GREEK COMPOUND WORDS A) Greek names for anatomical structures genitive stem (nom. sg. in brackets) English translation example English translation aden- (aden) gland adenoma benign epithelial tumour having a glandular origin and structure angi- (angeion) vessel angiographia radiographic visualization of blood vessels arthr- (arthron) joint arthritis arthrosis synarthrosis inflammation of the joint degenerative disease of the joint immovable articulation in which the bones are united by intervening fibrous connective tissues cardi- (kardia) heart endocardium pericardium inner wall of the heart muscle sac-like membrane that surrounds the heart cephal- (kefale) head diencephalon metencephalon interbrain posterior part of the brain cheil- (cheilos) lip cheilorrhaphia chirurgical suture of the lip cheir- (cheir) hand cheirospasmus spasm of hand muscles chondr- (chondros) cartilage perichondrium synchondrosis connective tissue membrane around the cartilage cartilaginous joint between two immovable bones colp- (kolpos) vagina colporrhagia vaginal bleeding cyst- (kystis) bladder urocystis cholecystis urinary bladder gall bladder cyt- (kytos) cell erythrocytus leucocytus red blood cell white blood cell dactyl- (daktylos) finger syndactylia congenital fusion of fingers/toes dermat- skin ectoderma entoderma the outermost of the three primary cell layers of an embryo the innermost of the three primary cell layers of an embryo episi- (epision) pubic region episiotomia incision of the perineum to avoid tearing during parturition gloss-/glott- (glossa/glotta) tongue glossoschisis bifid or cleft tongue gon- (gony) knee gonarthrosis degenerative disease of the knee joint hyster- (hystera) womb hysterectomia surgical removal of the womb mast- (mastos) breast mastectomia surgical removal of the breast metr- (metra) womb endometrium parametrium mucous membrane that lines the womb connective tissue and fat adjacent to the uterus my- (mys) muscle myoma benign tumour composed of muscle tissue myel- (myelos) bone marrow, spinal cord myelopathia disease of bone marrow or the spinal cord nephr- (nefros) kidney nephrolithiasis presence of kidney stones in the kidney neur- (neuron) nerve neuritis inflammation of the nerve odont- (odus) tooth parodontosis periodontium degenerative disease of the tissue adjacent to the tooth supporting structures of the teeth (including the cement, periodontal ligament, bone of the alveolar process and gums) om- (omos) shoulder omalgia pain in the shoulder oophor- (ooforon) ovary oophorectomia surgical removal of the ovary ophthalm- (ofthalmos) eye ophthalmia inflammation of the eye oste- (osteon) bone osteogenesis formation and development of bony tissue ot- (us) ear otitis inflammation of the ear phleb- (fleps) vein phlebotomia surgical incision into the vein phys- (fyesthai) growth apophysis diaphysis usually bony projection or protuberance, as on the vertebra pneum-/pneumon- (pneumon) lung pneumonia inflammation of lungs pod- (pus) foot podalgia pain in the foot rhin- (rhis) nose rhinitis inflammation of the nasal mucous membrane salping- (salpinx) oviduct/fallopian tube salpingorrhaphia suture of the fallopian tube somat- (soma) body somaticus related to the body splanchn- (splanchnon) internal organ splanchnopathia disease of internal organs spondyl- (spondylos) vertebra spondyloschisis congenital fissure of the vertebra stomat- (stoma) mouth stomatorrhagia bleeding from the mouth EXERCISES 1. 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 2. Give Latin equivalents to the Greek terms: mys ____________________ angeion ____________________ osteon ____________________ fleps ____________________ arthron ____________________ kardia ____________________ spondylos ____________________ nefros ____________________ gony ____________________ kystis ____________________ stoma ____________________ glotta ____________________ soma ____________________ mastos ____________________ kefale ____________________ derma ____________________ B) Greek names for body fluids and other substances genitive stem (nom. sg. in brackets) English translation example English translation haem-/haemat-/-aem- (haima) krev haemorrhagia haematoscopia hyperglycaemia bleeding laboratory examination of the blood excess of sugar in the blood hydr- (hydor) water, liquid hydrothorax excess of serous fluid in the pleural cavity lip- (lipos) fat lipoma benign tumour composed of fat cells lith- (lithos) stone cholecystolithos gallstone in the gallbladder py- (pyon) pus pyophtalmia inflammation of the eye with pus secretion pyr- (pyr) fire hyperpyrexia extremely elevated temperature ur- (uron) urine urologia branch of medicine dealing with the urinary system C) Greek names for physiological/pathological states and processes genitive stem (nom. sg. in brackets) English equivalent example English equivalent aesth- (aisthanesthai) to feel, perceive anaesthesia dysaesthesia loss of pain sensation induced by drugs disagreeable, atypical sensation -algia (algos) pain cephalalgia headache -lithiasis stones nephrolithiasis presence of kidney stones in the kidney -lysis relaxation, decomposition spasmolysis relaxation of spasms -odynia (odyne) pain mastodynia pain in the breast -pathia (pathos) unspecified disease psychopathia any disease of the mind -penia lack, shortage leucocytopenia lack of white blood cells -phobia (fobos) fear claustrophobia abnormal fear of being in narrow or enclosed spaces -plasia (plassein) formation, development hyperplasia abnormal increase in cells in a tissue or organ -plegia (plege) paralysis, palsy gastroplegia paralysis of gastric smooth muscles pnoe (pnein) to breathe eupnoe dyspnoe apnoe normal breathing laboured or difficult breathing transient cessation of breathing -ptosis falling down metroptosis downward displacement of the uterus -rrhagia bleeding enterorrhagia bleeding