Introduction to Medical Terminology

Q1) True or False:

• A word root is the part which contains the basic meaning of a term (True).
• Word parts are the key to understand medical terms (True).
• Knowledge of word parts helps to decipher medical terms (True).
• A combining form is a word root with a combining vowel in the middle (False, at the end).
• A suffix can only be at the beginning of the word (False, at the end of the word).
• A prefix can only be at the beginning of the word (True).
• Primary medical terms enable you to prioritize terms in your study (True).
• When a prefix is added, it is always placed at the end of the word (False, at the beginning of the word).
• A word root can stand alone (False, it cannot stand alone).
• Caution is always important when using or interpreting abbreviations (True).
• The suffix usually indicates the location, time, number, or status (False, the prefix).
• The prefix usually indicates procedure, condition, disorder, or disease (False, the suffix).
• When the suffix begins with a consonant, we add the letter (o) at the end of the word root (True).
• When two word roots are joined, a combining vowel is always added to the first word root, but it’s not used with the second word root, unless the suffix begins with a consonant (True).
• Cranium is the portion of the skull that encloses the brain (True).
• The suffix -graphy means a picture or record (False, -gram).
• Arthroscopy is the visual examination of the internal structure of a joint (True).
• Abdominocentesis is the surgical puncture of the abdominal cavity to remove fluid (True).
• Arterionecrosis is the tissue death of an artery or arteries (True).
• -scopy means visual examination (True).
• -centesis is a surgical rupture to remove fluid for diagnostic purposes or to remove excess fluid (False, surgical puncture).
• Hemorrhage is the loss of a small amount of blood in a short time (False, large amount of blood).
• Hem/o in (Hemorrhage) means blood, and -rrhage means abnormal excessive fluid discharge (True).
• -rrhaphy means surgical suturing to close a wound (True).
• Myorrhaphy is the surgical suturing of a muscle wound (True).
• Diarrhea is the frequent flow of loose or watery stools (True).
• Myelorrhexis is the rupture of a muscle (False, Myorrhexis).
• Post- means behind (True).
• Pre- means after (False, it means before).
• Pathology is the study of all aspects of disease (True).
• Path- in (Pathology) means disease, and -ology means study of (True).
• Gastralgia is also known as a stomachache (True).
• Otorhinolaryngology is the study of the ears, nose, and the larynx, or throat (True).
• When there are three word roots in a medical term, we add the vowel to the first and second word root, but it’s not used with the third word root, unless the suffix began with a consonant (True).
• A lithotomy is a surgical incision for the removal of a stone (True).
• Lithotomy is also the name of an examination position in which the patient is lying on her back with her feet and legs raised and supported in stirrups (True).
• The pronunciation of many medical terms is based on their Greek, Latin, or other foreign origin (True).
• Inflammation is a localized response to an injury or to the destruction of tissues (True).
• Mucous is an adjective, and mucus is a noun (True).
• Pyel/o means renal pelvis, which is part of the stomach (False, it is part of the kidney).
• Pyrosis is also known as heartburn (True).

Q2) Choose the correct answer (There can be more than one correct answer):

• Arteriomalacia is the abnormal …… of an artery or arteries: (Hardening — Narrowing — Softening — Widening).
• -rrhage and -rrhagia mean: (Bleeding — Severe Bleeding — All answers are correct — All answers are incorrect).
• The medical term should contain at least two word parts, which are: (Prefix — Suffix — Word Root — All answers are correct).
• In the medical term, when the suffix begins with a consonant, we add the vowel letter (o): (At the end of the word root — In the middle of the medical term — All answers are correct — All answers are incorrect).
• ….. is the opposite of the suffix -sclerosis: (-malacia — -stenosis — -necrosis — -centesis).
• ….. is the surgical repair of a muscle: (Myeloplasty — Myoplasty — Myplasty — Myelplasty).
• The suffix -rrhea: (Means flow or discharge — refers to the flow of most body fluids — All answers are correct — All answers are incorrect).
• The prefix -dia in (Diarrhea) means: (Within — Through — Outside — Inside).
• The term ….. describes any pathologic change or disease in the spinal cord: (Myelopathy — Myopathy — Pyelitis — Pyrosis).
• Pain is classified as a …..: (Diagnosis — Sign — Symptom — Syndrome).
• Fever is classified as a …..: (Diagnosis — Sign — Symptom — Syndrome).
• In the term (Myopathy), the suffix -pathy means: (Abnormal condition — Disease — Inflammation — Swelling).
• The medical term for higher-than-normal blood pressure is: (Hepatomegaly — Hypertension — Hypotension — Supination).
• The term ….. means pertaining to birth: (Natal — Perinatal — Postnatal — Prenatal).
• The medical term ….. describes an inflammation of the stomach: (Gastritis — Gastrosis).
• The formation of pus is called: (Supination — Suppuration).
• The term meaning wound or injury is …..: (Trauma — Triage).
• The term ….. means pertaining to a virus: (Viral — Virile).
• An ….. is the surgical removal of the appendix: (Appendectomy — Appendicitis).
• An inflammation of the stomach and small intestine is known as: (Gastralgia — Gastroenteritis — Gastritis — Gastrosis).
• The term meaning pain in a joint or joints is …..: (Arthralgia — Arthritis — Arthrocentesis — Atherosclerosis).
• A ….. is a physician who specializes in diagnosing and treating diseases and disorders of the skin: (Dermatologist — Dermatology — Neurologist — Neurology).
• Crani in (Cranium) means skull, and -um means: (Pertaining to — Abnormal Condition — Noun Ending — All answers are correct).

