MEDICAL WORD PARTS AND RULES

poliomyelitis

Poliomyelitis is a viral infection of the GRAY MATTER of the spinal cord. POLI/O means GRAY and MYEL means spinal cord, and -ITIS means inflammation.

WORD ROOT

contains the basic meaning of the term. Usually, but not always, indicates the body part. ie: root word meaning stomach is GASTRO

GUIDELINES

A WORD ROOT CANNOT STAND ALONE. A suffix must always be added to the END of the word to complete the term.

SUFFIXES

A suffix is added to the end of a word to complete that term. Suffixes usually, but not always, indicate a procedure, condition, disorder, or disease. A COMBINING VOWEL is used when the SUFFIX begins with a CONSONANT. IE: 'o' is added to neur when it is added to either plasty or rrhaphy because both the SUFFIXES BEGIN with a consonant. NEUR/O-PLASTY.....NEUR/O-RRHAPHY A COMBINING VOWEL is NOT used when the SUFFIX begins with a vowel. ie: TONSILL-ITIS ......TONSILL-ECTOMY

melanosis

Melanosis is a condition of unusual deposits of BLACK pigment in body tissues or organs. ie: MELAN means BLACK, and -OSIS means abnormal condition or disease.

GUIDELINES

The rules for creating a COMBINING FORM by adding a VOWEL apply when a SUFFIX beginning with a CONSONANT is added to a WORD ROOT.

RULES FOR THE USE OF COMBINING VOWELS

When TWO WORD ROOTS ARE JOINED, a combining vowel is always added to the end of the first word root. A combining vowel is used with the second word root ONLY if the SUFFIX begins with a CONSONANT. ie: GASTR/O...ENTER..-.ITIS (the vowel is added to the beginning term....and no vowel added to the ENTER because the SUFFIX begins with a vowel.

GUIDELINE

When a PREFIX is added, it is always placed at the BEGINNING of the word...you will know a word part is a prefix when it is shown followed by a hyphen (-). ie: hyper- means excessive or increased.

COMBINING FORM

a ROOT WORD with a VOWEL added to the end. GASTR/O this form is used when a siffix beginning with a consonant is added. When the combining form appears ALONE, it is shown with BACK SLASH (/) between the WORD ROOT and the combining VOWEL.

SUFFIX

a SUFFIX usually, but not always, indicates the PROCEDURE, CONDITION, DISORDER, OR DISEASE. ALWAYS comes at the END of a word. You will know when a word part is a SUFFIX when it is shown with a hyphen (-) preceding it. ie: -itis

cyanosis

is BLUE discoloration of the skin caused by a lack of adequate oxygen in the blood. cyan means blue...-osis means abnormal condition or disease.

erythrocyte

is a mature RED BLOOD CELL. erythr/o means RED, and -cyte means cell.

melan/o

means BLACK

cyan/o

means BLUE

poli/o

means GRAY

erythr/o

means RED

leuk/o

means WHITE

COMBINING FORMS VOWELS

the COMBINING FORM includes the vowel that has been added to end of the word root. GASTR/O ....The letter 'o' is the most commonly used vowel....adding the vowel to the end of word roots makes them easier to pronounce.

PREFIX

usually, but not always, indicates LOCATION, TIME, NUMBER, OR STATUS. A PREFIX always comes at the beginning of a word.

FOUR TYPES OF WORD PARTS

word roots, combining forms, suffixes, prefixes