PHAROS UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF ALLIED MEDICAL SCIENCE

MEDICAL TERMINOLOGYMLMT-201

Dr. Tarek El Sewedy

Department of Medical Laboratory Technology

Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences

Lecture 4

Combining forms

By the end of this lecture, students will learn:

Basic common combining forms

Intended Learning Outcomes

Lecture content

• 1- Combining forms.

Review

• Word parts that make up medical terminology are

prefixes, suffixes and roots.

• The most typical sequence is prefix, root, suffix, with the

word root being central but this is not always the case.

Some medical terms contain a combining vowel (O) after

the root and this is called combining form.

Some terms contain two or more roots and therefore

called compound word (ex. osteoarthritis )

Combining form• It is a root with an added “combining vowel” which

connects the root with the suffix or with another root .

o Root + ( o , i , e ) + suffix = Combining form

o Root + ( o , i , e ) + root = Combining form

• The most common combining vowel is “ o “

Each element is essential to understand the meaning of the medical term

Prefix RootCombining

VowelSuffix

or root

REVIEW

Combining form

Rules for using the combining vowels

• 1 . To join a root to another root.

• Example :

• Oste + arthr + itis = osteoarthritis

(root)+(root) +( suffix )

Bone + joint + inflammation

Rules for using the combining vowels

• 2 . to connect a root with a suffix that begins with a consonant.

Ex :Cardi + megaly = cardiomegaly (root)+ (suffix)Heart + enlargement

• 3 . combining vowel is not used when suffix begins with a vowel.

Ex :Hyster + ectomy = hysterectomy ( root )+ ( suffix )Uterus + excision

Rules for the combining vowels

• 4 . if a root ends in a vowel and the suffix starts with the same vowel , the second vowel is dropped .

Ex :Cardi + itis = carditis(root)+ (suffix)Heart + inflammation

• 5 . when a prefix ends in a vowel and the root starts with another vowel the vowel from the prefix is dropped .

Ex : Para + enter + al = parenteral(prefix)+ ( root )+ ( suffix )Beyond + intestine + connected with

How to read medical terms

Start with the suffix…• When you analyze a medical term, begin at the

end of the word. The ending is called a suffix.• The suffix in HEMATOLOGY is –LOGY, which means

“study of ”.

Cont …………….Next, read the beginning of the word..

• Now look at the beginning of the term. HEMAT is

the word root.

• The root gives the essential meaning of the term.

• The root HEMAT-means “blood.”

• The third part of this term, which is the letter O,

has no meaning of its own but is an important

connector between the root (HEMAT) and the

suffix (LOGY).

• The O is the ??.

Start at the end of the word and work to the left

Prefix RootCombining

Vowel Suffix

Examples of combining vowels

• 1 . cardi = heart

Pathy = disease

Cardiopathy = disease of the heart• 2 . psych = mind

Logy = study of

Psychology = study of the mind

Exercise

Nephroangiosclerosis

 

• Root: gives the essential meaning of the term• Suffix: is the word ending

• Prefix: is a small part added to the beginning of a term• Combining vowel: connects roots to suffixes and roots

to other roots• Combining form: is the combination of the root and

combining vowel

Students selected for assignments

بدر حازم عال

Assignments• Students on next slide are requested to prepare a

presentation (minimum of 7 slides) on any the following topics:

1. Respiratory system terminology (including disease)

2. Circulatory system terminology (including disease)

3. Cancer terminology

4. Digestive system Terminology

5. Combining forms and vowels

Assignments should be delivered by next week

Study questions• Give 2 examples of words with:

• One root and one suffix

• Two roots and one suffix

• One prefix and one root

Reference books1 – Medical Terminology an illustrated Guide by Barbara Jonson Cohen 2003

 2 – “Medical Terminology Simplified” F. A David 2009

 

3 – “Medical Terminology system : Approach Fifth Edition” Barbara A Gylys 2004