Medical Terminology

Chapter 1: Basic Term Components

Gus: Now, gimme a word, any word, and I'll show you how the root of that word is Greek. Okay? How about arachnophobia? Arachna, that comes from the Greek word for spider, and phobia is a phobia, is mean fear. So, fear of spider, there you go. Schoolgirl: Okay, Mr. Portokalos. How about the word kimono?

Etymology
Etymology is the study of the origins and historical meanings of words

[Gr. etymos, true, real, actual + -logia "study of, a speaking of]

Etymology of English Medical Terms

1. Compound Terms
Osteoarthrotomy (st--r-thrt-m) [Gr. osteon, bone + arthron, joint + tome, incision] Surgical excision of the articular end of a bone

Etymology of English Medical Terms

1. Compound Terms

2. Loan Words
Angina (an-jn, anj-) [L. angina, quinsy, fr. angere, to choke] 1. Angina pectoris 2. Acute sore throat

Etymology of Medical Terms

1. Compound Terms 2. Loan Words

3. Eponyms [Gr. epi, upon + onyma, name]

Hippocratic Facies

Proteus

Etymology of Medical Terms

mithradatism [Mithridates, king of Pontus, 132-63 b.c., supposed to have acquired immunity in this fashion] pons pl. pontes [L., bridge] eccentric [Gr. ek, out, + kentron, center]

 Are there any practical benefits to the continued use of Greek and Latin in medical terminology?

Practical Reasons for the Use of Greek and Latin in Medical Terminology
1. Easily combined
Myelomeningocele = myelo- + meningo- + -cele

Practical Reasons for the Use of Greek and Latin in Medical Terminology
1. Easily combined

2. Medicine and the natural sciences often use the same Greek and Latin words and word elements
L. cortex, corticis, bark
adrenocorticotrophic corticiferous

Practical Reasons for the Use of Greek and Latin in Medical Terminology
1. Easily combined 2. Medicine and sciences often use the same Greek and Latin words and word elements

3. Partial restoration of an international language

arteriosklerose artriosclrose arteriosclerosi arteriosclerosis (German) (French) (Italian) (English)

 Why are most medical terms derived from Greek words?

Ancient Greek Medicines Origins

Hippocratic Corpus and Hippocrates

Ancient Greek Medicine Theories

Naturalism Humoralism

Ancient Greek Medicines Influence

Ancient Greek Medical Terms

Ancient Terms for Disease
Melancholia, Gonorrhea, Carcinoma

Ancient Greek Medical Terms

Ancient Terms for Disease

Descriptive in nature
Amnion

 Why are there so many Latin words in medical terminology?

Assimilation of Greek medicine into Roman culture

Conquest of Greek lands

Assimilation of Greek medicine into Roman culture

Conquest of Greek lands Greek medical theories and words translated into Latin

Assimilation of Greek medicine into Roman culture

Conquest of Greek lands Greek medical theories and words translated into Latin Latin became the lingua franca of European academics

Assimilation of Greek medicine into Roman culture

Conquest of Greek lands Greek medical theories and words translated into Latin Latin was the lingua franca of European academics Today Latin is the language of anatomical and biological nomenclature systems

Latinization of Greek Terms

Change Letters
= Bronchos

Latinization of Greek Terms

Change Letters
= bronchos

Endings
-os to -us, bronchos = bronchus -e to -a, theke = theca

Substitution
encephalos = cerebrum karkinos = cancer

Synonyms in Medical Terminology

Greek nephr/o (nephros) odont/o (odous) omphal/o (omphalos) mast/o (mastos) Latin ren/o (ren) dent/o (dens) umbilic/o (umbilicus) mamm/o (mamma)

Basic Term Components

Most medical terms have three components:

Root
Root AngiAdenCorticGreek or Latin Angion Aden Cortex, Corticis Example Angitis Adenitis Corticitis

Root
Medical terms often contain more than one root: hydromyelia
HYDR- (root), water + MYEL- (root), spinal cord + -IA (suffix) condition of

Suffix
Suffix -IC Part of Speech Adjective Meaning pertaining to Example phobic (pertaining to fear) state or condition hemiplegia of (condition of paralysis of half the body) to put into action, ligate (to apply a perform ligature) in the direction of; toward cephalad (toward the head)

-IA

Noun

-ATE

Verb

-AD

Adverb

Compound Suffixes and Suffix Forms

Greek or Latin Root stenos (narrowed) Suffix Compound Suffix -STENOSIS Meaning Example

-OSIS (condition)

condition of narrowed

angiostenosis

raphe (suture) -Y (act of) poiein (to make)

gramma, that which is drawn

-RRHAPHY

act of suturing angiorrhaphy

-ESIS (state of)

-GRAM

-POIESIS

making of, formation of

Record

angiopoiesis

arthrogram

Prefix
Prefix EUMeaning Normal Example eupnea (normal breathing) dyspnea (difficulty breathing) intracystic (pertaining to within a bladder) extracystic (pertaining to outside a bladder)

DYSINTRA-

Difficult
Within

EXTRA-

Outside

Prefix
Not every medical term begins with a prefix: anterolateral
ANTER- (root) front + LATER- (root) side + -AL (suffix) pertaining to

Prefix
In some instances, more than one prefix may be attached to a single term: subendocardial
SUB- (prefix) under + ENDO- (prefix) within + CARDI (root) heart + AL (suffix) pertaining to

Forming Compound Terms

Elision
meso- (prefix) + enter- (root) + on (suffix) = mesenteron peri- (prefix) + cardi- (root) + itis (suffix) = pericarditis

Forming Compound Terms

Elision Assimilation
con + rugator = corrugator in + perfect = imperfect

Combining Vowel
A combining vowel is used to join a root to another root or to a suffix. The vowels most commonly used are o and i; vowels such as a, y, and u are sometimes use, albeit far less often.

Combining Vowel
A combining vowel does not add any meaning to the word; it is used simply for the sake of euphony.

Combining Vowels
A root with a combining vowel is commonly referred to as a combining form.
Root Combining Vowel O I O Combining Form HYDR/O CEREBELL/I CEREBELL/O Example

HYDRCEREBELLCEREBELL-

hydrophobia cerebellipetal cerebellospinal

Basic Term Components

Hyperlipemia
Prefix Root
Combining form

hyperlip
lip/o

Suffix

-emia

Word Analysis
Microlithiasis Rhinostenosis Carcinophobia Hypoesthesia Pericardium

For Next Lecture

Continue to study tables entitled Common Suffixes, Common Prefixes, and Common Combining Forms. Definitions, Spelling, Plurals