Introduction to Veterinary Medical Terminology Building Blocks of

Introduction to Veterinary Medical Terminology Building Blocks of Words

It’s all Greek to me! Some may say that veterinarians speak Greek, they are right! n Most terms used in veterinary medicine are based on Latin or Greek. n Latin is the universal language of medicine and the Greeks were the founders of modern medicine. n The following will be some common examples, be sure to record these terms on your worksheet. n

Latin (Scientific) Adjectives: Common Name Dog Cat Horse Cattle Sheep Goat Pig Bird Mouse Rat Latin Canis Felis Equus Bos Ovis Capra Sus Avis Mus Rattus Derived Adj. Canine Feline Equine Bovine Ovine Caprine Pocine Avian Murine

Suf fix P x i f re t o o R Combining Form

Word Structure Root Word n Prefix n Suffix n Combining Vowel n Compound Word n The key to learning terminology is to break down each word into parts and learn the most common roots, prefixes, suffixes, and

Root Word n n n Definition - the foundation of the word Gives substance to the meaning. Like a box car in a train, they give the train volume and substance. They come in a variety of different sizes and volumes. There can be more than one in a word. S uffi P x i f re x t o o R Combining Form

Root Word Examples - 1 n Cardi/o – Heart n Cephalo/o – Head n Dent/o – Tooth, Teeth n Mamm/a, Mamm/o – Mammary Gland n Nas/o – Nose, Nasal

Root Word Examples - 2 n Ophthalm/o – Eye n Ot/o – Ear n Steth/o – Chest n Thorac/o – Thorax n Trache/o - Trachea

Root Word Examples - 3 n Abdomin/o – Abdomen n Copr/o – Feces n Cyan/o – Blue n Derm/o, Dermat/o – Skin n Enter/o – Intestines

Root Word Examples - 4 n Erythr/o – Red Blood Cell n Gingiv/o – Gums n Hepat/o – Liver n Hydr/o – Water n Peritone/o – Peritoneum Membrane

Word Structure Root Word n Prefix n Suffix n Combining Vowel n Compound Word n

Prefix n n Word that precedes/BEFORE the root, modifying the roots meaning to form a new word. Alone they have some meaning, but they are not complete words without the rest of the word parts. • They are like the train’s engine with its whistle. • Leads the train and announces the coming train. • Without the box cars, together with the

Prefix Examples - 1 n A-, an- Not, Without n Anti- Opposing, Against n Brady- Slow n De- Away from n Dys- Difficult

Prefix Examples - 2 n Hyper- High, Above, Beyond n Hypo- Low, Below, Behind n Mal- Bad, Poor n Poly- Many

Prefix Examples - 3 n Ep-, Epi- On, Upon n Eu- Normal n Iso- Equal, Same n Multi- Many, Much n Neo- New

Prefix Examples - 4 n Pan- All n Peri- Around n Post- After n Pyo- Pus n Uni- Single Celled

Prefix n Example: Prefix + Root Word brady + cardi/a “slow” “heart” New word bradycardia slow heart (rate)

Exercise on Prefixes § § § § a-, an- (without or not having) anti - (against) brady- (slow) contra- (against, opposed) de- (remove, take away, loss of) dys- (difficult, troubled) pyo - (pus) hyper- (high) 1. ____ biotic (against life) 2. ____ thermia (high temperature) 3. ____ horn (remove the horn)

Word Structure Root Word n Prefix n Suffix n Combining Vowel n Compound Word n

Suffix n n n Written AFTER a root word to form a NEW word. Follows root word altering the words meaning. Determines if word is a noun, adjective or other type of word. Like a caboose, it is always last.

Suffix Examples - 1 n -ectomy – Removal of n -emia – Blood condition n -pnea – Breathing n -iasis – Infestation or infection n -itis – Inflammation

Suffix Examples - 2 n -ism – State or condition n -logy – Study of n -oma – Tumor n -penia – Deficiency of n -scope – Instrument for exam n -tomy – Cutting, Incision

Suffix Examples - 3 n -al –ic, -ac, -ous– Pertaining to n -graphy – Recording of n -lysis- Destruction of n -megaly– Abnormally Large n -natal– Birth

Suffix Examples - 4 n -osis – Abnormal condition n -spasm– Involuntary Contraction

Word Structure: Suffix n Example: Root Word + Suffix New word Tonsil + -itis Tonsilitis -itis = inflammation of Inflammation of the tonsils

Exercise on Suffixes 1. Hyper- adrenocortic -____ (state…) (Adrenal cortex) 2. Acar/i -____ (tick/mite infestation) 3. Gastr/i-____(inflammation of the stomach lining)

Word Structure Root Word n Prefix n Suffix n Combining Vowel n Compound Word n

Word Structure: Combining Vowel n Vowel commonly used: “o” General Rule 1: If the suffix starts with a consonant, connect the rootword and the suffix with the vowel “o”. n Example 1: n Root Word + CV Suffix New word Cardi -o - -logy Cardiology study of Study of the heart “Heart” +

Word Structure: Combining Vowel n n Vowel commonly used: “o” General Rule 2: If the suffix starts with a vowel (a, e, i, o, u) DO NOT USE the vowel “o”. Just attach the suffix to the root word. Example 2: Root Word + Suffix New word Hepat/o -osis Hepatosis n liver -disease process - disease process in the liver

Word Structure: Combining Vowel n n n Vowel commonly used: “o” General Rule 3: If the suffix begins with the same vowel as the root word, DO NOT repeat the vowel. Example 3: Root Word Cardi heart + Suffix -itis -inflammation of New word Carditis - inflammation of the heart

Word Structure Root Word n Prefix n Suffix n Combining Vowel n Compound Word n

Word Structure: Compound Word n Rootword 1 + CV + Rootword 2 + Suffix Heart + worm New word Heartworm Medi + “o” + later + -al Mediolateral Crani + “o” + caud/al + -al Craniocaudal Dors + “o” + palm +-ar Dorsopalmar

Review: Word Structure 1. 2. 3. 4. What is a Root Word? Where can you find a prefix in a word? Where can you find a suffix in a word? What is the most commonly used vowel? a. If first letter of suffix = consonant? b. If first letter of suffix is = vowel? c. If first letter of suffix = last letter of RW? 5. Create a compound word.

Create a Word Activity n For each group there are three “dice. ” Prefix n Rootword n Suffix n Each person is to take three rolls of each dice to create three words. n Write out the correct notation, including combining vowels/words and its meaning. n