Medical Terminology Flashcards

Front

Combining form (CF) consists of a word root and a combining vowel, usually "o".

Back

Combining forms are used to join word elements. Examples include: - Enter/o/lysis: combining form with vowel. - Nephr: word root meaning kidney. - Stomat/itis: inflammation of the mouth. - Arthr/o: combining form for joint. - Cardi/o: combining form in cardi/o/centesis. - Mast/o/pexy: "o" as combining vowel. - Oste/o/chondr/itis: compound medical word. - "ps" at word start (e.g., psychosis) pronounced "ss". - "ch" in medical words (e.g., cholera) pronounced "k".

Front

Suffixes often indicate procedure, condition, disease, or part of speech.

Back

Examples of suffixes: - -malacia: softening. - -penia: decrease or deficiency. - -edema: swelling. - -lysis: separation, destruction, loosening. - -cele: hernia or swelling. - -algia: pain. - -ism: condition.

Front

Plural forms of medical terms often change the word ending.

Back

Examples of plural forms: - Fornix → Fornices. - Radius → Radii. - Calcaneum → Calcanea. - Lumen → Lumina.

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Prefixes modify the meaning of medical terms.

Back

Examples of prefixes: - Brady-: slow (e.g., bradylalia: slow speaking). - Neur/oma: tumor of nerve cells. - Circum-: around. - Dia-: through, across. - Uni- or Mono-: one. - Para-: near, beside, beyond. - Hypo-: below. - Contra-: against.

Front

Examples of medical terms and their meanings.

Back

- Venule: diminutive form (small vein). - Acoustic: adjective meaning related to sound. - Cardiac: adjective meaning related to the heart. - Rectum: noun referring to part of the lower GI tract. - Phlebostenosis: narrowing of a vein. - Pelvimeter: instrument for measuring the pelvis. - Quadriplegia: paralysis of four limbs.

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Infra-

Back

Infra- means below or under.

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Diplopia

Back

Diplopia refers to double vision.

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Polyphobia

Back

Polyphobia is the fear of many things.

Front

Peritonsillar

Back

Peritonsillar means around the tonsils.

Front

Anti- (in antibacterial)

Back

Anti- is a prefix meaning against, as in antibacterial.