What are word elements

1 Chapter One: Word Elements, Prefixes and Suffixes

sheryllehi

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-

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-

without, down, from

deactivation (process of making something inactive)

di-

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-

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.

Is there a sentence or a word element?

Answer. While a sentence or a word element does not exist, a developer who wanted finer control over a piece of a paragraph like a word, sentence or character might use an element like , , or to more specifically target content.

What is an example of the word elements?

An element is a substance that cannot be separated into simpler substances through chemistry. For example, water (H2O) is made of the elements hydrogen and oxygen.

What are 5 examples of an element?

Examples of elements include carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, gold, silver and iron.

What 3 elements make up a sentence?

A complete sentence must have, at minimum, three things: a subject, verb, and an object.

What are elements of grammar?

The 5 Fundamental Elements of English Grammar

  • Word order. As an analytic language, English uses word order to determine the relationship between different words.
  • Punctuation. In written English, punctuation is used to signify pauses, intonation, and stress words.
  • Tense and aspect.
  • Determiners.
  • Connectors.

What are the basic elements of a good sentence?

The subject and predicate make up the two basic structural parts of any complete sentence. In addition, there are other elements, contained within the subject or predicate, that add meaning or detail. These elements include the direct object, indirect object, and subject complement.

What are the four elements of a sentence?

English features four core sentence elements (subjects, predicates, objects, and modifiers) that make up phrases and clauses, which in turn make up sentences.

What is it in parts of speech?

This word is commonly classified as a pronoun when it is used to replace an object that has already been mentioned or can easily be known. As in the sentence below: I found a chest full of ancient artifacts in it. The word “it” is used as a pronoun that replaces the word “chest.”

What is a parts of speech poem?

A parts of speech poem has 5 lines and must follow the format below: Line 1 is one article and one noun. Line 2 is an adjective, a conjunction, and another adjective. Line 3 is one verb, one conjunction, and one verb.

What is every name called?

Every name is called a noun as field and fountain, street and town. In place of a noun the pronoun stands as he and she clap their hands. The adjective describes a thing, as magic wand or bridal ring. The verb means action, something done, to read and write to jump and run. Nouns are naming words.

What is a grammar poem?

This is an activity that helps students develop an awareness of both grammar and writing skills. It can be carried out in a one-period session. No materials are required apart from a pen or pencil and sheets of paper.

What are 3 types of poems?

Today, poetry is still considered the owner of the three main poetic forms: lyric, narrative, dramatic. Each form can then be divided into many subdivisions, each consisting of a rhyme scheme, rhythm and/or style.

What are the examples of poem?

Lyric Poetry Examples

  • elegy – a reflective poem to honor the dead.
  • haiku – a seventeen-syllable poem that uses natural imagery to express an emotion.
  • ode – an elevated poem that pays tribute to a person, idea, place, or another concept.
  • sonnet – a descriptive fourteen-line poem with a specific rhyme scheme.

What are the elements of a poem?

As with narrative, there are “elements” of poetry that we can focus on to enrich our understanding of a particular poem or group of poems. These elements may include, voice, diction, imagery, figures of speech, symbolism and allegory, syntax, sound, rhythm and meter, and structure.

What is the most important element of poetry?

The structure and form of poetry are two important elements of poetry. How a poem looks on a page is its form and can have an effect on the meaning of a poem. A poem can have many different structures. The basic structure of a poem includes a poem’s lines and stanzas.

What are the steps in reading a poem?

Check out these six ways to analyze a poem.

  1. Step One: Read. Have your students read the poem once to themselves and then aloud, all the way through, at LEAST twice.
  2. Step Two: Title. Think about the title and how it relates to the poem.
  3. Step Three: Speaker.
  4. Step Four: Mood and Tone.
  5. Step Five: Paraphrase.
  6. Step Six: Theme.

What is a poetry reading called?

This is generally called a poetry slam. People may read the work of another poet, living or dead. This is generally called a celebration of [author’s name].

How do you identify poetic techniques?

April is National Poetry Month!

  1. #1 Rhyming. Rhyming is the most obvious poetic technique used.
  2. #2 Repetition. Repetition involves repeating a line or a word several times in a poem.
  3. #3 Onomatopoeia.
  4. #4 Alliteration.
  5. #5 Assonance.
  6. #6 Simile.
  7. #7 Metaphor.
  8. #8 Hyperbole.

How do you judge a poem?

CRITERIA FOR JUDGING

  1. Relevance to the theme – 50%
  2. Creativity/Style and Originality – 30%
  3. Coherence of form and structure (harmony of words, presentation) – 10%
  4. Clarity of imagery and language – 10% TOTAL – 100%

What are the criteria for judging?

Creating criteria for judging a contest with examples

  • Fresh point of view.
  • Originality.
  • Ideas and concepts.
  • Word limit (if any)
  • Grammar.
  • Unique writing style.
  • Creativity.
  • Descriptive language.

