quadri-

kwă-drĕ

four

quadriplegia (paralysis of all four limbs)

re-

rē

behind, back, again

reactivate (to render active again)

retro-

rĕ-trō

behind, back

retrojection (the washing out of a cavity by the backward flow of an injected fluid)

semi-

sĕ-mē

partial, half

semicomatose (mild coma in which a patient can be awoken)

sub-

sŭb

below, beneath, under, less than

subcutaneous (under the skin)

super-

soo-pĕr

excessive, above, in the upper part

superficial (located near the surface of the body)

supra-

soo-prŭh

excessive, above, upon

supracostal (pertaining to above the ribs)

syn-

sĭn

with, together

syndrome (a group of symptoms regularly occurring together and constituting a disease)

tachy-

tă-kē

rapid

tachycardia (condition of a rapid heart beat)

tetra-

tĕ-trŭh

four

tetrapeptide (a compound of four amino acids)

tox-

tŏks

poison, toxin

toxicity (the state of being poisonous)

trans-

trănz

through, across

transurethral (pertaining to across the urethra)

tri-

trī

three

triad (a collection of three things having something in common)

ultra-

ŭl-trŭh

beyond, extreme

ultraviolet (denoting the electromagnetic rays beyond the violet end of the visible spectrum)

un-

ŭn

not, reversal, removal

unconscious (not conscious)

uni-

ū-nĭ

one

unilateral (pertaining to one side of the body)

As you study these prefixes, you will find some familiar terms.  It can be helpful to associate the prefixes with words you already know to help the learning process.  Many prefixes have the same or similar meanings and it can be helpful to make note of those prefixes.

You may also notice that many of the prefixes can be categorized into one of the following groups:

Size, quantity, number

Location, direction, timing

It is highly recommended that you study these terms every day.  Using tools, such as flashcards can help you retain the information.  An easy way to make flashcards is to use a 3×5 card and write the prefix on one side and the definition on the other side.  You may also want to use electronic flashcards via programs such as quizlet.com.  The important thing is to find the method that works best for you and practice every day.

Suffixes

Suffixes are word endings.  In other words, they are word parts that are added to the end of words.  They are added to the end of a medical term.  Suffixes are connected or linked to word roots often by a combining vowel.  The combining vowel is typically o, but it might also be any one of the other vowels.

When the suffix begins with a vowel, the word root is linked simply by itself (no combining vowel such as o will be used).  An example is gastr/itis.  Since –itis begins with a vowel, the combining vowel is not required.  When the suffix begins with a consonant, a combining vowel is used to link the word root to the suffix.  An example is gastr/o/logy. Since    -logy begins with a consonant, a combining vowel is used to connect the two word-parts.

Like prefixes,  suffixes convey meaning, so they can alter the meaning of the word root.  Suffixes usually denote either a procedure, condition, disease, or a part of speech.

Note:  When writing only the suffix, use a dash before it.  In the examples used above, the suffix, “itis” would be written as –itis and the suffix “logy” would be written as –logy.  The hyphen indicates there is another word element that precedes the suffix.

List of Common Suffixes

The following is a list of common suffixes.  Although different medical terminology books may have slightly different lists and slightly different meanings, the following is a fairly inclusive list

.

Suffix

Pronunciation

Meaning

Example

-ac

ăk

pertaining to

cardiac (pertaining to the heart)

-acusia

-acusis

a-koo-zē-ŭh

a-koo-sĭs

hearing

Anacusis (total loss of hearing)

-al

ăl

pertaining to

renal (pertaining to the kidneys)

-algesia

-algesic

-algia

ăl-jē-zē-ŭh

ăl-jē-zē-ĭk

ăl-jē-ŭh

pain

neuralgia (a spasm of pain running along a nerve)

-ar

ăr

pertaining to

ventricular (pertaining to a ventricle)

-ary

ăr-ē

pertaining to

coronary (pertaining to the heart)

-cele

sēl

hernia

vesicocele (hernia of the bladder)

-centesis

sĕn-tē-sĭs

surgical puncture

thoracentesis (surgical puncture into the chest/pleural cavity)

-cidal

-cide

sī-dăl

sīd

destroying, killing

bactericide (a substance that kills bacteria)

-clasis

-clast

klăs-ĭs

klăst

to break

lithoclast (breaking or crushing a stone)

-constriction

kŏn-strĭk-shŭn

narrowing

vasoconstriction (narrowing of blood vessels)

-cusis

koo-sĭs

hearing

presbycusis (loss of hearing as part of the aging process)

-cyte

-cytic

sīt

sī-tĭk

cell

leukocyte (white blood cell)

-cytosis

sī-tō-sĭs

an abnormal condition of cells

leukocytosis (an abnormally large number increase of white blood cells)

-derma

dĕr-mŭh

skin

scleroderma (thickening of the skin with eventual atrophy of the epidermis)

-desis

dē-sĭs

surgical fixation or binding of bone or joint

arthrodesis (binding together or surgical stiffening of a joint)

-dipsia

dĭp-sē-ŭh

thirst

polydipsia (excessive thirst)

-dynia

dĭn-ē-ŭh

pain

urodynia (pain when urinating)

-eal

ē-ăl

pertaining to

appendiceal (pertaining to an appendix)