Q3) Match the medical terms to their correct definitions:

• The word part that always comes at the end of a word (D)
• Contains the basic meaning of a term, and indicates the part of the body involved (A)
• A word root with a combining vowel at the end (B)
• Means to determine which body system a term is referring to (C)
• The word part that always comes at the beginning of a word (E)

• Cyan/o (D)
• Erythr/o (C)
• Leuk/o (A)
• Melan/o (E)
• Poli/o (B)

• Cutting, surgical incision (A)
• Surgical repair (C)
• Surgical creation of an artificial opening to the body surface (D)
• Surgical removal, cutting out (B)
• Surgical puncture to remove excess fluid (E)

• A mature red blood cell (C)
• A white blood cell (E)
• Blue discoloration of the skin caused by a lack of adequate oxygen in blood (A)
• Viral infection of the gray matter of the spinal cord (B)
• Any condition of unusual deposits of black pigment in body tissues or organs (D)

• Bleeding, severe bleeding (B)
• Flow or discharge, refers to the flow of most body fluids (C)
• Rupture (D)
• Surgical suturing (A)

• Means pertaining to birth (D)
• Means the time and events before birth (B)
• Refers to the time and events surrounding birth (A)
• Refers to the time and events after birth (C)

• Abnormal Hardening (C)
• Abnormal Narrowing (B)
• Abnormal Softening (D)
• Tissue Death (A)
• Surgical puncture to remove excess fluid (E)

• Abnormal narrowing of the walls of an artery or arteries (D)
• Abnormal softening of the walls of an artery or arteries (B)
• Abnormal hardening of the walls of an artery or arteries (A)
• The tissue death of an artery or arteries (C)

• Away from, negative, absent (A)
• Small (H)
• Large, great (I)
• Before (K)
• Large, abnormal size, or long (G)
• Toward, to, in the direction of (B)
• Right side (C)
• In, into, not, without (F)
• Scanty, few (J)
• After, behind (L)
• Left side (D)
• Out of, outside, away from (E)

• Under, less, or below (G)
• Within or inside (F)
• Excessive or increased (B)
• Good, normal, well, or easy (A)
• Above or excessive (D)
• Bad, difficult, or painful (H)
• Between or among (C)
• Deficient or decreased (E)

• Higher-than-normal blood pressure (G)
• Below a rib or ribs (E)
• Within the muscle (F)
• Easy or normal breathing (D)
• Lower-than-normal blood pressure (B)
• Not normal or away from normal (C)
• Between, but not within, the parts of a tissue (A)

• An organ or body part that is not working properly (H)
• Drawn toward or strong dependence on a drug or substance (I)
• Above or outside the ribs (J)

• Visual examination (C)
• The process of producing a picture or record (A)
• A picture or record (B)

• Surgical puncture of the abdominal cavity to remove fluid (E)
• The process of producing an (x-ray) study of blood vessels (C)
• The rupture of a muscle (F)
• The visual examination of the internal structure of a joint (A)
• The frequent flow of loose or watery stools (D)
• The loss of large amount of blood in a short time (G)
• The surgical repair of a muscle (B)
• The resulting film that is produced by angiography (I)
• The surgical suturing of a muscle wound (H)

• Suturing together the ends of a severed nerve (A)
• Surgical removal of the tonsils (D)
• Inflammation of the tonsils (B)
• Surgical repair of a nerve (C)
• Means pain in the stomach, also known as a stomachache (G)
• Enlargement of the liver (F)
• Also means pain in the stomach, but its suffix is not commonly used (H)
• Inflammation of the stomach (E)

• Means pain and suffering (A)
• Also means pain, but it’s not used as commonly as -algia (B)
• Enlargement (D)
• Inflammation (C)

• Larynx, throat (D)
• Pertaining to the interior or lining of an artery (H)
• The bones of the fingers and toes (J)
• The singular of phalanges (N)
• The study of the ears, nose, and throat, frequently referred to as ENT (E)
• Surgical incision for the removal of a stone, it’s also the name of an examination position in which the patient is lying on her back with her feet and legs raised and supported in stirrups (F)
• Ear (C)
• A fatty deposit within the wall of an artery (I)
• Pain in a joint or joints (O)
• Surgical incision into the colon (L)
• An inflammation of the appendix (G)
• Nose (B)
• The surgical creation of an artificial excretory opening between the colon and the body surface (M)
• The surgical removal of the appendix (K)
• A shortened version of the term (Otorhinolaryngology) (A)