What are the qualities of a good poem?

Quality Characterisics

  • Imaginative.
  • Creative.
  • Descriptive and vivid language that often has an economical or condensed use of words chosen for their sound and meaning.
  • Meaning is enhanced by recalling memories of related experiences in the reader or listener.
  • Provokes thought.

What makes a poem great?

Strong, accurate, interesting words, well-placed, make the reader feel the writer’s emotion and intentions. Choosing the right words—for their meaning, their connotations, their sounds, even the look of them, makes a poem memorable. The words become guides to the feelings that lie between the lines.

Are Poets attractive?

Some women do find poets attractive and some women ARE poets. A higher percentage of women, however, do not find men who describe themselves as “highly dashing” attractive.

Table of Contents

  • 1 What does word element mean?
  • 2 What is an element easy definition?
  • 3 What are the 4 sacred elements?
  • 4 What are the 24 elements?
  • 5 Is a major element?
  • 6 What are three major elements?

What does word element mean?

element. [ ĕl′ə-mənt ] A substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means. An element is composed of atoms that have the same atomic number, that is, each atom has the same number of protons in its nucleus as all other atoms of that element.

What is an element easy definition?

An element is a substance that cannot be broken down into any other substance. Every element is made up of its own type of atom. This is why the chemical elements are all very different from each other. Everything in the universe contains the atoms of at least one or more elements.

What is element and example?

A chemical element refers to the pure substance of one type of atom. For example, carbon is an element comprised of atoms having the same number of protons, i.e. 6. Common examples of elements are iron, copper, silver, gold, hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen.

Is gold a pure element?

Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from Latin: aurum) and atomic number 79, making it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. In a pure form, it is a bright, slightly reddish yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal.

What are the 4 sacred elements?

For Millennia, the four principal elements –earth, air, fire, water -were believed fundamentally vital. These elements were not just material substances but key spiritual essences, bringing meaning and illumination to life.

What are the 24 elements?

The tattvas in Indian philosophy are elements or principles of reality. Tattvas are the basic concepts to understand the nature of absolute, the souls and the universe in Samkhya and Shaivite philosophies….Five gross elements

  • prthvi (earth)
  • jala (water)
  • tejas (fire)
  • vāyu (air)
  • ākāśa (ether or space)

What is the main element of life?

The four basic elements of life are: Oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen and phosphorus. These four elements are found in abundance in both the human body and in animals. There are other elements that compose the human body, but the four we’ve highlighted participate in all life processes.

What is a major element?

Read more. Geological major elements are defined as those elements that compose 95% of the earth’s crust. They are Si, Al, Ca, Mg, Na, K, Ti, Fe, Mn and P.

Is a major element?

Major elements are elements that constitute more than 1 percent of the coal by weight: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur. The relative percentage of carbon increases with rank, whereas the percentages of oxygen and hydrogen decrease with rank.

What are three major elements?

Three Elements

  • We all know oxygen, silicon, and aluminum are common elements in the Earth’s crust.
  • The combined occurrences for these three elements are very well known.
  • For all three together, we find the mineral kyanite.

What are the important elements?

Scientists believe that about 25 of the known elements are essential to life. Just four of these – carbon (C), oxygen (O), hydrogen (H) and nitrogen (N) – make up about 96% of the human body.

What elements make up life?

The six most common elements of life on Earth (including more than 97% of the mass of a human body) are carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, sulphur and phosphorus.

The meaningful elements of a word

The study of word structure and formation is called morphology, and the meaningful parts of a word are known as morphemes. Most of the time in English they are represented by prefixes and/or suffixes. Other languages have infixes (insertion in the middle of a word) and circumfixes (added surrounding a word).

The word toys has two meaningful parts, toy and -s. The -s in this case denotes «plural», modifying the root word toy.
In contrast, the word orange has just one meaningful element (the word orange itself). It would not make sense to break it down further into, say, o + range.

There are 2 kinds of morphemes: free and bound.

Free morphemes can stand alone and have meaning independently.
Bound morphemes must be attached to a free morpheme, they cannot be used by themselves! For instance, you can’t just go around saying «-s» to mean «plural».

What is the purpose of morphemes?

Morphemes can derive other words by changing their part of speech. The suffix -ful turns a noun into an adjective. The suffix -ly changes an adjective into an adverb.

Morphemes can also change the meaning of a word, like the prefix un- to mean not. The suffix -ed often represents the past tense when attached to a verb. Obviously, there are exceptions in the case of irregular verbs. The suffix -s can represent either plural when attached to a noun, or denotes third person singular when attached to a verb.