-ectasis

ĕk-tă-sĭs

dilation

bronchiectasis (dilation of the bronchi)

-ectomy

ĕk-tō-mē

excision, surgical removal

splenectomy (surgical removal of the spleen)

-edema

ĕ-dē-mŭh

swelling (usually due to excessive fluid in the tissues)

angioedema (fluid build-up of the vessels under the skin)

-emesis

ĕ-mĕ-sĭs

vomiting

hematemesis (vomiting of blood)

-emia

ē-mē-ŭh

a condition of the blood

hypoglycemia (condition of low blood sugar)

-esthesia

ĕs-thē-zē-ŭh

sensation

anesthesia (a state characterized by loss of feeling either from administration of a chemical agent or disease pathology)

-gen

-genesis

-genic

-genous

jĕn

jĕn-ĕ-sĭs

jēn-ĭk

jēn-ŭs

creating, producing, coming to be

ovogenesis (creation of an ovum)

-gram

grăm

record

angiogram (record of the size, shape, and location of the heart and blood vessels)

-graph

grăf

recording instrument

radiograph (the sensitized film/plate used to create radiographic images)

-graphy

gră-fē

process of recording

angiography (diagnostic or therapeutic radiography procedure of the heart and blood vessels)

-gravida

gră-vĭ-dŭh

pregnant woman

multigravidia (pregnant woman who has been pregnant one or more times previously)

-ia

ē-ŭh

condition

myasthenia (condition of absence of muscle strength)

-ial

ē-ăl

pertaining to

intracranial (pertaining to within the cranium or skull)

-iasis

ī-ŭh-sĭs

pathological condition or state

nephrolithiasis (pathological condition or disease in which stones are present in the kidneys)

-iatrics

ī-ŭh-trĭks

field of medicine

pediatrics (medical specialty concerned with the development and care of children)

-iatrist

-ist

ī-ŭh-trĭst

ĭst

specialist

psychiatrist (specialist in the field of psychiatry)

-iatry

ī-ŭh-trē

field of medicine

psychiatry (medical specialty concerned with mental disorders and diseases)

-ic

ĭk

pertaining to

gastric (pertaining to the stomach)

-ical

ĭ-kăl

pertaining to

cervical (pertaining to the neck or cervix)

-ician

ĭ-shŭn

specialist

clinician (health professional or specialist engaged in clinical practice)

-ism

ĭ-zŭm

condition, state of

hypothyroidism (condition in which there are inadequate levels of thyroid hormone)

-itis

ī-tĭs

inflammation

colitis (inflammation of the colon)

-kinesia

-kinesis

kĭ-nē-zē-ŭh

kĭ-nē-sĭs

movement

hypokinesia (decreased motor movement/reaction to stimulus)

-lepsy

-leptic

lĕp-sē

lĕp-tĭk

seizure

epileptic (relating to or suffering from epileptic seizures)

-lith

lĭth

stone

nephrolith (kidney stone)

-logist

-ologist

lō-jĭst

ŏl-ō-jĭst

specialist in the study of

pathologist (specialist who has been trained to examine tissues, cells, and specimens of body fluids for evidence of disease)

-logy

-ology

lō-jē

ŏl-ō-jē

study of

pathology (the study of the nature and cause of diease)

-lysis

lī-sĭs

destruction, to break down, to destroy

cytolysis (destruction of living cells)

-malacia

mŭh-lā-sē-ŭh

softening

tracheomalacia (degeneration of the elasticity and connective tissues of the trachea)

-megaly

mĕg-ŭh-lē

enlargement

gastromegaly (enlargement of the stomach)

-meter

mē-tĕr

measuring instrument

oximeter (an electronic device used to measure oxygen saturation)

-metry

mĕ-trē

measurement

oximetry (the measurement of oxygen saturation)

-necrosis

nĕ-krō-sĭs

tissue death

osteonecrosis (the death of a segment of bone)

-oid

ōĭd

resembling

lipoid (resembling fat)

-ole

ōl

small

arteriole (small artery)

-oma

ō-mŭh

tumor

lipoma (non-cancerous fatty tumor)

-opia

-opsis

-opsia

-opsy

ō-pē-ŭh

ŏp-sĭs

ō-sē-ŭh

ŏp-sē

vision

dysopsia (defective vision)

-ory

ōr-ē

pertaining to

respiratory (pertaining to respiration)

-osis

ō-sĭs

abnormal condition

anthracosis (abnormal condition of carbon in the lungs from inhaling coal dust)

-osmia

ŏz-mē-ŭh

smell, odor

dysosmia (distortion of normal smells)

-ous

oos

pertaining to

erythematous (pertaining to redness)

-oxia

ŏk-sē-ŭh

oxygen

anoxia (no oxygen)

-paresis

pŭh-rē-sĭs

slight or partial paralysis, weakness

Monoparesis (weakness affecting one limb)

-partum

părt-ŭm

childbirth, labor

postpartum (after childbirth)

-pathy

pă-thē

disease

myopathy (disease of the muscle)

-pause

pawz

stopping

menopause (stopping menses)

-penia

pē-nē-ŭh

deficiency

leukopenia (abnormal decrease in white blood cells)

-pepsia

pĕp-sē-ŭh

digestion

hyperpepsia (abnormally rapid digestion)

