Kursk state medical university

TERMINOLOGICAL SUFFIXES

They are suffixes, which developed specific meanings in the medical terminology.

1. tumour, any benign neoplasm (newly formed tissue);

2. localized collection of some fluid in the tissues.

e.g.: myoma  a benign neoplasm of muscular tissue;

chondroma  a benign neoplasm derived from

mesodermal cells that form cartilage;

osteoma  a benign slow-growing mass of mature bone;

but: haematoma – localized collection of extravasated blood in the

tissues.

e.g.: gastritis  inflammation, esp. mucosal of the stomach;

rhinitis  inflammation of the nasal mucous membrane;

encephalitis  inflammation of the brain.

Syn. -iasis, iasis f (Engl. –iasis)

1. 
   any process or its result,
   

lithiasis (litho- calculus, stone) – formation of calculi of any

kind.

2. 
   a pathological condition, caused by some agent or substance,
   

helminthiasis – disease caused by intestinal worms.

3. 
   A chronic pathological condition in some organ or tissue,
   

the kidneys;

arthrosis (arthr- joint) – chronic disease of the joints.

4. Abnormally large number or amount (esp. of blood cells and tissue cells)

e.g.: leucocytosis  an abnormally large number of leucocytes;

fibrosis  excessive amount of fibrous tissue cells.
-ismus, i m (Engl. -ism)

1. phenomenon, quality, fact.

e.g.: subjectivismus - Engl. subjectivism– the quality of being

subjective.

2. deviation from some standard, norm; syndrome.

e.g.: infantilismus –Engl. infantilism  a state marked by extremely

slow development of mind and body; childishness.

3. addiction to some substance; dependence.

e.g.: nicotinismus - Engl. – nicotinism - addiction to nicotine /

smoking.

4. poisoning,

e.g.: iodismus – Engl. – iodism  poisoning with iodine.

Resectum (to resect, to cut out)

Sectum (to cut)

Extractum (to extract)

Extensum (to stretch)

Obturatum (to obstruct, to stopper up)

Contractum (to contract)

Transfusum (to transfuse)

2. Form nouns with the general meaning of “the doer of the action”; translate the derivatives into English:

Constrictum (to constrict)

Depressum (to depress)

Injectum (to inject)

Erectum (to erect)

Acceptum (to accept)

Junctum (to join)

Strictum (to squeeze, to compress)

Curvatum (to curve)

Fissum (to split, to break down)

Commissum (to connect)

Gastr…, ureter…, nephr…(kidney), splen…, cholecyst… (gallbladder), cyst…(urinary bladder), tonsill…, pancreat…, gingiv…, vascul…, hepat…, burs….

Thymus, i m; papilla, ae f; hepar, atis n; lympha, ae f; fibra, ae f; myo -(muscle); chondro- (cartilage); osteo- (bone); nephro- (kidney); lipo- (fat).

Acidosis, mycosis (myco- fungus), fibrosis, osteofibrosis (osteo- bone), lymphocytosis, lymphocytoma, lymphoma, morphinismus, mercurialismus, alcoholismus, arthrosis (arthro- joint), arthritis, nephrosis (nephro- kidney), nephritis, hepatitis, hepatoma, spondylosis (spondylo- vertebra), spondylitis, myositis (myo- muscle), myoma, ventriculitis, thrombosis (thrombo- clot), rhinitis (rhino- nose).

Alongside with suffixation, another productive way of word-building is prefixation, that is the attachment of a prefix to a motivying base without changing the meaning but giving some additional information on localization (above, below, in, out, of, etc. ), direction (to, from, etc. ), absence or negation of something, etc. There are synonyms and antonyms among the prefixes which is due to the existence of Greek and Latin prefixes with the same or opposite meanings. The English medical terminology makes use of Greek and Latin prefixes, preserving the meanings attached to them in Latin.

e.g.: ad- ( approach); ab– (removal) - antonyms

musculus adductor - adductor muscle

musculus abductor - abductor muscle

epi- (above); supra – (above) - synonyms

suprascapularis – suprascapular – above the scapula

epitympanicus – epitympanic – above or in the upper part

of the tympanic membrane.

• 
  depending on the first letter of the root)
  

1. meso -+ name of an intraabdominal organ designates

e.g.: mesoduodenum – mesentery of the duodenum.

2. de(s)- + quality means worsening of this quality.

e.g. degeneratio – worsening of the generative function.

3. peri- when taken with the name of the organ, means

“capsule, tunic of connective tissue enveloping this organ”,

e.g.: “perimetrium” is the serous coat of the uterus;

“perinephrium” is the connective tissue and fat

surrounding the kidney.

4. 1) The prefix para- in combination with the name of an organ means “tissue, especially connective, adjacent to this organ”:

e.g.: “paracystium” are the tissues adjacent to the urinary

bladder;

floor.

e.g.: “paracusia” is impaired hearing.

