Medical Terminology: The Language of Medicine

1. What is medical terminology?
The first step in deciphering a medical term is to break it down into its components:
- Root: Each medical term has one or more roots that specify the subject of the term.
- Suffix: Each medical term has a suffix, which is the ending of the term that describes an aspect of the subject.
- Vowel: Most medical terms have a vowel whose sole purpose is to link the root and suffix. The vowel is usually an o.
- Prefix: Many medical terms have a prefix at the beginning of the term that modifies the root.
- Combining Form: The combining form is assembling the prefix, root, vowel, and suffix to form the medical term.

Reading a Medical Term
In order to read and understand a medical term, you need to learn the definitions of prefixes, roots, and suffixes. Begin reading the medical term by identifying the root. The root usually identifies the part of the body. Next, read the suffix of the medical term. The suffix is at the end of the term and usually identifies the action. And then read the prefix of the medical term, if there is one. The prefix usually narrows the term to a particular aspect of the root.

Example: Epigastric
- Root: The root of epigastric is gastr. Think of gastr as the “vcode word” for stomach. Each time you see gastr in the medical term, you know that the term has something to do with the stomach.
- Suffix: The suffix of epigastric is ic. Think of ic as the “code word” for pertaining to something, which is usually the root. In this example, the medical term is pertaining to the stomach.
- Prefix: The prefix in epigastric is epi. Think of epi as the “code word” for above. Each time you see epi in the medical term, you know that term refers to above the root, which in this example refers to above the stomach.
 

Reading a Medical Term in a Sentence
Health care works translate nonmedical terms into medical terminology by finding the right combination of prefix, root, and suffix to create the combining form that specifically describes a medical situation.

Example
A patient tells the health care provider that she has burning pain slightly below her chest. After asking several questions to rule out problems with her heart, the health care provider will likely write in her chart: epigastric pain described by patient as burning.
Translation
Burning pain above the stomach.

2. Roots
The root of a medical term is either Greek or Latin and identifies the body part. Latin roots are joined to a suffix by an o such arthrology, which is the study of joints. However, the o is dropped when the suffix begins with a vowel such as arthritis, which is inflammation of a joint. 
 

3. Prefixes
A prefix is located at the beginning of the medical term before the root. The function of the prefix is to further describe the root. For example, cardia is the root that refers to the heart. The prefix brady means slow. Therefore, the medical term bradycardia means a slow heart; that is, a heart rate slower than 60. beats per second. Some prefixes are joined to the root by a vowel.  definitions.
 

4. Suffixes
The suffix follows the root or the vowel that connects the root to the suffix in a medical term. The suffix further describes the root. For example, the suffix in the medical term hysterectomy is ectomy, which is the removal of something. Hyster is the root that refers to womb. Therefore, hysterectomy is the removal of the womb, which is the uterus. 

Basic questions

1. Interpret the term cystotomy.
cysto = bladder
tomy = cutting
cystotomy = an incision made into the urinary bladder

2. Interpret the term bronchiectasis.
bronchi = bronchial tubes
ectasis = dilation
bronchiectasis = dilation of the bronchial tubes

3. Interpret the term erythrocyte.
erythro = red
cyte = cell
erythrocyte = red cell (blood cell)

4. Interpret the term hepatology.
hepat = pertaining to the liver
ology = study of
hepatology = study of the liver

5. Interpret the term intracranial.
intra = within
crani = head
intracranial = within the head

6. Interpret the term gingivitis.
gingiv = gums
itis = inflammation
gingivitis = gum inflammation

7. Interpret the term leukocyte.
leuko = white
cyte = cell
leukocyte = white cell (blood cell)

8. Interpret the term osteomalacia.
osteo = bone
malacia = softening
osteomalacia = softening of bone

9. Interpret the term metacarpus.
meta = behind
carp = wrist
metacarpus = behind the wrist

10. Interpret the term osteopenia.
osteo = bone
penia = deficiency
osteopenia = bone deficiency

11. Interpret the term phagocyte.
phago = eating
cyte = cell
phagocyte = cell that eats other cells

12. Interpret the term antipyretic.
anti = against
pyret = fever
ic = pertaining to
antipyretic = against fever (medication)

13. Interpret the term hypertension.
hyper = extreme
tension = pressure
hypertension = extreme pressure (blood pressure)

14. Interpret the term tachycardia.
tachy = fast
cardia = heart
tachycardia = fast heart (heart rate above 100. beats per minute)

15. Interpret the term tracheotomy.
trache = neck
otomy = incision
tracheotomy = incision in the neck (windpipe)

16. Interpret the term vaginitis.
vagin = pertains to the vagina
itis = inflammation
vaginitis = inflammation of the vagina

17. Interpret the term colostomy.
colo = colon
stomy = opening
colostomy = opening in the colon

18. Interpret the term spondylitis.
spondyl = spine
itis = inflammation
spondylitis = inflammation of the spine

19. Interpret the term salpingectomy.
salping = fallopian tubes
ectomy = removal
salpingectomy = removal of the fallopian tubes

20. Interpret the term hemorrhage.
hem = blood
rrhage = bursting forward
hemorrhage = bursting forward blood (ruptured blood vessel)

21. Interpret the term rhinoplasty.
rhino = nose
plasty = surgical repair
rhinoplasty = surgical repair of the nose

22. Interpret the term proctology.
proct = anus; rectum
ology = study of
proctology = study of the anus/rectum

23. Interpret the term dyspepsia.
dys = bad; difficult; incorrect
pepsia = digestive tract
dyspepsia = difficulty digesting

24. Interpret the term pachyderma.
pachy = thick
derm = skin
pachyderma = thick skin

25. Interpret the term onychophagia.
onycho = nail
phagia = relating to eating
onychophagia = nail biting