BASIC MEDICAL

TERMINOLOGY
Department of Anatomy
Faculty of Medicine
Universitas Islam Sultan Agung

Learning Objectives
By the end of this lecture you will be
able to explain about:
Definition of medical terminology
Component of medical terminology
The meaning of some medical terms
Body direction
Body section

Medical Terminology
Terminology that specifically describe about
humans body and its part, condition and
processes happened inside it , in science
based manner

Medical Terms
= anatomical terms
Mainly used latin and greek
Anatomy began as descriptive
science in the days when Latin was
the universal scientific language

Why do we have to learn anatomical

terms?

Anatomy is important in everything

we do in medicine. accuracy in
observation and description stem first
from observation and description in
anatomy
anatomical terms are the vocabulary
of medicine
Used by the doctors communicate
with one another, and with the patient

 the medical terms may seem

strange and bewildering to you and
appear to be extremely difficult to
learn.
Fortunately, there is a logical method
found in medical terminology!!

BASIC MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY

Components:

Prefix
Root
Suffix

PREFIX
Added in front of ROOT
to modify the word root by giving
additional information about the location
of an organ, the number of parts, or time
involved
Not all medical terms use prefix

ROOT
Usually located beetwen prefix and suffix.

a term derived from a source language

such as Greek or Latin and usually
describes a body part.
Every medical term contains ROOT

SUFFIX
Usually located in the last part from a
term (following root or pseudoroot)
Adding the meaning such as explaining
about condition, disease process or
precedure
No all medical terms contain suffix

Prefix Examples
Word Part

English

Indonesian

Example

without

tanpa

Asexual, tanpa sex

Ab

From, away from

dari

Abduksi, menjauh

ad-

To, lead towards

mendekat

Adduksi, mendekat

An

without

tanpa

Anestesi, tanpa nyeri

im-, in-

not

tidak

Immatur
Tidak matang

infra- L. below below

infraorbital,

Di bawah

Infraorbital
Di bawah mata

Ante

Sebelum,
mendahului

Antebrachii
Sebelum brachii (
lengan)

before

Word Part

English

Indonesian

Example

Anti

against

melawan/berlawan
an dengan

Antihelix,
kebalikan dari helix

Auto

G. autos, self

sendiri

Autonomic, bekerja sendiri

Bi

two/double

ganda

Biceps brachii

brad/y

slow

lambat

Bradikardi, frek denyut

jantung yang lambat

ecto-, ex- G.

on outer side

Lapisan terluar

ectoderm,
Lapisan embrionik luar

extra

outside

Sebelah luar

Extra dural
Di luar lapisan dura

en-, endo-

within

Lapisan dalam

endometrium,
Lapisan dalam rahim

epi

upon, over

Lapisan tepi, luar

epicardium,
Lapisan luar jantung

macro

big

Ukuran yang besar

Macrocyte, sel yang besar

Word Part

English

Indonesian

Example

Hemi

half

separuh

hemisphere,
Separuh belahan otak

Hyper

over, above,
excessive

berlebih

Hypertrophy
Pembesaran sel /organ

Peri

around

Sekeliling

Peritoneum
Mengelilingi ( dinding perut)

prae-, pre- L. before

sebelum

Prenatal, sebelum lahir

Semi

half

separuh

Semimembranosus
Separuh membran

sub

under

Di bawah

Subclavius
Di bawah clavicula

supra-

above

Di atas

Supraspinatus
Di atas spina scapula

trans-

across

melintasi

Transpylorica

Suffix Examples
Word Part

English

Indonesian

Example

Algia

pain

nyeri

Neuralgia
Nyeri saraf

ectomy

Cutting out

Memotong,
mengangkat

Appendictomy
Pemotongan dan
pengangkatan appediks

itis

inflammation

peradangan

Conjungtivitis
Peradangan pada
cconjungtiva

logy (. logos,) Study of

Ilmu
mempelajari

scopy
(skopein)

