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Search medical terms and abbreviations with the most up-to-date and comprehensive medical dictionary from the reference experts at Merriam-Webster. Master today's medical vocabulary. Authoritative pronunciations.
- Basic Term Structure
- Word Roots
- Prefixes
- Suffixes
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Medical terms are composed of these standard word parts: 1. Prefix:When included, the prefix appears at the beginning of a medical term and usually indicates a location, direction, type, quality, or quantity. 2. Root:The root gives a term its essential meaning. Nearly all medical terms contain at least one root. When a prefix is absent, the term be...
A root is the foundational element of any medical term. Roots often indicate a body part or system. Common word roots: Compound Words A medical word may include multiple roots. This frequently occurs when referencing more than one body part or system. For example, cardio-pulmo-nary means pertaining to the heart and lungs; gastro-entero-logy means t...
A prefix modifies the meaning of the word root. It may indicate a location, type, quality, body category, or quantity. Prefixes are optional and do not appear in all medical terms. Common prefixes:
Medical terms always end with a suffix.3The suffix usually indicates a specialty, test, procedure, function, condition/disorder, or status. For example, “itis” means inflammation and “ectomy” means removal. Alternatively, the suffix may simply make the word a noun or adjective. For example, the endings -a, -e, -um, and -us are commonly used to crea...
Learn the basic structure and components of medical terms derived from Greek and Latin roots. Find common word roots, prefixes, suffixes, and examples of medical terminology.
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- electr
- chem
- therm
- Abrasion: A cut or scrape that typically isn’t serious.
- Abscess: A tender, fluid-filled pocket that forms in tissue, usually due to infection.
- Acute: Signifies a condition that begins abruptly and is sometimes severe, but the duration is short.
- Benign: Not cancerous.
Learn the meaning of medical abbreviations, acronyms, and terminology used by health care professionals. Browse an A-Z list of common medical terms and their definitions, from acute lymphoblastic leukemia to zoster.
Medical Dictionary. The main source of TheFreeDictionary's Medical dictionary is The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary, Second Edition, which provides authoritative descriptions of medical conditions, medications, anatomical terms, noted medical personalities and much more.
Jul 31, 2023 · Learn why it's important to know medical terminology and how to use it in various contexts. Find over 100 medical terms grouped into categories such as abbreviations, diseases, slang, prefixes and suffixes, procedures and tests.
Learn how to break down medical terms into word parts and understand their meanings. Find out why medical terminology is important for healthcare careers and how to study it effectively.
