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Definition
Prefix
A single letter or a group of letters placed before a root word (or series of root
words). The prefix shows a particular relationship, such as prepositional or
adverbial. In general, most prefixes in medical terminology are used in
everyday speech.
Root Word
The word part (or parts) that provides the main meaning of a medical term.
Suffix
A single letter or a group of letters added to the end of a root word (or series of
root words. The suffix indicates the grammatical function of the medical term
(noun, adjective, verb, or adverb).
Combining Vowel
A vowel that links together word parts for ease of pronunciation. Usually, the
combining vowel is o, but it occasionally will be a, e, i, or u.
Together a root word and combining vowel are called a combining form. Word parts
may be combined in any of several different ways to build a medical term.
Lets analyze a medical term and its word parts by following a basic guide line that will
help you develop important skills in mastering the basics of medical terminology. You
will learn how to dissect a medical term into its individual word parts and then
reconstruct those word parts to determine the meaning of the term as a whole.
At this point, dont worry that you dont know the meanings of the word parts; just pay
attention to the process of analyzing the term. You will be able to use this process to
understand a medical term that you have never seen before. We will illustrate the
process using the four medical terms below:
gastrology
gastroenterology
intragastric
gastrectomy
Example 1
The medical term gastrology is defined as the study of the stomach. This term
contains a combining form (root word plus combining vowel) and a suffix.
Follow these steps to analyze the medical term gastrology:
1.
Divide the term into its word parts. Note that a slash is used to separate each
word part.
Medical Term
Dissection
gastrology
2.
gastr / o / logy
gastr / o
gastr = stomach
o = combining vowel
logy
suffix
logy = study of
3.
Arrange the word parts in the correct order. To figure out the meaning of a
medical term, begin with the suffix. Then go back to the beginning of the term and work
your way across.
gastr = stomach
logy = study of
Divide the term into its word parts by placing a slash between each word part.
Medical Term
gastroenterology
Dissection
gastr / o / enter / o / logy
2.
gastr / o
gastr = stomach
o = combining vowel
enter / o
enter = intestines
o = combining vowel
logy
suffix
logy = study of
3.
Arrange the word parts in the correct order. Begin with the suffix; then go back to
the beginning of the term and work your way across.
gastr = stomach
enter = intestines
logy = study of
Divide the term into its word parts by placing a slash between each word part.
Medical Term
Dissection
intragastric
2.
intra / gastr / ic
intra
prefix
intra = within
gastr
root word
gastr = stomach
ic
suffix
ic = pertaining to
3.
gastr = stomach
ic = pertaining to
Example 4
Gastrectomy is defined as the excision (surgical removal) of the stomach. This term
contains a root word and a suffix. It does not require a combining vowel.
Follow these steps to analyze the medical term gastrectomy:
1.
Divide the term into its word parts by placing a slash between each word part.
Medical Term
Dissection
gastrectomy
2.
gastr / ectomy
gastr
root word
gastr = stomach
ectomy
suffix
3.
Meaning
bi-
two
di-
two; double
quad-
four
tri-
three
uni-
one
Meaning
hemi-
half
hyper-
above normal
hypo-
below normal
poly-
many; much
Meaning
ab-
away from
ad-
toward
endo-
within
hypo-
below
inter-
between
intra-
within
para-
near; beside
peri-
around
post-
after
pre-
before
sub-
beneath; below
trans-
through; across
Meaning
-ac
pertaining to
-al
pertaining to
-algia
pain
-cele
-ectasis
-edema
swelling
-emia
blood condition
-ia
condition
-iasis
abnormal condition
-itis
inflammation
-malacia
softening
-megaly
large; enlargement
-oma
tumor; mass
-osis
abnormal condition
Suffix
Meaning
-pathy
disease
-penia
-rrhexis
rupture
-trophy
development
Meaning
-gram
record; image
-graph
-graphy
-meter
-metry
process of measuring
-scope
-scopy
process of observing
Meaning
-centesis
-ectomy
-lysis
-pexy
surgical fixation
-plasty
surgical repair
-rrhaphy
suture
-stomy
-tomy
-tripsy
crushing