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.
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.
- Step One: Read. Have your students read the poem once to themselves and then aloud, all the way through, at LEAST twice.
- Step Two: Title. Think about the title and how it relates to the poem.
- Step Three: Speaker.
- Step Four: Mood and Tone.
- Step Five: Paraphrase.
- 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 Rhyming. Rhyming is the most obvious poetic technique used.
- #2 Repetition. Repetition involves repeating a line or a word several times in a poem.
- #3 Onomatopoeia.
- #4 Alliteration.
- #5 Assonance.
- #6 Simile.
- #7 Metaphor.
- #8 Hyperbole.
How do you judge a poem?
CRITERIA FOR JUDGING
- Relevance to the theme – 50%
- Creativity/Style and Originality – 30%
- Coherence of form and structure (harmony of words, presentation) – 10%
- 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
- What is an example of the word elements?
- What is an element of a word?
- What is the best definition of an element?
- What is atomicity Class 9?
- What are the three main types of elements Class 9?
- How many elements are there?
- What are the 50 elements and their symbols?
- What are the first 10 elements?
- What are the 1 to 30 elements?
- What are the uses of first 30 elements?
- What is the first 20 element?
- What are the first 50 elements?
- What are the first 100 elements?
- What are the first 40 elements?
- What is the 41 element?
- How do I learn elements?
- How do you remember the first 10 elements?
- How do you learn the first 18 elements?
- 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
- Henry — Hydrogen ( The common ‘y’ helps in avoiding mixing it for Helium)
- Hester — Helium.
- Likes — Lithium.
- Beer — Beryllium (Be) ( Both start with ‘Be’, helps to avoid mixing it with Boron)
- But — Boron.
- Can — Carbon.
- Not — Nitrogen.
- 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.