3) para- + name of a disease designates “a disease similar to the mentioned one”:

e.g.: “paracholera” is a disease clinically resembling

Asiatic cholera but due to the vibrio specifically

different from Vibrio cholerae.

1. What prefixes have the meaning a) direction through; b) between?

2. What prefixes are used to denote a) disturbance, difficulty of a

function? b) excessive function c) absence of a function?

3. What prefixes correspond to the English against?

4. What stratum of the heart muscle is external?

a) endocardium b) epicardium c) myocardium

5. Which of the strata of the skin is medium? Why?

a) entoderma b) mesoderma c) ectoderma

6. What prefix has the meaning contrary to the meaning of the prefix –

7. Explain the meanings of the words: apathia, sympathia, antipathia,

if –“pathia” means “feeling, mood, emotion”.

8. What terms will have the meaning of “ rapid breathing, stop of

breathing, weakening of breathing, difficulty of breathing, normal

breathing”, if “ breathing” is designated through the Combining form

9. Combining form “-tonia” denotes “the tone”. What terms will you

construct to express: a) absence of tone?

b) difficulty, trouble in a tone?

c) excessive tone?

d) lowered tone?

e) normal tone?

10. What prefix is used to denote mesentries?

11. NB! Explain the meanings of the terms and recollect the primary

meanings of the prefixes an- and per-, minding that in the given terms

they designate “facilitation of an action”:

aneurysma (- eurysm means dilation);

pertussis (- tussis means coughing).
2. Fill in the blanks:

1. In the meaning of “after something” the Latin prefix … is used, and in the meaning of “behind” the prefix … is used.

2. The upper part of the abdomen is called epigastrium, the middle part is called …, the lower part is called …

3. Terms denoting “tunic of connective tissue enveloping a muscle, a nerve, a tendon” are constructed with the help of the prefix …. For example: …mysium, …neurium, …tendineum.

4. In the terms “parametrium”, “paranephritis” the prefix “para-“ denotes ….
3. Write prefixes with the meanings opposite to:

In-; extra-; prae-; super-; epi-; hyper-; ana.

1. sub-, infra-, hypo-;

Subscapularis, supraspinalis, supratrochlearis, submandibularis, infracostalis, suprasternalis, subnormalis, epigastricus, infratemporalis, suprarenalis, subfemoralis, epitympanicus, subcutaneus.

2. in-, ex-, intra-, extra-;

inter-, meso-, dia-;

endo-, ecto-;

Intermuscularis, intracellularis, endocervicalis, extrapyramidalis, intracranialis, interalveolaris, extrapulmonalis, interosseus, extrauterinus, mesoduodenum, mesogastrium, inhalatio, invasio (vado – movement), injectio, diastole (the dilation of the heart cavities), diaphysis (the shaft of a long bone as distinguished from the epiphysis), interatrialis, inspiratio, expiratio.

3. ante-, prae-, pro-;

post-, meta-, retro-, re-;

Praevertebralis, retrobuccalis, postnatalis, praenatalis, reactio, pronephros, metanephros, retroarticularis, prolongatus, metaencephalon, reinfectio, praecordialis, metathalamus, retroduodenalis, prodromalis (dromos – running), revaccinatio, praecancerosus, retroperitonealis, antepositio, retropositio.

4. ad-, ab-;

M. adductor, m. abductor, adhaesio, adaptatio, adsorbtio, absorbtio.

5. trans-, per-, dia-;

Transmissio, diarrhoea, transfusio, perforatio, transplantatio, diameter, transformatio, dialysis.

6. contra-, anti-;

con/com-, syn/sym-;

Symbiosis, syndesmosis, conjunctiva, compositus, syndromum, compressio, synphalangia, symmetria, synergismus, synkinesia, antibiotica, antidepressiva, contractio, contrapertura, contraceptiva, antisepticus, anthelminthicus.

7. dys-, eu-;

Dysrhythmia – eurhythmia.

Dyspnoё – eupnoё.

Dystonia – eutonia.

8.circum-, peri-, para-;

Circumflexus, circumanalis, circumarticularis, circummandibularis, periosteum (osteo- - bone), perivascularis, pericranium, perilymphaticus, periconchalis, paradenitis (aden- - gland), paracystitis (cysto- - urinary bladder), parahepaticus.

9. ana-, cata-

Anamnesis – catamnesis (-mnesis – memory)

Anabolismus – catabolismus

NB! anaplasia = cataplasia (loss of structural differentiation especially in malignant neoplasms; a degenerative change in cells or tissues that is the reverse of the constructive developmental change; a return to an earlier or embryonic stage).

10. dis-, dia-, (separation), se-, des- (removal); de- (1- away from; 2- change for the worse).

Diffusus, dialysis, diagnosis, desinfectio, degeneratio, demobilisatio, deformatio, decompensatio, separatio, secretio, dedifferentiatio, dementia, deoxydatio, descendence, disjunctio, dislocatio.