​Medical terms are made up of a few components: the root, the suffix, and at times a prefix and connecting vowel.

Often part of the body

Root

Shape, size, direction or color

Prefix

Break apart long words

​Suffix

​Same as prefix/test or describing the problem.

About size

• Macro: Large

• Micro: small

• Megalo/megaly: very large

Peri-: around
Trans: across
Endo: within/inside
Inter: between

About where:

Color

Chloro: Green
Leuk: White
Eryth: Red
Cyan: Blue

Problems

Dys-: not working correctly/normally
Mal-: Bad
-Emia: blood condition
-itis: Inflammation
-osis: condition/disease (usually not inflammation)
-pathy: disease

General Use

Hyper-: above norm
Hypo-: below norm
Tachy-: fast
Brady-: slow

Echo- Ultrasonic waves
Electro-: electricity

Tests (prefix)

Tests (suffix)

-Ectomy: removal of
-Gram: picture
-Graph/-graphy: process of taking picture
-otomy: making a cut in/removing part of
-scopy: use instrument for viewing
-Stomy: making a cut in
-plasty: modifying the shape of/repairing

Purpose

-ology: study of
-ologist: specialist
-iatry: medical treatment
-latrist: specialist providing treatment

Classwork:

With the index cards provided:

Front:

Word

Example word (x2)

​Back:
Definition