Building and Deconstructing Medical Terms

1. Medical Word Construction

In this lesson, you will focus on medical word building. This is the process of forming medical terms by combining word parts (prefixes, roots, suffixes). You will have a chance to practice medical word construction and medical word deconstruction.

before you start

Understanding medical word construction and deconstruction will strengthen your medical vocabulary. It will help you learn to decode unfamiliar medical terms as the word parts become more and more familiar. On a larger scale, this will help you understand diagnoses, procedures, and treatments.

As you learn more word parts and terms, you will be able to decode complex terms used in varied ways, including medical documentation, reports, patient charts, and research papers. It will become easier to learn new medical terms quickly because the components will be familiar. This will help you communicate clearly and effectively in medical settings and will reduce the risk of terminology errors. It will help you understand patient conditions and treatment plans.

Remember the basic structure of medical terms, which are built from word roots, prefixes, and suffixes. The word root is often written as a combining form. Let’s review.

The word root, often written as a combining form, identifies the body part, system, or primary meaning of the term.

EXAMPLE

Cardi/o- (heart) → Cardiology (study of the heart).

The prefix is found at the beginning of the word and modifies the root. It indicates position, number, time, size, or negation.

EXAMPLE

Tachy- (fast) → Tachycardia (fast heart rate).

The suffix is at the end of a word and modifies the root. It describes conditions, procedures, or specializations.

EXAMPLE

-itis (inflammation) → Tonsillitis (inflammation of the tonsils).

Remember that you will often need to use a combining vowel to produce the combining form of a word root. The combining vowel, usually "o" or "i," is used to connect word parts smoothly.

EXAMPLE

Oste/o + arthr/o + -itis → Osteoarthritis (inflammation of bone and joints).

Remember the following rules:

When the suffix starts with a vowel, drop the combining vowel.
Nephr/o + -itis → Nephritis (inflammation of the kidney)

When the suffix starts with a consonant, retain the combining vowel.
Nephr/o + -logy → Nephrology (study of the kidneys).

When joining two roots, always keep the combining vowel.
Gastr/o + enter/o + -logy → Gastroenterology (study of the stomach and intestines).

MTA06

Let’s practice some word construction using multiple word parts.

Here are some examples:

Prefix + Root/Combining Form + Suffix

EXAMPLE

Dys- (abnormal) + pnea (breathing) → Dyspnea (difficulty breathing).

Root/combining form + Suffix

EXAMPLE

My/o (muscle) + -pathy (disease) → Myopathy (muscle disease).

Prefix + Root/Combining Form

EXAMPLE

Pre- (before) + natal (birth) → Prenatal (before birth).

MTA07

try it

Let’s try some examples.

What are the word parts in cardiomyopathy?

Combining form (cardi/o) + combining form (my/o) + suffix (-pathy).

What term means inflammation of the kidney? You will need the combining form meaning kidney and the suffix meaning inflammation.

The correct word is nephritis (nephr/o + -itis).

What term means inflammation of the heart muscle? You will need the combining forms meaning heart and muscle and the suffix meaning inflammation.

The correct word is myocarditis (my/o + cardi/o + -itis).

2. Medical Word Deconstruction

In addition to building medical terms, it’s valuable to be able to break them down to understand their parts. Medical word deconstruction is the process of breaking down a complex medical term into its components, which helps in determining meaning.

Here are steps that you can use to deconstruct medical terms, although you can choose the approach that works best for you.

step by step

1. Start with the suffix. Look to see if there is a suffix at the end.

Arthritis
-itis (inflammation)
Arthr- (joint)
Meaning: Inflammation of the joints.

2. Look for a prefix (if present). Remember that the prefix modifies the meaning of the word root.

Hypertension
Hyper- (excessive, high)
Tension (pressure)
Meaning: High blood pressure.

3. Determine the root word. The root (often written as a combining form) defines the main concept of the term.

Neuropathy
Neur/o (nerve)
-pathy (disease)
Meaning: Nerve disease

4. Look for common combining forms. Remember that a combining vowel is often added to the root word.

Hemat/o (blood) → Hematology (study of blood).

Dermat/o (skin) → Dermatitis (skin inflammation).

Cardi/o (heart) → Cardiomegaly (enlarged heart).

As you learn medical terms, pay particular attention to similar-looking and similar-sounding words to avoid confusion.

Oste/o (bone) vs. Ot/o (ear)

Neur/o (nerve) vs. Nephr/o (kidney)

Arthr/o (joint) vs. Ather/o (fatty plaque)

MTA08

try it

Let’s try some examples.

What does atherosclerosis mean? Break down the word parts. The suffix -sclerosis means hardening.

Based on the word parts, atherosclerosis means hardening due to fatty plaques (ather/o + -sclerosis). Atherosclerosis is a condition in which fatty plaques build up in blood vessels and cause hardening. This means that the lumen (the opening in a tubular structure like a blood vessel) is narrowed.

What does arteriosclerosis mean?

Based on the word parts, arteriosclerosis means hardening of the arteries. This condition occurs when there is a buildup in the walls of arteries that causes them to stiffen. Arteriosclerosis is a broad term that includes atherosclerosis.

The animation below shows an example of atherosclerosis. You can see that a fatty plaque has developed in the blood vessel wall, narrowing the opening (the term for an opening in a tubular structure like a blood vessel is lumen) and making it more difficult for blood to pass through. One view shows the plaque from the side. The other view is a micrograph showing a view into the tubular interior of the blood vessel. This round opening, like all tubular openings, is called a lumen. Blood travels through the lumen, inside the blood vessel walls. The plaque is partially blocking the round opening into the lumen, leaving less room for the blood to pass. Sometimes, pieces of plaque can break off and form blockages. Atherosclerosis differs from arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), which is a broad term that includes atherosclerosis. MTA09

try it

Let’s try some examples. Break down the word parts in the following terms.

What does bronchopneumonia mean?

Based on the word parts, bronchopneumonia means a condition of the bronchial tubes and lungs (bronch/o + pneum/o + -ia).

What does hypoglycemia mean?

Based on the word parts, hypoglycemia means low blood sugar (hypo- + glyc/o + -emia).

What does hypokinesia mean?

Kines/o means movement. Based on the word parts, hypokinesia means having reduced movement (hypo- + kines/o + -ia).

What does arthralgia mean?

Based on the word parts, arthralgia means having joint pain (arthr/o + -algia).

terms to know

The box below lists terms that are especially important or that may be difficult to pronounce. Audio is provided to help you learn how to say these terms.

3. Avoiding Common Errors

Whenever you practice using new terms, pay attention to possible errors. Review what you know about using combining forms and about forming plurals to help avoid errors.

Be careful to always use a combining vowel when needed.

EXAMPLE

Incorrect: Gastrenterology → Correct: Gastroenterology.

Be careful not to confuse similar-sounding words.

EXAMPLE

Laryngectomy (removal of the larynx) vs. Laryngostomy (creation of an opening in the larynx).

Be careful to form plurals correctly.

EXAMPLE

Diagnosis → Diagnoses (not Diagnosis's).

Bacterium → Bacteria (not Bacteriums).

try it

Let’s try some examples.

What is incorrect in this sentence? “The surgery to repair the ligament, ligamentplasty, went well.”

A combining vowel is needed to form the term, which is “ligamentoplasty.”

What is incorrect in this sentence? “The patient’s prognosises are good.”

The plural form of prognosis is incorrect. The correct plural form of prognosis is prognoses. The sentence should read, “The patient’s prognoses are good.”