Chapter 5

Medical Terminology
I. Introduction
A. As an EMT, you must have a strong working knowledge of medical terminology.
B. For effective communication and documentation, you must understand:
1. Key terms
2. Acronyms
3. Symbols
4. Abbreviations
C. You can determine the meaning of an unknown word by:
1. Understanding how terms are formed
2. Learning the definitions for parts of a medical term
D. Understanding medical jargon will help you communicate effectively with other members of
the EMS, health care, and public safety teams.

II. Anatomy of a Medical Term

A. Medical terms are made of distinct parts that perform specific functions.
B. Changing or deleting any of those parts can significantly change the function (or meaning) of
a word.
C. Components that comprise medical terms include the:
1. Word root: the foundation of the word
2. Prefix: what occurs before the word root
3. Suffix: what occurs after the word root
4. Combining vowels: vowels that join one or more word roots to other components of a term
D. How the parts of a term are combined determines its meaning.
1. Accurate spelling is essential in medical terminology.
a. The suffix -phasia means speaking, whereas -phagia means eating or swallowing.
b. The prefix dys- means difficult or painful. Dysphasia means difficulty speaking, while dysphagia
means difficulty eating or swallowing.
c. The terms ilium and ileum are pronounced exactly the same, but refer to different anatomical parts.
2. Knowing anatomy and the context of how these words are used can help you correctly
determine (and spell) the term in a given situation.
E. Word roots
1. The main part or stem of a word is called a word root (or root word).
 a. Conveys the essential meaning of the word
b. Frequently indicates a body part
2. Most terms have at least one word root, and some have more than one root.
3. Adding a prefix or suffix to the word root creates a term.
4. Changing the prefix or suffix will change the meaning of the term.
a. Cardiopulmonary breaks down as follows:
i. Cardio is a word root meaning “heart”
ii. Pulmon is a word root meaning “lungs”
b. By performing CPR you introduce air into the lungs and circulate blood by compressing the heart.
5. Some word roots may also be used as prefixes or suffixes for other terms.
F. Prefixes
1. A prefix is the part of a term that appears at the beginning of a word.
2. Prefixes usually describe:
a. Location
b. Intensity
3. Prefixes are found in general language (i.e., autopilot, submarine, tricycle), as well as in
medical and scientific terminology.
4. Not all medical terms have prefixes.
5. A prefix gives the word root its specific meaning.
a. For the word root pnea, one can add the prefix a- (without), brady- (slow), or tachy- (rapid) to
create three very different terms.
6. By learning the commonly used medical prefixes, you can figure out the meaning of terms that
may not be immediately familiar to you.
G. Suffixes
1. Suffixes are placed at the end of words.
2. Suffixes usually indicate a:
a. Procedure
b. Condition
c. Disease
d. Part of speech
3. A commonly used suffix is -itis, which means “inflammation.” When paired with the word root
arthro-, meaning joint, the resulting word is arthritis, an inflammation of the joints.
H. Combining vowels
1. A combining vowel is the part of a term that connects a word root to a suffix or other word
root.
a. In most cases, it is an o; however, it may also be an i or an e.
b. Used when joining a suffix that begins with a consonant or when joining another word root.
 c. Example: Gastroenterology
i. Gastr/o + enter/o + logy
ii. Stomach + intestines + the study of
2. The combining vowel helps ease the pronunciation of the term.
3. A combining form is a combining vowel shown with the word root.
4. Some common combining forms are:
a. cardi/o (heart)
b. gastr/o (stomach)
c. hepat/o (liver)
d. arthr/o (joint)
e. oste/o (bone)
f. pulmon/o (lungs)

III. Word Building Rules

A. When building or taking apart a medical term, it is helpful to understand some basic rules.
B. The following summarizes the rules covered thus far:
1. The prefix is always at the beginning of a term; however, not all terms will have a prefix.
2. The suffix is always at the end of the term.
3. Use a combining vowel when:
a. A suffix begins with a consonant (to make pronunciation easier).
b. A term has more than one word root; a combining vowel must be placed between the two word
roots, even if the second root begins with a vowel.

