Chapter 1
Introduction

Understanding the language of medicine is basic to comprehension and competency in the world of veterinary medicine. Medical terms are often heard on various television shows and movies and are seen in novels. What you may not realize is that these medical terms are variations of Greek and Latin terminology.

When we see medical terms, we should look at them differently from other words in the English language. Your task in learning medical terminology is to break these big words into smaller components, understand the meaning of those components, and then create an overall definition for the medical term.

Basic knowledge of anatomy and physiology is essential for the understanding of these medical terms. Therefore, this textbook will use various diagrams and photographs to help you to learn this new language. This book will not go into further detail other than the basics. You must learn medical terminology before focusing on more complicated curriculum.

Ultimately the use of proper medical terminology is key to a professional work environment. Proper spelling and pronunciation of medical terms is essential for communication with the professional staff as well as clients.

Anatomy of a Medical Term

There are five components to medical terms. Typically, a medical term will use two or three of these components. There is no rule that states how many parts a medical term must use. Your goal is to break down a medical term into its component parts, then define each part separately. These components were derived from Greek or Latin, so when defining these parts, we are in essence translating them to the English language. This book does not nearly cover all the medical terms that have ever existed. Instead, it will prepare you for any terms that you may encounter by teaching you how to translate their component parts.

The Root

The root is the foundation of the term. It is the basic essential part of the word that other words are derived from. Think of it as the root of a tree. Like the roots of a tree holding it in place, the root of a medical term holds the main meaning of the word.

You are probably already familiar with some roots of medical terms that you've heard from friends, family, and television shows. The following are examples of roots:

The Combining Vowel

The combining vowel is a vowel that is used to link the root to its suffix. In most cases it is the letter “o.” The combining vowel has no meaning and therefore will not alter the meaning of the term. The following is an example of how the combining vowel is used:

Notice that in order to attach the root “Hemat” to the suffix “‐logy,” we must use a combining vowel. In this case it is the letter “o.”

The Combining Form

The combining form is the root plus its combining vowel. The meaning of the root is not altered by adding the combining vowel. Let's use roots from previous examples:

The Prefix

The prefix precedes the root (comes before the root) and modifies its meaning. Not all terms will have a prefix.

The Suffix

The suffix follows the root and modifies its meaning.

TECH TIP 1.1

If you need a quick reference for word parts and definitions, check out the glossary in the back of this book.

Five Rules to Medical Terminology

There are five basic rules to medical terminology. If you can remember these rules then understanding the terms and their meanings will be much easier.

1. If a suffix begins with a vowel, drop the combining vowel. The following are two different examples to illustrate this rule. In the first example, we'll come up with the medical term that means “pertaining to the stomach.” If you refer to the previous examples under their word parts you'll see that the suffix for “pertaining to” is “‐ic,” and the combining form for stomach is “gastr/o.”

   Now we need to combine these parts. Because the suffix “‐ic” begins with a vowel, then we must drop the combining vowel in the combining form gastr/o. Therefore, we drop the letter “o.”

   In the second example we look at the definition “study of the stomach.”

   Because the suffix does not begin with a vowel, we can keep the combining vowel.

2. Read the parts to define the term from back, then to the beginning, and follow through. You have probably noticed by now that when we define a medical term, we begin at the suffix, then look at the beginning of the term, and follow through. The following is an example of this rule:

   Define the suffix, followed by the prefix, and then follow through.

   Not all medical terms will use this rule; however, the rule will apply 90% of the time.

3. Keep the combining vowel between roots. Some medical terms have more than one root. When attaching roots together we leave the combining vowel between them.

   In this example we have combined the combining forms “gastr/o” for stomach and “enter/o” for small intestine. Because we have two roots in the term, “gastr” and “enter,” we must leave the combining vowel between them. In this case it's the letter “o.”

   Using our previous rule of how to break down a medical term we get the following:

   Definition: Study of the stomach and small intestines.

4. List the roots in anatomical order. By now you've already used this rule without even realizing it. If we look at the previous term, gastroenterology, the roots are listed in anatomical order. The stomach comes before the small intestines in the order of the organs of the gastrointestinal () tract. It wouldn't make sense to have the term enterogastrology because the intestines are not before the stomach. If you're asking how I know this, don't worry, this textbook will teach you basic anatomy so you will also know how to place certain roots in anatomical order.
5. Not all terms break down exactly. This rule – knowing when to define a medical term literally or use a “special” definition – can be the most frustrating for students. Unfortunately, this knowledge only comes with practice and memorization. You will notice that common sense will become useful with some of these terms. To illustrate this rule, we will look at the term “orthopedic.”

   You or a friend may have been seen by an orthopedic surgeon or orthopedic specialist. Usually people associate this term with bones and joints. However, if you break the term down literally, that doesn't make sense.

   Word Part

   Meaning

   Orth/o

   Straight

   Ped/o

   Child

   ‐ic	Pertaining to

   If using the basic rules of medical terminology to define this term, then the definition would be “pertaining to a straight child.” It is for this reason that we must create special definitions for certain terms.

Study Tips

Understanding medical terminology comes down to memorization. You must find the study technique that works best for you. Memorizing the...