melihat

To view

yang Patologi
Ilmu yang mempelajari
tentang penyakit
Endoskopi
Melihat ke dalam

Macam-macam Suffix
Word Part

English

stomy

Creating
opening

plasty

graaph

therapy

megali

Indonesian
a

Example

new Proses pembuatan Colonostomy

lubang yang baru
Pembuatan lubang colon yang
baru
Surgical repair
Perbaikan
dengan Angioplasty
cara pembedahan
Proses pembedahan untuk
memperbaiki struktur pembuluh
darah
Recording
Alat untuk membuat Electrocardiograph
instrument
catatan tentang data Alat untuk mencatat gelombang
medis
listrik jantung
Course of treatment Rangkaian
Radiotherapy
pengobatan
Rangkaian pengobatan
menggunakan sinar radioaktif
Become big
besar
Hepatomegali
Pembesaran hepar

Understanding Medical
Terms
To understand a medical term, break it
down into its component parts root(s), prefix, suffix and combining
vowels!

Linking or combining vowels

Used between word part to help the pronunciation
a term
Myocarditis - myo/card/itis
Myo = muscle (root), card = heart (root) and itis = peradangan (
suffix)
inflammation in heart muscle
Percutaneous - per/cutan/eous
Per = through (prefix), cutan = skin (root) dan -eous =
pertaining to (suffix);
a process through skin
Suprascapular - supra/scapular
Supra = above (prefix), scapula = shoulder blade (root), and -r
= relative to (suffix);
area above the scapula

 Certain combination of root words are

difficult to pronounce, making it
necessary to insert a vowel called a
combining vowel
Usually is an o, but ocassionally it can
be a, e, i, u or y
Example:
therm and meter thermometer
card and vasculer cardiovasculer

TYPES OF MEDICAL TERM CONSTRUCTIION

I. Containing 3 components
a. PREFIX ____ ROOT ____ SUFFIX
PERI ______ CARDI ____ ECTOMY
PERICARDIECTOMY
PERI ______CARD _____ ITIS

PERICARDITIS

b. PREFIX ____ ROOT ____ PSEUDOSUFFIX

HYPER _____ THERM _____ MIA HYPERTHERMIA
TRANS _____ URETHR _____ AL TRANSURETHRAL

c. ROOT _____ ROOT _____ PSEUDOSUFFIX

COSTO ____ PHREN _____ IC COSTOPHRENIC
STERNO ___ CLAVICUL ___ AR STERNOCLAVICULAR

d. ROOT ____ ROOT ____ SUFFIX

TRACHEO_____BRONCHO ____ SCOPY
TRACHEOBRONCHOSCOPY
RHINO ______ PHARYNG_____ ITIS
RHINOPHARYNGITIS

II. Containing 2 components

a. PREFIX _____ ROOT
ANTE ____ NATAL ANTENATAL
EPI _____ CARDIA EPICARDIA
b.ROOT ______ PSEDOSUFFIX
CARDI ______ AC CARDIAC
NEUR ______ AL NEURAL

c. ROOT _____ SUFFIX

BRONCHO_____ PATHY BRONCHOPATHY
CARDIO ______ PLEGIA CARDIOPLEGIA

Structure of medical terms can be

composed of 4 /5 combination, ex:
Root, Prefix , Suffix, Pseudo root ,
Pseudosuffix.

find other examples of medical

terms and try to find the meaning!

GROSS ANATOMY
SKELETON

RESPIRATORY
SYSTEM

DIGESTIVE
SYSTEM

Cardiovasculer
system

NERVOUS
SYSTEM

Urinary
system

REPRODUCTIVE
SYSTEM

Gross Anatomy: Introduction

Anatomical position
Directional terms
Regional terms
Body planes and sections

Anatomical Position
Anatomical
position
Body erect with
feet together
Arms at side with
palms forward

The anatomical
position is the
common visual
reference point

Anatomical Position
Directional terms
used in anatomy
reference deviations
from the anatomical
position (e.g.
abduction of arm)
Additionally, the
terms right and left
always refer to the
person, cadaver, or
skeleton being
viewed and are not
the viewers right and
left.

