[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-266993-105":3,"doc-detail-266993-en":81,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":97},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":74,"head_meta":76,"extra_data":78,"updated_unix":80},105,"en","roots-prefixes-and-suffixes-the-science-of-word-building","Roots, Prefixes and Suffixes - The Science of Word-Building","","This document provides a foundational review of medical terminology, focusing on etymology—the study of word origins and development. It explains that medical terms are built from basic word parts: roots, prefixes, and suffixes. Roots form the core of a word, specifying the body part or concept. Combining vowels, typically 'o' or 'i', are used to connect these roots with prefixes, suffixes, or other roots, as illustrated by the example 'Gastroenterology' (GASTR/o/ENTER/o/LOGY). Prefixes, appearing at the beginning of words, indicate aspects like how, why, where, when, position, or status, with examples including 'ambidextrous' and 'pediatrician'. Suffixes, at the end of words, describe what is happening within a specific body part or system, with common examples like '-ology,' '-opathy,' '-osis,' '-lysis,' and '-pepsia.' The document also briefly touches upon general medical terms, descriptive terms, eponyms, and the distinction between acronyms and initialisms, emphasizing how understanding these word-building components aids in deciphering terms of Latin and Greek origin.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/exam/","Exam",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/roots-prefixes-and-suffixes-the-science-of-word-building/266993/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/roots-prefixes-and-suffixes-the-science-of-word-building/266993.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Mack Lee","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-19","2026-09-14",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",20,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"What is the definition of etymology?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"Etymology is the science of word origins and development, indicating the history and origin of a term and helping to decipher words with Latin and Greek origins.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"What is the role of roots in medical terms?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"Roots are the basic word parts that hold medical terms together, forming the main part of the word and specifying the body part or concept being discussed.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"How are prefixes and suffixes used in medical terminology?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"Prefixes appear at the beginning of words to indicate how, why, where, when, or the status of something, while suffixes appear at the end of words to describe what is happening within a specific body part or system.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},266993,1789413820,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",{"doc_id":79,"user_id":84,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":85,"doc_module":4,"category_id":33,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":86,"file_id":87,"file_url":88,"file_type":89,"file_size":90,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":91,"language":92,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":93,"faqs":94,"seo_title":95,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":80,"read_time":96},1236954509970,"https://us-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_6f874abed73319feea01a86fa6f0fab8","Roots, Prefixes and Suffixes  \nReview:  \nFrom Last Week. . .  \nGeneral Medical Terms:  \n-descriptive  \n-eponyms  \nAbbreviations:  \n-acronyms (ex. NASA, NATO)  \n-initialisms (ex. SAT, BBC)  \nThe science of word-building!  \nEtymology  \n1. The science of the origin and development of words  \n2. Indicates the origin and historical development of a term  \n3. Helps you to decipher words with Latin and Greek origins  \nROOTS  \nBasic Word Parts: Roots  \nA . The glue that holds all medical terms together  \nB . The main part of the word  \nC. Gives you a clue as to what you’re dealing with  \nF . Specifies the body part  \nG. Combining vowel, usually “o” or “i”, joins the root with a prefix or suffix, or another root  \nEXAMPLE!  \nGastroenterology  \nGASTR / O/ ENTER / O / LOGY  \nroot root  \nThe root gastr means stomach The root enter means intestines  \nCOMBINING VOWELS  \nBasic Word Parts: Combining Vowels  \n1. Encephal (o) (root meaning brain)  \na . Encephalitis (means inflammation of the brain)  \nb.“itis” starts with an “i” so a combining vowel is not needed (it's not \"encephaloitis\"!)  \n2. Encephalogram - “gram” is a suffix meaning“tracing” or “record\"; “gram” does not start with a vowel  \n-The combining vowel “o” is used  \nEXAMPLE!  \nGastroenterology  \nGASTR / O/ ENTER / O / LOGY root  root   \nconnecting vowels  \nThe root gastr means stomach The root enter means intestines  \nPREFIXES  \nBasic Word Parts: Prefixes  \nA . Appear at the beginnings of words  \nB . Tell “how, why, where, when, how much, how many, position, direction, time or status”  \nexample: ambidextrous, anticoagulant, pediatrician  \nSUFFIXES  \nBasic Word Parts: Suffixes  \nA . Appear at the ends of words  \nB . Tell us what is happening with a specific body part or system  \nexamples: -ology, -opathy, -osis, -lysis, -pepsia","cbCaikYz8CzPYiXS","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaikYz8CzPYiXS","pdf",392211,13,"English","# Roots, Prefixes and Suffixes\n## Review: From Last Week...\n### General Medical Terms:\n* descriptive\n* eponyms\n### Abbreviations:\n* acronyms (ex. NASA, NATO)\n* initialisms (ex. SAT, BBC)\n# The science of word-building!\n# Etymology\n# ROOT\n# COMBINING VOWELS\n# PREFIXES\n# SUFFIXES","[{\"question\":\"What is the definition of etymology?\",\"answer\":\"Etymology is the science of word origins and development, indicating the history and origin of a term and helping to decipher words with Latin and Greek origins.\"},{\"question\":\"What is the role of roots in medical terms?\",\"answer\":\"Roots are the basic word parts that hold medical terms together, forming the main part of the word and specifying the body part or concept being discussed.\"},{\"question\":\"How are prefixes and suffixes used in medical terminology?\",\"answer\":\"Prefixes appear at the beginning of words to indicate how, why, where, when, or the status of something, while suffixes appear at the end of words to describe what is happening within a specific body part or system.\"}]","Roots, Prefixes and Suffixes - The Science of Word-Building | PDF",33,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":98},[99,103,107,110,115,120,125,130,134,137,141],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":100,"show_sort_weight":101,"slug":102},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":104,"show_sort_weight":105,"slug":106},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":108,"slug":109},70,"exam",{"id":111,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":112,"show_sort_weight":113,"slug":114},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":116,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":117,"show_sort_weight":118,"slug":119},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":121,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":122,"show_sort_weight":123,"slug":124},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":126,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":127,"show_sort_weight":128,"slug":129},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":131,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":132,"show_sort_weight":55,"slug":133},9,"Religion & Spirituality","religion-spirituality",{"id":55,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":135,"show_sort_weight":55,"slug":136},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":138,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":139,"show_sort_weight":138,"slug":140},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":142,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":143,"show_sort_weight":111,"slug":144},19,"General","general"]