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INTRODUCTION TO MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY

BASIC ELEMENTS OF A MEDICAL WORD
DR OLIVE TIMA DANSO
OUTLINE
• History of Medical Words
• Basic Elements of a Medical Word
• Word Roots
• Combining Forms
• Suffixes
• Prefixes
• Defining Medical Words
• Rules for Forming Medical Terms
• Interactive Practice
THE ORIGINS OF MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY
Ancient Greece:
• Medical terminology dates back to Hippocrates (460–370 B.C.), known as the “Father of Medicine.”
• Greek terms describe diseases, conditions, and treatments (e.g., “dermatitis” from “derma” = skin).

Roman Empire:
• Latin terms describe anatomical terms (e.g., “corpus” = body).

Medieval and Renaissance Medicine: 1400 -1450 AD

• Arabic scholars preserved and expanded Greek medical knowledge.
• Latin became the universal medical language in Europe during the Renaissance.

Modern Developments:
• With scientific advancements, new medical terms emerged (e.g., “radiology,” “genetics”).
• English became the dominant language in medicine by the 20th century.
WHAT IS A MEDICAL WORD?

The field of medicine is global in nature and extent, and hence practitioners need to
understand each other.
The language of medicine is a specialized vocabulary used by healthcare
practitioners.
A medical word consists of some or all of the following basic elements:
• Prefix
• Word Root
• Suffix
A MEDICAL WORD

Pericarditis

Prefix Suffix
Root
PREFIX

A prefix is a word element attached to the beginning of a root or word.

Identifies some sub-division of the root
Not all medical terms have prefixes.
Adding or changing a prefix alters the meaning of the word.
What Does a Prefix Indicate?
• Number (e.g., Mono- = one)
• Time (e.g., Pre- = before)
• Position (e.g., Sub- = under)
• Direction (e.g., Ab- = away from)
• Negation (e.g., A- = without)
EXAMPLES OF PREFIXES
ROOT

The root has the central meaning usually relating to an organ.

• Therm – heat . Hypothermia (less heat), thermometer ( measuring heat)
• Myocarditis – made up of ; myo – cardio- itis
• Muscle layer /of the heart / inflammation = inflammation of the muscle layer
of the heart
• Endocarditis = endo/card/itis : inner covering
• Pericarditis = peri/card/itis : outer covering
 ROOT WORD
Body part Latin/Greek (Root) Example Body part Latin/Greek Example
Mouth Stomat/o Stomatitis Bladder Cysto cystitis
Tongue Gloss/o Glossitis Gall bladder Cholecysto Cholecystitis
Lingual Lingual nerve
Tonsil Tonsil Tonsillitis Bone Osteo Osteitis
osteoporosis
Oesophagus Oesophag/o Oesophagitis Iris Iris Iritis
Stomach Gastr/o Gastritis Retina Retina Retinitis
Intestines Enter/o Enteritis Ear oto otitis
Colon Col/o Colitis, mega Brain encephalo encephalitis
Appendix Appendicitis Teeth Dento Dentist
Lungs Pneum/o Pneumonitis Gum gingivo Gingivitis
Pulm/o Pulmonology
Heart Cardi/o Cardiologist anus procto Proctitis
Kidney Nephr/o Nephritis Liver hepato Hepatitis
Renal Renal artery hepatomegaly
SUFFIX

A word element placed at the end of a word.

Changes the meaning of the word.
Commonly describes:
• Pathology: Disease or abnormality (e.g., -itis = inflammation).
• Symptom: (e.g., -algia = pain).
• Surgical Procedure: (e.g., -ectomy = removal).
• Diagnostic Procedure: (e.g., -scopy = visual examination).
Examples:
• Tonsillitis → Tonsill (root: tonsil) + -itis (inflammation).
• Tonsillectomy → Tonsill (root: tonsil) + -ectomy (removal).
COMMON SUFFIXES
- Itis - inflammation
• Gastritis , inflammation of the stomach lining
• Dermatitis , inflammation of the skin (dermis)
(Inflammation is usually recognized by four cardinal signs: heat (dolor), redness (color), pain (rubor),
swelling (tumor),