Table of Contents

  1. What is an example of the word elements?
  2. What is an element of a word?
  3. What is the best definition of an element?
  4. What is atomicity Class 9?
  5. What are the three main types of elements Class 9?
  6. How many elements are there?
  7. What are the 50 elements and their symbols?
  8. What are the first 10 elements?
  9. What are the 1 to 30 elements?
  10. What are the uses of first 30 elements?
  11. What is the first 20 element?
  12. What are the first 50 elements?
  13. What are the first 100 elements?
  14. What are the first 40 elements?
  15. What is the 41 element?
  16. How do I learn elements?
  17. How do you remember the first 10 elements?
  18. How do you learn the first 18 elements?
  19. How do I know my element name?

We can define elements as a species of atoms that have the same number of protons in their atomic nuclei. Elements consist of one kind of atoms only. They cannot be broken down into simpler fragments and can exist as atoms or as molecules.

What is an example of the word elements?

An element is a substance that cannot be separated into simpler substances through chemistry. For example, water (H2O) is made of the elements hydrogen and oxygen.

What is an element of a word?

Elements are the smallest parts that add meaning to written words. Elements like re- at the front of words are called prefixes. Elements like -ed at the end of words are called suffixes. And elements like paint that give the word its basic meaning are called bases.

What is the best definition of an element?

An element is a substance that cannot be broken down into any other substance. Every element is made up of its own type of atom. This is why the chemical elements are all very different from each other.

What is atomicity Class 9?

The number of atoms present in a single molecule is termed as its atomicity. The molecules of many elements are composed of only a single atom of that element.

What are the three main types of elements Class 9?

Elements in different groups are lumped together in one of three classes, depending on their properties. The classes are metals, nonmetals, and metalloids. Knowing the class of an element lets you predict many of its properties.

How many elements are there?

118 elements

What are the 50 elements and their symbols?

118 Elements and Their Symbols and Atomic Numbers

Name of the Element Symbol of the Element Atomic Number
Cadmium Cd 48
Indium In 49
Tin Sn 50
Antimony Sb 51

What are the first 10 elements?

What are the First 10 Elements

Name of the Element Symbol of the Element Atomic Number
Boron B 5
Carbon C 6
Nitrogen N 7
Oxygen O 8

What are the 1 to 30 elements?

Atomic Mass of First 30 Elements

ATOMIC NUMBER ELEMENT ATOMIC MASS
1 Hydrogen 1.008
2 Helium 4.0026
3 Lithium 6.94
4 Beryllium 9.0122

What are the uses of first 30 elements?

The Elements — Descriptions, Uses and Occurrences

1 H Hydrogen explosive gas, lightest element 90% of atoms in the universe, sun and stars, H2O, life’s organic molecules
30 Zn Zinc non-corroding metal galvanized steel, brass (Cu-Zn), batteries, white paint, phosphors in TVs and lamps, fertilizer

What is the first 20 element?

First 20 Elements

Atomic Number Element Symbol
17 Chlorine Cl
18 Argon Ar
19 Potassium K
20 Calcium Ca

What are the first 50 elements?

The first 50 Elements of the Periodic Table

Question Answer
H Hydrogen
He Helium
Li Lithium
Be Beryllium

What are the first 100 elements?

Periodic Table (Elements 1-100)

Symbol Element
He Helium
Li Lithium
Be Beryllium
B Boron

What are the first 40 elements?

Terms in this set (40)

  • Hydrogen. H 1.
  • Helium. He 2.
  • Lithium. Li 3.
  • Beryllium. Be 4.
  • Boron. B 5.
  • Carbon. C 6.
  • Nitrogen. N 7.
  • Oxygen. O 8.

What is the 41 element?

Niobium is a chemical element with symbol Nb and atomic number 41.

How do I learn elements?

Memorize Using Mnemonic Devices The symbols for the elements are associated with words that form a phrase. If you can remember the phrase and know the symbols for the elements then you can memorize the order of the elements.

How do you remember the first 10 elements?

Henry Hester Likes Beer But CanNot Obtain Food Now

  1. Henry — Hydrogen ( The common ‘y’ helps in avoiding mixing it for Helium)
  2. Hester — Helium.
  3. Likes — Lithium.
  4. Beer — Beryllium (Be) ( Both start with ‘Be’, helps to avoid mixing it with Boron)
  5. But — Boron.
  6. Can — Carbon.
  7. Not — Nitrogen.
  8. Obtain — Oxygen.

How do you learn the first 18 elements?

Mnemonic Device: Happy Henry Lives Beside Boron Cottage, Near Our Friend Nelly Nancy MgAllen. Silly Patrick Stays Close. Arthur Kisses Carrie. Here He Lies Beneath Bed Clothes, Nothing On, Feeling Nervous, Naughty Margret Always Sighs, ” Please Stop Clowning Around ” (18 elements)

How do I know my element name?

The names of elements are determined from their position on the Periodic Table. In the modern Periodic Table, the elements are listed in order by increasing atomic number. The atomic number is the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom of a particular element.

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