Download Medical Vocabulary Name_________________ Date

Medical Vocabulary
Name_________________ Date __________Period _____
In the following activity you will use the prefixes and suffixes used in medical words to
determine their meaning. A prefix is a short segment of a word that has a meaning. A prefix comes
at the beginning of the word. For example, the prefix hetero- means different or different form. A
heterosexual therefore is attracted to the different gender or the opposite sex. A suffix is a short
segment or piece of word that also has meaning. However, a suffix unlike a prefix, is found at the
end of the word. One common medical prefix is -itis means inflammation. Inflammation is a very
common medical condition that can occur in all parts of the body (although the cause of the
inflammation can be different). A common word that you may have heard is tendonitis. You may
have heard of a tendon before, it is a flexible cord of a protein called collagen that connects muscle
to bone. If a patient has tendonitis they have an inflammation of the tendon.
In this activity students will work in groups of two to try to construct the twenty words
below. Just below are the meanings of the prefixes and suffixes. After that is a list of hints to help
you combine these word segments into complete words. You are going to want to check your
words with me as mistakes will be common. Failure to get assistance from me may cause you to lose
many points. Later in the activity you will define these words without the help from your teacher,
your phone, or the internet. Failure to get the correct words will lead to bad definitions of words that
do not exist. Any definition that appears googled, copied from another group will result in zero
points, and you will be required to do an alternative assignment to pass this class.
Suffix meanings
1) –itis means inflammation or infection
2) –ation means the act of
3) –stasis stationary condition
Prefix meanings
1) Hetero- different or of different form
2) Auto- oneself
3) Homo- same, one in the same
Hints
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
11)
12)
13)
14)
Pancreas is an organ that helps control blood sugar.
Zygous refers to a genetic code called gene.
Geneous means mixed.
Your skin is made up of, at least in part, the dermis and epidermis. These are layers of
the skin.
Troph means to eat or get food.
Thngs that are hepatic refer to the liver.
Hemo relating to the blood and the stopping of blood flow.
Conjunctiva- a membrane covering the eye.
The cervix is a neck like entry from the vagina to the uterus in the female.
Formula are chemicals combined in exact and consistent ratios
Gingiva are your gums.
Coagul means to come together
Bronch refers to the bronchial tubes that take air into the lungs.
Sinuses are air tubes moving from the nose into the face.
Words Segments that Suffixes or Prefixes
Need a Suffix
Pancreat
Suffix-itis
Prefix-Homo
zygous
Prefix- Hetero
geneous
Dermat
Suffix- stasis
Prefix- Hetero
troph
Prostat
troph
Prefix -Auto
Suffix-itis
Homeo
Suffix-itis
Hemo
Suffix- stasis
Conjunctiv
Suffix-ation
Prefix- Hetero
morphism
Formul
Suffix-itis
Cervici
Suffix-itis
Gingiv
Suffix-itis
Prefix-Homo
geneous
Prefix- Hetero
Suffix-itis
Coagul
Zygote
Hepat
Suffix-itis
Bronch
Suffix-ation
Sinus
Suffix-itis