Prefixes
Hyper-
above normal, excessive
Cardi/o
Heart
-ac, -al, -ar, -ary, -iac, -ia
Pertaining to
What are Medical Terms?
Medical Terms are words used universally by medical professionals.
True or False: ALL medical terms have a prefix.
False
Inter-
between
Hepat/o
Liver
-cyte
cell
What is a combining vowel?
Links word root to next word part. Usually “o,” but can be “a,” “e,” “i,” or “u”
What is the minimum number of medical term "building blocks" needed to create a medical term?
2
Tachy-
Fast
Metri/o
Uterus
-logy: the action of studying
-logist: a person who studies
What is a combining form?
Is a word root plus a vowel
In what direction do you breakdown a medical term?
Start with the suffix and work backwards
Endo-
in; within
Anter/o
Front
-osis
abnormal condition
How does medical terminology impact the medical field?
It prevents confusion between doctors
Create a standardized language for healthcare workers
Makes it easier for doctors to communicate
Less confusion= fewer mistakes/errors
What are three other types of medical terms?
Eponyms, every day words, drug names
Brady-
Slow
Path/o
Disease
-emia
Blood condition
What is an eponym?
Word named after the person who discovered or created it
What is the maximum number of root words allowed in a medical term?
The limit does not exist!