HANDOUT 4 – SS 2017
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BASIC RULES OF WORD COMPOUNDING
Derived words: PREFIX(ES) + ROOT + SUFFIX(ES)
peri + en + cephal + iti(s) + (i)cus
= PERIENCEPHALITICUS = ??
Compound words: (PREFIX) + ROOT 1 + CONNECTOR + ROOT 2 + SUFFIX
cerebr + o + spin + alis
prim + i + gravid + (a)
In anatomy, usually the Latin roots (stems) are used in compounds (e.g. articulatio
carpometacarpale); in clinical practice we use mostly Greek roots (e.g. arthritis; chondroma;
etc.).
The connecting vowel is usually-o-, however, -i- is used when we speak of:
- the number of pregnancies/deliveries: e.g. primipara, secundigravida
- in connection wth root –fer meaning to transfer sth: e.g. ductus bilifer/lactifer
- in connection with root –formis meaning resemblance to sth: e.g. lig. falciforme
GREEK ROOTS USED IN COMPOUND MEDICAL TERMS
A) Greek roots of anatomical structures – fill in Latin equivalents!
Greek root
(the full Greek word in
brackets)
English translation example Latin equivalent
of the Greek root
aden- (aden) gland adenoma
amygdal- (amygdale) tonsil (cerebellar or
lymphatic)
amygdalitis
angi- (angeion) vessel angiographia
arthr- (arthron) joint synarthrosis
blephar- (blefaron) eyelid blepharoedema
cardi- (kardia) heart endocardium
cephal- (kefale) head diencephalon
cheil- (cheilos) lip cheilorrhaphia
cheir- (cheir) hand cheirospasmus
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chondr- (chondros) cartilage perichondrium
colp- (kolpos) vagina colporrhagia
cyst- (kystis) bladder urocystitis
cyt- (kytos) cell erythrocytus
dactyl- (daktylos) finger syndactylia
dermat- (derma) skin xanthoderma
disc- (diskos) intervertebral disc discitis
enter- (enteron) intestine (usually small
one)
gastroenteritis
episi- (epision) pubic region, perineum episiostenosis
geni- (geneion) lower jaw; mandibula progenia
gloss-/glott- (glossa) tongue aglossia
gnath- (gnathos) upper jaw; maxilla prognathia
gon- (gony, gonatos) knee gonarthrosis
hyster- (hystera) uterus hysterographia
lapar- (lapara) soft tissues between
ribs and hips (flank)
laparoscopia
mast- (mastos) breast mastitis
mel- (melos) limb polymelia
mening- (meninx) brain membrane meningitis
metr- (metra) uterus endometrium
my- (mys) muscle myoma
myel- (myelos) bone marrow, spinal
cord
poliomyelitis
nephr- (nefros) kidney nephrolithiasis
neur- (neuron) nerve polyneuritis
odont- (odus) tooth parodontosis
om- (omos) shoulder joint m. omohyoideus
onych- (onyx) nail onychomycosis
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oophor- (ooforon) ovary oophoritis
ophthalm- (ofthalmos) eye pyophthalmia
oste- (osteon) bone periosteum
ot- (us, otis) ear otitis
phall- (fallos) penis phalloplastica
phleb- (fleps) vein trombophlebitis
pneum(on)- (pneumon) lung pneumonia
pod- (pus) foot podiatria
psych- (psyche) mind psychosis
rhin- (rhis) nose rhinitis
salping- (salpinx) oviduct/fallopian tube pyosalpinx
somat- (soma) body somaticus
splanchn- (splanchnon) internal organ splanchnocranium
splen- (splen) spleen splenitis
spondyl- (spondylos) vertebra spondylosis
stomat- (stoma) mouth stomatochirurgia
trich- (trix, trichos) hair hypertrichosis
B) Greek names for body fluids and substances
Greek stem
(the Greek term in brackets)
English translation Example
galact- (gala, galaktos)
~ lac, lactis, n.
milk galactorrhoea
lactatio
glyc- (glykys) sweet; sugar hyperglycaemia
haem(at)-/-aem(ia) (haima)
~ sanguis, inis, m.
