Medical Terminology key terms

The core part of a medical term that carries its basic meaning and cannot be broken down further; for example, cardi in cardiac means heart.

A word root plus a combining vowel, usually o, that is ready to join with another element, as in cardi/o, meaning heart.

A vowel, most often o, placed between a word root and a suffix or another root to make the term easier to pronounce.

A word element attached to the beginning of a term that changes or refines its meaning, such as hyper- meaning above or excessive.

A word element attached to the end of a term that adds meaning and often indicates a condition, a procedure, or a specialty.

Suffix meaning pain or a painful condition; added to a root it names the site of pain, as in arthralgia, meaning joint pain.

Suffix meaning surgical removal or excision; added to a root, it names the part taken out, as in appendectomy, removal of the appendix.

Suffix meaning inflammation; joined to a root it names the inflamed structure, as in bronchitis, inflammation of the bronchi in the lungs.

Suffix meaning surgical repair or reshaping of a body part; for example, rhinoplasty is surgical repair of the nose to change its shape.

Suffix meaning visual examination with an instrument; for example, cystoscopy is looking inside the bladder with a scope.

Suffix meaning creation of an opening, usually surgically through the body wall; for example, colostomy creates an opening for the colon.

Prefix meaning slow; attached to a term it signals an abnormally slow rate, as in bradycardia, a slow heart rate.

Prefix meaning fast or rapid; tachycardia describes a heart rate that is faster than expected while a person is at rest.

Prefix meaning above, over, or excessive; in hyperglycemia, the level of glucose in the blood is above the normal range.

Prefix meaning below, under, or deficient; in hypoglycemia, the level of glucose in the blood falls below the normal range.

The standard reference posture: standing upright, face forward, arms at the sides, palms and feet facing forward; directional terms assume this stance.

Directional term meaning toward the front of the body or nearer the belly surface; the sternum is anterior to the spine.

Directional term meaning toward the back of the body or nearer the spine; the spine is posterior to the sternum.

Directional term meaning above or closer to the head; for example, the heart lies superior to the stomach in the chest.

Directional term meaning below or farther from the head; for example, the stomach lies inferior to the heart in the torso.

Directional term meaning toward the midline of the body; for example, the nose is medial to the ears on the face.

Directional term meaning away from the midline, toward the side; the ears lie lateral to the nose on the head.

Directional term meaning closer to the point where a limb attaches to the body; the elbow is proximal to the wrist.

Directional term meaning farther from the point where a limb attaches to the body; the wrist is distal to the elbow.

A vertical plane that divides the body into left and right portions; a midsagittal plane splits it into two equal halves.

The medical specialty that studies the heart and its blood vessels and treats disorders such as heart failure and abnormal rhythms.

Inflammation of the lining of the stomach, often producing burning upper abdominal pain, nausea, and loss of appetite or vomiting.

Inflammation of the liver, often caused by a virus but also by alcohol, medications, or toxins; it may produce jaundice.

The medical specialty that deals with the kidneys, including their function, diseases, and treatments such as dialysis.

The medical specialty focused on the skin, hair, nails, and the diagnosis and treatment of their disorders.

A procedure in which a small camera is inserted into a joint to view and sometimes repair its internal structures.

Surgical removal of the uterus, often performed to treat conditions such as fibroids, cancer, or heavy, ongoing bleeding.

Persistently elevated blood pressure, which raises the risk of stroke, heart attack, and kidney damage over time.

A condition in which bone density and strength are reduced, making bones fragile and more likely to fracture.

Complete blood count: a blood test that measures red cells, white cells, platelets, and related values such as hemoglobin.

Blood pressure: the force exerted by circulating blood against artery walls, recorded as systolic over diastolic pressure.

Electrocardiogram: a recording of the heart's electrical activity used to detect rhythm problems and other cardiac conditions.

Latin shorthand meaning nothing by mouth; it tells staff to withhold food and fluids, often before surgery or a test.

The rule forming the plural of many Latin-derived terms ending in -a by changing it to -ae, as vertebra becomes vertebrae.