Hints to help you learn medical terminology Analyze word by dividing them into component parts learn the tools of word analysis don t just memorize Relate the medical terms to the structure function of the body Watch out for spelling and pronunciation problems SPELLING COUNTS Word Analysis root the foundation of the word all medical terms have one or more roots suffix the word ending all medical terms have a suffix combining vowel links the root to the suffix or to another root usually o drop the combining vowel do not begins use it before a suffix that with a vowel keep the combining vowel between two roots combining form combination of the root and the combining vowel prefix attached to the beginning of a word not all medical words will have a prefix but if there is one can have a huge effect on the meaning of a word Combining Forms aden o gland arthr o joint bi o life carcin o cancer cancerous cardi o heart cephal o head cerebr o cerebellum cis o to cut crin o secrete to form give off cyst o urinary bladder a sac or cyst cyt o derm o dermat o cell skin electr o electricity encelphal o brain enter o intestine erythr o red gastr o stomach gnos o knowledge gynec o woman female iatr o treatment physician hemat o hem o blood hepat o liver leuk o white nephr o kidney neur o nerve onc o tumor opthalm o eye oste o bone path o disease ped o child psych o mind radi o x rays ren o rhin o sarc o sect o kidney nose flesh to cut thromb o clot ur o urinary tract urine Suffixes ac al pertaining to pertaining to algia pain cyte cell ectomy excision removal emia blood condition genic pertaining to producing produced in produced by globin protein gram record ic ical pertaining to ion ist itis process specialist inflammation logy study of oma tumor mass swelling opsy process of viewing osis condition usually abnormal pathy disease condition scope instrument to visually examine scopy process of visually examining sis tomy state of process of cutting incision y process condition Prefixes a an no not without auto aut dia endo end epi ex exo self within through complete above upon out outside of outward hyper excessive above more than normal hypo deficient below less than normal into in surrounding around before back backward again in peri pro re retro behind sub under below trans across through