-pexy

pĕk-sē

surgical fixation

enteropexy (fixation of a segment of the intestine to the abdominal wall)

-phage

-phagia

fāj

fāj-ē-ŭh

eating, swallowing

macrophage (a large white blood cell that “eats” particles, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites)

-phasia

fāz-ē-ŭh

speech

dysphasia (inability to arrange words in an understandable way)

-phobia

fō-bē-ŭh

fear

aerophobia (abnormal and extreme dread of fresh air or air in motion)

-plasia

-plasm

plā-zē-ŭh

plă-zŭm

formation, growth

neoplasm (an abnormal tissue that grows more rapidly than normal)

-plastic

plăs-tĭk

pertaining to formation, growth

anaplastic (relating to growing without form or structure)

-plasty

plăs-tē

surgical repair

rhinoplasty (repair of a partial or complete defect of the nose)

-plegia

plē-jē-ŭh

paralysis

hemiplegia (paralysis of one side of the body)

-plegic

plē-jĭk

pertaining to paralysis

hemiplegic (pertaining to hemiplegia)

-pnea

nē-ŭh

breathing

orthopnea (discomfort when breathing, partially or completely relieved by sitting or standing)

-pneic

nē-ĭk

pertaining to breathing

hypopneic (breathing that is slower or more shallow than normal)

-prandial

prăn-dē-ăl

meal

postprandial (after eating a meal)

-ptosis

tō-sĭs

drooping, prolapse, downward displacement

gastroptosis (downward displacement of the stomach)

-rrhage

-rrhagia

rĭj

ră-jē-ŭh

bursting forth

metrorrhagia (any irregular bleeding from the uterus between periods)

-rrhaphy

ră-fē

suture, suturing

hysterorrhaphy (sutural repair of a lacerated uterus)

-rrhea

rē-ŭh

flow, discharge

diarrhea (an abnormally frequent discharge of fluid fecal matter from the bowel)

-rrhexis

rĕk-sĭs

rupture

colporrhexis (rupture or tearing of the abdominal wall)

-salpinx

săl-pĭnks

tube (fallopian or eustachean)

myosalpinx (the muscular tissue of the fallopian tube)

-sclerosis

sklĕr-ō-sĭs

abnormal condition of hardening

arteriosclerosis (disease of the arterial vessels marked by thickening, hardening, and loss of elasticity in the arterial walls)

-scope

skōp

viewing instrument

endoscope (a device used to observe the inside of a hollow organ, cavity or tissue plane)

-scopy

skō-pē

visual examination

endoscopy (visual examination of body organs or cavities using an endoscope)

-spasm

spă-zŭm

sudden, involuntary contracture

vasospasm (spasm of a blood vessel)

-stasis

cessation, stopping

homeostasis (the state of dynamic equilibrium)

-static

stă-tĭk

at rest

hemostatic (arresting or stopping a hemorrhage)

-stenosis

stĕ-nō-sĭs

narrowing, stricture

urethrostenosis (narrowing of the urethra)

-stomy

stō-mē

mouthlike opening

colostomy (the opening of a portion of the colon through the abdominal wall)

-therapy

thĕr-ŭh-pē

treatment

immunotherapy (the use of natural and synthetic substances to stimnulate or suppress the immune response)

-thorax

thōr-ăks

chest

hemothorax (blood in the pleural cavity)

-tic

tĭk

pertaining to

paracytic (pertaining to cells other than those normally present)

-tocia

tō-sē-ŭh

childbirth, labor

dystocia (slow or difficult labor)

-tome

tōm

cutting instrument

dermatome (an instrument use to cut thin slices of skin for transplantation)

-tomy

tō-mē

cutting into, incision

episiotomy (surgical incision of the vulva to prevent laceration at the time of delivery or to facilitate vaginal surgery)

-tous

tŭs

pertaining to

epitheliomatous (pertaining to the epithelioma)

-tripsy

trĭp-sē

crushing

lithotripsy (the process of breaking up kidney or gallbladder stones into small fragments)

-trophy

trō-fē

nourishment, growth

hypertrophy (an increase in the number or size of cells)

-ule

ūl

small

macule (a stain, a speck on the surface of the skin – freckle)

-uresis

ū-rē-sĭs

urination

enuresis (bedwetting – involuntary passage of urine, usually occurring at night or during sleep)

-uria

ū-rē-ŭh

urine

oliguria (small amount of urine output – less than 400 ml/day)

Most suffixes fall into one of the following general categories:

Action/movement

Diseases/disorders/conditions

Instruments

Procedures/treatments

Sensory/feelings

Specialties/specialists

There are 12 suffixes that mean “pertaining to.”  These include:

-ac

-al

-ar

-ary

-eal

-ial

-ic

-ical

-ory

-ous

-tic

-tous

Some students have difficulty remembering all of these.  Do your best, but be sure NOT to confuse –ia with the 12 suffixes that mean “pertaining to.”  The meaning of –ia is condition.

Another area in which students sometimes become confused when learning suffixes are the differences between –graph and –graphy, -meter and –metry, -scope and –scopy, and –tome and –tomy.  One way to help you remember is that the words that mean a procedure end with “y” while the words that refer to instruments end with a different letter.

