When interpreting complex medical terms, it is best to learn root words and word endings individually.  When the words are combined, understanding the meanings will be much simpler.

Medical Terminology

Module 10 Medical Terms:

angi- vessel (usually blood)

• antipathy (angi/o/path/y)- denotes any disease of a blood vessel.

hem (at)- blood

• hemic (hem/ic) means pertaining to or of the blood.

erythro- red

• erythrocytopenia (erythr/0/cyt/o/penia)- denotes a deficiency of red blood cells.

vaso- vessel

• vasodilator (vaso/ dilator)- causes the dilation/relaxation of a blood vessel.

pleb- vein

• phlebostenosis (phleb/o/sten/osis)- is a narrowing or constricting of a vein.

arter- artery

• arteriosclerosis (arteri/o/scler/osis)- refers to a condition of hardening of the arteries.

vena- vein

• vena cava- inferior is the large vein entering and returning blood to the heart from the lower extremities and regions of the body.

thromb- lump, clot

• thrombocyte (thromb/o/cyt/e)- is a clotting of an area.

leuk- white

• leukocyte (leuk/o/cyt/e) is a white blood cell

ameb- change

• ameba (amen/a)- is a one-celled animal that moves by changing its shape.

cardi- heart

• cardiologist (cardi/ologist)- is a specialist in the study of the heart.

carcin- cancer

• adenocarcinoma (aden/o/carcin/oma)- a cancerous, tumor composed of gland-like cells.

end- inside,within

• endocardial (end/o/cardi/al)- denotes pertaining to inside or within the heart.

gram- record or write

• cardiogram (mardi/o/gram)- is a record or recording of the heart.

sept-dividing wall or membrane

• septum (sept/um)- a general term to designate a dividing wall or membrane.

steno- narrow, contracted

• stenosis (steno/sis)- term that denotes a condition of narrowing of a duct or canal

cor-heart

antr- cavity or chamber

• antrum (antr/ umn)- is a sinus, cavity, hollow space

brady- slow

• bradycardia (brady/card/ia)- denotes an abnormally slow heart.