IV. Plural Endings

A. To change a term from singular to plural form, certain rules apply.
B. Sometimes you can simply add an s (lung becomes lungs), but some rules are more
complicated.
C. Rules you may encounter when converting from singular to plural terms are:
1. Singular words that end in a change to ae when plural.
a. Example: vertebra becomes vertebrae
2. Singular words that end in is change to es when plural.
a. Example: diagnosis becomes diagnoses
3. Singular words that end in ex or ix change to ices.
a. Example: apex becomes apices
4. Singular words that end in on or um change to a.
a. Examples: ganglion becomes ganglia, ovum becomes ova
 5. Singular words that end in us change to i
a. Example: bronchus becomes bronchi

V. Special Word Parts

A. Prefixes can be used to indicate:
1. Numbers
2. Colors
3. Positions and directions
B. Numbers
1. Several prefixes are used to indicate if a term involves a number, such as half, one, or two (or
more) parts or sides.
a. Examples: uni-, dipl-, null-, primi-, multi-, bi-
C. Color
1. Several word roots are used to describe color.
a. Examples: cyan/o, leuk/o, erythr/o, cirrh/o, melan/o
D. Positions and directions
1. Prefixes can also be used to describe a position, direction, or location.
a. Examples: ab-, ad-, de-, circum-, peri-, trans-, epi-, supra-

VI. Common Direction, Movement, and Position Terms

A. Directional terms
1. You need to know the correct directional terms to discuss:
a. Where an injury is located
b. How pain radiates in the body
2. Some directional terms include:
a. Right and left
b. Superior and inferior
c. Lateral and medial
d. Proximal and distal
e. Superficial and deep
f. Ventral and dorsal
g. Palmar and plantar
h. Apex
3. The terms right and left refer to the patient’s right and left sides, not to your right and left sides.
4. Superior and inferior
a. The superior part of any body part is the portion nearer to the head from a specific reference point.
The part nearer to the feet is the inferior portion.
 b. These terms are also used to describe the relationship of one structure to another.
i. Example: The knee is superior to the foot and inferior to the pelvis.
5. Lateral and medial
a. Parts of the body that lie farther from the midline are called lateral (outer) structures.
i. In general terms, lateral means side.
b. The parts that lie closer to the midline are called medial (inner) structures.
i. Example: A patient has a 5-cm laceration on the medial aspect of the thigh (means toward the
inside).
6. Proximal and distal
a. The terms proximal and distal are used to describe the relationship of any two structures on an
extremity.
b. Proximal describes structures that are closer to the trunk.
c. Distal describes structures that are farther from the trunk or nearer to the free end of the extremity.
i. Example: The elbow is distal to the shoulder and proximal to the wrist and hand.
7. Superficial and deep
a. Superficial means closer to or on the skin.
b. Deep means farther inside the body or tissue, and away from the skin.
i. Example: a superficial burn involves only the top layer of skin, similar to sunburn, whereas a
deep laceration involves a cut deeper into the tissue such as with a knife.
8. Ventral and dorsal
a. Ventral refers to the belly side of the body, or the anterior surface of the body.
b. Dorsal refers to the spinal side of the body, or the posterior surface of the body, (think of the dorsal
fin of a dolphin, which is on its back).
c. The more commonly used terms are anterior (the front surface of the body) and posterior (the back
surface of the body).
9. Palmar and plantar
a. The front region of the hand is referred to as the palm or palmar surface.
b. The bottom of the foot is referred to as the plantar surface.
10. Apex
a. The apex (plural apices) is the tip of a structure.
i. Example: The apex of the heart is the bottom (inferior portion) of the ventricles in the left side
of the chest.
B. Movement terms
1. The following terms relate to movement:
a. Flexion is the bending of a joint.
b. Extension is the straightening of a joint.
c. Adduction is motion toward the midline.
d. Abduction is motion away from the midline.
C. Other directional terms
1. A body part that appears on both sides of the midline is bilateral.
 a. Examples: Eyes, ears, hands, feet
2. Structures inside the body also appear on both sides of the midline.
a. Examples: Lungs and kidneys
3. Something that appears on only one side of the body is said to occur unilaterally.
a. Example: Unilateral chest expansion means that only one lung is expanding with inhalation (such as
with pneumothorax).
4. As an EMT, you should be able to describe the exact location of areas of the abdomen.
a. The abdominal cavity is divided into four equal quadrants:
i. Right upper quadrant
ii. Left upper quadrant
iii. Right lower quadrant
iv. Left lower quadrant
b. Again, right and left refer to the patient’s right and left, not yours.
5. It is important to learn all of these terms and concepts so you can describe the location of any
injury or assessment findings.
6. Use the terms properly so that any other medical personnel who care for the patient will know
immediately where to look and what to expect.
D. Anatomic positions
1. There are many terms used to describe the position of the patient on your arrival or during
transport to the emergency department:
a. Prone or supine
b. Fowler position
2. The body is in the prone position when lying face down; the body is in the supine position
when lying face up.
3. The Fowler position is a semi-reclining position with the head elevated to help the patient
breathe easier and to control the airway. A patient who is sitting upright is said to be in the
Fowler position.
a. Semi-Fowler position: Patient sits with the back of the stretcher at a 45-degree angle
b. High-Fowler position: Patient sits at a 90-degree angle