-graph

recording instrument

-graphy

process of recording

-meter

measuring instrument

-metry

measurement

-scope

viewing instrument

-scopy

visual examination

-tome

cutting instrument

-tomy

cutting into, incision

Although the “p” is silent in suffixes such as –pnea, -pneic, and –ptosis, it can be helpful to add “pŭh” before the actual pronunciation when you practice memorizing these terms so you don’t forget about the “p.” Just keep in mind that the “p” is actually silent.

As you reviewed the list of suffixes and the examples provided, you may have noticed that some of the examples consisted only of a prefix and suffix while others contained word roots.  For now, do not worry about the word roots.  You will learn them as we study each body system.  The examples were provided to help you recognize how the various word elements work together to build medical terms.

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Presentation on theme: «Medical Terminology Word Building.»— Presentation transcript:

1

Medical Terminology Word Building

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Medical Terms A word or phrase made up of a combination of elements to express a specific idea. Element + Element + Element = Medical Term hemi + gastr + ectomy = hemigastrectomy (surgical removal of half of the stomach)

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Basic Elements To analyze medical words, you need to understand four elements that are used to form words. Prefix Root Combining form Suffix An element is a word part used to form a medical term. Each element has its own meaning.

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epi- (above), hypo- (below, deficient)
Prefix used at the beginning of a medical term changes in some manner the meaning OR makes it more specific epi- (above), hypo- (below, deficient)

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Root main element in a medical term
frequently more than one root element within the term gastroenterology always the subject or main topic of the medical term frequently a body part root root

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Rhinoplasty = Rhin/o/plasty
Combining Form Word root with a combining vowel Rhinoplasty = Rhin/o/plasty Combing Form Suffix Root Combing Vowel

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Suffix used at the end of a medical term (after the root element)
describes a condition of a body part OR action to a body part

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How Do We Figure this Out?
Simple 4 step process 1.Identify the word parts in a term 2.Assign meanings to the word parts 3.Reverse the meaning of the suffix to the front of your definition 4.Define the term

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Let’s Look at an Example
Prefix Root Suffix Medical Term hemi + gastr + ectomy = hemigastrectomy half stomach surgical removal = surgical removal of half the stomach

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Let’s Look at an Example
Prefix Root Suffix Medical Term (none) + gastr + itis = gastritis stomach inflammation = inflammation of the stomach

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Quick Review!

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Main element of a medical term is called the ______?
Prefix Suffix Combining vowel Root

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Word part that appears at the end of the term is called _________.
Prefix Suffix Combining vowel Root

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What are the 4 steps in translating medical terms?
Identify Assign Reverse Define

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Combining Vowels Vowel used between two elements of a medical term to make the term easier to pronounce. Usually “o”, “i”, less frequently “u”. enter/o/plasty blephar/o/spasm

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Combining Vowels The combining vowel links a root to suffix that begins with a consonant to make the pronunciation less awkward scler-derma becomes scler/o/derma mast-dynia becomes mast/o/dynia arthr-plasty becomes arth/o/plasty Consonants!

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Combining Vowels A combining vowel is NOT used before a suffix that begins with a vowel. tonsill-itis becomes tonsill/itis scler-osis becomes scler/osis gastr-ectomy is gastr/ectomy See the vowel?!

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Combining Vowels When a combining vowel ends with the same vowel that begins a suffix, one of the vowels is dropped. endocarditis endo-inside; cardi – heart; itis -inflammation The “i” on the end of “cardi” is dropped

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Combining Vowels When a word has more than one root, a combining vowel is also used to link the roots to each other. leukocytopenia leuk/o/cyt/o/penia Word roots: Leuk cyt Combining vowels: o (twice!) Suffix: penia

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Combing Vowels When two or more combining forms are used in a term, the combining vowel stays regardless of whether the second combining form begins with a vowel or a consonant gastroenteritis The “o” stays despite the vowel “e” Combining form – gastro (stomach) Combining form – entero (intestine)

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English as lingua franca

English is an indisputable king of medical science, having taken over after the centuries of Greek and Latin domination. All the greatest medical discoveries of the past century were published in English. English also dominates major scientific conferences and congresses, and almost all internationally recognized medical journals nowadays publish in English.

Just as Latin and Greek before, the contemporary language of communication among medical and health care professionals is English. The same goes for medical terminology: Whereas before new technical terms were derived from the Latinized Greek, today we tend to use English words to name medical innovations and devices.

Some widely used medical terms such as bypass, clearance, screening, scanning, antidepressant, side effects, ultrasound, etc., are etymologically rooted in English and other languages, including Greek and Latin. However, they have now entered the realm of general use not only by English native speakers but also by speakers of other languages. Non-English-speaking health professionals often borrow these terms by either directly transliterating or translating them.

Brown-colored anatomical drawing of a male figure

Greek and Latin origins

As a language, English is historically and culturally linked with Latin. Long before English became the lingua franca of science and medicine, it was Latin that dominated. Before the 3rd century, medical students also received instructions in Greek. In fact, both Greek and Latin shaped the conventions of medical as well as scientific writing for over 2,000 years.

Ancient Greek society valued and encouraged literary pursuits as much as mathematical and scientific studies. So, it should come as no surprise that Greek doctors particularly excelled at diagnostics—the field that, no doubt, benefits from one’s imaginative depth and penchant for figurative thinking.

