Basic term components

Analysis of Term Component
Most of medical terms have 3 components: root,suffix,&prefix.

ROOT & SUFFIX
Each term is formed by combining at least one root the foundation or subject of the word & asuffix the ending that modifies & gives essential meaning to the root
Ex. Lipemia:
lip / emia
ROOT SUFFIX
FAT Blood condition
It indicate acondition of fat in the blood


PREFIX
The prefix is aword structure placed at the beginning of aterm when needed to further modify the root or roots.
Ex. Hyperlipemia:
hyper / lip / emia
PRE. ROOT SUFFIX
excessive fat blood condition
The condition of the prefix,hyper,modifies the root to denote excessive fat in blood
ADDITIONAL ROOTS
Often amedical terms is formed of two or more roots.
Ex. hyperlipoproteinemia:
hyper / lip / o / protein / emia
PRE. ROOT1 VOWEL ROOT2 SUFFIX
EXC. FAT PROTEIN B.CONDI.
In this term the additional root protein(joined to lip by vowel “o”) further defines the word to indicate an excessive amount of fat& protein in the blood.
Combining vowels& Combining Forms
When a medical term has more than one root each is joined by a vowel usually an”o “ as shown in the term hyper/lip/o/protein/emia the “o” linkes the two roots & fosters the easier pronunciation this vowel is known as compining vowel ;o is the most common compining vowel ,I is the second most common & is used so frequently to join root to root or root to suffix that is routinly attached to the root & presented as a compining form:
Lip root
Lip/o compining form
Rules for forming & spelling Medical Terms
1- a compining vowel is used to join root to root as well as root to any suffix beginning with a consonant
Ex.
elect + cardi + -gram
root root suffix
Electric heart record
electr/o/cardi/o/gram
Electrical recored of the heart

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2- a combining vowel is not used before a suffix begins with a vowel:
vas + ectomy
root suffix
vessel excision
vas/ectomy
Excision of a vessel

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3- if the root ends in avowel and the suffix begins with the same vowel drop the final vowel from the root and do not use a combining vowel:
Ex.
cardi + itis
root suffix
Heart inflammation
card/itis
inflammation of the heart
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4- most often acombining vowel is inserted between 2 roots even when the second root begins with a vowel:
cardi + esophag + eal
root root suffix
Heart esophagus pertaining to
cardi/o/esophageal
Pertaining to the heart and esophagus

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5- occasionaly when aprefix ends in a vowel and the root begins with a vowel the final vowel is dropped from the prefix:
para + enter + al
prefix root suffix
Alongside of intestine pertaining to
par/enter/al
pertaining to alongside of the intestin
Defining Medical terms through word structure analysis
Youncan usually define aterm by interpreting the suffix first then the prefix( if present) then the succeeding roots
Ex.
peri / card / itis
prefix root suffix
2 3 1
around heart inflammation
Pericarditis= inflammation around the heart
Formation of Medical terms
Most medical terms build from the root prefix and suffixes are attached to the root to modify its meaning often 2 or more roots are linked before being modified
Exs.
Root/suffix
cardi / ac
heart pertaining to
pertaining to the heart

.
prefix/root/suffix
epi / card / ium
upon heart tissue
tissue upon the heart
prefix/prefix/root/suffix
sub / endo / cardi / al
beneath within heart pertaining to
pertaining to the beneath and within the heart
Root/combining vowel/suffix
cardi / o / logy
heart study of
study of the heart