Learn the basics of medical terminology, including word roots, prefixes, and suffixes commonly used in healthcare settings.
| Component | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Root (word stem) | Core meaning, usually denotes a body part or system. | cardi = heart, nephr = kidney |
| Prefix | Modifies the root; indicates location, number, time, or negation. | hyper‑ (above, excessive), hypo‑ (below, deficient) |
| Suffix | Alters the word’s grammatical function; often denotes a condition, disease, procedure, or specialty. | ‑itis (inflammation), ‑ectomy (surgical removal) |
| Combining vowel | Usually ‑o‑; links a root to a suffix or another root for easier pronunciation. | oste‑o‑logy (study of bone) |
| Combining form | Root + combining vowel (e.g., cardi‑, gastr‑). | Used when two roots are joined: cardi‑pulmonary |
| Prefix | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a‑ / an‑ | Without, lack of | anemia (lack of blood) |
| anti‑ | Against | antibiotic (against life‑killing organisms) |
| brady‑ | Slow | bradycardia (slow heart rate) |
| dys‑ | Difficult, painful, abnormal | dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) |
| hyper‑ | Excessive, above normal | hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) |
| hypo‑ | Below, deficient | hypotension (low blood pressure) |
| inter‑ | Between, among | intercostal (between ribs) |
| peri‑ | Around, surrounding | pericardium (membrane around the heart) |
| sub‑ | Under, below | subcutaneous (under the skin) |
| tachy‑ | Fast | tachypnea (rapid breathing) |
| Suffix | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ‑algia | Pain | neuralgia (nerve pain) |
| ‑emia | Blood condition | leukemia (white‑blood‑cell disease) |
| ‑itis | Inflammation | appendicitis (inflammation of the appendix) |
| ‑logy | Study of | dermatology (study of skin) |
| ‑oma | Tumor, mass | carcinoma (malignant tumor) |
| ‑opathy | Disease, |