from the intestine -rrhoea (rhoe) flow, discharge pyorrhoea otorrhoea discharge of pus inflammatory discharge from the ear -schisis cleft, division cheiloschisis cleft lip -spasmus (spasmos) spasm bronchospasmus bronchial spasm stas- (stasis) standing astasia venostasis inability to stand abnormal slowing or stoppage of the flow of blood in a vein ton- (tonos) tension, pressure hypertonia hypotonia high blood pressure low blood pressure troph- (trefein) to nourish eutrophia dystrophia atrophia normal/good nutrition defective/faulty nutrition decrease in the size of an organ or tissue EXERCISES 3. Analyse the structure of the following terms. Translate the terms: Example: hypoglycaemia: hypo-glyc-aem-ia = abnormally low concentration of glucose in the blood compound word analysis translation cephalalgia cholecystolithiasis myodystrophia neuropathia cardiophobia palatoschisis encephalodysplasia hydrorrhoea rhinorrhagia pancreatolysis nephroptosis pyodermatitis hypopyrexia haemostasis 4. Give Greek terms to the English definitions/equivalents. Use one-word terms only: ___________________________________ bleeding from the stomach ___________________________________ stomach ache ___________________________________ spasm of the stomach ___________________________________ downward displacement of the stomach ___________________________________ inflammation of the stomach ___________________________________ loss of tone in the stomach musculature ___________________________________ unspecified disease of the stomach ___________________________________ paralysis of the stomach D) Greek names for quality and quantity features genitive stem (nom. sg. in brackets) English translation example English translation brady- (bradys) slow bradypnoe abnormally slow breathing crypt- (kryptos) hidden cryptogenes of unknown or obscure origin di- (dis) twice diplegia paralysis of the identical part on both sides of the body erythr- (erythros) red erythroderma abnormal redness of the skin -genes having the origin in something haematogenes produced by, derived from, or originating in the blood hemi- half hemiplegia paralysis affecting only one side of the body is- (isos) same isogenes having the same origin leuc- (leukos) white leucoderma white patches on the skin due to absence of pigment macr- (makros) big, long macroscopia examination with the naked eye malac- (malakos) soft, tender osteomalacia softening of bones megal- (megas) large megalocardia abnormal enlargement of the heart melan- (melas) black melanoma malignant, usually skin tumour composed of melanocytes micr- (mikros) small microscopia investigation by use of a microscope mon- (monos) one monoplegia paralysis of a single limb necr- (nekros) dead necrosis death of living tissue neo- (neos) new neoplasma abnormal growth of new tissue such as a tumour olig- (oligos) rare, not numerous oliguria diminished urine production pan- (pas) whole, all panplegia paralysis of the whole body poly- (polys) numerous polyarthritis inflammation of several joints pseud- (pseudes) false pseudoanaemia false anaemia scler- (skleros) hard sclerosis hardening or thickening of organs, tissues and vessels tachy- (tachys) rapid tachypnoe abnormally rapid breathing therm- (thermos) warm hypothermia abnormally low body temperature tetra- (tettares) four tetraplegia paralysis of all four limbs tri- (treis) three triceps having three heads EXERCISES 5. Match the words in the left column with their opposites in the right column: brady leukos oligos megalos skleros hemi- melanos malakos pan tachy poly mikros 6. Form terms from the given words with the corresponding meaning. Do not change the order of the words: erythros + kytos + lysis ___________________________________ breaking down of red blood cells isos + hydor + haima ___________________________________ normal amount of liquids in vessels oligos + daktylos ___________________________________ presence of fewer than five digits on a hand or foot pseudo + tumor ___________________________________ abnormality that resembles a tumour poly + neuron + pathos ___________________________________ disease of several nerves E) Greek names for medical interventions and examinations genitive stem (nom. sg. in brackets) English translation example English translation -ectomia excision, removal cholecystectomia surgical excision of the gallbladder -graphia recording, image hysterographia graphic recording of the strength of uterine contractions in labour -metria measurement pupillometria measurement of the diameter or width of the pupil of the eye -plastica plastic operation otoplastica plastic surgery of the ear -scopia examination ophthalmoscopia examination of the eye by means of the ophthalmoscope -stomia opening tracheostomia creation of an opening into the trachea through the neck -therapia therapy chemotherapia use of chemical agents in the treatment of a disease -tomia incision, cutting tympanotomia incision of the tympanic membrane EXERCISE 7. Use expressions in the table to form compound words with the corresponding meaning. tomia ectomia stomia graphia plastica therapia stomosis scopia metria a) ___________________________: measurement of dimensions of the head b) ___________________________: treatment of a disease by means of ionizing radiation c) ___________________________: surgical formation of an opening through the abdominal wall into the stomach d) ___________________________: surgical excision of the gallbladder e) ___________________________: endoscopic examination of the colon f) ___________________________: surgical repair of a defect of the lip ch) ___________________________: surgical incision of the appendix g) Electro-___________________________: recording of electrical impulses produced by the brain activity (EEG) h) ___________________________: surgical connection of two parts of the intestine