MED 111
Medical Terminology
Week 2
Combined Form
Fall 2025-2026 Assoc. Prof. Mennatallah Ali
Word Parts
Prefix Added in front of the term to modify its meaning.
Is a term derived from Greek or Latin language, usually
Word root indicates a body part.
e.g. cardi/al, cardi/ac, cardi/o/gram (cardi means heart)
Suffix Attached to the end of the word root to add meaning.
Word root
A word root is the main part of the word.
All medical words have at least one word root.
Word root
A word root may be used alone or combined with other elements (combining form,
prefix, suffix) to form another word with a different meaning.
Thyroid root as complete word
Thyroidectomy root as part of the word
(surgical removal of the thyroid gland)
bacteria root as complete word
bactericide root as part of the word (agent that kills bacteria)
Word root
A slash is used to separate word elements: /
Complete word Word root Meaning
Pancreat/itis
Dent/ist
Gastr/itis
Lump/ectomy
Dermat/o/logist
All roots indicate a body part
Word root
A slash is used to separate word elements:
Complete word Word root Meaning
Pancreat/itis Pancreat Inflammation of the pancreas
Dent/ist
Gastr/itis
Lump/ectomy
Dermat/o/logist
All roots indicate a body part
Word root
A slash is used to separate word elements:
Complete word Word root Meaning
Pancreat/itis Pancreat Inflammation of the pancreas
Dent/ist Dent A person who is licensed to practice dentistry
Gastr/itis
Lump/ectomy
Dermat/o/logist
All roots indicate a body part
Word root
A slash is used to separate word elements:
Complete word Word root Meaning
Pancreat/itis Pancreat Inflammation of the pancreas
Dent/ist Dent A person who is licensed to practice dentistry
Gastr/itis Gastr Inflammation of the stomach
Lump/ectomy
Dermat/o/logist
All roots indicate a body part
Word root
A slash is used to separate word elements:
Complete word Word root Meaning
Pancreat/itis Pancreat Inflammation of the pancreas
Dent/ist Dent A person who is licensed to practice dentistry
Gastr/itis Gastr Inflammation of the stomach
Lump/ectomy Lump The surgical removal of a tumor in a breast
Dermat/o/logist
All roots indicate a body part
Word root
A slash is used to separate word elements:
Complete word Word root Meaning
Pancreat/itis Pancreat Inflammation of the pancreas
Dent/ist Dent A person who is licensed to practice dentistry
Gastr/itis Gastr Inflammation of the stomach
Lump/ectomy Lump The surgical removal of a tumor in a breast
A physician who is specialized in the diagnosis
Dermat/o/logist Dermat
and treatment of skin diseases
All roots indicate a body part
Exercise
Underline the word roots in the following words; then using the
free medical dictionary, search for the meaning of the words:
Gastrectomy:
Gingivitis:
Phlebitis:
Exercise
Underline the word roots in the following words; then using the
free medical dictionary, search for the meaning of the words:
Gastrectomy: surgical removal of the stomach
Gingivitis: inflammation of the gum
Phlebitis: inflammation of a vein
Combined forms
Certain combinations of roots are hard to pronounce.
This is true when the word root ends in a consonant (not a vowel) and
the word part that is added to it also begins with a consonant.
Combined forms
This unease of pronunciation makes it necessary to insert a vowel
called “combining vowel”.
◼ e.g. Gastr/o/scope
Gastr: word root (ends with consonant letter)
scope: suffix (start with consonant letter)
Combined forms
This unease of pronunciation makes it necessary to insert a vowel
called “combining vowel”.
◼ e.g. Gastr/o/scope
Gastr: word root (ends with consonant letter)
scope: suffix (start with consonant letter)
Combined forms
This unease of pronunciation makes it necessary to insert a vowel
called “combining vowel”.
◼ e.g. Gastr/o/scope
Gastr: word root (ends with consonant letter)
scope: suffix (start with consonant letter)
Gastrscope x
Combined forms
In medical terms the most common vowel used in the formation of
the combining form is the letter -o- added to the word root.
Root – o – suffix
Combined form
The vowel has no meaning of its own, but enables 2 word elements
to be linked.