For example, the Greek term diabetes mellitus literally means “flowing through / sweet as honey,” which, most probably, initially referred to the sweet odor of the urine of a person with diabetes. The terminology for medical conditions that was developed by Greek doctors continues to be the basis of our classifications of diseases.

Romans happily inherited Greeks’ treasure-trove of medical knowledge, which they carefully preserved through translation into Latin and propagated among their numerous vassals. A huge medical encyclopedia called De Medicina (About Medicine), written by Roman nobleman Cornelius Celsus, recorded all that was then known about Greek and Roman medicine.

Arabic and French origins

Apart from Greek and Latin, Arabic became another language of medical use, owing to the extraordinary expansion of the Arab empire in the 7th century. Arab physicians, who eagerly embraced the medical knowledge of Greeks, in turn, ensured its preservation and further contributed to its richness.

The greatest Arab physician was Ibn Sînâ, or Avicenna (10th–11th century), as he was called in Latin. His most famous work is The Canon of Medicine, a medical encyclopedia that became a standard medical text at many medieval universities and remained in use as late as the 17th century.

The Arabic words, which had entered English through Latin and then French, include alcohol, alchemy, alkali, and nitrate. In fact, French was an invaluable intermediary between Latinized Greek and English, with numerous Greek- and Latin-rooted words having become the staple of the current English vocabulary: e.g., superior, inferior, male, female, face, gout, migraine, odor, ointment, pain, venom, acne, basis, chaos, character, criterion, dogma, horizon, stigma, asthma, trauma, etc.

After a small group of Italian doctors formed an influential medical school in Salerno (Italy) in the Middle Ages, they revived and celebrated the teachings of Greek physicians such as Hippocrates and Galen. Medical schools all over Europe followed suit, uniformly using the amalgam of Greek and Latin terminology. This Latinized form of Greek is used by medical scientists to this day.

Word formation

As mentioned before, Greek doctors were particularly skillful diagnosticians. For this reason, Greek terms often occur in clinical terminology, e.g., cardiology, nephropathy, gastritis, whereas Latin words make up most anatomical terms: e.g., cor, ren, or ventriculus.

Greek is such a great source for specialized terminology because of its linguistic malleability, namely, its amazing suitability for building compound words. When the rapid expansion of medical science during the last two centuries required a stock of new terms for the newly discovered diseases and the invented medical tools, Greek words, often in their Latinized forms, became the way to go. In fact, almost a half of our medical terminology, although based on Greek and Latin, is less than one-century-old.

Table 1 below shows some words for organs or parts of human body in Greek paired with the common medical conditions and human organs in plain English:

Table 1. Organs or parts of human body associated with adjectival and noun terms

English has many such synonymous pairs, which are called doublets or etymological twins (or triplets, etc.).

Doublet phenomenon

The doublet phenomenon occurs in most languages.

Apart from well-established medical doublet pairs, English still uses legal doublets: e.g., terms and conditions; aid and abet; each and every; true and correct, last will and testament, etc. These expressions are quite old, some dating back to the Norman invasion. At that time, when official French coexisted with everyday English, English terms were used in tandem with their French equivalents to avoid ambiguities.

Often a result of chronologically separate borrowings from two related languages, doublets tend to have different phonological forms but the same etymological root. The synonymous pairs usually diverge in meaning, or register, at least to some extent. For example, English abdominal and belly are such doublets, the former being a more specialized medical term, with Germanic belly, c. 1200, preceding the Latin borrowing abdominal, c. 1550s.

Latin and Greek medical terms tend to combine elements from either language. In fact, the essential part of such a medical term is called the combining form, which is the sum of the term’s root and a combining vowel that links the root to the term’s another root or suffix.

Roots, affixes, and combining vowels

Medical terms resemble jigsaw puzzles. Once you know what components constitute them, you can figure out what they mean. Many such components are common and all of them can be divided into three main categories:

  • Roots

  • Affixes: Suffixes & Prefixes

  • Combining form = Combining vowel (o/i) + Root

Most medical terms are made of a root and one or more affixes.

The root is the primary unit of a word. It holds the main meaning of the term. An additional layer of meaning is provided by an affix, which is a small linguistic unit, added either before or after the root (prefix vs. suffix).

For example, by combining the root cardi— (heart) and the suffix -ac (pertaining to), we produce the term cardiac to refer to the notion of pertaining to the heart.

A medical term can be understood by interpreting the suffix first, then the prefix(es) (if present), and then the succeeding root or roots. In case of a double element, e.g., two prefixes, the prefixes are interpreted as equal, coordinated attributes. For instance, in the term subendocardial, the two prefixes sub- (beneath) and endo- (within) are translated as pertaining to beneath and within.

Many terms are produced by combining more than one root (compound terms) or by adding a suffix to the root using a combining vowel (mainly, —o- or, less frequently, —i-) for easier pronunciation. Where medical terms consist of more than one root, the combining vowel is inserted in between roots, but only if the second root starts with a consonant.

A combining vowel is used to join root to root as well as root to suffix beginning with a consonant. A combining vowel is not used before a suffix that begins with a vowel.

