Chapter 1: Basic Word Structure

Chapter 1: Basic Word Structure

Chapter 1:Basic Word StructureObjectives Analyze words by dividing them into component parts.Relate the medical terms to the structure & function of the human body.Major focus is to explain the terms in context (not merely memorization)Be aware of spelling & pronunciation problems.Some terms are pronounced alike but spelled differently, which accounts for different meaningsExample: ilium & ileumIlium = part of the hip boneIleum = part of the small intestineWord PartsBasic types of word parts are used to create medical terms: Word roots : foundation of the termSuffixes : word endingPrefixes : word beginningCombining vowel: vowel (usually o) that links the root to the suffix or the root to another rootCombining form: combination of the root & the combining vowelWord RootThe word root is the main part or foundation of a word. All words have word roots. In medical terminology, the root may indicate a body part or body system or colors. - cardial heart - pancreatitis pancreas - cyanosis blue A medical word may be simply be a root or it may be a combination of word elements. - sclera white of the eye - electr/o/cardi/o/gram 2 roots and a suffix

Combining FormMany words would be difficult to pronounce if written without a vowel to join the word roots. When you take a word root and add a vowel it becomes a combining form. This vowel is usually an o, and it is called a combining vowel. - cyst/o - therm/o The combining vowel is used before suffixes that begin with a consonant and before another word root. Prefixes are not included in this rule. Rules for Combining FormsA combining vowel is used when the suffix begins with a consonant. A combining vowel is not used when the suffix begins with a vowel. Gastritis, not gastroitisA combining form is always used when combining two or more root words. Gastroenterology, not gastrenterologyA prefix does not require a combining vowel. Do not place a combining vowel between a prefix and a root word.

Learning CheckHow do you Combine the root (cardi) , meaning heart, with the suffix (-logy ), meaning study of, to form a word meaning study of the heart.?

Common Combining FormsAden/o glandArthr /o jointBi/o life carcin/o cancerous, cancerCardi/o heartCephal/o headCerebr/o cerebrum (largest part of the brain)Cis/o to cutCrin/o to secreteCyst/o urinary bladder; a sac or a cystCyt/o cellDerm/o skin Electr/o electricity

Common Combining FormsEncephal/o brainEner/o intestinesErythr/o redGastr/o stomach Glyc/o sugarGnos/o knowledgeGynec/o woman, femaleHemat/o bloodHepat/o liver Iatr/o treatment, physicianLeuk/o whiteLog/o study ofNephr/o kidneyNeur/o nerve

Common Combining FormsOnc/o tumorOphthalm/o eyeOste/o bonePath/o diseasePed/o childPsych/o mindRadi/o x-raysRen/o kidneyRhin/o noseSarc/o fleshSect/o to cutThromb/o clot, clottingUr/o urinary tract, urine

SuffixSuffixes usually, but not always, indicate the procedure, condition, disorder, or disease. Examples: cardiomegaly gastralgia neuritis Changing the suffix, changes the meaning of the word. - dent/al al means pertaining to - dent/ist ist means specialist

Common Suffixes Meaning pertaining to: -ac-al -ary -ar -ial -ic -ous -genicMeaning abnormal condition: -ago -ia -osis -ism Other common suffixes: -algia pain -cyte cell -ectomy excision, removal -emia blood condition- globin protein -gram record -ion process-ist specialist -itis inflammation -logy process of study-oma tumor or mass-opsy process of viewing-ostomy surgically creating an opening Other common suffixes: -otomy incision into -pathy disease -plasty surgical repair -phobia irrational fear -paresis weakness -plegia paralysis -rrhea discharge, flow -scope instrument to view or examine -scopy process of visually examining -sis state or condition of-tomy instrument to cut-y process, condition

Group ActivityIn groups of two, come up with at least one example of 8 of the 11 suffixes

DETERMINING MEANINGS ON THE BASIS OF WORD PARTS Write the word and decipher these medical terms based on their word parts: cardi- + -plasty gastr- + -itis neur- + -algia cardi- + -sclerosis gastr- + -ostomy neur- + -ectomy

PrefixesPrefixes usually, but not always, indicate location, time, negation, number, or status. Examples: pericardium epigastric polyneuritis

Common PrefixesNegation a-, an- = no, without, not im-, in- = not Position ante-, pre-, pro- = before Epi- = aboveHyper- = excessive, above, more than normal hypo-, intra-, sub- = under, below

inter- = between medi- = middle post- = after, behind retro- = behind, backward Common Prefixes Time pre- - before post- - after Measurement & Numbersmicro- - small macro- - large hyper- - excessive multi-, poly- - many primi- - first

mon-, uni- - 1 bi-, di- - 2 tri- - 3 quadri- - 4 Taking Terms ApartTo determine a words meaning by looking at the component pieces, you must first separate it into word parts. Always start at the end of the word, with the suffix, and work toward the beginning. As you separate the word parts, identify the meaning of each. Identifying the meaning of each part should give you a definition of the term. Because some word parts have more than one meaning, it also is necessary to determine the context in which the term is being used.

SINGULAR VS. PLURAL Greek Singular Suffixes -on Spermatozoon, ganglion -ma Carcinoma, lipoma -sis Crisis, prognosis -nx Larynx, pharynx

Plural Suffixes -a Spermatozoa, ganglia -mata Carcinomata, lipomata -ses Crises, prognoses -ges Larynges, pharynges

SINGULAR VS. PLURAL Latin Singular Suffixes -a Vertebra, conjunctiva -us Bacillus, bronchus -um Bacterium, ilium -is Testis

Plural Suffixes -ae Vertebrae, conjunctivae -i Bacilli, bronchi -a Bacteria, ilia -es Testes