Introduction to Medical Word Components

before you start

In this course, you will encounter many new medical terms. If you see word parts or words that are bolded, make a note of them because those are the words (glossary terms) that you will be tested on. Some lessons will have glossary terms with audio in tables, suggesting that those terms are especially important. Look ahead to the Unit 2 Touchstone Task assignment, where you will be asked to compile a list of all the terms you learn in this course. Download the Excel Template for this assignment to begin tracking them. Remember, you can always refer to the course glossary of terms as a reference. Don’t forget to practice with the flashcards in each lesson.

1. Introduction to Medical Terminology

big idea

What is medical terminology? In this course, you will learn effective ways to communicate in medical settings. Medical terminology is terminology that is used to clearly describe all sorts of things: medical conditions, diagnoses, body parts, locations on the body, treatment recommendations, insurance documentation, and similar things. Medical terminology needs to provide very precise and concise descriptions so medical professionals can quickly understand important information. Someone’s life, or quality of life, can hang in the balance. Click on the links to see a few examples of medical communications before you get started. These may look like they are written in a foreign language right now, but one of the exciting things about medical terminology is that you can build many words once you have learned some important word parts. You will soon be able to read these documents confidently.

Have you ever encountered long, unfamiliar medical terms at medical appointments, on television, or somewhere else? It can seem like listening to another language and may seem intimidating.

It is important to recognize that medical terms provide an efficient and clear way of communicating, often reducing the number of words needed to describe something complicated. This lets medical professionals quickly convey large amounts of information while reducing the risk of misunderstandings that could interfere with people getting the best possible medical care.

‘’’IN CONTEXT’’’

Mistakes caused by confusing similar medication names have, in some cases, led to patient deaths. Some of this is due to similarities in medication names, and some of this is due to easily confused abbreviations. There are now specific guidelines to try to avoid confusion about similar medication names. The Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and the FDA have produced a "Do Not Use" list to reduce the risk of people using confusing abbreviations.

For example, in one case study reported in 2020 by Heck et al., a medication name was misspelled in the chart of an 80-year-old woman. The patient was supposed to receive edoxaban, but the word endoxaban was written in her chart. Endoxaban is very similar to Endoxan, which is the name for an immunosuppressive agent/cancer medication (generic name cyclophosphamide). Think about how the patient could have been harmed if this mistake had not been caught. Not only would the patient miss getting the medication that she needed, but she could also have had medication interactions or harmful side effects from a medication she didn’t need.

Once you get more familiar with it, medical terminology has a logic that makes it easier to understand than you might think. Medical terms have components, including common prefixes, word roots, and suffixes. By understanding the meaning of common components included in a medical term, you can easily construct the meaning of the term based on the meanings of its components. You will learn more about these components first, then work your way through terms related to specific body systems and applications.

watch

View this video about the language of healthcare.

As you work your way through this course, keep in mind that many medical terms have Greek and Latin roots. This helps to explain some of their forms, such as plurals, that may seem unfamiliar at first. The table below compares the origins of medical terms.

big idea

The table above describes the origins of medical terms. We also can summarize medical terms into four types based on what they describe, as follows:

1. Anatomical: Terms used to describe specific areas and movements of the body, as well as the relation of body parts to each other.

EXAMPLE

An anatomical term is medial, which describes the middle or direction toward the middle of the body.

2. Disease and Disorder: Terms that describe deviation from the normal structural or functional state of an organism, generally associated with certain signs and symptoms.

EXAMPLE

A disease is bronchopneumonia, an infection of the bronchi in the lungs.

3. Diagnostic/Procedural: Terms related to the process of identifying a disease, condition, or injury.

EXAMPLE

A diagnostic term is transrectal ultrasound, an ultrasound procedure used to diagnose prostate cancer.

4. Therapeutic: Terms regarding the treating or curing of diseases.

EXAMPLE

A therapeutic term is nebulizer, which is a device that creates a mist used to deliver medication for respiratory treatment.

These categories will be used to discuss medical terms by body systems throughout the rest of the course.

2. Basic Components of Medical Terms

Remember that many medical terms are built from components. Learning these components and how to combine them will provide you access to a quick entry into medical language. This will help you to quickly interpret new medical terms, allowing you to understand varied medical communications, including diagnoses, procedures, and prescriptions.

2a. Word Components and Their Functions

Many medical terms can be defined by breaking down the term into word components and defining each component. That means that learning these components gives you the ability to understand many different medical terms. In other words, you can learn components and assemble them in different ways instead of having to memorize every word individually.

The word components include word roots, prefixes, and suffixes. These are explained below.

key concept

A word root is a core part of a word. It refers to the body part or body system to which the term is referring.

