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INTRODUCTION TO
MEDICAL
TERMINOLOGY
CHAPTER ONE
WHAT DOES THIS
TERM MEAN?
Word Parts are the Key!!!
There are 3 types of word parts that are used to
create medical terms.
Word Roots
Prefixes
Suffixes
(Combining Forms)
WORD ROOTS
Word Roots- The foundation of a medical term
and contains the basic meaning of the term.
Usually indicates the body part that is
involved. A word may also contain multiple
word roots (ex. Osteoarthritis)
 Examples:
Cardi = heart
Gastr =Stomach
Neur = nerve
PREFIXES
Always at the beginning of the word. Usually
indicates time, location, or number.
Examples:
Time = pre-, postLocation = intra-, periNumber= quadri-, bi-, poly-
SUFFIXES
Always at the end of the word. Usually
indicates procedure, condition, or disease.
Examples:
Procedure = -ectomy, -graphy
Condition = -osis,
Disease= -itis, -algia, -necrosis
COMBINING FORMS
 Now that we know what word roots are, we
need to know how to connect them to a
suffix.
Combining forms make the terms easier to
pronounce
To connect them you take the wood root and
+ /O……
SOME EXAMPLES
Combining Form
arthr/o = joint
cardi/o = heart
gastr/o = stomach
The “O” at the end of the word is called a
combining vowel
RULES TO COMBINING
FORMS
RULE 1
Combining vowel is not used when the suffix
begins with a vowel
RULE 2
Combining vowel is used when the suffix begins
with a consonant
Combining vowel is not used when the suffix
begins with a vowel.
Examples:
Neur/O and –itis…..what is the correct way?
A. Neuroitis
B. Neuritis
Combining Vowel is used when the suffix
begins with a consonant.
Examples
Neur/O and –plasty…Which is the correct
form?
A. Neuroplasty
B. Neurplasty
Interpreting Medical
Terms
Gastroenterology
1. Divide the term into its word parts
• Gastr/o/enter/o/logy
2. Define each word part, then combine them….
•
•
•
•
•
gastr = stomach
0= combining vowel
Enter= small intestine
O = combining vowel
Logy = study of
Here’s that Term Again….
Let’s Break it Down 
OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGY
1. Divide the term into its word parts
Ot/o/rhin/o/laryng/o/logy
OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGY
3. Define and Combine all the meanings
ot/o = ear and combining vowel
rhin/o = nose and combining vowel
laryng/o = throat and combining vowel
-logy = study of
What does the term
mean?
OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGY
= the study and treatment of diseases of the ear,
nose, and throat.
Try and pronounce the term
without the combing
vowels……
Otrhinlarygnlogy