Medical Terminology
I). Why Latin?
A). Some of the terms are over 2000 years old.
B). It is the language of educated men.
C). It is the basis for many of the European languages.
D). It is a ‘dead’ language so it does not change.
II). Analyze the words by dividing them into components.
A). Root Word:
B). Suffix:
C). Combining Vowel:
D). Combining Form:
E). Prefix:
HEMAT/O/LOGY
Root Word: HEMAT: means blood
Suffix: LOGY: study of
Combining Vowel: O
Start with the suffix and read backwards to the beginning of the term.
Thus hematology is not blood the study of but the study of blood.
ELECTR/O/CARDI/O/GRAM
root /root/ suffix
electric/heart/recording
recording of the electricity of the heart
SUB/GASTR/IC
prefix/root/suffix
under/stomach/pertaining to
pertaining to under the stomach
III). Relate the medical terms to the structure and function of the human body.
Cardi-heart
Hepat-liver
Ren-kidney
IV). Beware of spelling and pronunciation problems
ie. ilium: part of the pelvis
ileum: part of the small intestine
V). Capitals
VI). Beware of abbreviations
- Abbreviations and acronyms mean different things to different people
- Always define an abbreviations before you use it
VII). Units