-oma -cancer
• Hepatoma: cancer of the liver
• Meningioma : cancer of the brain lining (meninges)
-logy - study
• Cardiology – study of the heart
• cardio/myo/pathy
• Electroencephalograph – equipment to measure the electrical activity of the brain.
 SUFFIX- OTHERS
Suffix Meaning Condition Suffix Meaning condition
-as Pertaining to Cardiac -it is inflammation Gastritis
-al Pertaining to Neural -ology Study of cardiology
-algia Pain Myalgia -oma Tumour hepatoma
-cyte Cell Erythrocyte -opsy Viewing biopsy
-ectomy Excision Gastrectomy -osis Abnormal Nephrosis
-emia Blood Leukaemia -pathy Disease condition osteopathy

-genic Produced by Carcinogenic -scope Visualize Microscope

-gram Record Electrocardio-gram -isis Disease caused by Onchocerci-asis

-ic , ical Pertaining to Gastric -iasis Disease condition Onchocerc-

-ion Excision -ist Specialized cardiologist

-gnosis Knowlede Diagnosis -graphy
PREFIX-ROOT-SUFFIX

• Meningitis – inflammation of the brain covering (meninges)

• Electro/ cardio/ gram : electricity : recording of the /electricity of /the heart
• Gastr/itis: stomach inflammation;
• Haemat/o/ logy : study of the physiology of blood
• epi- gastr- ic : relating to the upper part of the stomach
DEFINING A MEDICAL WORD
The meaning of a medical term is determined by how its elements are combined.
1. Start with the Suffix:
• Example: -itis → Means “inflammation.”
2. Identify the Prefix (if present):
• Example: Peri- → Means “around.”
3. Examine the Root:
• Example: Arthr → Means “joint.”
4. Combine the Elements:
• Periarthritis → Means “inflammation around a joint.”
Key Tip: Always divide terms into their basic elements to understand their meaning.
COMBINATION
A combining form is created by joining a word root with a vowel (combining vowel).
The combining vowel (usually “o” or sometimes “i”):
• Has no meaning but helps connect word elements.- Makes medical terms easier to pronounce.

Example:
Osteoarthritis
• Oste/o (bone) + Arthr (joint) + -itis (inflammation)
• Meaning: Inflammation of the bones and joints.

Example 2:
Gastroenteritis
Gastr/o (stomach) + Enter (intestine) + -itis (inflammation)
Meaning: Inflammation of the stomach and intestines.
COMBINATIONS
• Electrocardiogram = electr/o/cardi/o/gram
• Electrical activity / of the heart/ measurement
• Measurement of the electrical activity of the heart
• Epigastric =Epi/gastr/ic
• Relating to the Upper part of the stomach
• Cardiomyopathy= Cardi/o/myo/pathy
• Cardiologist = cardi/o/logist
• Specialist in the study of the heart
• Pericarditis =Peri/card/its
• Outer covering / of heart/ inflammation
• Inflammation of the outer covering of the heart
 ANALYZING A MEDICAL WORD

• Root: foundation of the term, eg cardiac

• i.e. pertaining to the heart
• Suffix : word ending, eg –itis , myocarditis
• Inflammation of the heart muscle
• Prefix : word beginning eg peri- outer , pericarditis
• Combination vowel : (o) , links root and suffix
• Cardiomyopathy - disease of the heart muscle
• Combination form : combining root & combining vowel
• Meningoencephalitis – inflammation of the brain and covering
ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS
1. The three parts of a medical term are the_____,_______and_______
2. The component part usually found at the end of a medical word is the _____
3. When you analyze a medical term, you start with the ____and then define the _____
4. The root in periarthritis is _____
5. The difference between the combining form and combining vowel is_______
Combining form is the name given to a root that is followed by a combining vowel eg.
Root = arthr combining form = athro
EXERCISE : ROOT WORDS- WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
Body part Terminology Example Body Part Term Example