Suffixes are generally categorized as (i) surgical, (ii) diagnostic, pathological, and related, and (iii) grammatical (adjectival, noun, plural) suffixes (see Table 3 for lists of common suffixes). The terms cardiorrhexis (above) and cardiorrhaphy (below) have different suffixes: ‑rrhexis is a diagnostic suffix and ‑rrhaphy is a surgical suffix.

Affixation is a core method for building medical terms. The same root (organ) can be used in numerous related terms: by attaching the prefix epi- (upon) and the suffix -ium (tissue) or the prefix peri- and the suffix -itis to the same root cardi- (heart), we are able to produce two new terms: epicardium and pericarditis, respectively.

The major types of prefixes specify such parameters as the position in the body, number and measurement, and direction (see Table 6 for the list of common prefixes).

For example, the prefix peri- (around) indicates the position (location) of inflammation in the condition called carditis (inflammation of the heart), telling us that inflammation is in fact around the heart.

By adding the suffix -logy (study or science of) to the root cardi- with the help of the combining vowel -o-, we produce the term cardiology to denote the study of the heart and, by extension, the study of heart diseases.

The combining vowel is so often used to glue either roots or roots to suffixes that it is routinely presented as a combining form = combining vowel + root.

To read (analyze) the term polyneuropathy, begin from the end of the word—from its suffix ‑pathy, which means disease. So, this is a disease of something. Now, go to the beginning and move across: the prefix poly- means many and the root neuro is the Greek word for nerve. Therefore, this is a disease of many nerves, or a condition that affects multiple nerves.

You can download a detailed list of the most common roots, suffixes, and prefixes, and a quick reference with the rules for building medical terms.

Medical Terminology_The Language of Heal

.

Download • 99KB

“Medical Terminology: Quick Study Reference.”

How to read medical terms

Knowing how medical terms are built is crucial in understanding their meanings. As I mentioned before, to understand a medical term, start from the end of the word, then return to the beginning, and move across.

Let me illustrate these guidelines using gastr-o-enter-itis as an example:

1. Define the suffix, or last part of the word. In this case, the suffix -itis means inflammation.

2. Define the first part of the word (which may be a word root, combining form, or prefix). In this case, the combining form gastr(o) means stomach.

3. Define the middle parts of the word. In this case, the word root enter means intestine.

When you analyze gastr-o-enter-itis following the three steps, the meaning is:

1. inflammation (of)

2. stomach (and)

3. intestine.

Thus, the meaning of gastr-o-enter-itis is inflammation (of) stomach (and) intestine.

On the other hand, building a medical word that means enlargement of the stomach requires knowledge of the word element for stomach (gastr or gastr(o)) and the suffix for enlargement (-megaly). The medical word for enlargement of the stomach is gastromegaly.

Here are some more examples of the medical terms based on the root lip (fat):

Common roots, suffixes, prefixes

Combining forms/roots

Here are some examples of common combining forms and associated adjectival medical terms.

Table 3. Common combining forms and associated adjectival medical terms

Suffixes: surgical, diagnostic, pathological, grammatical

Grouping the surgical, diagnostic, pathological, related, and grammatical suffixes makes them easier to remember them. Surgical suffixes describe a type of invasive procedure performed on a body part. Diagnostic suffixes describe a procedure performed to identify the cause and nature of an illness. Pathological suffixes describe an abnormal condition or disease.

Table 4. Common diagnostic suffixes

Short grammatical suffixes are attached to word roots to form parts of speech, such as adjectives and nouns. Many of these same suffixes are used in the English language. One group of the grammatical suffixes denote pertaining to, as shown in Table 5 below.

Table 5. Various grammatical suffixes denoting pertaining to

Prefixes: position, number, measurement, and direction

Prefixes of position describe a place, location, or position in the body. Prefixes of number and measurement describe an amount, size, or degree of involvement. Prefixes of direction indicate a pathway or route.

Table 6. Prefixes relating to position in the body

Table 7. Prefixes relating to size, state, number, or color

To summarize:

Important terms to remember about the structure of medical terms.

⋆ ⋆ ⋆

Rules about how to read medical terms

Sources:

1. Various Aspects of Medical English Terminology, Božena Džuganová, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia, from Towards Understanding Medical Translation and Interpreting, ed. Wioleta Karwacka, Gdansk University Press, Gdansk 2018.
2. Montalt, Vicent; Karen Zethsen & Wioleta Karwacka. (2018) Medical translation in the 21st century—challenges and trends. In: Montalt, Vicent; Karen Zethsen & Wioleta Karwacka (eds.) 2018. Retos actuales y tendencias emergentes en traducción médica / Current challenges and emerging trends in medical translation.
3. Willis, Marjorie Canfield. Medical Terminology: The language of Health Care / Marjorie Canfield Willis, 2nd ed.
4. Medical Terminology: A Programmed Learning Approach to the Language of Health Care / Edition 2.
5. Ramón Ribes, Pablo R. Ros. Medical English, Springer Science & Business Media, 2006.
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  • Identify word parts in medical terms.
  • Examine the rules for building medical terms.

Word Parts

Medical terms are built from word parts. Those word parts are , , , and . When a word root is combined with a combining form vowel the word part is referred to as a .