• Plaque, fatty substance (B)
• Artery (A)
• Joint (C)

• If the singular term ends in the suffix -is, the plural is usually formed by changing the -is ending to … (C)
• If the singular term ends in the suffix -on, the plural is usually formed by changing the ending to … (G)
• If the singular term ends in the suffix -us, the plural is usually formed by changing the ending to … (H)
• If the singular term ends in the suffix -a, the plural is usually formed by changing the ending to … (A)
• If the singular term ends in the suffix -itis, the plural is usually formed by changing the -is ending to … (D)
• If the singular term ends in the suffix -ex or -ix, the plural is usually formed by changing these endings to … (B)
• If the singular term ends in the suffix -um, the plural is usually formed by changing the ending to … (F)
• If the singular term ends in the suffix -nx, the plural is usually formed by changing the -x ending to … (E)

• Also known as a rule out, is an attempt to determine which one of several diseases can be causing the signs and symptoms that are present (E)
• The temporary, partial, or complete disappearance of the symptoms of a disease without having achieved a cure (I)
• Objective evidence of a disease such as fever (A)
• Is a set of the signs and symptoms that occur together as part of a specific disease process (C)
• A condition that has a rapid onset, a severe course, and a relatively short duration (G)
• A word formed from the initial letter of the major parts of a compound term (L)
• Stands for (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation) (O)
• The identification of a disease (D)
• A disease, structure, operation, or procedure named for the person who discovered or described it first (K)
• The subject evidence of a disease, such as pain or a headache (B)
• Stands for (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), which is a persistent overwhelming fatigue of unknown origin (Q)
• A condition which is of long duration, although such diseases can be controlled, they are rarely cured (H)
• Means the sign can be evaluated or measured by the patient or others (M)
• A condition in which one or more body parts are not functioning normally (J)
• A prediction of the probable course and outcome of a disorder (F)
• Means that it can be evaluated or measured only by the patient (N)
• A disease named for German neurologist Alois Alzheimer (R)
• The process of reaching a diagnosis (P)

Additional Definitions and Terms

• The feeling of general discomfort or uneasiness that is often the first indication of an infection or other disease (G)
• An adjective that describes the specialized membranes that line the body cavities (L)
• A localized response to an injury or to the destruction of tissues (F)
• A pathologic change of the tissues due to disease or injury (J)
• A groove or crack-like sore of the skin (A)
• Fluid, such as pus, that leaks out of an infected wound (H)
• The last and longest portion of the small intestine (C)
• The invasion of the body by a pathogenic (disease-producing) organism (E)
• Describes any pathologic change or disease of muscle tissue (O)
• The study of disorders of the newborn (Q)
• The noun which is the name of the fluid secreted by the mucous membranes (K)
• Pounding or racing heart (S)
• Part of the hip bone (D)
• An examination technique in which the examiner’s hands are used to feel the texture, size, consistency, and location of certain body parts (R)
• Describes an abnormal condition or disease caused by a fungus (M)
• A torn or jagged wound or an accidental cut wound (I)
• Describes any pathologic change or disease in the spinal cord (N)
• A physician who specializes in diagnosing and treating disorders of the skin (P)
• The act of rotating the arm so that the palm of the hand is forward or upward (T)
• An abnormal passage, usually between two internal organs or leading from an organ to the surface of the body (B)

Regarding Medical Terminology and Conditions

• Means pus (B)
• Means having the nature, properties, or qualities of an adult male (J)
• The medical screening of patients to determine their relative priority of need and the proper place of treatment (G)
• Means fever or fire (C)
• Wounds or injuries that might occur in an accident, shooting, natural disaster, or fire (H)
• Means pertaining to a virus (I)
• Also known as heartburn, which is discomfort due to regurgitation of stomach acid upward into the esophagus (D)
• Means renal pelvis (A)
• Any acute, inflammatory, pus-forming bacterial skin infection such as impetigo (F)
• An inflammation of the renal pelvis (E)

Differential Diagnoses and Medical Abbreviations

• Differential Diagnosis (E)
• Can mean either morphine sulfate or magnesium sulfate (A)
• Mean daily and every other day, sometimes mistaken for each other (B)
• Diagnosis (D)
• Rule out (F)
• Means unit, sometimes mistaken for 0 to 4 (C)

Specific Medical Terms and Specialists

• Pain in the nose (G)
• Inflammation of a joint or joints (C)
• Inflammation of the nose (J)
• Surgical incision into a nerve (E)
• A medical specialist concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease (A)
• A runny nose (B)
• Inflammation of the heart (F)
• Surgical incision into the heart (I)
• Pain in a nerve or nerves (H)
• A medical specialist in disorders of the newborn (D)
• Heart (C)
• Bone (D)
• New (A)
• Specialist (E)
• Birth (B)