building medical words

Rule 3 

gastr/o

gastr 

hepat/o

hepat 

immune

immunity

safe 

core of a medical term-contains the fundamental meaning of the word.

primarily describes an anatomic structure 

a word element placed at end of a word or word root that changes the meaning of the word.

indicates a procedure, condition, disease, or part of speech 

a word element attached to the beginning of a word or word root

usually indicates a number, time, position, direction, or negation 

defining medical words

rule 1 

define the suffix,

the last part of the word

condition

abnormal secretion of large amounts of urine 

building medical words

rule 1 

defining medical words

rule 3 

defining medical words

rule 2 

define the first part of the word

maybe a word root, combining form or a prefix 

building medical words

rule 2 

a root word to which a vowel is added

usually an "O" 

abdomin/o

abdomen 

-desis

-algia

-dynia 

-gen

-genesis 

abnormal condition

(produced by something specific) 

-plasia

formation, growth

abnormal development of cells, tissues, or organs 

formation, growth

a new and abnormal formation of tissue such as a tumor or growth 

bursting (of)

loss of a large amount of blood within a short period, either externally or internally 

bursting (of)

profuse discharge of blood during menstruation 

adjective suffix

pertaining to, relating to 

pertaining to the heart 

adjective suffix

pertaining to, relating to

pertaining to the nerve

adjective suffix

pertaining to, relating to

pertaining to the muscle

adjective suffix

pertaining to, relating to

pertaining to the lungs

adjective suffix

pertaining to, relating to

pertaining to the esophagus

adjective suffix

pertaining to, relating to

pertaining to the chest

adjective suffix

pertaining to, relating to

pertaining to the study of disease

is a combination of -ic and -al 

adjective suffix

pertaining to, relating to

pertaining to the penis

adjective suffix

pertaining to, relating to

pertaining to the back of the body

behind, posterior 

adjective suffix

pertaining to, relating to

pertaining to the skin

also means composed of or producing 

adjective suffix

pertaining to, relating to

pertaining to  hearing

noun suffix

infection of the lung usually casused by bacteria, viruses, or diseases

noun suffix

condition characterized by overactivity of the thyroid gland

noun suffix

medicine; treatment 

specialty concerned with treatment and prevention of condiditons of the human foot 

noun suffix

specialist

physician who specializes in the branch of medicine concerned with pregnancy and childbirth 

 noun suffix

specialist

physician who specializes in the treatment of disorders of blood and blood-forming tissues  

noun suffix

condidion; process

disease of the nerves 

diminutive suffix

small, minute 

small cavity, as of the brain or heart 

diminutive suffix

small, minute

the smallest of the arteries; minute artery

diminutive suffix

small, minute

small vein continuous with a capillary 

nucle/o

cranium

(skull) 

back (of body),

behind, posterior

neck; cervix uteri

(neck of uterus) 

albin/o

cirrh/o

jaund/o

xanth/o 

band, fascia (fibrous membrane

supporting and separating muscles) 

radiation, xray;

radius (lower arm bone on thumb side)

anti

contra 

endo

intra 

ecto

exo

 extra

dia

trans 

multi

poly 

mono

uni 

dipl

diplo 

pre

pro