Identifying Word Parts in Medical Terms

By the end of this book, you will have identified hundreds of word parts within medical terms. Let’s start with some common medical terms that many non-medically trained people may be familiar with.

Osteoarthritis
Oste/o/arthr/itis – Inflammation of bone and joint.
Oste/o is a that means bone
arthr/o is a that means joint
-itis is a that means inflammation

Intravenous
Intra/ven/ous – Pertaining to within a vein.
Intra- is a that means within
ven/o – is a that means vein
-ous is a that means pertaining to

Notice, when breaking down words that you place slashes between word parts and a slash on each side of a .

Language Review

Before we begin analyzing the rules let’s complete a short language review that will assist with pronunciation and spelling.

Short Vowels
a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes y are indicated by lower case.

Long Vowels
A, E, I, O, U are indicated by upper case.

Consonants
Consonants are all of the other letters in the alphabet. b, c, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t, v, w, x, and z.

Language Rules

Language rules are a good place to start when building a medical terminology foundation. Many medical terms are built from word parts and can be translated . At first, literal translations sound awkward. Once you build a medical vocabulary and become proficient at using it, the awkwardness will slip away. For example, suffixes will no longer be stated and will be assumed. The definition of intravenous then becomes within the vein.

Since you are at the beginning of building your medical terminology foundation, stay literal when applicable. It should be noted that as with all language rules there are always exceptions and we refer to those as .

Language Rules for Building Medical Terms

  1. When combining two , you keep the .
  2. When combining a with a that begins with a consonant, you keep the .

    Gastr/o/enter/o/logy – The study of the stomach and the intestines

    • Following rule 1, when we join combining form gastr/o (meaning stomach) with the combining form enter/o (meaning intestines) we keep the combining form vowel o.
    • Following rule 2, when we join the combining form enter/o (meaning intestines) with the suffix -logy (that starts with a suffix and means the study of) we keep the combining form vowel o.
  3. When combining a with a that begins with a vowel, you drop the .
  4. A goes at the beginning of the word and no is used.

    Intra/ven/ous – Pertaining to within the vein

    • Following rule 3, notice that when combining the combining form ven/o (meaning vein) with the suffix -ous ( that starts with a vowel and means pertaining to) we drop the combining form vowel o.
    • Following rule 4, the prefix intra- (meaning within) is at the beginning of the medical term with no combining form vowel used.
  5. When defining a medical word, start with the first and then work left to right stating the word parts. You may need to add words. As long as the filler word does not change the meaning of the word you may use it for the purpose of building a medical vocabulary. Once you start to apply the word in the context of a sentence it will be easier to decide which filler word(s) to choose.

    Intra/ven/ous – Pertaining to within the vein or Pertaining to within a vein.

    • Following rule 5, notice that I start with the suffix -ous (that means pertaining to) then we work left to right starting with the prefix Intra- (meaning within) and the combining form ven/o (meaning vein).
    • Notice that we have used two different definitions that mean the same thing.
    • In these examples we do not have the context of a full sentence. For the purpose of building a medical terminology foundation either definition is accepted.
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Medical terminology is language that is used to describe anatomical structures, processes, conditions, medical procedures, and treatments. At first glance, medical terms may appear intimidating, but once you understand the standard structure of medical words and the definitions of some common word elements, the meaning of thousands of medical terms is easily unlocked.

Most medical terms adhere to a fixed structure of a prefix, a root, and a suffix. These word components are assembled like building blocks to create a vast vocabulary.

The physicians of Greece are considered the founders of rational medicine, and medical terms are primarily derived from Greek and Latin.1 Over the centuries, the language of medicine has evolved into multiple national medical languages. Today, medical English is the primary language for international communication. It is used in most influential medical journals and has become the language of choice at international conferences.2

Basic Term Structure

Medical terms are composed of the following standard word parts:

  • Prefix: When included, the prefix appears at the beginning of a medical term and usually indicates a location, direction, type, quality, or quantity.
  • Root: The root gives a term its essential meaning. Nearly all medical terms contain at least one root. When a prefix is absent, the term begins with a root.
  • Suffix: The suffix appears at the end of a term and may indicate a specialty, test, procedure, function, disorder, or status. Otherwise, the suffix may simply define whether the word is a noun, verb, or adjective.
  • Combining vowel: A combining vowel (usually the letter “o”) may be added between word parts to aid in pronunciation.

Breaking a word down into its component parts should help readers ascertain the meaning of an unfamiliar term. For example, hypothermia has the prefix hypo- (meaning below normal), the root therm (heat or warmth), and the suffix -ia (condition).

Prefix, root, and suffix for hypothermia.

Word Roots

A word root is the foundational element of any medical term. Roots often indicate a body part or system.

Common word roots:

Head
brain encephal
ear oto, aur
eardrum tympan, myring
eye ophthalm, ocul
face faci
nose rhin
skull crani
tongue lingu
tooth odont, dent
Heart and Circulatory System
aorta aort
arteries arteri
blood hem, sangu
blood vessels angi
heart cardi
veins ven, phleb
Bones and Muscles
arm brachi
back dorsa
bone oste
foot pod, ped
muscle myo
rib cost
shoulder scapul
wrist carp
Digestive System
appendix append
colon col
esophagus esophag
intestine (usually small) enter
kidney ren, neph
liver hepat
stomach gastr
Other Common Roots
cancer carci
drug chem
electric electr
heat therm
knowledge gnos
life bi
pressure bar
returned sound echo

Compound Words

A medical word may include multiple roots. This frequently occurs when referencing more than one body part or system. For example, cardio-pulmo-nary means pertaining to the heart and lungs; gastro-entero-logy means the study of the stomach and intestines.