In the examples below, the word root on the left is accompanied by its definition, followed by an example of a term built using that word root.

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

Nephr- (kidney) → Nephritis (inflammation of the kidney).

Gastr- (stomach) → Gastroenterology (study of the stomach and intestines).

key concept

A prefix is added to the beginning of a word to modify or add to its meaning. Prefixes commonly indicate number, position, direction, time, or negation. Negation means that something does not happen or is absent.

In the examples below, the prefix on the left is preceded by a descriptor explaining what it indicates (position, number, time, and negation). Each prefix is accompanied by its definition followed by an example of a term built using that prefix.

Position: Sub- (under) → Subcutaneous (under the skin).

Number: Bi- (two) → Bilateral (two sides).

Time: Post- (after) → Postoperative (after surgery)

Negation: A- (without) → Aseptic (without infection).

key concept

A suffix is added to the end of a word to provide additional information. Suffixes often describe procedures, conditions, and diseases.

In the examples below, the suffix on the left is preceded by a descriptor explaining what it indicates (diagnosis, procedure, or description). Each suffix is accompanied by its definition followed by an example of a term built using that suffix.

Diagnostic: -itis (inflammation) → Arthritis (joint inflammation).

Procedural: -ectomy (surgical removal) → Appendectomy (removal of appendix).

Descriptive: -megaly (enlargement) → Cardiomegaly (enlarged heart).

try it

Now let’s try assembling a word. Try combining the word root nephr (kidney) with the suffix –itis (inflammation). Try to answer the question, then click on the plus sign to see if you answered correctly.

What word do you get? What does it mean?

The word is nephritis, which means inflammation of the kidney.

2b. Combining Forms

Sometimes, you need to modify the word root so that the medical term is easier to say. Think about the word root arthr (joint) and the suffix –scopy (viewing). These word parts can be combined to describe a procedure whereby a doctor uses a scope called an arthroscope (using “arthr” again) to view the inside of a joint. If you put these together, you get arthroscopy. That’s awkward to say. So you can add an “o” to make it easier: arthr/o + scopy = arthroscopy (to use an arthroscope to view inside a joint). “Arthr/o” is called a combining form because it is used to combine terms in a way that is easy to say.

key concept

A combining form consists of the root word plus a vowel for easier pronunciation. The vowel is most commonly “o,” as in the example above. This vowel is called the combining vowel. The root word plus the vowel is called the combining form and is often written like this: cardi (heart) + o = cardi/o.

In the examples below, the word root is given on the left, then “o” is added to the word root to produce the combining form, and then a suffix is added.

Neur → Neur/o (nerve) → Neurology (study of nerves).

Gastr → Gastr/o (stomach) → Gastrology (study of the stomach)

Oste → Oste/o (bone) → Osteopathy (disease of the bone).

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

Let’s look a little more closely at the words in the examples. The suffixes are –ology (study of) and -pathy (disease). Those are common suffixes, so make a note of them.

try it

Now let’s try assembling a word. Try producing a word using the word root hepat (liver) and the suffix –megaly (enlargement).

What word do you get? What does it mean?

The word is hepatomegaly, which means enlargement of the liver. You need to add an “o” to get the combining form of hepat, which is hepat/o.

How do you know when to use a combining vowel? There are some important rules to follow. These rules are summarized in the table below.

IN CONTEXT

Here are some examples of words and their components. Note that you can create complex words that may include multiple word roots, as well as a prefix, a word root, and a suffix.

Arthr/o (joint) + -scopy = Arthroscopy (visual examination of a joint)

Hypo- (low) + glyc/o (sugar) + -emia (blood condition) = Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).

Hypo- (low) + derm/o (skin) + -ic (pertaining to) = Hypodermic (pertaining to under the skin, such as a hypodermic needle).

Ot/o (ear) + rhin/o (nose) + laryng/o (throat) + -logy (study of) = Otorhinolaryngology (the study of the ear, nose, and throat).

step by step

The table below summarizes the steps used to build words.

1. First, analyze word components: break down the word to examine its components.
2. Next, define the components.
3. Finally, build a definition.

2c. Body Parts and Systems

Now that you are familiar with the components of medical terms, you can begin to learn terms associated with different body systems. Later in this course, you will focus on individual body systems in more detail. This is an introduction.

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.

REFERENCES

Heck, J., Groh, A., Stichtenoth, D. O., Bleich, S., & Krause, O. (2020). Look-alikes, sound-alikes: Three cases of insidious medication errors. Clinical case reports, 8(12), 3284–3287. doi.org/10.1002/ccr3.3409