Medical Terminology Simplified

1–21 In medical words, the root usually indicates a body part (anatomical structure).

For example, the root in cardi/al, cardi/ac, and cardi/o/gram is __________and it

means heart.

1–22 You will find that the roots in medical words are usually derived from Greek

or Latin words. Some examples include dentin the word dent/ist,pancreatin the

word pancreat/itis, anddermatin the word dermat/o/logist.

Underline the roots in the following words:

dent/al

pancreat/itis

dermat/o/logist

1–23 In Frame 1–22, the root dentmeans tooth,pancreatmeans pancreas,and

dermatmeans skin.All three roots indicate a body __________.

Combining Forms

A combining form (CF) is created when a word root is combined with a vowel. This vowel is usually an o. The vowel has
no meaning of its own, but enables two word elements to be linked.

1–24 Like the word root, the CF is the basic foundation on which other elements

are added to build a complete word. In this text, a combining form will be listed as

word root/vowel,such as dent/oand gastr/o.

A word root + a vowel (usually an o) forms a new element known as a

______________________________.

1–25 The CF in therm/o/meter is __________ / _____.

The CF in gastr/o/scope is __________ / _____.

1–26 Gastr/ois an example of the word element called a ____________________

__________.

The root in gastr/ois __________; the combining vowel is _____.

1–27 List the combining vowel in each of the following elements:

arthr/o:_____

phleb/o:_____

lith/o:_____

Frame 1–16to Frame 1–27

Word Elements • CHAPTER 1 5

cardi

part

combining form

combining form

gastr, o

o

o

o

therm/o

gastr/o

dent/al

DĔN-tăl

pancreat/itis

păn-krē-ă-TĪ-tĭs

dermat/o/logist

dĕr-mă-TŎL-ō-jĭst