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Medical Terminology: The Crux Of Understanding In A Complex Field

by NatashaBright

Medical terminology can be a complex set of "shoptalk" that seems almost unintelligible to any lay person. Upon realizing that medical terminology is as old as Western civilization one can begin the process of understanding what exactly is being said in a doctor's office. Nearly every medical term has direct origins in the languages of Greek and Latin - which is fitting seeing as the Romans and the Greeks were the architects of Western civilization. As students research health care careers and get specific college for free information, learning medical terms may come to the forefront.

Just like children learn how to deconstruct words in their language classes, anyone can use that same technique to understanding medical terminology. All of the medical terms are broken up into prefixes, suffixes and root words. Most medical personnel frown upon mixing the Greek and Latin elements of language, so once it is discovered that a term could be of a certain language the deconstruction process becomes easier.

Greek prefixes litter nearly every element of medical terminology. All prefixes are in front of the root word. One of the most famous Greek prefixes is the prefix bio-. This prefix simply means life. There are so many uses of it in modern English that it seems it lost the basis of this word in the Greek language. Some other important Greek prefixes are brachi(o), which is relating to the arm, and the prefix brady-, which simply means slow.

Latin prefixes function in the same capacity as the Greek prefixes. All prefixes are the first thing a reader sees. There are many famous Latin prefixes. Some of the most famous Latin prefixes are bi-, which means twice or double; aur(i), which pertains to the ear; and adren(o), which relates to the adrenal glands. Latin prefixes are just as descriptive as their Greek counterparts.

Greek suffixes follow all the Greek root words. The suffixes describe what may be happening to the root word that it follows. Some examples of Greek suffixes are -cele, which can describe a pouch and/or a hernia, and -centesis, which denotes a surgical procedure that involves puncturing something, such as an amniocentesis. During that procedure a needle is used to obtain amniotic fluid and often can find out if there are pre-natal issues with a pregnant woman.

Latin suffixes perform the same functions as the Greek suffixes. There are many Latin suffixes just like the Greek ones. Some examples of Latin suffixes are -al (meaning relating to, like the Greek suffix -ac) and another Latin suffix, which means the same as -al, is -ary. Another prominent Latin ending is the suffix -ation, which denotes a process that is occurring. An example of that suffix in use is the term respiration.

Root words are used in Greek and Latin to lend specificity that otherwise would be non-existent if medical terminology simply employed prefixes and suffixes. Some examples of root words from the Greek are phleb- (vein), gastro- (stomach), crani(o)- (skull) and dermat(o) (skin). These words usually have Latin counterparts; they are ven-, ventr(o), crani(o) (a rare example of a Greek and Latin root being the same), and cut-. You will learn this and more with the right online medical course information.

About the Author: Frank Cole

Medical terminology is pretty simple to decode once a person has invested the time in learning what the Greek and Latin terms mean. When a student takes a college course online in the specifics, particularly through scholarships, they'll find the language is a gateway to advancing as subjects gain in complexity.

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Medical Terminology: The Crux Of Understanding In A Complex Field