What's in a Word?The Basics of Medical Terminology

Lesson Objectives

• What are the 3 parts of a Medical Term?

• What are the rules for including combining vowels?

• How does one make singular Medical Terms into the plural?

Medical Terms: A Dissection

APHASIAA Medical Term is made up of three parts:

Medical Terms: A Dissection

APHASIAA Medical Term is made up of three parts:COMBINING FORM: main 'root' of the word

Medical Terms: A Dissection

APHASIAA Medical Term is made up of three parts:COMBINING FORM: main 'root' of the word

PREFIX: affixed to the beginning of the Combining Form

Medical Terms: A Dissection

APHASIAA Medical Term is made up of three parts:

PREFIX: affixed to the beginning of the Combining FormCOMBINING FORM: main 'root' of the word

SUFFIX: affixed to the end of the Combining Form

Medical Terms: A Dissection

APHASIAA Medical Term is made up of three parts:

PREFIX: affixed to the beginning of the Combining FormCOMBINING FORM: main 'root' of the word

SUFFIX: affixed to the end of the Combining Form

The condition of the absence of speech

Practice Terms

1. hepatomegaly

2. ostectomy

3. pericarditis

4. hematology

5. parenteral

hepat/o + megaly

oste/o + ectomy

peri + cardi/o + itis

hemat/o + logy

para+ entere/o + al

Medical Terms: A Dissection

Oftentimes, Medical Terms contain 'extra' vowels, called COMBINING VOWELS. These vowels serve two purposes:

GASTROENTEROSTOMY

Medical Terms: A Dissection

Oftentimes, Medical Terms contain 'extra' vowels, called COMBINING VOWELS. These vowels serve two purposes:

GASTROENTEROSTOMY

1. To join two combining forms in a compound term

Medical Terms: A Dissection

Oftentimes, Medical Terms contain 'extra' vowels, called COMBINING VOWELS. These vowels serve two purposes:

GASTROENTEROSTOMY

1. To join two combining forms in a compound term 2. To join a combining form to a suffix beginning with a

consonant

Medical Terms: A Dissection

Oftentimes, Medical Terms contain 'extra' vowels, called COMBINING VOWELS. These vowels serve two purposes:

GASTROENTEROSTOMY

1. To join two combining forms in a compound term 2. To join a combining form to a suffix beginning with a

consonant

The creation of an opening between the stomach & small intestine

Medical Terms: A Dissection

Exception:

CARDITIS

1. If a root ends in a vowel and the suffix begins with the same vowel, the final vowel from the root is dropped and

no combining vowel is used.

(CARDI/O + ITIS)

Medical Terms: A Dissection

Exception:

CARDITIS

1. If a root ends in a vowel and the suffix begins with the same vowel, the final vowel from the root is dropped and

no combining vowel is used.

(CARDI/O + ITIS)

inflammation of the heart

Practice Terms1. "excision of bone" (oste/o + tomy)

2. "inflammation around the heart"

(peri + cardi/o + itis)

3. "the expansion of a vessel"

(angi/o + ectasis)

4. "pertaining to the esophagus"

(esophag/o + eal)

Practice Terms1. "excision of bone" (oste/o + tomy)

2. "inflammation around the heart"

(peri + cardi/o + itis)

3. "the expansion of a vessel"

(angi/o + ectasis)

4. "pertaining to the esophagus"

(esophag/o + eal)

osteotomy

pericarditis

angiectasis

esophageal

Singular vs. PluralSince the majority of Medical Terms are derived from Latin and Greek, they form their plurals as Latin and

Greek words do.

Singular Plural

-a -ae

-is -es

-um -a

-us -i

LATI

N

Singular vs. PluralSince the majority of Medical Terms are derived from Latin and Greek, they form their plurals as Latin and

Greek words do.

Singular Plural

-ma -mata

-on -a

-ax, -ex, -ix -aces, -ices

-y -iesGR

EE

K

Practice Terms

1. vertebra

2. phenomenon

3. thorax

4. fungus

5. diagnosis

Practice Terms

1. vertebra

2. phenomenon

3. thorax

4. fungus

5. diagnosis

vertebrae

phenomena

thoraces

fungi

diagnoses

Lesson Objectives

• What are the 3 parts of a Medical Term?

• What are the rules for including combining vowels?

• How does one make singular Medical Terms into the plural?

Groups for the Session:

Group 1

Jane Sammie Melissa Allejandro

Group 2

Kimberly Rosalyn Kiersten Brett

Group 3

Ta'loria Tara Camille Justin

Group 4

Morgan Brooke Najwa Austin