MEDA100 Day 1
Basic Word Structure
Chapter Goals
Identify basic objectives to guide your study of the
medical language.
Divide medical words into their component parts.
Learn the meanings of basic combining forms,
prefixes, and suffixes of the medical language.
Use these combining forms, suffixes, and prefixes to
build medical words.
Lesson 1.1
Objectives in Studying the
Medical Language
Analyze words by dividing them into component
parts.
Relate the medical terms to the structure and
function of the human body.
Be aware of spelling and pronunciation problems.
Quick Quiz
1. All medical terms have:
A. a combining vowel
B. two roots
C. a suffix
D. a prefix
Quick Quiz
2. Which element appears at the beginning of a
medical term?
A. Suffix
B. Prefix
C. Combining vowel
D. Combining form
Word Analysis
HEMAT/O/LOGY
Word Analysis cont.
HEMAT/O/LOGY
root suffix
combining vowel
hemat means blood
-logy means process of study
Word Analysis cont.
Important elements:
Root: foundation of the word
Suffix: word ending
Prefix: small part attached to the beginning of a term
Combining vowel: vowel (usually o) that links the root
to the suffix or the root to another root
Combining form: root + combining vowel
Word Analysis cont.
ELECTR/O/CARDI/O/GRAM
Word Analysis cont.
ELECTR/O/CARDI/O/GRAM
root root suffix
combining vowels
electr means electricity
cardi means heart
-gram means record
Word Analysis cont.
GASTRITIS
Word Analysis cont.
gastr- means stomach
-itis means inflammation
Note: Drop combining vowel when suffix starts with a vowel (as in
“itis”)
Word Analysis cont.
GASTR/O/ENTER/O/LOGY
Word Analysis cont.
GASTR/O/ENTER/O/LOGY
root root suffix
combining vowels
gastr means stomach
enter means intestines
-logy means process of study
Word Analysis cont.
THREE General Rules:
1. READ the meaning of medical terms from the suffix
back to the beginning of the term and across
2. DROP the combining vowel (usually o) before a
suffix beginning with a vowel: gastritis not
“gastroitis”
3. KEEP the combining vowel between two roots:
gastroenterology not “gastrenterology”
Word Analysis cont.
HYPO/GASTR/IC
Word Analysis cont.
HYPO/GASTR/IC
prefix root suffix
hypo- means below
gastr means stomach
-ic means pertaining to
Word Analysis cont.
EPI/GASTR/IC
Word Analysis cont.
EPI/GASTR/IC
prefix root suffix
epi- means above
gastr means stomach
-ic means pertaining to
Combining Forms
Combining Forms cont.
Quick Quiz
1. Which term means inflammation
of the gland?
A. Arthritis
B. Adenitis
C. Adenoma
D. Cephalic
Combining Forms cont.
Combining Forms cont.
Combining Forms cont.
Combining Forms cont.
Quick Quiz
4. Which term means the study of cells?
A. Cystoscopy
B. Cystitis
C. Cytology
D. Hematology
Combining Forms cont.
Combining Forms cont.
Combining Forms cont.
Combining Forms cont.
Combining Forms cont.
Combining Forms cont.
Combining Forms cont.
Combining Forms cont.
Combining Forms cont.
Combining Forms cont.
Suffixes
Suffixes cont.
Quick Quiz
5. Which suffix means to “cut out” or remove?
A. -ectomy
B. -scopy
C. -itis
D. -opsy
Suffixes cont.
Suffixes cont.
Suffixes cont.
Suffixes cont.
Suffixes cont.
Suffixes cont.
Suffixes cont.
Suffixes cont.
Prefixes
Prefixes cont.
Prefixes cont.
Prefixes cont.
Prefixes cont.
Prefixes cont.
References
Davi-Ellen Chabner. (2024). The Language of Medicine.
Elsevier.