Testis Orch/o Orchitis Blood Haem/o Haematology

-emia Anaemia
Ovary Oophor/o Oophoritis Joint Arthr/o Arthritis
Uterus Hyster/o hysterotomy Head Capit/o Capitis
Endometrium Endometri/o Endometritis
endometriosis
Uterine tube Salping/o Salpingitis
Hystero-sal
Skin Dermat/o Dermatitis
Breast Mast/o Mastitis
Mamm/o mammogram
Nose Rhin/o rhinitis
Veins Phleb/o Phlebitis
Ven/o Veno-puncture
EXERCISE: ROOT WORD – WHAT IS IT?
Name meaning Medical Word Prefix Meaning Medical
Aden/o Gland adenoma Erythro/cyte Red blood Erythro/cyte
Aden/itis Gastr/o stomach Gastritis
Bio/lo Life Biology -gnos Complete diagnosis
Caput/o head Capitis knowledge
Carcin/oma Haemat/o Blood haematology
Cepal/o head Cephalic Iatr/o treatment Iatrogenic
Cardi/o heart Cardiology Leuk/o white leucocyte
Cysto Cell Neur/o Nerve neurologist
Dermato Skin Dermatitis Onc/o cancer oncology
Encephal/o Brain encephalopathy opthalmo eye opthalmology
ortho strengheni orthopedics patho disease pathology
ng
Thrombo Clot Thrombocyte psycho mind psychology
PREFIX- OTHERS
Prefix meaning Condition Prefix Meaning Condition
A,an- No, without anaemia Retro- Behind Retrocecal
retrosternal
Auto- Self Autolysis Re- re Re
Dia- Complete Diagnosis Sub- Below subcutaneous
Endo- Within endocrinology Trans- across transcript
Epi- Above epigastric orth bone othortic
Ex- Out excision leuko White Leukocyte
Hyper- excessive hyperglycaemia
Hypo- Below hypoglycaemia Kwashiakor?
In - Into In vivo
Peri- Around pericardium
Pro- Before prognosis
 PREFIX AND SUFFIX
Prefix Meaning Suffix Meaning
A/an- No or without eg anaemia (without blood -itis Inflammation (infection with - pain, redness, heat, swelling)
)
Poly- Multiple eg polycythaemia -otomy Surgery to make opening into ---

Micro- Abnormally small eg microstomia(small --etomy Surgery for removal of something

mouth)
Macro Large – eg macrostomia, -desis Arthrodesis

Mega Large – eg megacolon (abnormally large -oma Tumour of -----eg Hepatoma, (liver), osteosarcoma ( bone)
colon), acromegaly (large hands )
-osis Abnormal condition – cyanosis- blueness due to lack of oxygen
-ology The study of –eg cardiology
Scopy To look into/ observe –eg colonoscopy -graphy recording an image eg mammography. (image
Equipment for measuring activity of –( root word)
-gram Recording of activity / mage eg cardiogram, mammogram,
encephalogram
-gist Specialist in --- eg Cardiologist , nephrologist
 SUFFIX
Suffix Meaning Disease/ condition
-itis Inflammation (infection with - pain, redness, heat, Gastritis ( confirmed by biopsy)
swelling - dolor, rubor, color, tumor)
-otomy Surgery to make opening into --- Tracheotomy
--etomy Surgery for removal of something Appendicectomy, tonsillectomy
-desis Stiffening of joint Arthrodesis
-oma Cancer, abnormal growth Hepatoma, carcinoma
-osis Abnormal condition – cyanosis- blueness due to lack of Cyanosis, osteo arthrosis,
oxygen
-ology The sudy of –eg cardiology Cardiology
-graphy recording an image eg mammography. (image Electroencephalogram
Equipment for measuring activity of –( root word)
-gram Recording of activity / eg cardiogram, mammogram,
encephalogram
-gist Specialist in --- eg Cardiologist , nephrologist
-ostomy To make a mouth/ opening permanent into Colostomy - hole into colon to link outside
EXPLAIN IN SIMPLE WORDS TO OLD PARENTS

• The Pathologist conducted an autopsy, he took a biopsy for microscopic

examination and arrived at a diagnosis of meningioma with a polycystic kidney
as a result of trypanosomiasis.
• He wondered why the Ortho-rhino-laryngo-logist and the Ophthalmologist did
not conduct an electroencephalogram or even a rhinoscopy to rule out
retinoblastoma because of the history of peri-orbital neuralgia, pharyngitis, and
thrombocytopaenia.
THE END