VII. Breaking Terms Apart

A. You can use knowledge of the meaning of parts to decipher the meaning of a term.
1. When trying to define a term, begin with the suffix and work backward.
2. If the term also contains a prefix, define the suffix, then the prefix, and then the word root. Here
are some examples:
a. Nephropathy
i. nephr/o/pathy
ii. -pathy (suffix meaning “disease”)
iii. o (combining form)
 iv. nephr (word root meaning “kidney”)
v. nephropathy = disease of the kidney
b. Dysuria
i. dys/ur/ia
ii. -ia (suffix meaning “condition of”)
iii. dys- (prefix meaning “difficult, painful, or abnormal”)
iv. ur (word root meaning “urine”)
v. dysuria = painful urination (pain when urinating) or difficulty urinating
c. Hyperemesis
i. hyper/emesis
ii. hyper- (prefix meaning “excessive”)
iii. emesis (word root meaning “vomiting”)
iv. hyperemesis = excessive vomiting
d. Analgesic
i. an/alges/ic
ii. -ic (suffix meaning “pertaining to”)
iii. -an (prefix meaning “without” or “absence of”)
iv. alges (word root meaning “pain”)
v. analgesic = pertaining to no pain

VIII. Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Symbols

A. Medical abbreviations, acronyms, and symbols are a type of shorthand used for
communication.
1. Developed because one could communicate faster using this method.
a. It is important not to trade speed for accuracy.
b. Use only commonly understood acronyms and abbreviations to minimize misinterpretations and
errors.
2. The Joint Commission and the Institute for Safe Medication Practices are considered two
authorities on abbreviations and provide do-not-use lists.
3. When you use an abbreviation, you pronounce each letter of the abbreviation separately and
distinctly.
a. For the acronym EMT, you say it “E–M–T.”
4. When you use an acronym, you are shortening several words, usually using the first letter of
each word to make the acronym.
a. Acronyms can be pronounced:
i. As their own word (e.g., SAMPLE history is pronounced like the word “sample”)
ii. By reading the letters one by one (e.g., EMS is pronounced “E-M-S”)
iii. Or by a combination of the two (e.g., DCAP-BTLS is pronounced “D-cap-B-T-L-S”
5. Misunderstanding and errors occur if someone involved in patient care does not understand the
meaning of abbreviations or acronyms.
a. For this reason, some agencies limit the use of abbreviations.