Directional and Regional Terms

Regional terms are the names of specific body

areas. The areas labeled here pertain to the
fundamental divisions of the body.

Directional and Regional terms

There are two
fundamental
divisions of our
body
Axial
Head,
Neck
Trunk

Appendicular
Shoulder / Arm
Pelvis / Leg

Regional terms are

used to designate
specific areas
within the major
body divisions
Carpal / wrist
Oral / mouth
Femoral / thigh

Directional Terms
Superior: Toward the head end
or upper part of a structure or
the body
Inferior: Away from the head
end or toward the lower part of a
structure or the body

Directional Terms
Anterior: Toward or at the front
of the body (ventral)
Posterior: Toward the back of
the body; behind (dorsal)

Directional Terms
Medial : Toward or at the midline
of the body
Lateral: Away from the midline of
the body
Intermediate: Between a more
medial and a more lateral
structure

Directional Terms
Proximal: Closer to the origin of
the body part, or the point of
attachment of a limb to the body
trunk
Distal : Farther from the origin
of a body part or the point of
attachment of a limb to the body
trunk

( Body Direction)

Directional Terms
Superficial: Toward or at the
body surface
Profunda: away from the body
surface; more internal

Anterior-Posterior

Anterior
posterior
lateral

Superior, Lateral

Superior-Inferior Lateral-Medial

Test Your Knowledge!

Test Your Knowledge!

Test Your Knowledge!

Test Your Knowledge!

Test Your Knowledge!

Body Planes and Sections

In the study of
anatomy, the body
is often sectioned
(cut) along a flat
surface called a
plane
Planes section the
body through
portions of the
anatomical
position

Body Planes and Sections

The most
frequently used
body planes are
sagittal, frontal and
transverse which
are at right angles
to each other
A section bears the
name of the plane
along which it is
cut

Body Planes
The frontal plane
divides the body
into anterior and
posterior
sections
Also called a
coronal when
referencing
the head

Body Planes
A transverse plane
runs horizontally
and divides the
body into superior
and inferior
sections
Transverse
sections are also
called cross
sections

Body Planes
The sagittal plane
lies vertically and
divides the body
into right and left
parts
The sagittal plane
lies exactly at
midline and is also
referred to as the
median or
midsagittal plane

Body Planes
Cuts made along
any plane that lies
diagonally between
horizontal and
vertical are called
oblique sections
Oblique sections
are rarely used
because normal
planes of reference
are not evident

Body Planes and Sections

Looking at the
body or a familiar
object can look
odd when viewed
in section
However, looking
at structures in
section often can
add insight into
spatial relations
and understanding
of internal
positioning

Body Planes and Sections

In this frontal view a
magnetic resonance
imaging (MRI)
system presents the
internal structures of
the torso
Here you can readily
see various organs
with the torso

Body Planes and Sections

In this transverse
view a (MRI) system
presents the internal
structures of the
torso
This view is useful in
illustrating how
organs are
distributed within
the cavity from
anterior/lateral or
medial lateral
perspective

Body Planes and Sections

In this midsagitall
view a (MRI) system
presents the internal
structures of the
abdominopelvic
cavity
This view is useful in
visualizing
structures from a
superior / inferior
perspective

Frontal Section

Transversal and
Sagital Section

Test You Knowledge!

References
Lisowsky FP, Oxnard CE, Anatomical
Terms and Their Derivation, World
Scientific Publishing Co, USA
US Army Basic Medical Department
Center and School, Basic Medical
Terminology, Texas
Sobotta, Atlas Anatomy
Dorland, Medical Dictionary