Combined forms
Combined form = word root + vowel “o”
Usually the combining vowel is an “o”, but occasionally it may be “a”, “e”, “i”, “u”, “y”
Word Analyze the word Combined form
Thermometer
Prefix/root/o/suffix
Gastroscope
Chemotherapy
Dermatology
Encephalography
Neurology
Combined forms
Combined form = word root + vowel “o”
Usually the combining vowel is an “o”, but occasionally it may be “a”, “e”, “I”, “u”, “y”
Word Analyze the word Combined form
Thermometer
Gastroscope
Chemotherapy
Dermatology
Encephalography
Neurology
Combined forms
Combined form = word root + vowel “o”
Usually the combining vowel is an “o”, but occasionally it may be “a”, “e”, “I”, “u”, “y”
Word Analyze the word Combined form
Thermometer Therm/o/meter Therm/o
Gastroscope
Chemotherapy
Dermatology
Encephalography
Neurology
Combined forms
Combined form = word root + vowel “o”
Usually the combining vowel is an “o”, but occasionally it may be “a”, “e”, “I”, “u”, “y”
Word Analyze the word Combined form
Thermometer Therm/o/meter Therm/o
Gastroscope Gastr/o/scope Gastr/o
Chemotherapy
Dermatology
Encephalography
Neurology
Combined forms
Combined form = word root + vowel “o”
Usually the combining vowel is an “o”, but occasionally it may be “a”, “e”, “I”, “u”, “y”
Word Analyze the word Combined form
Thermometer Therm/o/meter Therm/o
Gastroscope Gastr/o/scope Gastr/o
Chemotherapy Chem/o/therapy Chem/o
Dermatology
Encephalography
Neurology
Combined forms
Combined form = word root + vowel “o”
Usually the combining vowel is an “o”, but occasionally it may be “a”, “e”, “I”, “u”, “y”
Word Analyze the word Combined form
Thermometer Therm/o/meter Therm/o
Gastroscope Gastr/o/scope Gastr/o
Chemotherapy Chem/o/therapy Chem/o
Dermatology Dermat/o/logy Dermat/o
Encephalography
Neurology
Combined forms
Combined form = word root + vowel “o”
Usually the combining vowel is an “o”, but occasionally it may be “a”, “e”, “I”, “u”, “y”
Word Analyze the word Combined form
Thermometer Therm/o/meter Therm/o
Gastroscope Gastr/o/scope Gastr/o
Chemotherapy Chem/o/therapy Chem/o
Dermatology Dermat/o/logy Dermat/o
Encephalography Encephal/o/graphy Encephal/o
Neurology
Combined forms
Combined form = word root + vowel “o”
combined forms
Usually the combining vowel is an “o”, but occasionally it may be “a”, “e”, “I”, “u”, “y”
Word Analyze the word Combined form
Thermometer Therm/o/meter Therm/o
Gastroscope Gastr/o/scope Gastr/o
Chemotherapy Chem/o/therapy Chem/o
Dermatology Dermat/o/logy Dermat/o
Encephalography Encephal/o/graphy Encephal/o
Neurology Neur/o/logy Neur/o
Combined forms
If the medical term contains 2 roots; a combining vowel is used to
link them, even if the other root starts with a vowel.
Root/o – root – suffix Word
e.g. 1: Hepatosplenomegaly
Combined forms
If the medical term contains 2 roots; a combining vowel is used to
link a root to another root, even if the other root starts with a vowel.
Root/o – root – suffix Word
e.g. 1: Hepatosplenomegaly
Hepat/o
Combined forms
If the medical term contains 2 roots; a combining vowel is used to
link a root to another root, even if the other root starts with a vowel.
Root/o – root – suffix Word
e.g. 1: Hepatosplenomegaly
Hepat/o/splen/o
Combined forms
If the medical term contains 2 roots; a combining vowel is used to
link a root to another root, even if the other root starts with a vowel.
Root/o – root – suffix Word
e.g. 1: Hepatosplenomegaly
Hepat/o/splen/o/megaly
Combined forms
e.g. 2: Gastr/o/enter/itis
🞑 Gastr: root (means stomach)
2 roots are linked together by a vowel “o”
🞑 enter: root (means intestine)
🞑 Gastr/o: combined form
🞑 -itis: suffix (means inflammation)
🞑 Gastroenteritis means; inflammation of the stomach and intestine
Words Ending in x
When a word ending in x has a suffix added, the x is changed
to a (g) or a (c).
For example,
➢Pharynx (throat) becomes pharyngeal), to mean “pertaining
to the throat”;
➢Coccyx (terminal portion of the vertebral column) becomes
coccygeal, to mean “pertaining to the coccyx”;
➢Thorax (chest) becomes thoracotomy to mean “an incision
into the chest.”