blood haemorrhagia; alcoholaemia
exsanguinatio
hydr- (hydor) ~ aqua, ae, f. water, liquid; sweat hydrothorax
lip- (lipos) fat lipoma
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lith- (lithos) ~ calculus, i, m. stone cholecystolithiasis; calculosis
lymph- (lympha) lymph lymphadenitis
sial- (sialon) saliva sialadenitis
py- (pyon) ~ pus, puris, n. pus pyophtalmia
pyr- (pyros) fire; fever antipyretica; hyperpyrexia
ur- (uron) urine pyuria; uraemia
EXERCISES
Task 1: Form anatomical terms including compound adjectives from the words in
brackets:
articulatio + (costa + vertebra) ……………………………………………………………………………
articulatio + (metacarpus + phalanx) ……………………………………………………………………………
articulatio + (sternum + costa) ……………………………………………………………………………
ganglion + (cervix + thorax) ……………………………………………………………………………
ganglion + (cranium + spina) ……………………………………………………………………………
ganglion + (encephalon + spina) ……………………………………………………………………………
ligamentum + (carpus + metacarpus) ……………………………………………………………………………
ligamentum + (costa + clavicula) ……………………………………………………………………………
ligamentum + (hepar + duodenum) ……………………………………………………………………………
musculus + ( brachium + radius) ……………………………………………………………………………
musculus + (cranium + spina) ……………………………………………………………………………
musculus + (urethra + vagina) ……………………………………………………………………………
Task 2: Name structures according to definitions using compound adjectives (the noun is
underlined, the components of the adjective are in italics).
The structure is the connection between the sacrum and coccyx; it is frequently a true joint, but
often occurs as a synchondrosis, it is: _________________________ _____________________________
Suture lateral to the nasal bone that connects the nasal portion of the frontal bone and the
frontal process of the maxilla, is: _________________________ _____________________________
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Epicanthus, is the skin fold of the upper eyelid covering the inner angle of the eye (i. e. on the
side close to the nose), another Latin name for it is: _____________________ _____________________________
The pleural recess between the lateral wall of thorax (i. e. ribs) and the descending is sides of
diaphragm and, is called: _________________________ _____________________________
Right or left opening between the atrium and ventricle is: ____________________ _______________________
The anterior part of the superficial fibers of the medial collateral ligament of the ankle joint,
attached superiorly to the anterior surface of the medial malleolus of the tibia and inferiorly to
the navicular bone is: ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ _____________________
The deep recess of the peritoneal cavity extending upward between the liver in front and the
kidney behind is: _________________________ _____________________________
One of facial lymph nodes situated near the junction of the superior labial and facial arteries,
which drains the external nose and upper lip into the submandibular node is called:
_________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
Task 3: Match Latin names for anatomical structures with their corresponding Greek
equivalents.
glandula
manus
vagina
labium
digitus
uterus
medulla
auris
nasus
viscera
cartilago
pes
splanchna
cheilos
rhis (rhin-)
chondros
cheir
myelos
dactylos
us (ot-)
aden
pus (pod-)
hystera
kolpos
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Task 4: Explain the meaning of the following compounds:
fluidothorax haematuria uraemia
haemothorax proteinuria alcoholaemia
pneumothorax pyuria pyaemia
haemopneumopericardium glycosuria hydraemia
cupraemia
Task 5: Derive terms for inflammations from the given Greek roots; write Latin
equivalents.
my- …………………………………………………… ..........................................
angi- …………………………………………………… ..........................................
oste- …………………………………………………… ..........................................
fleb- …………………………………………………… ..........................................
arthr- …………………………………………………… ..........................................
kard- …………………………………………………… ..........................................
spondyl- …………………………………………………… ..........................................
nefr- …………………………………………………… ..........................................
pneumon- …………………………………………………… ..........................................
kyst- …………………………………………………… ..........................................
stomat- …………………………………………………… ..........................................
glott- …………………………………………………… ..........................................
splen- …………………………………………………… ..........................................
mast- …………………………………………………… ..........................................
encephal- …………………………………………………… ..........................................
derm- …………………………………………………… ..........................................
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Task 6: What do the following anatomical structures resemble?
colon sigmoideum
processus pterygoideus
glandula thyroidea
sutura lambdoidea
os scaphoideum
processus xiphoideus
processus styloideus
processus coronoideus
os hyoideum
processus coracoideus
os pisiforme
musculus piriformis
ligamentum cruciforme
ligamentum falciforme
os cuneiforme
papillae filiformes