Combining Forms

A combining vowel is used when a root is followed by another word part that begins with a consonant. A combining vowel (usually the letter «o») is added after the root (e.g., neur-o-logy) to aid pronunciation. The root and vowel together (e.g., neur-o) are called the combining form. For simplicity, the word part tables do not include combining vowel options.

Root, combining vowel, and suffix for neurology.

Prefixes

A prefix modifies the meaning of the word root. It may indicate a location, type, quality, body category, or quantity. Prefixes are optional and do not appear in all medical terms.

Common prefixes:

Size
large macro-, mega(lo)-
small micro-
Number
half semi-
half (one side) hemi-
one mono-, uni-
two | three | four bi- | tri- | quad(ri)-
equal equi-
many poly-
Level
above normal hyper-
below normal hypo-
normal/good eu-
Time or Speed
before pro-, pre-, ante-
after post-
back/backward retro-
again re-
fast tachy-
slow brady-
new neo-
time, long time chron-
Location or Relationship
away from ab-
above supra-
around peri-
across trans-
between inter-
out of, outside ex-, ec(t)-
self auto-
through, completely dia-
together con-
toward ad-
within, inside end(o)-
Function or Quality
against anti-, contra-
bad mal-
cause eti-
without a-, de-
abnormal, bad dys-

Suffixes

Medical terms always end with a suffix.3 The suffix usually indicates a specialty, test, procedure, function, condition/disorder, or status. For example, “-itis” means inflammation and “-ectomy” means removal.

Alternatively, the suffix may simply make the word a noun or adjective. For example, the endings -a, -e, -um, and -us are commonly used to create a singular noun (e.g., crani-um).

Although the suffix appears at the end of the term, it often comes first in the definition. For example, appendicitis
means inflammation (-itis) of the appendix.4 Accordingly, it is sometimes helpful to read unfamiliar medical terms from right to left.

Occasionally, medical terms are composed of only a prefix and a suffix. For example, apnea includes the prefix a- (without) and suffix -pnea (breathing).

Common suffixes (letters in parentheses are not always present):

Basic Noun and Adjective Suffixes
(noun form) -a, -e, -um, -is
causing -genic
condition -ia, -ism, -sis, -y
specialty -iatry, -iatrics, -ics
specialist -ian, -ist
structure -um, -us
small, little -ula, -ulum, -ulus
study of -logy
pertaining to -ac, -ar(y), -(e/i)al, -ic(al), -ior, -ory, -ous, -tic
Tests and Procedures
removal of -ectomy
image/record -gram
recording instrument -graph
process of recording -graphy
cut in -otomy
visual examination -scopy
opening -stomy
Pathology or Function
blood (condition of) -emia
breathing -pnea
inflammation -itis
condition or disease -osis
deficiency -penia
disease -pathy
excessive flow -rrhag(e/ia)
mass, tumor -oma

Plural Forms

Adding an “s” or “es” to the end of a word is often the straightforward method to make a word plural in English and many modern Romance languages. In medical terminology, however, things are a little more complicated. The plural form of each word is based on the last two letters of the singular suffix.

There are several exceptions. For example, “virus” is a Latin term without a plural form. “Viruses” is the accepted plural form. Elsewhere, the suffix “s” or “es” occasionally prevails in common usage. For example, the plural form of “hematoma” is “hematomas” rather than “hematomata.”

Common singular endings and corresponding plural endings:

Plural Forms5
Singular Plural
a ae
en ina
ex, ix, yx ices
is es
ma mata
(a/i/y)nx (a/i/y)nges
um a
us i

Additional resources:

  • OpenMD Medical Dictionary and word parts glossary, which provides definitions for 750 medical roots, prefixes, and suffixes.
  • Understanding Medical Words by MedlinePlus provides a concise introduction to medical terminology and several quizzes.
  • TheFreeDictionary’s Medical Dictionary by Farlex is a comprehensive dictionary of medical terms (including word parts) from American Heritage, Collins Encyclopedia, and other major publishers.

Related Guides:

  • The History of Medical Terminology
    Review of the Greek and Latin origins of modern medical terminology.

References

  1. Banay GL. An Introduction to Medical Terminology I. Greek and Latin Derivations. Bulletin of the Medical Library Association. 1948;36(1):1–27.
  2. Wulff HR. The Language of Medicine. J R Soc Med. 2004;97(4):187–8.
  3. Ehrlich A, Schroeder CL. Introduction to Medical Terminology. 3rd ed. Delmar, Cengage Learning; 2014:5.
  4. Nath, JL, Lindsley KP. A Short Course in Medical Terminology. 4th ed. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health; 2018:38.
  5. Cohen BJ. Medical Terminology: An Illustrated Guide. 6th ed. Baltimore: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2011. Tables 2–4.

Published: January 9, 2020

Last updated: March 22, 2023

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